^C. Co-nperanve Marke
V.ctona Road. KARACHI
^Yest Pakistan.
PUNJABI
MUSALMANS
Lt. Col. J.M. Wikeley
Second Edition
THE BOOK HOUSE
8, Trust Building P.O. Box 734,
LAHORE.
Price Bs. 7-50
LIST OF AUTHORITIES CONSULTED
1 'Punjabi Musalmans' by Captain Hamilton.
2 The Gazetteers of the Punjab and North
Western Frontier Province.
3 Census Report 1891, 1901, 1911 and 1931,
4 Tod's 'Rajasthan'. -\ ^
5 Thompson's 'History of India'.
6 Elphinstone's 'History of India'. '^ I
7 McGrindle's 'Ancient India' Vj ^
? Handbooks an 'Rajputs, Jats and Gujars .
9 Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the
Punjab and North Western Frontier
Province.
10 'The Gypsies of India' by Mackeritchie.
11 'A History of the Muglia:l&=^:egatt£' Asia'
by N. Elias and
Printed By : Muhammad Saeed Sheikh at ACCURATE PRINTERS
And Publisaed by Him fOR THE BOOK HOUSE, LAHORE.
The aim in produciug this
book is to put into an easily accessible
form and as much informative as possi-
ble concerning the history, customs
etc., of the people of Punjab who have
embraced Islam. This book gives the
origin and history of almost all the
important Punjabi Tribes.
Publisher
CONTENTS
Chapter I :
Punjabi Musalmans.
Page
1
Chapter II :
Sketch of the History of the
Punjab.
13
Chapter III :
History of Islam.
25
Chapter IV :
Customs and Ceremonies of the
Punjabi Musalmans.
47
Chapter V :
Distribution of Tribes— Short
Accounts of Punjabi Musalman
Tribes.
65
Chapter VI :
A Breif Account of Cis Indus
Pathans and Tribes peculiar to
Hazara District N. W. F. P and
akin to Pathans. 151
PUNJABI MUSALMANS
Chapter I
The term Punjabi Musalmans roughly describes
those Muslim Classes and Tribes which are to be found m
that portion of the Punjab and North West Frontier Pro-
vince which lies between the Indus and the Sullej Rivers
to the South of the main Himalavan Range. This includes
Hazara District, portion of Jammu and Poonch (Kash-
mir territory), and the Hill Tracts of Rawalpindi District.
2. Four Main Divisions of Punjabi iVlusaltnaas.
Punjabi Musalmans may be classed under four
main heads : —
(0
1.
Rajputs.
(//)
2.
Jats.
(/•//)
3.
Gujars.
(/v)
4.
Others.
3. The history of the Punjab until the commence-
ment of the Muhammadan invasions in A. D, 1001 is
fragmentary and incomplete, interrupted by long periods
of which we have no definite record. Certain incidents
stand out as recorded facts and establish historical land-
marks. Between these, nations, races and dynasties appear
and disappear, leaving but faint traces of their existence
to be unravelled by the Archaeological experts from their
coins and inscriptions on stone and brass.
4. Origin of Punjabi Musalman Tribes.
Most Punjabi Musalman tribes trace their origin to
periods prior to the Muhammadan invasions, others claim
fanciful or mythical ancestors, while the remainder are
satisfied that they came into the country with the
Muhammadan conquerors. The traditionsof their past are,
as a rule, handed down by the tribal 'mirasis' who record
in song the exploits of their heroes. These bards keep
the tribal genealogical tree, the roots of which extend
back to some legendary hero : in some cases even to
Adam.
In the absence of more satisfactory records we have
generally to accept these statements, where they are not
at variance with the opinion of ethnological authorities.
In chapter V there is a short account of each tribe,
based on these sources of information. Only those tribes
or sub-tribes are dealt with which are of some interest.
Below is the description of the four main divisions
mentioned in paragraph 2.
R A .1 P U T S
Aryan Origin of Rajputs.
All 'Rajputs' claim Aryan origin and this claim has
been accepted as correct by mosi ethnological authorities.
Their common birth dates back, however, to so remote
a past, that the term Rajput now describes races
which are most dis-similar. The effects of time, claimate,
and political vicissitudes have wrought great changes in
the various branches of the race. We now find the Rajputs
of Rajputhana differ greatly from the Rajputs of South-
ern Punjab and these again from the Rajputs of the
. North West portion of that province. In Punjab there
are many types of the race, distinguished from one an-
other by their moral and physical characteristics, and
possessing, in varying degrees, the qualities which make
good soldiers.
The Aryan descent of all Rajputs cannot be said to
have been established beyond dispute, and it is probable
that some, at least, of the Rajput tribes are of Scythian or
Hun origin. It seems likely that most of the Punjabi Musal-
man Rajputs are sprung from this source, for they belong
chiefly to the Agnicular or 'Fire-born" tribes. "These
are generally considered to have been Scythian v^arriors
who assisted the Brahmans in their final struggle with the
Buddhists, and were admitted into the ranks of the 'twice-
born' as a reward for their services to Hinduism. The
title 'Fire-born' was bestowed on them in order to disting-
uish them from the original Rajput races which claim
descent from the Sun and Moon."
The word Rajputs is derived as follows : —
The Aryans having settled down in the lands they
had won from the Dravidians, the aboriginal race,
improved in civilization and by a process of natural selec-
tion gradually resolved themselves into three classes : —
(1) The Barhman, or priestly class.
(2) The Kshatriya, i.e., Rajput or governing and
military caste, composed of the Maharajas and
their warrior kinsmen and companions, whose
duty it was to fight, rule and administer
justice, and protect the community in general.
(3) The Vaisiya, or trading and agricultural caste,
now represented by the Bunnia.
Rajput a Social Grade.
The Rajput therefore represented the aristocracy, and
the word implies this distinction to this day. So much
so is the case that Rajput in the Punjab has come to
mean a social grade rather than an ethnological term.
The decennial censuses show how many tribes endeav-
our to substantiate their claim to high social position by
returning themselves as 'Rajput', numbers of whom have
no title to that distinction. Others have fallen io J at
status owing to their non-observance of those social laws
recognised as necessary for the retention of their position
as Rajputs. Many tribes have both a Rajput and a Jat
branch, while others rank as Rajputs in one district and
Jats in another.
So clearly is this social position of the Rajput reco-
gnised, that it is common to find men adding the word
fiajput to the name of their tribe, even when the tribe is
well known to have no claim whatever to Rajput origin ;
It implies that the man considers himself to be of Rajput
status.
Pride of Race or Tribe.
The Punjabi Musalman Rajput as a Rajput has what
may be called a "pride of tribe' of which he is most
tenacious and which he maintains by strict adherance to
the rules which govern his marriage customs. He does
not look on himself as a Rajput first and then as a
Gakhar, or a Janjua or an Awan, but as member of one of
these tribes first, and then as Sahu or as Rajput which
entitles him to a certain social position. It is his tribe
which distinguishes him and of which he is a proud
member. This is a feeling which it is important to foster.
He will not give his women in marriage to members of
any tribe which is regarded as lower in the social scale
than his own. As a rule he will not undertake menial
labour, unless driven thereto by stress of circumstances.
Those Punjabi Musalman tribes which have become lax
in the observance of these social laws have inevitably
fallen from the rank of Rajput to that of Jat.
The Aristocracy of the Rajput.
The Punjabi N'lusalman Rajputs belong to the aristo-
cracy of the Punjab, and though a few other tribes con-
sider themselves their equals, there are, with the exception
of the Sayads and the Gakhhars, none that rank above
them.
Conversion to Islam.
The general conversion of the Muslim Rajputs from
Hinduism is supposed to have taken place towards the
end of the 13th or early in the 14th century A. D. The
Muslim conquests undoubtedly accelerated this change
of religion, but the preaching of several renowned Muslim
Saints, especially Bawa Farid of Pakpattan and Syed Ali
Hijveri (Data Gunj Bakhsh) of Lahore, whose eloquence
drew large numbers to hear them, helped considerably to
this end.
Separation of the Hindu Rajput from the
Musalman Rajput.
Prior to the Muslim conquests the who4e of the
Punjab and Northern India was ruled by the Rajput
princes. The decissive battles of Thanesur, Kanouj and
Benares fought by Muhammad Ghori in 1193 A. D.
against the Rajputs and Rathors, broke up their power
and their effective combination. A great immigration of
Rajputs into Marwar and Northern and Western Rajputana
then followed, and in that quarter they became the ruling
race ; there they retained their independence and religion,
and the final separation between the two branches (Hindu
and Muslim) was then complete.
Military service is looked on by the best Punjabi
Muslim Rajputs in their true 'Metier', and all the best
known families have given their sons to the Army.
J ATS
Origin.
The origin of the people known as Jats in the North
Western Punjab, and as Jats East and South of the Sutlej,
has been the subject of much learned discussion by
ethnological authorities, and very divergent views have
been expressed. No degree of certainty has been reached,
and what the Jats are, or whence they came, is still an
historical problem which remains to elucidated by
archeaological or other antiquarian research.
Conjectures as to Origin of Jats.
The Jats have been identified by one writer with the
gypsies of Europe, another makes their original home in
the Mesoootamian marshes, others again consider them to
be the descendants of the Jatii, Getae and other Scythian
races, which entered India about the beginning of the
Christian era. Recent opinion, however, leads to the
conjecture that at no time has there been a J at or Jaat race
as distinct from the Rajput race. It is probable that both
have spung from the same Ayran stock.
"Jat" Signifies Social Status.
Whatever the origin of the term Jat may be, it now
signifies in the North Western Punjab an occupation or
degree of social status, rather than a tribe or race. Rajputs
represent the highest social grade while Jats may be con-
sidered to rank next to them.
The term Jat is also used to describe an occupation :
in one locality it means the cultivator or "Jat Zamindar",
in another it is applied to the camel-driver, and elsewhere
to cattle graziers. Jats are essentially tillers of the soil
and as cultivators they superior to Rajputs.
Jat Claim to Rajput Descent.
In fact, most Jat tribes trace their origin from Rajput
status, and ascribe their fall in social rank to the mesal-
liance of some Rajput prince or princess with a person
of lower grade. To lay down a common ancestry for all
Punjabi Musalman Jats and to describe them as distinc-
tive race, is warranted by neither historical facts, tribal
legends, nor distinctive physiognomy. The majority of
the traditions of the Jat tribes in the Punjab point to
their being recent arrivals in the land of their adoption.
Stability for the Army.
From a recruiting point of view Jats vary consider-
ably according to the locality in which they are found.
While in one district they are not good, in another they
are well worthy of consideration. The Muslim Jats of
the Eastern Punjab and the districts bordering on it, are
a very different people to the Jats of the North West,
and these again from the Jats of Multan.
8
Jats often to be Prefered to Rajputs.
There are Jat tribes which in every way, physique,
spirit and manhness, are to be prefered as soldiers to
others of Rajput status.
Mention of Jats in History.
Subsequent to the first Muhammadan invasions we
find the Jats frequently mentioned in history. In 1024
A. D. Mahmud of Ghazni had great difiiculty in over-
coming the Jats of Sind, and he is said to have finally
reduced them after a naval engagement near Multan,
presumably on the Chenab. It is probable, however,
that the word Jat has been used in a very loose sense by
the historians who relates this event. In 1658 A. D. the
Jats appear as valuable allies to Aurangzeb in the
troubled times that followed the deposition of
Shah Jehan. Babar mentions the Jats of the Salt Range
in his memoirs.
Good Physique of Jats.
In the area where water is scarce, the Jats are a
pastoral people owning in one place cattle, in another
camels. The opening of the great Punjab canals has
effected them greatly and now they are well-to-do culti-
vators. Their occupations, especially in localities where
they have led a pastoral life, have affected their physique
favourably; they are, as a rule, heavy thickest men with
good chests. Their mental equipment is also now ap-
preciable due to their paying attention to Education.
Conversion to Islam.
It is uncertain when the Jats and Gujars of the
Punjab embraced Islam, but when Baber invaded India in
1525 A. D. he found that in the Salt Range they had been
subdued by the Awans, Janjuas and other Rajput tribes,
which had adopted the Muslim religion; we may con-
clude therefore that they ware Muslims. Punjabi
Musalman Jats have been, and still are, democratic in
their tribal arrangements.
PUNJABI MUSALMAN GUJARS
Origin,
While the /ar/7 and Getae were moving into India
from the Kandahar valley, another Scythian tribe called
the Yuch-Chi, whose modern representatives are the
Gujars, had established themselves in Kabul, Kashmir and
the Northern Punjab, where their settlements may be traced
in the names of places and districts such as Gujranvvala
and Gujrat. Before the end of the 3rd century a portion
of Yuch-Chi had begun to move Southward and were
shortly afterwards separated from their Northern brethren
by the advance of the Getae or Jats from the Bolan.
As has before been noticed, the distinction between
Jats, Gujars and Rajputs is probably social rather than
ethnic. Those families of the Aryo-Scythian stock whom
the tide of fortune raised to political importance, became
Rajputs, almost by virtue of their rise, and their descend-
ants have retained the title with the privileges by
observing the rules by which the higher are distinguished
from the lower castes in Hindu scale of precedence ; by
refusing to intermarry with families of inferior rank ; by
rigidly abstaining from widow-marriage ; and by refrain-
ing from menial and degrading occupations. Those who
transgressed these rules fell from their high estate and
were reduced, some to the grade of Jats or cultivators,
others to that of Gujar or herdsman.
10
Gurjara Empire,
Indian history also mentions an obscure tribe known
as the Gurjaras who apparently flourished in the North
West for the short period about the 3rd or 4fh century
A. D. One authority fixes as Gurjara Empire, with its
capital at Kanauj and embracing nearly the whole of
Northern India, about A. D. 840 under Bhojal. This
tribe is supposed to be of Scythian or Hun origin. It
seems more than probable that the words Gujar, Gujrat
and Gujarat are derived fro.n this source. But the origin
in history of the Gujaras is so obscure that no definite
statement can be made on the subject.
Gujars, a Pastoral People.
The Gujars as a race have always been recognised
as a past ral people, and the larger portion of them
occupy themselves with the herding of cattle, sheep and
goats. They are found throughout the Punjab ; in some
localities they belong to the resident population and
combine cultivation of land with the herding of cattle, in
others they are purely nomadic. As already mentioned
the Punjabi Musalman Gujars were probably converted
to the Muslim faith during the 15th Century A. D. The
Punjabi Musalman Gujar is a patient tiller of the soil,
arid his physique is good. As in the case of Punjabi
Musaimau Jats it is impossible to describe the charac-
teristics of all Punjabi Musalman Gujars as being alike.
Both vary with the locality in which we find them, and
the ocupation which they follow. The education standard
of this tribe is now raising.
OTHER TRIBES
Among Punjabi Musalmans there are certain tribes
11
which claim to be of other origin than that of Rajput,
Jat or Gujar. Those may be classed as Foreign tribes
as there advent into India is of comparatively recent date.
They came with the Muslim conquerers and have always
been Musalmans by religion.
Arab Invasion of Sind.
The Arabs were the first Muslim conquerers o\
India ; they appeared in Sind during 8th century A D.
having landed at a point near the site of Modern Karachi.
They overcame the Brahmans and, leaving a garrison
behind, marched up the Right bank of Indus. Defeating
Brahman armies en route they finally captured Multan.
No Punjabi Musalman tribes appear to claim descent
from these Arabs, though it may be that with these
adventures came the first Sayads and Koreshis.
Awans and Gakkhars.
Mahmud of Gazni was the next Muslim Conquerer
of India (1001 A. D.). Several tribes, notably the
Gakkhars and Awans claim to have come with him,
through it is difi^ieult to reconcile their statements with
historical records of the time.
Turks and Mughuls.
Both Timur and Babar brought Turks and Mughals
with them. From the latter a number of tribes claim to
be descended, and it is now the fashion for many Punjabi
Musalman tribes to call themselves Mughals. Among
these are the Khattars, Kassars, Ghebas and others. Of
the Turks but few remain, a single tribe in Hazara being
the sole representative.
Persians.
The Gakkhars are the only tribe which claims
12
Persian origin. If we except Darius who sent an ex-
pedition to fndia about 500 B. C, the only Persian
monarch who invaded India was Nadir Shah in 1739
A. D. He came and went, but leaving no garrison and
no Persian rule.
Sayads, Koreshis and Sheikhs.
The Sayads and Koreshis are Arabs, the former being
the direct descendants of the Prophet's tribe, the ancient
guardian of the "Kaaba" at Mecca. Both tribes have
many branches, which claim to have come into India at
different periods.
Shiekhs.
The only caste which includes miscellaneous converts
is the "Sheikh", which is really a title of respect and was
applied originally to the Arab spirtual guides.
These tribes have little to distinguish them from
the ordinary Punjabi Musalman Rajput : except in
rare instances (especially among true Moghals) their
physiognomy and characteristics are those of the people
among whom they lies.
A further account of them will be found in Chapter V.
Pathans.
Inhabiting Hazara District, North West Frontier
Province, and the banks of the Indus in Attock and
Mianwali Districts are purely Pathan tribes and tribes
allied to Pathans.
These tribes are fully dealt with in Chapter VI.
Chapter 11
SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE PUNJAB
The history of the Punjab before the advent of the
Muslims, is a record of legendary events, obscure dynas-
ties and foreign invasions, the sequence of which has
not yet to be clearly established.
It is difficult to fix definitely when legend ends and
true history begins.
The first event which stands out as a solid historical
fact, recorded by trustworthy writers, is the campaign
of Alexander the Great, in B. C. 327-324.
Before this (with the exception of the Persian expedi-
tion under Syklax), we have to rely for our knowledge
on the legends contained in the Vedas ; after it, the scanty
information we possess has been obtained from the coins
and inscriptions found in various parts of the country,
and, for short periods, from the memoirs of two Chinese
writers.
The record of the expedition under Syklax was
found in Persia, and is contained in two inscriptions.
The force was sent out by Darius 1 of Persia between
521 and 484 B. S. It passed through the Punjab and
Syklax "Fitting out a Fleet of boats, navigated the Indus
to its mouth and utlimately returned home by a sea
route". (Thompson).
He thus anticipated Alexander's similar movement
by over 160 years. A portion of the Punjab is supposed
13
14
to have formed a Satrapy of the Persian Empire of
Darius, and later it may have been included in the
Achaemenian Empire of that country.
Many centuries before this the Aryans are supposed
to have entered India from the North West. They came
in succeeding hordes which followed each other at great
intervals of time.
Until recently the approximate date of those immig-
rations was fixed at between 2,000 and 1,003 B. C, but
Pandit Hari Kishan Kaul, in his "Report on the Census
of 1911", has antedated the Aryan invasion by 3,i00
years, and fixes the date of the first Aryan movement as
being not later than 5 000 B. C. This learned writer's
conclusions are based on Count Bjournstjerna's
"Theogany of the Hindus", and are further strengthened
by certain dates, fixed astrologically, in the Vedas.
"That ancient Bactrian documents called t h e
"Dabistan" found in Kashmir by Sir W. Jones gives a
list of Bactrian kings, who were Hindus whose first king
reigned in Bactria, 5,000 years before Alexander's expedi-
tion to India. And what would thus prove that India
was linked with Bactria, and enjoyed a splendid civiliza-
tion 6,000 B. C./or nearly 8,000 years ago."
We know very little of the Aryans, and all we do
know has gathered from the ancient Hindu documents,
the Rig Veda.
We learn that the Aryans overcame the aboriginal
tribes, whom they drove before them as they penetrated
into the country.
These aborigines have been named Dravidians :
15
nothing is, however, known about them, and their origin
is hid in the mists of antiquity. The wild and semi-
wild tribes of India, such as Sonthals and the Bhils and
others, are supposed to be their descendants.
It is probable that a large portion of the Dravidians
became subjects of Aryans, and an inter-mixture of blood
may have taken place.
Each successive swarm of the Aryans pushed their
predecessors further into India, East and South.
The Aryans founded the Hindu religion and divided
themselves into three great branches or castes: —
The Brahmans— the Kushtriyas— and the Vaisiyas,
which represented the Priestly caste, the Ruling or
Fighting caste and the Trading or working caste.
The country was divided into principalities, under
different rulers who waged war on one another.
Hinduism was the religion of the country, and the
Brahmans paramount, until the 4th Century B. C. when
a change came. Gautama, the Buddha, commenced his
teaching, Budhism increased rapidly, rose to its zenith
under Asoka— 272-231 B. C— and remained the popular
religion for over 600 years.
In 327 B. C. Alexander the Great appeared on the
scene. His Army entered India in two columns, the
first followed the Kabul river into the Peshawar valley
and established itself on the right bank of the Indus
near Attock, where a bridge to span the river was com-
menced.
Alexander led the second column through the moun-
16
tainous country north of the Peshawar velly and the
Yusufzai plains: the brave tribes of these hills were over-
come and the flank of the great Army made secure.
Crossing the Indus, Alexander entered the kingdom of
Ambhi, who reigned over the territories lying between
that river and the Jhelum, and who had already tendered
his submission. The Macedonians were guests rather
than conquerers while at Taxila, the capital of Ambhi's
kingdom. Taxila has been indentified with the ruin
mounds near Shah-ki-Dheri in the Rawalpindi district,
and extensive excavations are now in progress on the
former site of this city, under the direction of the
Archaeological department.
A very complete account of Taxila, its institutions,
religion and learning has been recorded by Aryan, the
historian of Alexander's campaign. The brilliant exploits
which followed and their termination in the death of
Alexander while in Persia, are too well known to need
further record here.
The effects of the campaign were but transitory, and
the history of the Punjab was unaffected by them. The
Bralimanical chronicles do not even meation Alexander's
name, though his fame is established throughout Muslim
Asia.
The Macedonian garrisons were driven out of the
country or submerged by 324 B. C.
All the time of Alexander's visit the Punjab appears
to have been under the rule of three kings, the names —
Ambhi, Porus and Mousikanos have come down to us.
The Mouryas dynasty, which consolidated these terri-
tories under one throne, and which ruled the Punjab
17
(as well as a great portion of India), came in with
Chandra Gupta in 321 B. C. and lasted for about 90
years. The great Budhhist king Asoka, belonged to this
line, and has left lasting monuments of his piety in ihe
edicts, named after him, and found throughout India.
Then followed the Bactrians, Parthias, and Kushan
dynasties, which bring us into the third century of our
era.
The Bactrians had attained a considerable degree of
Greek civilization, and their ruling classes were
Macedonian and Greek. Their princes appaar to have
ruled the Punjab from the fall of the Mauryan dynasty
until about the end of the second century B. C, when
the Parthians came on the scene.
The Parthians came from the country to the South-
east of the Caspian Sea, and are described as a nation
of fierce horsemen. They were followed in the first
century A. D. by the Kushan emperors, who belonged to
that section of a people known as the Yuch-chi.
The best known of these emperors was Kanishka,
whose empire included Bactria, Afghanistan, Kashmir
and Eastern Turkistan as well as the Punjab. Kanishka,
like Asoka, encourged Buddhism, and his name as
celebrated in China and Tibet as that of Ashoka in
Burma and Ceylon. His capital was at Peshawar, then
known as Purushapura. 2nd Century A. D. has been
fixed as being the period in which this monarch reigned.
During the 3rd and 4th centuries A. D. the history
of the Punjab is shrouded in obscurity. The Gupta
dynasty, commencing with a second Chandra Gupta,
IS
appeared in the south, about 320 A. D., but the PunjJb
does not seem to have come under its sway.
" The White Huns entered the Punjab early in the 6th
century and remained in power until about the year 530
A. l>. Their capital was Sakala, now iden'ified with
Sialxot, and their best known kings were Tdramana and
Mihiragula, of whom the latter overraij Kashmir.
These Huns "were akin to those other Huns, who
cavaged-the e:9stjofEyropg and) spread theiir terror far
and wide ^.by , the-, j^ayagery of ila^eir . manaers . and . the-
uncouthne^ss of their , appearance. ; ThBy;, were ai race J>i
the Mongolian t\pe with'the high icheek" bones, sunkieni
eyes and snub noses." (Thompson's fiistoryof India).
With them were associated, •in some obscure manner, a
peo Te known as the Guriara.
.■■ ' \- ' ■' ' -;• . ' . >.. , ^ ,
Though the power of the Huns did not last long,
th.^y left their mark on the histor . "And' added a new
clement to the population of India". (Thompson). One
of the Royal clans of Rajpuiana— the Hunas. may possibly
be their descendants, and a small Rajput tribe in the
Punjab is known as Hun.
The Gurjara are supposed by some to be the ances-
tors of the Gujars and have left their name in— Gujar
Khan, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Gujarat: The downfall
of the Huns was accomplished by the Yaso'dharman,
whose name only has come down to us. A gap of about
100 years follows this obscure event. This period
Budhhism lost its place as the popular religion of the
country, and the Brahmans again raised Hindiism in its,
former position and themselves to power. This change
was not brought about by peaceful methods alone, and
19
the Agnicular or "Fire-born" Rajputs tribes are said to
have owed their admission into the fold for the help they
gave to the Brahmans during their struggle for superniacy.
After the Huns— 630 A. D. —The Punjab appears to
have come under the rule of petty Rajput princes, who
parcelled out the country into small independent states,
of which, early in the 8th century, the most important
had their capital at Garh Gajni (Rawalpindi), Si.tlkot,
and Lahore. The Hindu kings of . Kashmir probably
ruled a part of it until the end of the 9th century, vvheti
the Northwest Punjab west of the river Jhelum, came
under the Brahman rulers of Kabul, known as Shahi
kings. It was these kings whom Sabuttagin, the first of
the Ghaznawid (Muslim) dynasty overcame.
In 712 A. D. Islam made its first appearance in
the country with Arab conquerors of Sindh.
The Arabs under Muhammad Bin Kasim, a cousin
of the Governer of the province BabyloniEi, under jthe
country npar modern Karachi. A portion of tlKir.ifarce
came gverland ^hile the rei^aindpi; wer(?,cpnveyed. by an
Arab fleet Overcoming the Hindu Kings they pi^rched
up the right bank of the Indus, an'd finally established
themselves at'M'ultain. "The Afab soldiers renamed in
Sindh, where they formed Military colonies and settled
down in permanent occupancy. When the powers of the
Khalif of Baghdad and of the Provincial Governor
declined, the local rulers became independent. From
about the year 879 A. D. there were Sultans reigaingat
Mansura and Multan." (Thompson's: History of India)
Their power did not however, last long, and their adveat
made little or no change in the religion of the country.
20
Sabuktagin, the first of the Ghaznawids, added Kabul
and Peshawar, to his dominions, and defeated Jaipal.
King of Lahore, at Lamghan in 988 A. D. He was
succeeded by his son, Mahmud of Ghazni, in 988 A.D.,
and followed the Muslim conquerors of India. Mahmud
«s said to have undertaken 17 campaigns against India.
Mahmud's first great battle was against Jaipal, who had
suffered defeat at the hands of his father in 988 A. D.
The tight is believed to have taken place on the Chach
plain near Hazro on the Indus. The Gakkhars, at that
time a very powerful race, who held all the hilly country
Jrom the Margalla pass to the Jhelum, made an impetuous
change with 30,000 men on Mahmud's camp and almost
decided the fate of the day in favour ot Jaipal, but
Mahmud averted disaster and won the battle. In the
year 1009 A. D. Mahmud met the Rajput confederacy
under Anandpal, the son ot" Jaipal, at Bhaimda, and for
the second time the Gakkhars were nearly succeeding in
turningthe scale in favour of Rajputs when. Anandpal's
elephant, which had been wounded, bolted from the field,
and the Hindus concluding that their leader was fleeing,
gave away. Mahmud thus won his second great victory.
Miihmud was succeeded by his son Muhammad, who
was early deposed by Masud, another son, and put to
death in 1030 A. D. Masud emulated his father with
but poor success, and lost most of the territory he had
won: Ghazni and a portion of the Punjab alone remained.
The Ghaznawids were expelled from Ghazni in 1 155
A.D. by Ala-ud-din Ghori, and the last of them took refuge
in Lahore where he was captured by Muhammad Ghori
in 1185 A. D.
Muhammad Ghori, also known as Shahab-ud-din
21
Ghori, was a nephew of Ala-ud-din, the Ghori chief,
from the mountains to the west of Ghazni. Mahmud
of Ghazni has been able to keep these chiefs in checic,
but on the decline of the Ghaznawids they rose in power
and finally, as we have seen, wrested Ghazni and the
Punjab from the house of Ghazni.
The Rajput Chiefs formed a coalition under Prithvi-
raj to stem the torrent of Muslim invasion, and Muslim
met Hindu near Karnal in 1191 A. D. Muhammad Ghori
was defeated and his army fled. The following year,
however, Muhammad Ghori again led an army against
the Rajputs, a battle was fought on the same ground as in
the previous year, and this time Muslims were victorious.
Delhi was captured and became the centre of
Muhammadan power.
Muhammad Shahab-ud-din Ghori was assassinated in
1206 A. D. by a hand of Gakkhar or Khokhar (it is un-
certain which) who swam the river Indus and entered his
tent at night.
The Ghoris were followed by the dynasty known as
the Slave Kings, which commenced with Aibak, and ruled
at Delhi from 1206 to 1290 A. D. It was during the reign
of Altamash of this line that the Moghals first appeared :
Chingiz Khan ravaged the Punjab and Sindh.
After the Slave Kings came the Afghans known as
Khaljis 1290-1320 A. D. who were followed by the Tuglak
Shahis, 1320-1412 A. D.
The Punjab, to the west of the Sutlej, appears at this
time to have been under the rule of governors appointed
from Dehli.
22
Taimur the Tartar (a Moghal) entered India in 1398
A. D. He crossed the Indus at Attock and marched on
Delhi, meeting with no opposition on the way. Delhi
was taken after a battle fought under its walls. Taimur
remained in Delhi only a fortnight, and during his return
waged a war against the Hindus of the Himalayan
valleys.
From 1412 to 1526 A. D. there was no permanant
power ruling in India, and the Punjab appears to have
been held by Viceroys, nominally under the authority of
the king of Delhi, but in reality more or less independent.
" •lni414A. D. {he Saya J, Khizr Khan, Governor of
Miiltan, sie2ed the throne and established a line known as
the Sayads/who; were followed by the Lodhis, and Afghan
clan, from 1451 to 1 526 A. D. Thethird king of this
dynasty gave grea^qflfepce tp the, Afghan nobles,, and one
of them who wa^ t]ien Qftve.rnor of. the Punjab "Invited
the Moghul Babar, to ^ep in ^nd (redress their grievaacjaa"
(Thompson). . . p {
Babar, sixth in descent from Taimur, advanced on
Delhi, and at Panipat, in April 1526 A. D. tought one of
the decissive battles of the world and gained a great
victory. He elected to stay in the country : and with
him commenced the line of the great Moghal Emperors, j
Until the dechne of the Moghal power in 1707 A. D.
the Punjab was under the form of a settled Government,
and in Akbar's reign formed one of the fifteen "Subahs"
or provinces, under a Viceroy.
J The year 1739 A. D. is memorable for the invasion of
Nadir Shah. That such an expedition was possible shows^
23
the state of decay and weakness to which the Moghal
power had fallen. Another batile was fought near Karnal,
and Delhi was sacked for the third time. Nadir Shah
took away with him to Parsia an immense amount of
booty, which included the famous Peacock throne and the
Koh-i-nur.
During this period, with the loss of all central control
from Delhi, the Punja-b seems to have broken away from
authority and to have formed a systeni of small states
owned by petty tribes, which were more -or less indepen-
dent. There were the Gakkhars in the hill C-dUfitry between
the Margalla pass and the Jhelum, iheJ-diipa^ Q.ti6Awans>
in. the J S^lt ^ Range, the Sials. pjT Jhapg^,,. the Kharrals of
Montgomery, and others, who appointed, tli.eir owi^ chiefs
and fo -med their pwn revejiues. Matters .remained in this
state unt^l the Siklis rose to power and asserted their
authority from Lahore. Sikh Sardars were placed.as
Governors and, backed up by Sikh troops, took over the
revenue.
This was not accomplished without severe fighting,
at)d some of the tribes, notably the Gakkhars and Janjuas
gave the Sikhs infinite trouble.
From the latter half of the 18th century the North
West Punjab \Vas under 5//:/z dominion, and it'sorehiained
until the country was taken over by the British after the^
second Sikh war in 1849. .
This short sketch of the history of the Punjab shovJ^s'
that, from earliest times, the movement of 'the peopfes'
into the Punjab has been from the North West. Until conn'
paratively recent times almost each century has been the
arrival of new races— Aryafts, Bactrians, Scythians, Huns
24
and many others, differing widely in race, in culture and
physiognomy, have entered the Punjab : some have
remained and some passed on further east and south. It
is impossible that there has been no intermingling of blood
and it becomes exceedingly difficult to fix, with any degree
of accuracy, the origin of most of the tribes which we now
call Punjabi Musalmans.
There has, however, been also another current of
immigration into the Punjab which this account c.innoi
show, viz from Rajputana and Hindustan into the southern
and eastern parts of the Punjab, and is ib.olated instances,
even further north.
The details of this second movement are most obscure
and its causes not easily explained. The Manj, Punwar
and Chauhan Rajputs appear to have been those which were
most effected by it. The best known of these movements
occured in the reign of Ala-ud-din, of the Khalji dynasty
(1296-1316), when the ancestors of the Kharrals, Tiwanas,
Ghebas and Chaddars, emigrated from the Provinces of
Hindustan to the Punjab.
Some retained their status and name of Rajput while
others became Jats, but the tribes which have resulted
from this second movement are probably of purer Rajput
and Jat descent than the other Punjabi Musalmans who
claim the same origin.
Though Punjabi Musalmans have been devided into
four main sections, Rajputs Jats Gujars and other
tribes, in another chapter, it must not be concluded that
this division is ethnologically correct.
Chapter III
HISTORY OF ISLAM
Birth of Muhammad (Be Peace upDn him)
Muhammad (Be peace upon him), the founder of the
Musalman rehgion, was born at Mecca in the year 570
A. D. His parents belonged to the Koresh tribe. The
sanctity of the Koresh dates from nearly two centuries
before the birth of Muhammad (Be peace upon him), at
which period the tribe acquired the guardianship of the
"Kaaba" at Mecca. The "Kaaba" is said to have been
built by prophet Abraham, and from remote antiquity,
had been a centre of pilgrimage and worship for all the
tribes of Arabia.
The Arabs at this time were steeped in Idolatry and
their religion was decrepit and effete. Muhammad (Be
peace upon him) received light from heavens and declared
that he is a prophet, commissioned by the only GOD,
to put down the idolatry, and restore the religion of
Abraham. He told about the Day of Judgment when
everyone will appear before the Creator of the World and
will be rewarded for his goods and punished for his sins.
The Meccans were annoyed wiih this announcement, for
the Gods denounced by Muhammad (Be peace upon him)
were their holy things and their attachment to the
traditional worship of their fathers was the greater since
the prosperity of their town rested upon the sanctity of
the "Kaaba," which, besides being a great centre of
pilgrimage, was also a trading mart for all the tribes of
Arabia.
25
26
During the next few years Muhammad (be peace
upon him) endured every species of insult and persecution,
at the hands of the people of Mecca. He finally decided
to abandon Mecca and fled to Yaihreb, whose inhabitants
had taken kindly to the new doctrine. This flight or
' Hijra" took place in 622 A. D. and has become the era
of Islam. It marks the establishment of a new religion
destined to be one of the most powerful influences of
civilization tne world has ever known. Yathreb was hence-
forth named the city of the Prophet "Madinat-un-Nabi"
or shortly Madina. Muhammad (be peace upon him) was
elected chief magistrate of Madina. By wise decisions
and the creation of law and justice where previously only
violence existed, the people of Madina became his great
lovers and devotees.
After a series of victories which he was granted from
Almighty, he advanced to Mecca where he entered as a
victorious. While entering in Mecca, Muhammad (be
peace upon him) declared that there should be no blood-
shed. He took pains to preserve the sanctity of the city,
and confirmed all its rights and privileges. Besides the
abolishing of idols, every sanctuary, except the "Kaaba,"
vvasdestroyed. '"Kaaba" was declared there cognised centre
of Islam.
After that, the faith of Islam rapidly spread through-
out Arabia. In 632 A D. at the time of the death of
Muhammad (Be peace upon him) the Arabia was full
of true Muslims. Within six years of his death Islam
speard over Syria, Persia and Egypt, which was in fact
due to the sincere efforts of the true believers of the
Prophet. Islam was meant to throw light of civilization
on the whole world and this light was spread over a great
27
part of the world by the followers of Muhammad (Be
peace upon him) who understood the reality and impor-
tance of Islam. Rome, Africa and Spain were introduced
with the Islamic civilization, and within a century the true
Muslims had pushed their conquests into the heart of
France. All Europe would probably have been overrun
by the soldiers of the Crescent, had not the Muslims
stopped their advancement.
On the death of Muhammad (be peace upon him)
Hazrat Abu Bakr was appointed "Khalifa" the Amir-ul-
Musalmeen. Hazrat Abu Bakr died in 634 A. D. and was
succeeded by Hazrat Omar the Great. Hazrat Omar the
Great died in 6-14 A. D. and was succeeded by Hazrat
Osman. Hazrat Osman faced amutiny in 656 A. D.
in which he lost his life. On Hazrat Osman's assassination
Hazrat Ali was elected KhaJif unconditionally. He,
however, met with much opposition from Moawiyeh, a
follower of his predecessor, who compelled him to come
to terms. This led to a conspiracy among his own
partisans, three of whom murdered him at the doors of a
mosque. A great mausoleum was afterwards erected
over his tomb, which became the site of the town of
Meshed, one of the holiest shrines of the Shiah pilgrims.
On Hazrat All's death in 661 A.D. his eldest son Imam
Hassan was elected to the Khalifate, but he resigned office
in favour of Moawiyeh, on condition that he should re-
sume it on the latter's demise. Moawiyeh, however, who
wished his son Yazid to succeed him, caused Hassan to be
murdered by his wife. Yazid succeeded his father, and
the Omayyad dynasty was thus firmly established in the
Khahfate.
Up to this time the office of Khalifa was elective and
28
democratic, but Moavviyeh, whilst retaining the form of
election, made it in reality hereditary.
With the accession of Moawiyeh the Omayyad came in-
to power, and from this time, the feud between the Hashmi
(the Koresh tribe to which Muhammad (be peace upon
him) belonged and the Omayyad, which originated two
centuries before the birth of the Prophet (be peace upon
him) and had been passed on from generation to genera-
tion, received fresh impulse.
Imam Hussain, the second son of Khalifa Ali, has never
acknowledged the title of Yazid, and when the ^Tusliras
of Mesopotamia invited him to release them from the
Omayyad, he proceeded to Iraq, accompanied by his
family and a few retainers, to place himself at the head of
the former. On the way, at Kerbala, Imam Hussain was
overtaken by an Omayyad army and, after a heroic
struggle listing four days, he and his following were all
slaughtered, save the women and a child named Ali.
This took place on the 10th of Muharram in the year
680 A. D. It is in Commemoration of this e\ent that the
Shia/is of Pakistan, India and Persia observe the first ten
days of the Muharram as a period of mourning.
Thus within Islam, from earliest times, there have
been two faction, the Hashmites and the Omayyad. The
Hashmites are to-day, generally represented by the Shiahs,
and the Omayyad by the Siinnis.
The Shiahs believe in the absolute sanctity of the Des-
cendants of Hazrat Ali. They maintain that on the death of
Prophet Muhammad (be peace upon him) the office of
Kbalif is vested by divine right in Hazrat Ali, and after
29
him in his two sons Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain. and
they reject as usurpers, the first three Khalifs.
They detest the memory of the Omayyad Khalifs who
wrested the Khalifate from its rightful holder and in parti-
cular, that the Yazid, who slew the martyr Imam Hussain.
They observe the first ten days of Muharram as a fast in
commemoration of the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali and his
sons, and carry about "Taziahs,"' meant to represent the
tombs of the two latter, witli loud lamentation and
mourning.
The Suiwis observe only the tenth day of Muharram
and abhor t'le "taziahs". They consider themselves the
only true followers of Muhammad (be peace upon him)
on the ground that they accepted Hazrat Abu Bakr,
Hazrat Omar the Great and Hazrat Osman as rightful
Khalifs and that they submit themselves the authority
of the "Sunneh" or "Hadis," recognising six books of
"Hadis." Shiahs recognise only four books.
The religion of Islam.
The Sunnis are devided into four schools— //o/zq^,
Sliafi, Maliki and Hambali. Majority belong to the first.
The Shiah or Imamate doctrine indicates the Imamate
being a light (nur) which passed by natural descent from
one to the other, the Imam are divine, and this heritage is
inalienable. Thus the second Imam, Hassan, the eldest
son of Hazrat Ali. although he resigned the Khalifate
could not resign the Imamate which had descended to
him, and on his death passed by inheritance to Imam
Hussain. Its subsequent devolution followed the natural
line of descent, thus : —
30
Hazrat Ali (the first Imam)
Hassan (the 2nd Imam) Husain (the 3rd Imam)
I
Ali II, Zain-ul-Abid-din (4tb)
Ismail
Muhammad Bakar (5th)
Jafir Sadiq (6th)
Musa Kazim (7th)
Ali III Naqi (8th)
I
Muhammad Taqi (9th)
I
Ali IV (10th)
I
Hassan Askari (11th)
Muhammad Abdul Qasim
or
Imam Mahdi (12th)
Jafir, the sixth Imam, nominated Ismail, his eldest
son, but on the latter's premature death he declared that
Musa was his heir to the exclusion of Ismail's children.
The claims of Ismail were supported by one party
among the Shiah despite the declaration of Jafir, and
thus was founded the Ismail sect who held that the last
31
visible Imam was Ismail, after whom commenced the
succession of concealed Imams.
The other party, the Imamites, support the claims of
Musa, and believes that the 12th Imam, Muhammad Abdul
Qasim, is still alive that he wanders over the earth and is
destined to re-appear.
Shiahs and Sunnis have minor differences is their
manner of offering prayers and performing ablution.
The principal difference being that Sunnis, when praying,
cross the arms over the breast, while Shiahs, keep the
arms straight by the sides.
Another sect which may be mentioned is that of the
Wahabis, founded by Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab.
This sect are very puritanical and rejected all traditional
teaching except that of the Prophet's (be peace upon him)
companions. They prohibit pilgrimages to shrines or
tombs, and in other respects try to restore Islam to its
pristine purity. They are extremely fond of advocating
'Jihad' or Holy wars against infidels.
The great majority of Punjabi Musalmans are Sunnis.
DOCTRINE
The Koran is the Holy book of Islam, embodying
the orders of Almighty and the teaching and precepts of
the Prophet (be peace upon him) The work is written
in prose, and apart from its religious importance, is a
model of literary elegance, and a perfect storehouse of
the purest and most classical Arabic. The name given
to this religion is Islam, signifying 'safety' or 'salvation'
its adherents being called either Musalmans, Muslims,
or Momins.
32
The cardinal principle of Islam is a belief in the Unity
of God and the acceptance of Muhammad (be peace
upon him) as the messenger of God. "The central
porposition which regulates the structure of Islam, is that
there is fear in Nature, and the object of Islam is to free
man from fear. It is fear that dominates man. The
essential nature of man consists in will, not intellect or
understanding. That a man's fate is written on his fore-
head is entirely of Hindu origin." (Extract from a lecture
by Dr. Sh. Muhammad Iqbal).
The Koran inculcates belief in the immortality of the
soul, man's moral resposibility for his life on earth, a day
of judgment, and in the hereafter a reward of existence
in paraside, or a punishment.
The Muslim creed enjoins prayer, charity, truthfulness
industry and thrift, justice, devotion and humanity to
animals.
Periodical fasting as an excercise in subjugation of
the senses, and purification before prayer are prescribed.
As regards the former "but he amongst you who shall be
ailing or on a journey (shall fast) an equal number of
other days, and they that are able to keep it (and do not)
shall make atonement by maintaining a poor man". Re-
garding the latter, purification, the hands, face and feet as
the parts most likely to be soiled, is intended. Conditions
may exist, however, which may render ablutions impossible
and a soldier in the field, a traveller in tiie desert, the
denizens of a wintry land, and others similarly situated,
may dispense with ablution before prayer.
33
Haij.
To keep alive the feeling of brotherhood and to
perpetuate the memory of the sacred spot where the great
message was delivered, Muslims are directed if circum-
stances permit, to make a pilgrimage to Mecca (The Hajj).
A man may marry one, two, three or four wives
provided he can deal with them "equity." Divorce is
allowed.
Envy and mischief-making, pride and vanity, are
alike condemned, and compulsion in religion is strictly
forbidden. Drinking intoxicants is reprehended.
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES AND FESTIVALS
The Khutbah.
The khutbah is the oration or sermon delivered every
Friday and on the Idul Fitr and the Id-ul-Zuha, after the
mid-day prayer.
Zikr
"Zikr" is the religious ceremony or act of devotion
practiced by the various religious orders of "Fakirs" and
"dervishes." "Zikrs" are either recited aloud or in a low
voice or mentally. The most common form of "Zikr" is
a recital of the ninety-nine names of God, and for those
who recite them have their reward in paradise.
The Tasbih.
The Tasbih consists of ninety-nine beads and is used
to facilitate the repetition of the ninety-nine names of God.
In addition to the "Zikr" already mentioned, there are
34
four others even more generally used. They are used as
exclamations of joy and surprise, such as "Subhan Allah"
"Holliness be to God.", Alham-do-Lilla," "Thanks, be to
God", "La-ilaha-il-lal-lahu," "There is no diety but God".
"Allah-Akbar," "God is Great".
The repetition of two of these sentences a hundred
times, morning and evening ensures forgiveness for all
venial sins.
Imams, Maulvies or MuUas.
Each Musjid has its Imam, who leads the daily
prayers and is in receipt of the revenues of the Masjid,
while the Mouh ies and Mullahs are the teachers of the
Faith, and correspond, more or less, to the doctors of
divinity.
The religion of Islam comprises two essentials "Iman"
or "implicit faith," and "Din" or "practical religion."
The foundations of the Islam are five in number :—
1. The recital of the "Kalima" or creed.
2. The observance of the "Namaz" or "Sula" i. e.
the five prescribed periods of prayer.
3. The observance of the "Roza" or thirt> days
fast Ramzan.
4. The bestowal "Zakat" or alms.
5. The performance of the "Hajj" or pilgrimage to
Mecca.
Of these the Kalima is by far the most important.
It consists of repeating the following Arabic sentence
35
correct as follows— "La-ilaha-Illallaho Muhammad-ur-
Rasul Allah."— "There is no God but God, and Muhammad
is his messenger". It is in fact, the Muslim confession of
faith, and has to be repeated when anyone is converted to
Islam.
Namaz or five periods of prayer.
"Namaz" is the name given to the five p:riods of
prayer which a devout Musalman is required to observe
daily. The prescribed periods are— day break, 2 o'clook in
the afternoon, before sunset, after sunset and on retiring
to rest.
Takbir and Rikat.
The regular form of prayer begins with the "Niyyat"
or introduction which is recited in the "Quiam" or stand-
ing position, the right hand placed on the left and the eyes
looking to the ground in self-abasement. Next follows
the *Tateha" i. e. the recital of the first chapter of the
Koran, after which come "Takbir-i-Ruku" and the
"Takbir-i-Sijdah," the former repeated while making an
inclination of the head and body and placing the hands
upon the knees, and the latter in the attitude of "Sijdah''
or prostration, in which the forehead is made to touch
the ground. Then raising the head and body and sinking
backward on the heels and placing the hands on the thighs,
the worshipper says the "Takbir-i-Jalsa" in the "Quiam"
or standing position as before. A "Takbir" in the standing
position completes each "Rikat" or form of prayer.
Each "Takbir" consists of a number of pious ejacula-
tions repeated several times such as "Allah Akbar" —
"God is Great."
36
The "Azan" or Call to Prayer.
Namaz may be said in private or in company, or in
the Masjid. The latter is considered the most meritorious
and must be proceeded by the "Aza:i" or call to prayer
recited by the "Muezzin." All prayers must be made in
the direction of Kaaba.
The "Roza" or thirty days fast.
The toza or thirty days fast take place in the month
of Ramzan. The Ramzan according to Christian calendar
changes about a period often days id each year, e. g., if
it commences on the 10th day of September in one year, it
will commence about the 31st of August in the following
year, and so on. The fast is strictly observed from sun-
rise to sunset daily : the fast does not commence in the
Muslim world until the new moon is seen and the news
telegraphed in each country by the Imams of the "Jammia
Masjid" or by the concerned department of a Muslim State.
Tf the sky is overcast and the moon not visible, the fast
commences on the completion of thirty days from the
beginning of the previous month. The fast of the Ramzan
should be kept by every Musalman except the sick, the
aged and woman who are either pregnant or nursing their
children. Soldiers on service and travellers are also
exempt. In the case of a sick person or a traveller, the
fast should be kept as soon as circumstances permit.
"Zakat" or alms giving.
The term Zakat literally means "purification". It is
the name now given to the legal alms which every devout
Musalman is enjoined by the Koran to bestow upon the
poor or to devote for religious purposes. "Zakat" should
37
be given annually on five descriptions of property, viz.,
money, cattle, fruit, merchandise, and land, provided the
donor has been the possessor of a minimum amount of
each for a year. The' 2| per cent on money, cattle, and
merchandise should be given, but on land the amount
may vary from l-20th to 1-lOth.
The Hajj or Pilgrimage.
The Hajj is enjoined on all Musalmans possessing the
means to perform it. Pilgrimages to minor shrines of
Islam are called "Ziarat" to distinguish them from the
Hajj or great pilgrimage to Mecca. All Musalmans who
have performed the Hajj enjoy the title of "Haji" and may
wear a green turban as an outward indication of their
rank.
Observances by the Masses.
All Punjabi Musalmans are, of course, observe the
following principles of the religion: —
1. The performance of circumcision.
2. The five daily prayers (which cannot be said to
be strictly observed by the majority).
3. The assembled prayers on Friday in a mosque.
4. The abhorrence of pork
5. Observance of the fast of Ramzan and the
celebration of the Ids.
Piri Muridi
The practice is common all over the Punjab, but most
38
prevalent in the Upper Punjab where every single person
is supposed to have a Pir or preceptor, who initiates him
into the secrets of divine worship and guides him in his
spiritual progress, No one can inspire confidence as a
truthful or straightforward man until he has done
"Bai'at" (affiliated himself) to some Pir. Once this is
done, the "Murid" (disciple) depends upon the Pir for
helping him through all his difficulties and having him
absolved of all his sins. Pirs are a class separate from the
priest or Mulla; Sayads are generally selected.
Ghaziz
Those who engage in war against infidels are called
Ghaziz, and their reward is distinctly indicated in the
following quotations from the Koran: "God hath indeed
promised paradise to every one, but God hath preferred
those that fight for the faith." And, "Those who fight in
defence of God's true religion God will not suffer their
works to perish".
Shahid
The title of "Shahid" or martyr is given to any one
who dies as a soldier for the faith; accidentally at the hands
of another; from the plague or by drowning; by the acci-
dental fall of a wall; by burning; from hunger; through
refusing to eat unlawful food; and while performing the
pilgrimage to Mecca.
Fakir or Darweshes.
The word Faqir means "poor," it is used in the sense
of one "poor in the sight of God" rather than "one in
need of worldly assistance". Darwesh is applied to those
39
who have no worldly ambitions. Both terms are generally
used for those who lead religious lives. Those who attain
to a high degree of sinctity are called "Pir" and "Walis",
while those who attain the highest rank are called
"Ghaus".
Angels.
Belief in angels is enjoined by the Koran. Of these
the four most important are Gabriel who is God's
messenger, Michael who is the protector of the Jews,
Israfil who will sound the last trump at the final resur-
rection of the dead, and Azrael the angel of death.
Besides the above, there are a few angels to whom special
functions are allotted. The "Muaqqibit" are recorders
of good and evil and are perpetually engaged in noting
down a man's actions whether good or evil ? Munkir and
Nakir are two angels, whose business it is to interview
every man in his grave, and assertain the genuineness of
his faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (be peace
upon him).
Devil and Ginns.
The devil is known as Ibh's or Shaitan, and is con-
sidered to be fallen angel turned out of paradise because
he refused to do homage to Adam. Jinns are really the
old house hold gods worshipped before Islam in many
parts of the world. Jinns are of two kinds -good and evil.
The former extremely handsome, the latter repulsively ugly.
Prophets of Islam.
The six prophets (besides others) recongnised by Islam
are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad
40
(be peace on all these). Each of these is supposed to
have been entrusted with special mission, and to have
brought new law for the guidance of mankind which
successively abrogated those that preceded them. The
Koran contain everything worthy of record contained in
all previous works. It is called Koran Sharif, the noble
Koran.
FOOD
A Muslim (in theory) cannot object to feed with a
Christian so long as the food he eats is "halal". Any
objection to do so must arise from ignorance.
Rules regardiog the slaughter of animals for food.
No animal's flesh is lawful food to a Muslim unless it
has been "halaled" i. e. slaughtered in the manners pre-
scribed in the Koran, viz., by drawing a knife across the
throat, and cutting the wind-pipe, the carotid arteries, and
the gullet, repeating at the same time the words :
"Bismillah Allah Akbar"— "In the name of the Almighty
God." A clean animal so slaughtered becomes lawful
food for Musalmans.
The following creatures are "Hilal" or lawful:—
1. Animals that are clovenfooted and chew the
cud and are not beasts of prey.
2. Birds that do not seize their prey with their
claws or wound them with their bills, but pick
up food with their beaks.
3. Fish that have scales.
4. Locusts.
41
Horse-flesh and fish found dead in the water are
generally considered unclean. Swine's flesh is held in
utter abhorrence.
FESTIVALS
The Islamic year.
n
An account of the principal festivals of Islam may
appropriately be prefaced with a list of the twelve Islamic
months. The twelve lunar divisions into which Musalmans
divide their year are as follows: —
1. Muharram
7
Rajab
2. Safar
8.
Shaban
3. Rabi-ul-awal
9.
Ramzan
4. Rabi-ul-akhir, or
10.
Shawal
Rabi-us-sani
11.
Zul Qaudah
5. Jamadi-ul-awal
12.
Zul Hajja
6. Jamadi-us-sani or
Jamadi-ul-akhir
The Idul Fitar.
The Id-ut-Fitr or breaking on the fast forms the con-
clusion of the Ramazan. It is held on the first day of
the month of Shawal, immediately after conclusion
of the Roza. On this day after making propitiatory
offering to the poor, the people assemble in the principal
mosque or Musjid and proceed to the Idgah, a special
place of worship, and there the Khateeb or priest reads the
service. The prayers should be read between 7 or 8 a. m.
usually. At the close of the service the members of the
congregation salute and embrace each other, and return-
ing to their homes, spend the rest of the day in feasting
and merriment.
•i:
42
The Id-ul-Zoha or Bakr-Id.
The Id-u!-Zoha or Bakrid is held on the ninth of
the month called Zul Hajja. The festival is said to
commemorate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son
Ismail ; it is the greatest Islamic festival, and is celebrated
most magnificently. At this feast every Muslim who
is in possession of the regulated means, i. e. seven tolas
of gold or money equivalent to that, besides a house
and furniture, is bound to sacrifice either a goat, or
ram, or cow, or female camel in the name of God. This
sacrifice is generally called Kurbani, and the flesh of
the Kurbani is divided into three portions, one is reser-
ve J for the sacrificer himself : a second is given in alms
to the poor and indigent ; the third is bestowed among
relati^'es and friends.
The sacrifice of a cow or camel is held to be equiva-
lent to that as seven goats or rams. The special reason
given for the sacrifice is that those who offer up the
animal will find them in readiness to assist them over
the puhirat or bridge which separates heaven and hell,
over which all mankind will have to cross on the resur-
rection day. The righteous will pass over it with ease,
and with the swiftness of lightning : but the wicked
will miss their footing, and fall headlong into hell.
Muharram
The Muharram commence on the first of the month
of that name and is continued for ten days. The period
is observed by the Shiahs to commemorate the martyr-
dom of Hazrat Ali, and of Imam Hassan and Imam
Hussain. The Ashura is also held sacred by Sunnis as it
43
also commemorates the birth of Adam and Eve and the
creation of heaven, hell, and the human race.
Muhammad (be peace upon him) enjoined on his
followers the observance of ten customs during the
Muharram, vize., —
1. Bathing.
2. Wearing Fine apparel.
3. Allpying Surma to the eyes.
4. Fasting.
5. Prayers.
6. Cooking more food than usual for the poors.
7. Making peace with one's enemies, or establishing
it among others.
8. Associating with pious or learned Moulvies.
9. Taking compassion on orphans, and
JO, Bestowing alms.
The ceremonies of the Muharram vary greatly in
different places, but the following are the main features
observed by Shiahs. A few days before the Muharram
a place is prepared called as Imambara, or Ashurkhana
in the centre of which is a pit, in which fires are kindled
at night. Across those fires the people fence with sticks
and swords, and while dancing round them, call out
"Ya Ali Shah Hassan, Shah Hussain! Hai dost! Rahio!"
"Oh Ali ! Noble Hassan ! Noble Hussain ! Alas
friend stays ! etc. These cries are repeated until the
people reach the highest pitch of excitement. They then
form themselves in a circle and beat their breasts ; while
the Maulvies read extracts from the Rowzatul— Shahadat
or Book of Martyrs.
On the seventh day of the Muharram banners are
conveyed in procession and representations are made
of the marriage of Kasim who married Imam Hussain's
daughter on the morning of the battle of Karbela in
which the latter lost his life. Commemoration, that is
called Mehndi. On the eighth day a spear is carried
ab~)iit in the morning to represent Imam Hussain's head
which was carried on the point of javelin, and in the
evening there are processions of men carrying banners
and representation of Zul-Jannah the emblem of Imam
Hussain's celebrated charger. On the ninth day it con-
cludes with illumination and processions of tabuts or
Tazias which are supposed to be models of Imam
Hussain's tomb at Kerbela. They generally consist of a
bamboo frame work covered over with tinsel and
coloured paper, inside which are two miniature ullums or
tombs, intended to represent those of Imam Hassan and
Hussain. The last or tenth day is the Shahdat-ka-roz,
or 'day of martyrdom'. On it, upto 8 p. m. the Zul-
Jannah and all the tazias are conveyed in state from the
imambaas to some selected place. This completes the
Commemoration.
Shab-i-Barat.
The Shab-i-Barat is 'the night of record.' It is
observed during the evening of the fifteenth day of the
month of Shaban, and is so called becuase the AUniighty
on that night registers all actions which men are to per-
form in the course of the ensuing year. Some Muslims
often call the Shabi Barat the Shub Quadr, o^ 'night of
power.' and thus confuse it with the Lylatul Quadr, a
totally distinct festival which takes place on the 27th
night of the month of Ramzan.
45
Bara Wafat.
The Bara Wafat commemorates the death of the
Prophet (be peace upon him) which occured on the 12th
of the month known as Rabbi-ul-awal. Devout Muslims
assemble daily, morning and evening, either in the mosque
or at their own houses and recite from the Hadis (The
Hadis are records of the sayings of the Prophet (be
peace upon him), and they form the oral law of the
Musalman legislator and are regarded as a supplement to
Korran). They also read the Buran and the Wafat-nama
or story of the Prophet's (be peace upon him) death.
Akhiri Chahar Sbamba.
The Akhiri Chahar Shainba, or last Wednesday of
the month of Safar, is observed as a festival by Muslims,
because the Prophet (be peace upon him), took his bath
on that day on curing from sickness. Among devout
Muslims it is usual on this occasion to write texts from
the Koran on slips of paper, and then to wash off the ink
with water, and drink the liquid to secure immunity from
misfortunes. The day is observed as a holiday, and is
spent in prayer.
Chapter IV
CUSTOMS AND CEREMONIES OF THE PUNJABI
MUSALMANS.
1. Ceremonies relating to brith.
When a child is born the Moulvi is sent for and
utters the call to prayer (bang or azan) in the child's ear,
receiving a small present. After a few days the child's
hair is cut and a name is given it and presents are made to
the midwife, moulvi and menials. The usages are the same
on the birth of both boys and girls, but the rejoicings are
much greater on the birth of the former.
2. Circumcision.
Circumcision (sunnat or Khatna karna) is performed
up to 8 or 12 years of age by the nai when sweetmeats are
distributed and the nai receives a small present of money.
3. Marriage.
Marriage accoring to Islam is a sacrament and not
merely a social function or a matter of convenience.
Although the Musalman tribes of the Punjab are, to a
large extent, of Hindu origin. Islamic Law has had such a
strong effect as regards inter-marriage, that it has entirely
abrogated the rule forbidding marriage between relations
in fact, the endeavour is always made to arrange marriages
within the circle of near relations, and marriages between
first cousins are common. If it is found necessary to go
further afield a bride is usually sought within the tribe,
failing even that, a marriage is arranged with a girl from
47
48
a tribe of equal or only slightly lower status. Punjabi
Musalmans will give their daughters only to tribes of
equal or higher social position. All tribes will give their
dalighters to SayVads, keeping in mind their religious
status and dignity. The only abiding rule is that in every
marriage the husband's family must be at least equal in
social estimation to that of the wife.
4. Betrothal ,£ no Sf
Marriage is nearly always preceded by formal betro-
thal inata, Vurmai or mangewa) which usually takes place
bestween the ages of 15 and 25. After some preliminary
negotiations conducted by the nai, or mirasi, or a
kinsman, a date is appointed upon which the boy's father
provides gw or mit/uii, a small sum of money, clothes for
the girl, and jewels according to their station — very often
a plain ring. These are placed on the head of the nai, who
wiib the mirasi accompanies the boy's father to the girl's
hotts^i, In Rawalpindi and Attock and in Shahpur a
clove and some coloured thread is also sent.
The girl's/ father takes the gur or mithai inside, and
the nai takes care of the rest. That night the girl's father,
gives a fea,sV to th^ boy's father and others, and next
morning the" girl's relations assemble and feast the guests,
and place the giir or mithai sent by the boy's father,
before all the relations of the girls. The other articles —
clothes, jewels, clove, etc., etc., taken charge of by the nai
are placed in a thai or open vessel, and set before the girl's
relatives. The Mullah then comes forward and prays for a
blessing on the betrothal ( dua khair ) which sometimes
repealed three times. The gur or mithai then divided
amongst all present and all the other articles are taken
49
by the girl's relatives. In some districts one rupee is placed
in the girl's hand as a token (nishan ). Presents are made
to the Mullah, nai, and mirasi, and the boy's father and
relatives then take leave. The clove bought by them,
coloured with saffron, is at the same time returned by the
girl's father to the boy's father. Occasionally, too, purgis
are given to some of those accompanying the boy's father.
The girl's father then feeds his own relatives and dismiss
them. The girl's female relatives at this time sing songs
of rejoicing.
On the "Id following, the boy's parents send a
present of clothes, ornaments and money and soaie
eatables, according to their status, for the girl.
Others do without any formal ceremony except that
of having the ''dua khair'" recited in the presence of the
assembled relatives. It is not usual to write out a contract
cS betrothal.
5. Marriage
The date "ukad" of the actual marriage is tixed at
another meeting, accompanied by ceremonies, and court-
esies arranged at the instance of the boy's father. After
fixing the date the parents of both parties despatch pre-
sents of gur, methai etc, to their more distant relatives and
friends by the^ hands of the nai, who receives small
presents of money, or of grain at each house. This prac-
tice is known as sending the "gandh''
A week before the wedding, the ceremony of enoin-
ting with oil is performed. In the afternoon the female
relatives and those of the mirasi assemble and sing at the
houses of the bride and bridegroom. They place each of
the betrothed, at their respective houses, upon an inverted
50
basket in the yard of the house and four women hold a
canopy over his or her head.
From that date until after the wedding the betrothed
do no work but get good food. The wom;n of both the
houses assemble and sing.
Then comes the ceremony of bathing the bridegroom.
On the morning of the ''baraf' (marriage procession) the
pott:r's wife brings an earthen vessel. The waterman
fills it, this is called "gharah garauli" The Miissali or
sweeper then prepares and brings a Khara'n or basket,
turns it upside down, puts the bridegroom on it, and lights
a lamp under it. The bridegroom is then bathed by the
village servants with the water from the gharah, the whole
brotherhood, male and female, standing, around. In Shah-
pur the brother bridegroom's sister or niece siezes his
sheet and is bribed \y\i\\ a present; to let it go. In Rawal-
pindi the nai places water in the bridegroom's hand, who
scatters it to the four cardinal points, signifying his
desire to include all in happiness similar to his own.
On getting up off his seat the bridegroom crushes
with his right foot the earthenware lid of jar, this is
supposed to avert the "evil eye." The dirty clofhes worn
by the bridegroom are then taken by the nai as his per-
quisite, and the bridegroom is clothed in new graments.
The order of the foi^egoing ceremonies is sometimes
altcicd. Then comes the receiving of the wedding presents
{netmdra). Tne wedding procession {harat or janj) is then
formed and proceeds to the village of the bride. In various
districts of the Punjab before the departure of the /jtf/ar
the bridegroom's sister offers grain to his horse and holts
its. halter, for which she received a present. The party on
51
arrival at the village of the bride is received by the
respectable people of the village. The party adjourns to
some large building arranged for the purpose., where the
bride's father gives a feast to the guests, fakirs, beggars,
etc. Then certain of the guests accompaning the bridegroom
and his father enter into the hjuse carrying trays of
present. After this the marriage contract {nika) is perfor-
med by the Maulvi. The bride's elders answer for her and
the bridegroom answers for himself.
• (
A display is then made of ihe bride's dower (daj).
After that the barat conveys the tribe to the bridegroom's
house. She remains there for two or three days and she
then returns to her parents. Her husband later on goes in
procession (bpdah) to fetch her home for good.
Marriage customs differ slightly according to the
tribe or locality, but the foregoing gives some idea of the
main obsprvance. Amongst Muslims marriage nearly
always takes place of, puberty and the bride goes to live
with hqr .husband at once„ other-wise ^he lives with her
parents till of fit age.] ,,,
Expanse of MarrikgfeS.
Marriages are usually very extravagant, each stage
of the whole ceremony being marked by feasts and
presentations by either or both parties, and the mirasis
and menials of both parties reap a rich harvest of gifts.
Thus the average expense of wedding ranges from .-.
Rs. 1000/- to Rs.50,000.00 or more according to the"
status of the parties. An endavour has been made to
reduce the marriage expenditure and recently law is
framed to minimise the expenses made on do\vree (Jahez)).
52
6. Marriage Seasons. ,.
• There is no special time or season for marriages, but
they are forbidden during the month of Muharram, on'
the 'Ids, during the first thirteen days of Safar.
7. Widow re-marriage
The 'Sliara' (Islamic Law) does not forbid the
mai'riage of widows and the general custom amongst
Muslims does not enforce widowhood.
8. Marriage (>ontract.
At no age can a women enter into a contract for,
her own marriage. The contract of betrothal is revocable,
at any time before the actual Nikoli.
9 marriage within the tribe.
Among Punjabi Musalmans marriages are generally
confined to one's own tribe, sub-tribe or caste, and where
possible, alliances are arranged between the brothers and
sisters offspring as a means of retaining the same family,
the property inherited by the boy and the girl. Marrying
outside one's own caste or tribe is not against Islamic
Law.
TERMS OE RELATIONSHIP
Father ... Bap. Walid or Piu
Mother ... Man or Ma
Fatljer's. Father ... Dada
Father's Young brother ... Chacha
Father's sister ... Phupi or Bua
Father's sister's husband ... Phuphar
Mother's sister ... Masi
53
Mother's brother
Mother's brother's wife
Mother's father
Mother's mother
Mother's father's father
Mother's mother's mother
Father-in-law
Mother-in-law
Wife's brother
Wife's sister
Wife's sister husband
Daughter
Son
Sister's child
Brother's child
... Mama
... Mami
... Nana
... Nani
... Parnana
... Parnani
... Susra or Saohra
... Sas or Sass
... Sala
... Sail
... Sandu
... Beti
... Beta or Putr
... Bhanja or Bhanji
... Bhattija or Bhattiji
Burial Ceremonies.
Funerals — At funerals the services prescribed in the
Koran are followed. The grave is dug with a xqcqss, {same)
along the western side, in which the body is placed with
its face towards the south. Bricks and stones are then
placed leaning over the corpse so that no earth may rest
on it.
Before the burial the Imam recites the burial service
(janaza) accompanied by the mourners, and after the
burial alms are given to the poor. The Imam is presented
with a copy of the Koran and a small money present.
On the third day after the funeral the relations read
the "ATw/" and distribute food to those who came to
condole with them. This completes the obligatory period
of tnourning, the full period according to the Koran is
forty days.
54
Language.
With the exception of the Mishwanis of the Hazara
district, the universal language is Punjabi, but each tract
has its own dialects. These dialects shade off impercep-
tibly into one another and the residents of one tract are
intelligible to those of any other tract.
Manners and Gestures.
When friends meet they join hands, or if they are
great friends, they embrace each other breast to breast,
first one side and then the other. If a man meets a holy
person he kisses the lattcr's hands by way of salutation.
Shou|d'^cqua^nia!iices pass each other, one says "Salam
alaikyrn",(peace;^e unto thee) and the other replies "Wa
Alaikum ussalam" (and on thee be peace). They then
enquire after each other's health the usual question being
"is it well" (khair)' undthe answei^ '''fairly*^ fw/) or
"thank to God" (shukf')/ 'Whtn a visi or comes to >a
house he is saluted with a wdlcome o^j ij i^i;
"a'ji aea nun" and answers "Blessings be oA thee" {khoiri
howi) - iS^ j^
Thr salam and salutations. — When a person makes a
'^selam^' and any of the assembly rise and return it, it is
considered sufficient for the whole company. The lesser
number should always salute the greater, he who rides
should salute him who walks, he who walks to him who
stands, the stander the sitter, and so on. A man should
not salute a woman on the road. Salutes should be m.de
with the right hand.
Salams are of various kinds, the ordinary salam
among equals consists of merely touching the forhead with
55
the right hand. "Bandugi"' is very much the same, except
thai the head is inclined gently forward so as to meet the
hand. "Kurnish'^ o-'-'-^- is the same as the latter but the
body is bent as well as the head. "Taslimaf c.UJl_7
consists in touching the ground with the finger and then
making "salam". It is generally repeated thrice before
the Kings (that is the custom of old days, and not now)
"Gale tnilna'' is the form of salutation usual among
intimate friends who embrace each other -by throwing
their arms across each other's necks, and, in that position
incline the head three times, first on one-shoulder and
then on the other. Homage or "Kadm hosf' ^-ji f-^ is
paid by kissing the feet of the ruler or the edge of the
carpet on which he stands. > Soldiers or persons allowed
to bear arms, generally offer their swords to superiors as
a ''nazzar'' or offering of their services. The person
saluted signifies his acceptance of the gift by touching the
hilt of the weapon. Homage in some countries is
sometimes paid by casting the turban at the feet of the
conqueror; a man who wishes to throw himself on one's
mercy and asks for clemency, will sometimes do this.
Touching the knee of the person saluted is often the sign
of affectionate respect. (This old Hindu custom is now
no more anywhere in Punjab.
Gestures.- '^om^ of their gestures are peculiar :
although as in Europe, a nod of the head means "yes" or
"come" and a shake of the head means denial. Thus a
backward nod means enquiry; a click of the tongue with
a toss of the head means "no"; jerking the fingers inwards
means "I do not know"; holding the palm inwards and
shaking the hand means enquiry, holding the palm out-
wards and shaking the hand is a sign of prohibition.
56
holding up the thumb (thutth) means contemptuous
refusal ; wagging the middle finger (dhiri) provokes a
person to anger, and holding up the open palm is a great
insult. In beckoning to a person the hand is held up
palm outwards and the fingers moved downwards and
inwards.
Laws of Inheritance.
Although the question of inheritance is dealt with by
Muslim law, most Musalmans adhere to their tribal
customs which are generally those of the races
from which they were originally converted. In many parts
of the Punjab, succession to landed property is regulated
by two rules, viz., "Pagriband'' when the estate is divided
equally among the sons irrespective of the number of
wives, and ''chadarband" when the property is divided
among the wives so that each family may come in for a
share. Where there are sons, daughters receive nothing
and widows are only entitled to maintenance. Where
there are no sons, a widow may have a life interest in the
property, which would afterwards descend either to a
daughter, or to a distant collateral in the male line.
Daughters very seldom succeed to landed property, and
when they do, it is necessary that the land should have
been given as a dowry, or formally bestowed during the
life-time of the father. An illegitimate son cannot inherit.
A son, however, by a woman whom the father could not
have legally married, such as a dancing girl, a prostitute,
or a woman of very low caste, cannot inherit under any
circumstances. Adoption is very rare among Muslim. It
is only permissible on the failure of issue, and even then
must be proclaimed openly by the adopter during his life
time and supported by the written deed.
57
Food and Drink, Cloths, Personal Habits etc., etc.
The Punjabi Musalman has usually two meals a day,— first
inthe morning and second in the evening. Lunch (mid-day
meal) is familierin the cities. If a cultivator has some hard
work in hand, he generally eats some of the food left over
from the previous night, before starting for his daily toil.
His morning meal, which consists of three or four cakes
made of wheat, barley and gram or jowar is sometimes
brought to him in the fields but is more often eaten at
home, as the woman being secluded, are unable to leave
their houses. The evening meal consist of roti, i. e.,
chapatis, pulses, /. e. dal, lentils, etc., vegetables and a
few relishes, such as salt, pepper, chillies, and curry-stuffs,
with masala or various kinds of condiments. As a change,
most Muslims, eat rice, khichri, i.e., rice or "bajra" mixed
with dal, dhai or curds, eggs, fish and enormous quantities
of sugarcane whenever procurable. Meat is too expensive
a luxury to be indulged in more than occasionally, but
when it is procurable, it is served in various forms, such
as pillaos, kabbabs and curries. Lassi or butter-milk is an
important article of diet, particularly among Jats. At the
Bakr-Id and on the occasions of rejoicing, such as births
and marriages, even the poorest classes manage to sacrifice
a goat or dumba, i. e., fat-tailed sheep.
The usual beverages are water, milk, and sherbets.
All kinds of drugs and liquor are forbidden in the
Koran. Some Muslims however, indulge in the former
"sub rosa", and the use of the latter in the form ofcharas,
bhang and opium, is very prevalent. Charas (the exudation
of the flowers of hemp, collected with the dew, and pre-
58
pared for use as an intoxicating drug) is generally mixed
with the tobacco of the huka and smoked, -bhang (made
with the leaves of the hemp plant) is taken in a liquid
form.
Smoking is universal, and the huka is always within
easy reach.
Clothes— Tht usual garments are a majh or loin cloth
worn round the waist like a kilt, a kurta or loose skirt
sometimes confined by a kainmarband, a chadar or wrap-
per and a turban or /;ag wliich varies ia size and colour
according to the rank of the wearer. The pagri and
majla of the well-to-do classes is usually white, but Jats,
Gujars. and Baluchis, delight in coloured garments, blue
being their favourite dye. The wealthy and educated
classes are taking more and more to clothes fashioned on
the English pattern. Salwar, Kamee: and Achkan is the
National dress.
Hospitality to strangers is enjoined by the Koran and
is a marked characteristic of the Punjabi Muslims.
Travellers are lodged in the /iw/Va or guest-house of which
every village possesses at least one or two. Guests are
fed at the public expense and their wants are attended to
by the Kamins or village servants. The hujra besides
being a resting place for travellers, is a place of public
resort where the male population of the village meet in
the evening to discuss affairs.
Personal habits. — Although the Koran enjoins personal
cleanliness, majority do not pay as much attention to
their ablutions as instructed.
Ablutions are of two kinds, viz., wazu or washing the
face, hands and feet, etc., which is necessary before every
59
kind of prayer, and ghusal or washing the whole body
after certain defilements.
Besides the ablutions prescribed by their religion,
Muslims observe certain practices called '"fitraf which
have been prevalent among Arabs since the time of
Abraham. The more important of these are the clipping
of the moustache, so that the hair may not enter the
mouth; not cutting or shaving the beard; cleaning the
teeth; cleaning the nostrils with water at the usual ablu-
tions; cutting the nails: cleaning the finger joints; pulling
out the hair under the arms: and a few similar customs.
Amusement and Games.
Although the agriculturist of the Punjab leads a hard
laborious life as a rule, he allows himself a certain amount
of time for recreation. Attendance at weddings and other
domestic celebrations afford one means of breaking the
monotony of his life, and a fair or two are probably
visited in the course of the year.
Pir kaudi. — There are also games of various kinds,
though the extent to which these are indulged in, varies a
good deal in different localities. The best known game
is called "Pirkaudi". The competitors in this game form
groups at two sides of a square where they are surrounded
by their respective friends and backers. One man {bahari)
is selected from a side and advances into the arena — this
is the challenger of all comers. Two opponents (andari)
are selected and advance against the challenger, their
object being to throw the challenger over and make his
back and shoulders touch the ground, while he tries to
tackle one at a time and do likewise. The opponents of
60
the challenger, however, are not allowed to commence
their attack until he has touched them. To keep his
opponents off, the challenger is allowed to slap, push or
throw them over or to trip them up in any way he can,
and dodge away before they can touch him. if the two
succeed in throwing the challenger, their side have to send
out a man as challenger, and so the game continues until
the champion is determined.
Saunchi.— In some parts another form of kaudi is
played called ''saunchr. Two men stand facing each
other bare-breasted, one hits the other with his open palm
the whole game consisting in his endeavour to do so
without letting his opponent seize his wrist.
Lamhi Kaudi and Kaudi Kabadi.—Thtse are quite
different from "/?//• kaudi'^ and are kinds of "prisoner's
base."
Chappan chott and Lukcbbip- These are the same as
"Hide and Seek."
^:a«/!i/n7a/<7.— Correspondence to tipcat.
Chinji tarap.—lhxs is a form of "Hopscotch".
Culli danda.— Is very like hockey.
There are various other games of a similar kind to the
above.
Bagdar uthana or Tarar ul tan. —This consists in, the
lifting of heavy weights.
Mungli pherna.— This is the working of heavy Pak
clubs.
61
Putting the stone also arouses great interest and
competition.
The old men play "Chaupatt"' a game something
similar to backgammon played with dice (fcaMr/), and some
play chess ''Shatranj.''
A favourite card game is 'Uash'\ This is somewhat
similar to whist and is played with 51 cards, the deuce of
diamonds being discarded.
Shikar with long dogs is most popular in Rawalpindi,
Shahpur and Mianwali Districts.
SUPERSTITIONS
In matters pertaining to his superstitions, the Punjabi
Musalman now does not belive much in fabulous tales due
to general rise in education. But illitrate are yet super-
stitions. It is not so long ago that an individual in
the Rawalpindi district, extracted large sums of money
out of the inhabitants of his tahsil by claiming the power
to double any money placed in his charge. In very recent
years a belief that the foxhounds in Peshawar were
periodically fed on criminals, who were actually "thrown
to the dogs," was prevalent.
Those who live in the hills are possibly more supersti-
tious than the plains folk, a similar fact being observed
by Buckle in his "Civilisation in Europe."
"The evil eye " talisman, amulets lucky and unlucky
days, etc., etc., all have a real significance to the Punjabi
Musalman. Horses and cattle may have lucky and
unlucky Marks. Certain marks branded on an animal
may improve it, for instance, a very sluggish horse can be
turned into a spirited animal if a line is branded horizont-
62
ally round its body, the idea being that the animal will
always be endeavouring to jump out of this mark.
There are n uriierou s P/r5' or saints who have the
power of preventing hydrophobia in any one who has
been bitten by a mad dog or jackal.
Visits to different Ziarats or shrines are often under-
taken for a specific object connected w ith the supposed
power in the shrine to cure certain ailments.
Many localities are supposed to be haunted, and no
one vv'ill go near them after dark. Instances have actually
occurred where sentriee have been overcome by fear
owing to this belief.
The belief in the e\\] eye is universal. An amulet
{tawiz) containing a verse from the Koran, is worn as a
protection against the evil eye. This is worn round the
arm, the neck, or tied up in the end of the pugri Every
carpet or piece of embroidery will have a small portion of
it which is out of harmony with the pattern as a protection
against the evil eye.
J(?wr/iey5.— Tuesdays and Wednesdays are unlucky
days and Mondays and Fridays are lucky days on which
to start on a journey, northwards. For a southward
journey Thursday is a bad day and Wednesday a good
day on which to start. Monday and Saturday are bad
and Sunday and Tuesday good for an eastward journey.
For a vv-estward journey Sunday and Thursday are bad
and Monday and Saturday good.
On starting on a journey it is fortunate to meet
^6riieone carrying water, a sweeper, a dog, a woman with
63
a child, a maiden, all kinds of flowers, a mali, a donkey,
a Raja, a horseman, a drum or anyone who is carrying a
vessel containing milk, curds, ghi, vegetables or sugar.
It is considered unlucky to meet a Brahman, a man
with a bare head, any person weeping, a crow flying
towards one, a broken vessel in a parson's hand, a cat, a
mali with an empty basket, a goat or cow or any black
animal, a snake, or an empty gharah carried by someone.
To hear the sound of crying or sneezing while on a
journey is most unlucky.
Enquires as to a mans tribe, sub-tribe, etc., etc.— To
find out a man's clan, sub-section or sub-tribe, is some
times difficult, owing to the various meanings of the words
"zat," "got," "kom," etc.
"Zat" and "kom" are usual for the tribe, /. e., "teri
ki zat" or "ki kom," the man then gives the name of his
tribe, viz., Awan, Gakhar, Dhund, or Tanaoli, etc., and
the next question would generally be "kera Awan" or
"kera Gakkhar"; this should elicit the answers:— Admal,
Sarangal, etc., etc., or "Kutbshahi" for the Awan. If
further information is required, the questions would take
the form of "kis Khandan se hai" or "teri ki walhai"
or "kis pusht se chala hai," etc., depending on the tribe
the man belongs to or the part of the country he comes
from.
Chapter V
DISTRIBUTION OF TRIBES,
Short accounts of Punjabi Musa I man tribes of Rujput,
Jat, Gujar and others.
1. Alpials.
1. Male /Jo/7w/^//o«.— Approximately 4,500. (Census
1931).
.2. Locality— Tho. Alpials occupy a compact block of
villages on both banks of the Sohan river, in the Sil Sohan
circle of the Fatehjang tahsil, Attock district.
3. Headman.— The recognised head of the tribe
belong to the family of the Chaudris of Chakri.
. 5. History and particulars. —The alpials have recor-
ded themselves as Manj Rajputs, and their claim to
Rajput origin is generally admitted. They appear to have
settled in their present locality about the same time as the
Jodhras and Ghebas, /, e., about the 15th Century, having
first wandered through the country now contained in the
Khushab and Talagang tahsils before settling down in the
southern corner of Fatehjang.
The Alpials are hardworking and excellent cultiva-
tors, generally tilling their own land, and working
laboriously on their own wells. Socially they rang high,
and they inter-marry freely with the Ghebas.
They are reported to be a bold and courageous,
65
66
Sturdy, independent, and wonderfully quarrelsome. Their
physique is fair, the men being somewhat light and of
medium stature.
2. Andwal.
1. Mole population.— About 1,300 (Census 1931)
2. Locality.- -The Andwal are found in the Abbottu-
bad tahsil of the Hazara district.
3. Particulars. — The Andwal are classed by Sir
Denzii Ibbetson as being a section of the Dhunds.
They endeavour, at times to pass themselves otf as
Hindwals, which is a section of the Tanaoli^.
3. Arains.
Male population.— 7,26,913 (Census 1931)
The Arains or Rains are a Musalman agricultural
tribe, good cultivators, skilful, industrious, hardy and
thrifty.
The Arains claim to have come originally from
Arabia, to have settled in Sind, thence spread to Uch in
Upper Sind, and later migrated to the Punjab by way of
Multan and Sirsa. They may be designated as a fighting
race which has produced many Civil and Military Officers
who have rendered good services to the nation.
4. Awan.
1. Male population.— 2,S8,:A0 {Census 1931)
2. Locality.— Awans are found throughout the
Punjab, but their characteristics, physique and social
67
status vary greatly in each district. They are at their best
in the Salt Range and in the districts adjoining it.
3. Leading Families.— A\l Awans of the Salt Range
acknowledge the Malik of Kalabagh as their head.
Other well-known families are to be found in Lawa, Kund,
Kufri, Tamman, Monara, Kallar Kahar, and Buchal
Kalan.
History and particulars. —The Awans claim Arab
descent from Kutb Shah of Ghanzi, who ruled at Herat,
but joined Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznavi in his invasions
of India (1001 A. D.) and received from him the name
ofAwanor "helper". Kutb Shah was descended fVom
Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet, (Peace be upon
him) and the Awans have been Musalmans from the
beginning; Kutb Shah had six sons: —
Kalan Shah — who settled near Kalabagh,
Gauhar Shah — who settled near Sakesur,
Chohan Shah — who settled in the hills near the
Indus,
Khokhar Shah —who settled in the country about
the Chenab,
Tori Shah and Jhajh Shah— who remained in the
trans-border country where their descendants are said
still to live in Tirah and the Kurram Valley.
Doubt has been thrown on this account by some
ethnological authorities and a Hindu orgin has been
assigned to the Awans by some writers, who point to the
originally Hindu character of two of Kutb Shah's sons.
68
Chohaii and Khokhar, which is not explained away by
the tradition that these two sons took their mother's
name. A more precise version of the Awan legend, which
obtains among the Awans of Kapurthala, make them
Alwi Sayads who, oppressed by the Abbassides, sought
refuge in Sindh and eventually allied them-selves with
Sabukhtagin (Father of Mahmud of Ghaznavi), who
bestowed on them the title of Awan. They may, according
to this tradition, possibly have come into Sindh with the
first Arab invaders and have worked their way north.
It is beyond question that they found the Janjuas in
possession of the Western Salt Range and ejected them.
The above explanation of their origin, by the Awan
and others, has been rejected by Pandit Harikishan Kaul
in his report on the census of 1911. Pandit Harikishan Kaul
considers the evidence in favour of the Hindu origin of the
Awans to be too strong to set aside. He points out that
the name Awan is the unalloyed Sa^nskrit term "Awan"
meaning defender or protector. Moreover, the tribe still
retains strong traces of Indian customs. He considers
that it is probable that they have, from time immemorial,
been located in the tract north of the Salt Range and that
they received the title Awan in the Hindu times, owing to
the successful defence of their stronghold against aggression.
Further at a much later date, i.e.. after the Muhammadan
invasions, they seem to have been converted by Syad
Kutb Shah, after which the Awans began to call them-
selves Kutb Shahi, i.e., the followers of Kutb Shah.
The Awans are divided into numerous clans (N4uhi)
which take their name from the common ancestor. Thiis
the Mumnals are descended from Moman, the Saghrals
from Saghar, and the Shials from Shehan, and so on.
69
The following are the best known of these clans :—
Khokhar Rehan Darhal Saghral Chajji
Mumnal Jand Gulshahi Shial Saidan
Khattar Babkal Kang Sudkal Parbal
Kalgan Khurana Chohan Bugdial Ballial
But besides these there are over 709 sub-castes of Awans.
It is seldom that any Awan will mention one of these as
his clan, he will inveriably say that he is a Kutab Shahi
Awan.
6. Political factions. — The Awans of the Salt Range
are divided into two well-known political factions or
parties :— Ujjal Khan's party and Khan Beg's party. Every
village has its adherents of each party. The parties inter-
marry freely, but yet they are antagonistic to one another
and will always take sides with their faction in any dis-
pute.
The Awans have possessed political importance for
a considerable period of time in the Salt Range and in the
adjoining districts, and it is here that the best material for
the Army is to be obtained.
In the Salt Range the Awans are described as being a
brave, high-spirited people with frank, engaging manners,
at the same time headstrong and irascible to an unusual
degree.
Their characteristic failings are vindictiveness and a
proneness to keep alive old feuds. As a rule they do not give
their daughter in marriage to other tribes except to Sayads.
They abstain from marriage in the same got or sept.
70
5. Bachharas.
1. Male Population. — Approximately 2,000 (Census
1931).
2. Locality.— The South East border of the Mianwali
district. Their chief village is Wan Bucharan.
3. Headman.— The most influential man of the tribe
is a Zaildar. His son was given a direct commission in a
cavalary regiment.
4. History and particulars.— The Bachhars are Khokhar
Rajputs. They state that their original home was in the
Gujrat district, whence they moved, first to Buggi Bhooki
near Girot in Shahpur, and later to their present site,
which was chosen on account of the "wan" or large well
built by Sher Shah. These wells were placed at intervels
of about a day's march apart on the road from Gujrat to
Bannu and the frontier.
The name "Bachhar" seems to have been a form of
endearment applied to them by some forgotten Tir".
Their circumstances have been much changed of late,
owing to their discovery that the soil of "thai" was most
suitable for the cultivation of gram : they are now very
well-off. In appearence and general characteristics they
resemble the people of the Shahpur district,
6. Badhal.
This small tribe is supposed to be allied to Bhakral,
but the members of the tribe itself do not agree to this.
Like the Bhakral, they are said to have come across from
Jammu territory. The tribe to classed as Rajput, but it
71
does not hold a very high social position. They are of fine
physique and good cultivators. They enlist freely and
make good soldiers.
7. Badhan.
1. Male population.— 3,0m (Census 193 1 ).
2. Locality. — Found chiefly in Jammu andPoonch, a
few are met with in the Sialkot district.
3. Particulars.— In Poonch the tribe is reported to
have originaily been weavers.
The Badhans utterly deny that they were ever weavers
and claim to be Janjaus. Some of the tribe also claim
connection with the Sudhans, but the Sudhans look them
with contempt. They share a few villages with the Sudhans
in Poonch.
8. Baghial and Bangial
1. Male population.— -ApproKimsiiely 2,000 (Census
1931).
2. Locality. — The tribe is found chiefly in the Rawal-
pindi district, where they occupy five villages in the Giijar
Khan tehsil. There appear to be a few also in the Jhelum,
Gujrat and Gujranwala districts
3. Particulars.— The Baghial and Bangial appear to
be the same tribe, those members of it which are in the
Rawalpindi district are classed as Rajputs, while in Gujrat,
Gujranwala and Jhelum they are Jats. They describe
themselves as being Punwar Rajputs. The first ancestor of
Musalman faith was Bangash Khan.
72
They enlist freely and make good soldiers
The tribe is not to be confused with the Bagial sec-
tion of the Gakkhars with whom they have no connec-
tion.
9. Bajwa and Bajju.
1. Male population. — 3,500 (Census 1931).
2. Locality. — The Bajwa are found mostly in the
Sialkot district, but also in the Multan district.
3. Chief families.— The families of the Chaudhri of
Chakwandi and Khanawali in the Zaffarwal tahsil of the
Sialkot district, are the most important.
4. History and particulers. - The Bajju ranks as Rajput
and the Bajwa as Jat. Both branches have given their
name to the Bajwat or country at the foot of the Jammu
hills in the Sialkot district.
They say they are Solar Rajputs and that their ancestor,
Raja Shalip was driven out of Multan in the time of
Sakandar Lodi. The Bajju Rajputs are said to marry their
daughters to the Chibs and Manhas Rajputs.
In their betrothals, dates are used, and custom pur-
haps brought from Multan. The Bajwa inter-marry with
all the principal Jat tribes.
10. Baluch.
1. Jidale population.— 3,4^,544 (Census 1931).
2. Locality.— The Montgomery, Shahpur, Mianwali,
73
Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargarh, and Dera Ghazi Khan
districts, Bahawalpur State and the Chenab Colony.
3. Chief families.— \n the Shahpur district there are
two families of importance, one in Sahiwal which is
mentioned in the "Punjab Chiefs" and another in
Khushab.
4. History and particulars.— The. Baluchis claim
Arabian extraction, asserting that they are descended from
Amir Hamza an ancle of the Pra/7/7eM-^) (peace be upon
him) and from a fairy (Pari).
They consistently place their first settlement in Al-
leppo, from which they were expelled in A. D. 680 by
Yazid, the second of the Ommayyad Caliphs.
Their migration took them first to Karman, then to
Sistan, and finally, a great portion of the race, into the
Punjab plains about the 13th century. Their claim to
Arabian descent has generally been allowed.
About the beginning of the 16th century the Baluchis
were driven out of the Khelat valley by the Brahuis and
Turks. Yielding to pressure they moved eastward into
the Sulaimans, drove out the Pathans, and settled along
the banks of the Indus. Three Baluch adventurers
Ismail Khan, Fatteh Khan, and Ghazi Khan, founded
the three Dehras that bear their names, and established
themselves as independent rulers of the Lower Derajat and
Muzaffargarh, which they and their descendants held for
nearly 300 years. Thence the southern Baluchis gradually
spread into the valleys of the Indus, Chenab, and Sutlej,
74
and in 1555 a large body of Baluchis, under their great
leader Mir Chakar, accompanied the Emperor Humayun
into India. It is probable that many of the Baluch settle-
ments, in the Eastern districts of the Punjab, were
founded by Humayun's soldiers. Mir Chakar settled in
Sahiwal and his tomb still exists at Satgarha, where he
founded a military colony of "Rinds."
Long before Mir Chakar's time, Mir Jalal Khan was
one of the B.iluch historical rulers, and from his four
sons— Rind, Lashar, Hot and Korai spring the four main
Baluch tribes. The Jatoi are the children ofJatoi, Jalal
Khan's daughter. These main sections are now divided
into innumerable septs. Throughout the Punjab the term
Baluch denotes any Muslim camel-man. The word has
come to be associated with the care of camels, because
the Baluch settlers of the Western plains have taken to
the grazing and breeding of camels rather than to
husbandry, and every Baluch is supposed to be a camel-
man and every camel-man to be a Baluch.
The Baluch of tlie Punjab plains is now altogether
separated from the Baluch tribes of Baluchistan and the
Derajat, although the same tribal names are still found
among them. Long residence in Punjab and inter-marriage
with the Jats has deprived them of many of their national
characteristics, and they have now forgotten the Baluch
language and have abandoned the Baluch dress.
They are good Muslims, fair agriculturists, and
make good soldiers. In proportion to their population
the number that enlist in the army as well as in the civil is
small.
In character they are brave, chivalrous, and honour-
75
able. In physique they are tall, thin, wiry, hardy, and
frugal in iheir habits.
The following clans are those most commonly fonnd
in the Cis-Indus districts of the Punjab : —
Korai Gopand Muhori Rind Gumiani Dashti
Jatai Gishkauri Mazari Hot Pitafi Zangeza
The Rind, Jatoi and Korai are numerous in Multan,
Jhang, Sahiwal, Shahpur and Muzaffargarh districts.
The Gopangs are a servile tribe as also are the
Dashtis, both are found in the Muzaffargarh district.
The Hot are found in Jhang, Multan and Muzaffar-
garh.
The Gurmanis, Giskhauris, Pitafis in Muzaffargarh.
The Mazaris in Jhang. The Zangeza are met with in the
Mianwali and Shahpur districts. They are Shiahs. The
Magassi Baluch, who are found in Multan, Muzaffargarh,
Mianwali and Jhang, appear to be a "peculiar people"
rather than a tribe. Both Sunnis and Shiahs are found
among them and they have several peculiar customs not
to be found among other Baluchis.
The Baluchis of the Punjab inter-marry with the
Jats.
11. Bambas.
Though few in numbers the Bambas are an important
tribe in Kashmir, where they are chiefly found in the
Muzaffarabad district between the Jhelum and Kishen-
ganga rivers.
They are represented in the Boi tract of the Munsehra
76
tahsil of Hazara by two families, ons of Boi and the
other of Jabri Kahsh. The Boi family, is one of great
importance in the Hazara district, second only to the
Amb family of Tanawal.
12. Bhakral,
1. Population. -6,600. (Census 1931)
2. Locality. — In the Gujar Khan and Rawalpindi
tahsils of the Rawalpindi district, also a few villages in
the Chakwal tahsil of the Jhelum district.
3. Chief families. — There are several pensioned
Military officers belonging to the tribe notably at Saba
Mora in the Chakwal Tahsil (Jhelum) and Kamtrila in
the Gujar Khan tahsil (Rawalpindi).
4. History and particulars. - The Bhakral claim to be
Punwar Rajputs, and since the 1901 census was taken,
a large number have returned themselves as such. They
probably came from Jammu territory across the Jhelum
river. The tribe now ranks as Rajput and appears to
hold a high place in the social scale. They do not appear
to marry outside the tribe. They are good cultivators, of
fine physique, fond of military service, and make excellent
soldiers.
13. Bhatti.
1. Population in the P///;yfl/). —Rajput.— 319,800, Jat,
41,500. (census 1931).
2. Locality.— The Bhattis are found throughout the
Punjab, but are most numerous in the Lahore, Multan,
Rawalpindi, Giijranwala and Sialkot districts.
77
3. History and particulars. The Bhatti is one of the
best known of the Rajput clans, the modern representa-
tives of the ancient Yadiibansi Rajputs, and supposed to
be the "Baternae" mentioned by Pliny.
Their traditions connect the tribe with Bikaner,
Jaisalmer and iht old fortress of Bhatner. In each
locality appear variations of the story of their origin.
The most common story is that they were driven across
the Indus, from the East, in very early times, and that they
returned across the river some 700 years ago, when they
took possession of the country to the south of the lower
Sutlej. The tribe gives its name to the Bhattiana,
and to the Bhattiora tracts, as well as to various places
such as Bhatinda, Bhatner, Pindi Bhattian, etc.
The various branches of the Bhatti differ in social
status and characteristics according to the locality in
which they are found.
Probably the best representatives of the tribe are
now to be found in the Bhattiora tract north of the
Chenab (in the Sarghoda tahsil and the Chiniot tahsil
of Jhang). Here, they are "fine race of men, industrious
agriculturists, good horse breeders, and very fond of
sports" and they have also now proved themselves good
soldiers.
In the Gujar Khan tahsil of the Rawalpindi district
there are also to be found good represenetatives of the
tribe.
The Bhattis of Gujranwala enjoyed considerable
political importance and still hold 86 villages in that
district. The Bhattis of the Sialkot district will not give
78
their daughters in marriage to any of the neighbouring
tribes. In the Salt Range the Bhatti seem to hold ordi-
nary position.
Muslim Bhattis were converted about the end of the
15th century.
14. Chaddar.
1. Population.— Jat~n, 000, Rajput — 3,600. (census
1931).
2. Locality.— The tribe is found along the whole
length of the Chenab and Ravi valleys, but is most
numerous in the Chenab Colony and Jhang.
3. History and particulars.— The Chaddars of Jhang
claim to be Rajputs, elsewhere they rank as Jats.
They say that they left their original home in Raj-
putana in the time of Muhammad of Ghor and settled
in Bahawalpur, where they were converted by Sher Shah
of Uch. Thence they came to Jhang, where they founded
an important colony and spread in smaller numbers up
the Chenab and Rabi. The Chadder are of Tunwar
Rajput origin.
Their chief sub-tribes are : —
The Rajokes, Kamokes, Jappas, Luns, Pajiken,
Deokes, Bullankes, and Sajokes.
They are described as being good agriculturists.
The name of this tribe is, better represented by the
spelling Chaddrar.
79
15. Chattha.
1. Population.— 4,600. (census 1931).
2. Z,om//7r.— This tribe is chiefly found in the
Gujranwala district, and also in small numbers scattered
about the central Punjab.
3. The Chattha is a Jat tribe. They claim Chauhan
Rajput descent. From Chattha, a grand-son of Prithi Raj,
the Chauhan King of Delhi. Some 500 years ago, Dahru
came from Shambhal in Moradabad, where the bards of
the Karnal Chauhan still live, to the banks of the
Chenab, and married among the Jat tribes of Gujranwala.
They were converted to Islam about 1600 A. D. The
tribe rose to considerable importance under the Sikhs,
and their leading family is mentioned in the "Punjab
Chiefs."
16. Chauhan.
1. Population in the Pimjah.^lX, 000. (census 1911).
2. Loc^///r.— Chiefly found in the Amballa and
Karnal districts, in small numbers in the Lahore, Jhulem,
Rawalpindi and Multan districts.
3 Particulars. — The Chauhan is one of the 36 royal
Rajput tribes. Pirthi Raj, the last Hindu ruler of
Hindustan, was of this tribe. Ajmer and Sambhar seem
to have been their original home before they moved to
Delhi. In the Punjab they now retain their dominant
position. They are found scattered throughout the
Punjab. Many tribes of doubtful status claim to be
Chauhans.
80
17. Chib.
1. Mole population in the Punjab and Jamnni. —
10,800. (census 1931).
2. Locality. — This tribe is found chiefly in the
Kharian tahsil of Gujrat, and also in the adjacent ter-
ritory of Jammu.
3. Chief families. —The Pothi family is head of the
tribe, the present representative lives in the Jhelum and
receives a pension from Government. In Besa the family
of a late Risalhar-Major of the 12th Cavalry is vvellknown,
and there are other good families in the same village. In
Mirpur (Azad Kashmir) there are well-known representa-
tives of the Chibs in Panjeri, Kosgoma, and Lehri.
4. History and particulars. — The Chib is a Rajput
tribe of high standing. It gave its name to the Chibhal,
the hill country of Kashmir on the left bank of the
Jhelum river along the Hazara border, though it no
longer occupies those hills. The tribe claim descent in
the female line from the Katoch and Kangra, and their
eponym, Chib Chand, is said to have left Kangra
14 centuries ago and settled near Bhimbar. Sur Sadi was
the first of the tribe to become a Muslim, his tomb is still
venerated, and no male child is considered a true Chib
until his scalp-locks have been offered up at this tomb.
Sur Sadi's (or Shadi Khan's) Hindu name was Dharam
Chand. He was famed for his skill in medicine and was
summoned to Delhi to attend the Emperor Jehangir. He
was successful in effecting a cure and received a daughter
of the Emperor in marriage, became a Muslim and
changed his name to Shadi Khan. He deserted his bride
81
and fled home, and was eventually killed in an invasion
of his country by the Moghals.
The chief of the tribe used to be known as the Raja
of Bhimbar.
The tribe is divided into three social grades— Mandiai,
Garhial, and Dherial, feeling still runs high on the point
of these distinctions even though it is difficult to say who
is Mandial and who Garhial. The Garhial stand high
and will not give their daughters to the others. The Chibs
seek marriages for their daughters among Sayads and
Gokkhars whom they admit to be their superiors.
There are fourteen septs : —
Rupyal.
Barwana,
Jaskal,
Dhural,
Darwesal,
Malkana.
Mamdal,
Baranshahia,
Ghanlyal and
Samwalia,
Miana,
Ghaghila.
Malkal,
Daphral,
The tribe is one of short stature, and their men are
rather thick set. They are deservedly popular as they
make excellent soldiers.
18. Chima.
1. Population in the Punjab. —17,600. (census 1931).
2. Locality. In the Punjab the tribe is chiefly found
in the Sialkot and Gujranwala districts, there are a few
also in most of the other Cis-Jhelum districts.
3. Chief families.— There is a family of fair status
at Badoke, in the Da ska tahsil of the Sialkot district.
82
4. History and particulars.— Jht Chima is one of
the largest Jat tribes in the Punjab. It claims descent
from the Chauhan Rajput. They fled from DehH on the
defeat of Prithi Raj by Muhammad of Ghor, to Amritsar,
where Chotu Mai, a son of Prithi Raj, founded a village
on the Beas in the time of Ala-ud-din It is from his
grand-son Rana Kang that the Chimas say they are
sprung. They are a powerful and united tribe. The bulk
of the tribe embraced Islam in the time of Firoze Shah
and Aurangzeb, but rrany retain their old customs. They
marry witin the tribe as well with their neighbours.
19. Dhamial.
[(Rajput, 8,000)1
1. Pof Illation. —9,500. -{ ^(census 1931).
t (Jat, 1,500). J
2. Locality. '-Chiei]y found in the Rawalpindi
District, but also in Gujrat, Jhelum and Attock.
3. Particulars.— The Dhamial are of both Rajput
and Jat status. The Rajput branch receive daughters in
marriage from the Jat section but do not give girls to
them, otherwise the two branches appear to mix freely
and are one tribe. They account for themselves as having
come originally from Ghazni to the Sialkot district, from
whence they went to Dhamiak (Jhelum tahsil) where they
built a fort. They take service freely and make satisfac-
tory soldiers.
The Dhamial have no connection wiih the Dhanials,
the two tribes being quite distinct.
20. Dhanial
1 . Male population. — (Approximately) 3,400. (census
1931).
83
2. Locality.— The Dhanials are found chiefly in the
lower spurs of the Murree hills in the Rawalpindi tahsil
of the Rawalpindi district; there are about a dozen
villages of the tribe in Hazara, and two in Gujar Khan
(Rawalpindi).
3. Chief families. — The tribe is well represented by
pensioned Military Officers in Kala Basand, Dakhian and
Karor, The Zaildars of Find Begwal, Bhambatrar and
Chirah are probably the most influential men.
4. History and particulars. — The Dhanials claim to
be desended from Hazrat Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet
(Peace be upon him). The Dhanni country in the Chakwal
tahsil of Jhelum, is supposed to take its name from the
tribe, but no Dhanials are to be found there at the present
time and they themselves do not connect themselves with
that locality in any way.
The Dhanial must not be confused with the Dhamial
who are quite distinct from and have no connection with
them. There appears also to be no Jat branch of the
tribe, though the census returns have shown a certain
number.
The Dhanials inter-marry with the Dhunds, Sattis,
Khetwals and Jasgams.
They make good soldiers.
21. Dhudhi.
1. Population. — 5,800. (census 1931).
2. Locality. — This tribe is scattered about Lahore,
Shahpur, Jhang, Multan, Sahiwal and the Bahawalpur
State.
84
3. History.— This is a small clan of Punwar Rajputs
found along the banksof the Sutlej and Chenab. They
are supposed to have come originally from Multan. They
are said to be "fair agriculturists and respectable members
of soceity".
22. Dhund.
f Punjab, 29,000. ^ census
1. Male population.- -i In Poonch (Azad Kashmir ) )- of
L 7,800. J 1931
2. Locality— The Dhunds are found chiefly in the
Murree tahsil of the Rawalpindi district and the Abbotta-
bad tahsil of Hazara, also on the left bank of the Jhelum
in the Bagh tahsil of Poonch.
3. Chief families. — The recognised head of the
Dhunds belongs to the Phulgraon family in the Rawal-
pindi tahsil. Other well-known families of the tribe are
found at Sehanna, Potha, Dewal, Chattar and Sila in the
Rawalpindi district and in Lora, Bakot, Kalahan in
Hazara.
4. History and particulars.— The Dhunds claim
descent from Hazrat Abbas, the paternal uncle of
the Prophet (Peace be upon him). Another tradi-
tion makes Takht Khan who came with Taimur to
Delhi, their ancestor. Notwithstanding this claim to
purely MusUm ancestry Colonel Wace wrote of the
Dhunds than "thirty years ago their acquaintance with the
Muslim faith was still slight, and though they now know
more of it, and are more careful to observe it, relics of
their Hindu faith are still observable in their social habits".
It is reported of them that even until recent times they
refused to eat with other Muslims or to allow them to
85
touch their cooking pots. They have now lost this
extreme exclusiveness. Among the Punwar clans Tod
mentions the Dhoonda and Dhoond which were supposed
by him to be extinct, and it is possible that the Dhunds
are either one of these.
The tribe was almost exterminated by the Sikhs
in 1837.
They are very proud of their tribe.
Physically the Dhunds are a fine race and are
intelligent.
The Sattis and the Dhunds are supposed at one time
to have been deadly enemies, at the present day the two
tribes live amicably together and intermarry freely.
There are four sections of the tribe, which are divided
into many "wals" or clans.
1. The Chandal, found chiefly in Poonch in the
Bagh tahsil.
2. The Gaiyal, descendants of Gai Khan, whose
tomb is near Duberan in the Kahuta tahsil. This section
have villages on the right bank of the Jhelum near
Tangrot. There is one family in Karor and a few in
Poonch.
3. The Ratnial, these are common in the Murree
and Abbottabad tahsils.
4. The Andwal, which is a small section in Hazara.
The Jasgams say they are branch of the Dhunds and
86
though the Dhunds sometimes admit this relationship, it
is doubtful whether there is any foundation for it except
the mythical descent of both tribes from an uncle and an
ancestor of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
In the Rawalpindi district the tribe inter-marry with
the Sattis, Khetwals, Dhanials and Jasgams. In Hazara
with the Karrals.
23. Dogar.
1. Male population.— 30,000. (census 1931)
2. Locality. — This tribe is found in the upper valleys
of the Sutlej and Beas rivers above the lower border of
the Lahore District; they have also spread westwards
along the foot of the hills into the Sialkot district.
3. History and particulars. — In social standing the
Dogars rank as Rajputs. The trible claim to be
of Rajput descent but this is strenuously denied by their
Rajput neighbours, and their distinctive physiognomy
makes it probable that there is very little Rajput blood
in their veins. They are often classed with Gujars, whom
they much resemble in their habits.
There are many clans, chief of which'are: —
The Matter, China, Tagra, and Chokra.
24. Duli.
1. Male population.— 1,500. (census 1931)
2. Locality.—The Duli are found in the vicinity of
Seirha in Mehanda tahsil of Poonch State.
3. Particulars.— They claim to be Rajputs and that
87
the tribe migrated from Jammu. They should make fair
soldiers.
25. Gaiyal.
The Gaiyals are a branch of the Dhunds. There are
about 2C0 men serving in the army who belong to this
sub-tribe.
26. Gakkhar.
1. Male population.— Punjah, 17,200 and Kashmir
6,700 (census 1931)
2. Locality. — The Gakkhars are most numerous in the
Jhelum tahsil of the Jh3lum district. They are found
throughout the Rawalpindi district, there is a small
section in the Abottabad tahsil of the Hazara district and
they are to be met with in Poonch and the Mirpur district
of Azad Kashmir. The tribe is heavily recruited in the
army.
3. Chief families. — The Admal family ofPharwala
and the Sarangal family of Khanpur are the best known,
the former place is in Rawalpindi and the latter in Hazara.
Other well-known representatives are the Sarangal of
Saidpur. Admals of Kaniat and Channi in Rawalpindi. In
the Jhelum district are the Admals of Sultanpur, the
Iskandrials of Lehri and Bakrala and the Bugial families
of Domeli, Padri and Baragowah. At Sanghoi, Malhu
and Adrana there are also families of good standing.
4. The Gakkhars in popular estimation rank socially
above all other Musalman tribes in which they are found,
and they refuse to give their daughters in marriage to any
but Sayads,
88
The origin of the tribe is most obscure, and ethnolog-
ical experts are not agreed as to the race from which
they are sprung. Ferishta mentions them as a brave and
savage race who lived mostly in the hills and had little or
no religion, but the Gakkhars hold that Ferishta has
often confused them with the Khokhars, and even that
he had a grudge against them for their maltreatment of
his ancestor Hindu Shah.
The Gakkhars describe themselves as being descended
from Kaigohar, of the Kaiani family once reigning in
Isphan that they conquered Kashmir and Tibet and
ruled those countries for many generations, but were
eventually driven back to Kabul whence they entered the
Punjab with Mahmud of Ghaznavi early in the 1 1th
century. This story is rejected by Ibbetson, because it is
certain that they held their present possessions long before
the Muhammadan invasion of India and also, on
Ferishta's showing a Gakkhar army resisted Mahmud and
almost turned the tide of victory against him on two
occasions.
It is believed however, that the Gakkhars entered
India considerably earlier than the date they themselves
jBx. Some authorities give A. D. 300 as the probable date
of their immigration.
The assassination of Shahab-ud-din Ghori has been
put down to the Gakkhars, but it seems possible that it
was accomplished by the Khokhars with whom the
Gakkhars have been confused by Ferishta.
Whatever their origin may be, the history of the
Gakkhars, since the first Muslim invasion, is closely
89
interwoven with that of the North West Punjab, and
their exploits in the field have always redounded to their
credit as fighters.
They were the ruling race in the hill country between
the Indus and the Jhelum until the rise of the Sikh
power.
Their conversion from nominal Buddhism to Islam,
is said to have taken place in 1205 A. D. when they were
crushingly defeated by Shahab-ud-din Ghori. At the
time of Timur's invasion the Gakkhars were among the
foremost of the defenders of India. They also resisted
Babar early in the 16th century and were only subdued
after a very determined resistance.
Subsequently the Gakkhar chief attended Babar, with
a Gakkhar force to Delhi. Under the later Moghals the
Gakkhar Rajas governed as feudal chiefs. They espoused the
cause of Humayun when be was a fugitive in Afghanistan
and it was at this time (1541) that Sher Shah built the
famous fort at Rohtas near Jhelum to hold the Gakkhars in
check and to hinder Humayun's return. On Humayun's
return to power they were richly rewarded for their services
and were held in favour by the great Akbar, one of whose
most noted generals was a Gakkhar. Their downfall was
accomphshed by Sardar Gujar Singh, a powerful Sikh
chief, who defeated them at Gujrat in 1765; and was
further accelerated by internal dissensions.
Their ancient forts are still to be seen at Pharwala,
near Kahutah and on the Jhelum at Dangali and
Sultanpur.
The Gakkhar chiefs enjoyed the title of Sultan, now
90
they are known as Raja and sometimes Mirza, though the
only family which can rightfully claim the former title is
that of the Admal chief of Pharwala.
The Gakkhars, especially those of the Rawalpindi
district, are deteriorating physique, owing chiefly to their
general indolence, their early marriages and to the pre-
vailing custom of inter-marriage within the clan.
In the Jhelum district they maintain their fine qualities
and prosperity.
The Gakkhars are divided into the following
branches:— Admal, Sarangal, Firozal, Bugial, Iskandrial,
Hatial. Other clans such as the Paharial, Jodhial,
Mangral, Kainswal, Farmsial, Sunal, Kul Chandral,
Tulial, Sakhal, and Sagial are not recognised as true
Gakkhars by the others.
The Gakkhars are deservedly much sought after by
both cavalry and infantry regiments for they have on all
occasions proved their worth in the field.
It is unlikely that there are as many Gakkhars at the
census returns show, or that all those in the army can be
members of the tribe.
The Pharwala family and some Sarangals, are said to
adhere to Shiah tenets, and some Gakkhars have stated
that they were originally all Shiahs. This belief may
possibly be attributed to their claim to Persian descent.
At the present time none of them can be described as
bigoted Shiahs for they do not follow Shiah customs
during the Muharram.
91
27. Gheba.
1. Male population,— About 3,800 (census 1931)
2. Locality. — The Ghebas are found in the western
portion of the Fattehjang tahsil, Attock district.
3. Chief families. — The Sardar of Kot is the most
important of all the Ghebas. Next are the Malal family.
The Dhurnal and Maiyia families are of good standing.
4. History and particulars.— The tribe claim to be
Moghal and are returned as such in the census reports.
The Ghebas have either given their name, or received it,
from the Gheb, they explain it as the latter reason and
prefer to be known as Moghals. A not improbable
conjecture is that they were a small band of broken
Rajput families, fleeing from the central Punjab, who
joined the Jodhras and settled down on their borders.
The tribe rose to independence and in social status in the
later years of Sikh rule. They are now considered equal
in rank with the Jodhras and Alpials.
The tribe is well off and thrifty.
They are a fine manly race, delighting in hawking
and field sports they are horse-breeders and good
horsemen.
Owing to their small numbers they can give few men
to the army.
28. Ghorewaha.
1. Male population.— 16,230. (census 1931)
2. History and particulars.— The Ghorewaha is of
92
Rajput descent from Kush, the second son of Rama,
Raja Man of Kot Kurman (now Udaipur) had two sons,
Kachwaha and Hawah : the tribes state that they are of
the lineage of Kawaha. The name Ghorewaha is sup-
posed to be derived from an offering of a horse made by a
member of the tribe to Shahab-ud-Din Ghori. The
tribe settled in its present tract while it was still Hindu,
and in the time of Akbar theii possession would seem to
have been more extensive than they are now.
They are said to give their daughters to the Naru
Rajputs. Their physique is good, especially in the village
near the foot of the hills and they are anxious for military
service.
The tribe sends many emigrants to foreign countries,
especially to Australia, Africa and the United States of
America.
29. Gondal.
1. Male popuIation.~\9M0. (census 1931)
2. Locality. — The Gondals are found chiefly in the
Bhera tahsil of the Shahpur district in the tract known as
the Gondal Bar. They are also found in the Gujarat,
Jhelum and Rawalpindi districts. Those in Jhelum and
Rawalpindi have no connection with the true Gondals of
the Bhera, and are unlike them in general appearance and
in their characteristics.
4. Chief Families. — There are some families of special
importance. The Zaildars of Miani Gondal and Kot
Moman are men of influence.
93
5. History and particulars. — The Gondal's claim to be
Chauhan Rajputs and say that their ancestor came from
Naushahra in the south to Pakpattan where he was con-
verted to Islam by Bawa Farid (-^^ ai'^^-j), if this is so
they probably occupied their present abodes within the
last six centuries. The tribe now ranks as Jat, it inter-
marriages freely with the other Jat tribes of the districts,
such as the Ranjhas, the Harrals and Laks. Formerly,
before the Jhelum canal was introduced into their
country, they were a pastoral people subsisting almost
entirely on the produce of theirlarge herds of cattle. Now
they are, taking more and more to agriculture and are
in very easy circumstances. Physically they are a fine
race, strong and well made.
The Gondals are well fitted for military service.
30. Gujars.
1. Male population— 2, 83, 495 (census 1931)
2. Locality. —The, Gujars are distributed throughout
the Punjab and Kazara.
3. History and Particulars.— Iht history of this people
has been given in Chapter 1.
Gujar clans are most numerous, the following being
the best known and the most suitable for military
service: —
Kathana . . . 51,000 Cheschi . . . 39,0:0
Chaudam . . . 27,000 Kasana . . . 15,000
94
Poswal
. . 28,000
Bhamla
. . 4,000
Kalas
. . 12,000
Bijar
. . 19,000
Monan
. . 9,000
Gorsi
. . 19,000
Thakria
. . 9,000
All these, with the exception of the Poswal, claim
Rajput descent from some one of the best known Rajput
tribes. The Poswal say they came into India with Wajih
Kalbi, a companion of the Prophet ^ (peace be upon him)
who accompanied Ahutas ruler of Yemen when he con-
quered Kashmir, and they subsequently settled in the
Sialkot district. At the present time this clan is indis-
tinguishable from other Gujars and has the same customs
and ceremonials.
No one of these clans can claim any definite sup-
eriority over the rest, but some are more exclusive than
the others as to whom they give their daughters in marri-
age. The Kathana, for example, used to consider it dero-
gatory to give daughters to any Gujar at all and sought
bridegrooms in more exalted families.
Gujars rank in most districts with Jats and Ahirs.
Gujars vary greatly with the locality in which they
are found, those in the hills quite unlike the caste of the
same designation in the plains. In the hills they are
exclusively pastoral, they cultivate scarcely at all and
maintain their existence by the sale of the produce of
their herds. In the plains they are generally good cul-
tivators but, there also, always keep cattle or sheep and
goats.
95
31. Harral.
1. Male population.— (ApproximatQly) 5,000. (census
1931)
2. Locality. —The Harral are found in the Sahiwal
Jhang and Shahpur districts.
3. The Harral are a Jat clan of unknown origin.
32. Hoon or Hun.
1. Population.— Under 500 (census 1931).
2. Locality.— Iht Hun are located chiefly in the
Rawalpindi tahsil of the Rawalpindi district, there are
also a few in the Gujar Khan tahsil and some in Hazara.
Headmen.— Iht Zaildar of Gujar Khan belongs to
this clan.
4. Particulars.— The Hun are Panwar Rajputs de-
scended from a Raja Judgeo. The tribe is a very small,
one.
33 Jalap.
1. Male population. — 400 (census 1931)
2. Locality. — This small tribe is met with chiefly in
the Pind-Dadun Khan tahsil of the Jheluni district, there
are also a few small villages in the Bhera tahsil of
Shahpur.
?>. Chief families.— The best known families reside at
Chak Sadi and Pinnanwal.
4. History and particulars.— The Jalaps claim to be
Khokhar Rajputs, but their neighbours do not admit this
96
claim. They rank with Lillas and Phaphras and are
probably below Rajput status, but considerably above
that of Jat.
The tribe is well off and have not taken to military
service until lately. It is certain that without fighting
qualities they could not have maintained themselves in
the most valuable tract in the Jhelum district, against the
Janjuas and others.
34 Janjua.
1. Male populatian.—Approximatdy 12,000 (census
1931).
2. Locality.— The Janjuas are most numerous in the
Pind-Dadun-Khan and Jhelum tahsils of the Jhelum
district; there is also a large branch of the tribe in the
Kahuta tahsil of Rawalpindi. They are found in small
numbers scattered about the Punjab and North-West
of Frontier. In the Shahpur district there are two
villages owned by a branch of the tribe which appears to
be quite distinct from the others.
The tribe is heavily recruited in the army; over twenty
Infantry and several Cavalry Regiments enlist them.
3. ChieJ families.— Tho. Darapur family is, perhaps,
the best known, it has given many Officers to the Army:
In Chakri Malot, Saloi, Walwal and Wahali, all of which
are in the Jhelum district, good representatives of the
Janjuas are to be found. In Kahuta is the Mator family,
and in Shahpur one of good status in Khutta Sagral.
4. History and particular. — The Janjuas are said to be
of Rajput descent. According to Mr. Thomson:— "At
97
some uncertain period, some clans of Rahthor Rajput*^,
emigrating from Jodhpur, occupied the uplands of the
Salt Range. The leader of this movement, according to
common account, was Raja Mai. The Rajputs first
seated themselves at Malot in the west Salt Range. If
Babar be read with attention it will be seen that he re-
presents the Janjuas as confined to the hills, and ruling
over various subject tribes, who cultivated the plains.
The Janjuas were long the predominant race in the centre
and west of the district (Jhelum). When Sultan Mahmud
ofGhazni invaded India the Janjuas opposed him, were
defeated, and fled to the jungles. Mahmud followed
them up and succeeded in capturing Raja Mai himself.
The Raja was released on condition that he and his tribe
should embrace Islam. When the conversion took place
the 'janju' or caste thread was broken, and the neophytes
have been called Janjuas ever since."
It is impossible that the Raja Mai who led the tribe
from Jodhpur to the Salt Range, was the same person who
was captured by Mahmud. The first event must have
preceded the second by some centuries, and another
account which relates that Jaipal, who opposed Mahmud
at Nandana 900 years ago, is their ancestor, is probably
more correct. "Raja Mai is a little mythical and any
action of doubtful origin is apt to be fathered upon him."
The tribe was well established between Nilab and
Bhera when Babar visited the country.
They were the natural enemies of the Gakkhars from
time immemorial.
98
Raja Mai had six sons: —
Raja Wir and Jodh, whose descendants are found
in the Jhelum district. Those of Jodh being
also found in the Kharian tahsil of Gujrat.
Kakha— whose descendants are found in Poonch and
Kashmir, and are known as Kakkhe.
Tarnoli— from whom spring the Tanaolis of Hazara
(the Tanaolis do not agree to this and claim
Moghal origin).
Dabuchara —descendants found in Hazara (and
known as Janjuas) and also in Sialkot.
Pir Kala— the Kahrwal and Dallal Janjuas of the
Kahro ilaqua of Rawalpindi (Kahuta tahsil)
are the descendants of this son.
With (he exception of the descendants of Wir and
Jodh the others are now distinct tribes, having nothing in
common and not even inter-marrying. The Janjuas of
the Salt Range are the most aristocratic and make the
best soldiers.
The Janjuas were, at the time of Babar's visit (1526
A. D.) the predominant race in the Salt Range. They
subsequently became divided, lost their strength in
combination, and the Awans and Gakkhars were able to
contend successfully against them and wrest much of
their power and territory from them. When the Sikh
power arose, the Janjuas like the Gakkhars and Awans,
came under their rule, not however, without much stub-
born resistance. They held out for many months, in
their strongholds at Makhiala and Kusak, but were even-
99
tually compelled to capitulate from the want of water.
Raujit Singh himself is said to have undertaken the
siege operations against Kusal. The Sikhs took over the
salt mines at Khewra which had been their most valued
possession.
The Janjuas rank second only to the Gakkhars in the
Jhelum and Rawalpindi districts. Their headmen are
known as Sultan and the second son as Malik. In the
Jhelum district the tribe is invariably known as "raja,"
the word Janjua hardly ever being heard.
Janjua goots are found among such menials as Telis,
Lobars, Tarkhans and Musallis.
Their observances at various ceremonials are much
the same as those of the Chibs.
The Janjuas are said to be the only really pure
Rajputs in the plains of the Punjab. They have great
pride of race (as being Janjuas) and make fine soldiers,
most suitable for cavalry, as they are of light build.
35. Jaral.
1. Male population.— 4,000. (census 1931)
2. Locality. — The Jaral are found in the Riasi and
Mirpur districts of Kashmir.
3. Particulars. — The Jarals are Rajputs of good
standing. They are said to have given Raja Gulab Singh
much trouble. The rank above the Mangrals and inter-
marry with no other tribe, but give their daughters to
Gakkhars.
100
36. Jasgam.
1 . Male population.— T\\Q Jasgams have been included
among the Dhunds in the last census. They number
probably about 1,200 males, (census 1931).
2. Locality— l\\\s tribe is found near Panjar in the
Kahuta tahsil (Rawalpindi).
Headmen.— A family which was rewarded for its
services in 1857 in Salitta is head of the clan.
5. History and particulars. -The Jasgams, like the
Dhunds and Khatrils, claim descent from Manaf an
ancestor of the Prophet -^ (peace be upon him) and they
say that they got possession of the tract they now occupy
under Gakkhar rule, when one Hazrat Zubair, a des-
cendant of the Prophet, (peace be upon him) came
from Arabia and settled near Kahuta. On this claim they
represent themselves as Dhunds and wish to be enlisted
as such. They did not join the Dhunds in their
attempted raid on Murree in 1857 and in character they
more resemble the Sattis. They intermarry freely both
with the Sattis and Dhunds.
The tribe is a very small one and not very prosperous
They accept all the military service they can get and
make satisfactory soldiers.
The Khatril are found in small numbers in Gujar
Khan and Mandra and are classed as Rajputs.
37. Jar.
Besides the Punjabi Musalman Jat tribes described in
this chapter, there are innumerable divisions and sub-
divisions of Juts throughout the Punjab; a description of
101
each will be found in "a glossary of the tribes and castes
of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province, 1911.
The census report of 1931 gives the male population
as 16,04,628.
38. Jatal.
1. Male population. About 750 (census 1931)
2. Locality -The Jatal are found in Kahuta Tahsil of
Rawalpindi district.
3. Particulars. — They are classed as Rajputs. They
make good soldiers.
39. Jethal.
1. Male population —About 500 (census 1931)
2. Lolality.- The Jethal are found in the Jhelum
thai between the Jhelum river and the Lilla estate.
Particulars -They claim Bhatti Rajput descent, but
other people say they are Bhuttas and in this they are
supported by their pedigree table. They make good
soldiers.
49. Jodhra.
1. Afa/e/7o;jz//ar/o/;.— Approximately 1,40J. (Census
1931).
2. Locality. ~T\\Q Jodhras inhabit the south-eastern
portion of the Pindigheb tahsil and the valley of the Sohan
extending, on the south, to the Talagang border.
3. Chief families.— T\iQ Maliks of Pindigheb, who
are closely related by marriage with the Gheba family of
Kot, have great possessions and are the best known.
102
4. History and particulars. — The Jodhras account
for themselves as being of Rajput origin, and derive their
name from Jodhra who was converted to Islam by
Mahmud of Ghazni, and who settled in Kashmiir.
They appear, however, to have come to the Attock
district about the end of the 16th century as a small band
of military adventurers. They possessed themselves of the
Sohan and Sill " illaquas " and much of Talagang. The
Awans, the original owners, were not evicted but remained
as tenants under the conquering Jodhras, who never them-
selves cultivated.
The Jodhras became independent chiefs keeping up a
large body of armed retainers. Their power was recognised
by the Moghals, and Malik Aulia Khan, their first chief
known to history, held a revenue assignment of Pindigheb,
Talagang and parts of Chakwal.
Owing to family feuds and other causes the tribe has
lost much of its original prosperity and is now much less
well-to-do than its neighbours, the Ghebas, who have been
their ancient rivals and enemies. The two tribes now
inter-marry and are on friendly terms.
The Jodhras breed horses and are fond hawking and
field sports. They prefer service in Cavalry to Infantry,
and being usually of light build are more suitable to that
arm.
40. Joiya.
1. Popw/ar/o«.— 37,190 (Census 1931).
2. Locality.— Tht Joiya are found on both banks of
the Sutlej from the Multan-Montgomery boundary to
103
nearly as far down as its confluence with the Indus. Also
in Lahore, Multan and Muzaffargarh, and Shahpur. They
are numerous in Bahawalpur.
3. Chief families.— The Joiyas as a tribe regard the
Rais of Shahr Farid as their chief, and his influence
extends over the Joiyas of Multan. No Joiya who has
committed a fault will deny the fact in the presence of his
chief.
4. History and particulars. — The Joiya is one of the
36 Royal races of Rajputs, but at the present time at least
one-third of their number is returned as Jat. The ancient
chronicles describe them as holding Hariana, Bhatiana
Bhatner and Nagor, and also in common with the Dehia,
with whom their name is always coupled, the banks of the
Indus and Sutlej near their confluence.
Some seven centuries ago they were apparently driven
out of the Indus tract and partly subjugated by the
Bhattis. In Bahawalpur the Daudpotras overcame them
in the time of Nadir Shah.
In Sahiwal and Multan the Joiyas as a tribe appear
to rank both as Jats and Rajputs, and in Shahpur as Jats.
They are considered a brave race. They are devoted
to horses and buff"aloes.
The Joiya septs are very numerous. The Lakhwera
clan is the highest in the social scale and has a grat reput-
ation for courage. The men are generally short and of
light physique.
42. Junhal
1. Male population.— About 700. (Census 1931)
104
2. Locally.— The Juhnal are found in Poonch State
and also Kahuta Tehsil of Rawalpindi District.
3. Particulars.— The Junhal claim to be Rajputs.
They were once numerous and powerful but were
nearly all destroyed by the Gakkhars. They make good
soldiers.
43. Kahlon
1. Male fopulation. — UfiiO. (Census 1931).
2. Lacality.— The bulk of the tribe is found in the
Zafarwal tahsil of the Sialkot district ; it is also numerous
in the Gujranwala district.
3. Headmen. — The most important representative of
tribe in the Sialkot district is the Zaildar of Dullan in
the Zafarwal tahsil.
History and particulars. — The Kahlon rank as Jat, and
claim descent from Raja Vikramajit of the lunar race,
through Raja Jagdeo of Daranagar, concerning whom
they tell the well worn legend that in his generosity he
promised his sister whatsoever she might ask. She claimed
his head and he fulfilled his promise, but was miraculously
restored to life. His descendant in the 4th generation,
Kahlwan gave his name to the tribe. Fourth from him
came Soli or Sodi under whom they left Daranagar and
settled near Batala in Gurdasaur, whence they spread to
Sialkot.
The Muslim portion of the tribe appear to have been
converted to Islam, not much time passed.
105
The tribe is agricultural and the men of goo.1
physique.
They inter-marry with Jats of good standing.
44. Kahlotra
The Kahlotra is a small tribe of fair social standing
found in the south eastern portion of the Kotii tahsil of
Poonch. (Azad Kashmir)
45. Kahrwal.
Male population.— Approximately 1,600. (Census
1931).
2. — Locality.— The Kahrwal are found in the Kahuta
tahsil of the Rawalpindi district.
3. Chief families.— There are no families of much
importance, but those of Dulal and Mator are probably
the best known. The Zaildar of Kahuta belongs to the
Dula sept.
4. History and particulars. ■ The Kahrwal is a branch
of the Janjuas of the Salt Range, their social position
being somewhat below that section of the tribe.
They rank above the ordinary Rajput and are a fine,
sturdy, self-respecting race. They are far from prosperous,
and even in their richest villages, are largely dependent on
military service. A large number have become Military
Officers.
They claim descent from Pir Kala, a son of Raja Mai,
who married Kaho Rani when he came to the Kahuta
hills, and named the ilaqua Kahru after her. Hence the
descendants are called Kahrwal.
106
The Diilal is a sub-division of the tribe. This branch
should not be confused with the Dolal Qureshis of Gujar
Khan.
46. Kahut
1. Male population. —5,500. (Census 1931).
2. Locality. — The bulk of tribe is in the Chakwal
tahsil of the Jheluni district, small numbers are found
scatterd about the Rawalpindi, Hazara, Gujart and Shah-
pur districts.
3. Chief famili 's. -The best known are in Kariala
(Jhelum). In Langah and Ramshinh are also representa-
tive families.
4. History and particulars. —The Kahut claim to
have come from Arabia and to be o{ Koreshi origin, but
this is not acknowledged by others. It seems unlikely
that they are of Rajput extraction.
The Kahuta hills of the Rawalpindi district are
supposed to have derived their name from the tribe, but
no record remains of them in that tract.
About the year A. D. 1359 their ancestor Said Nawab
All migrated to Delhi, on the way he defeated a pagan
king of Sialkot, named Sain Pal. On reaching Delhi they
paid there respects to the King who ordered to hold the
Dhanni (in Chakwal) and the Salt Range on his behalf.
They accordingly retraced their steps and settled at the
foot of the Salt Range, realising the revenue from the
Janjuas and the Gujar graziers and remitting it to Delhi.
Chaudri Sahnsar, 8th in descent from Kahot, was their
ancestor in the lime of Babar.
107
They may be considered to rank as Rajputs in social
status.
The Kahuts inter-marry to some extent with the
Mairs and Kassars and now and then with Awans, both
giving and taking daughters.
They have no special customs except that the males
will not wear blue clothes, or if they do they fall ill !
They are bold man of independent character, and of
good physique, keen sportsmen and good riders.
The tribe has no clans.
47. Kakkezat.
1 . Male population {in the Punjab). 8,4003. (Census
1931).
2. Locality. — The Kakkezai are scattered about the
Punjab, the most numerous clans being in Lahore and
Sialkot.
3. Leading families. — Probably the best known in
the Pasrur family in the Sialkot district.
4. History and particulars. — The Kakkezai claim to
be of Pathan extraction, descended from Afghans of
Sistan. They are known as Sheikhs. It is probable that
they, like the Khoja Hindus, were converted at an early
period of the Muslim invasions and affiliated to a Pathan
class. Sir Denzil Ibbetson says of them " the class (Kalal)
was raised in importance, many of its members abandoned
there hereditary occupation (of distilling liquor) and its
Musalman section also grew ashamed of the social stigma
conveyed by the confession of Kalal origin, it occordingly
108
fabricated a story of Pathan origin, and adding to the first
letter of the caste name the Pathan tribal termination
called itself Kakkezai. The name was at first only used
by the most wealthy members of the caste, but its use is
spreading. The well-known sheikhs are Kalals, who
while claiming Pathan origin call themselves Sheikhs.
They are now mostly known as Muslim traders and are
found all over Pakistan and as far west as Kandahar.
They as clever and usually prosperous, generally arriving
at distinction where employed, and most anxious for
aristocratic status.
48. Kakkhe.
1. Male population. — Approximately 1,500. (Census
1931).
Locality. This tribe is found on the left bank of the
Jhelum between Kohala and Uri (Kashmir), and also in
the Bagh tahsil of Poonch.
3. Particulars.—The Kakkhe claim to be of Rajput
descent from Kakha, a son of Raja Mai, the ancestor of
the Janjuas. They share with Bambas, a privileged status
in the Jhelum valley, both are styled Raja and both are
looked on as the most aristocratic of the Jheium tribes.
They inter-marry only with each other.
The Kakkhes and Bambas successfully resisted
Akbar's first invasion of Kashmir and drove him back in
1582. Under the Afghans they were practically
independent.
The Kakkhe appear to hava fallen somewhat from
their former high estate, but they are still a well-made
handsome race, and should make efficient soldiers
The Tezal are sub-division of the Kakkhe.
109
49. Kambohs.
1. Male poputation.— 5^^,481. {Census 1931).
2. Loca//7>'.— s Chauhan (Rajput) origin and des-
cent, from one Kichi, a ruler in Ajmer. Driven out of
Delhi by the Muhammadans his descendants migrated to
Multan. The tribe fought with the Joiyas, then paramount
in those parts, and they say also that they were sent
against the rebellious Baluch of Khai by the Moghals, in
Multan. In Montgomery they state that they were con-
verted to Islam by Bahawal Haqq.
There is a Jat tribe in Shahpur named Khilchi who
have probably originated from the Khilji, a Moghal sub-
tribe.
60. Kizilbash.
1. Population. -220. (Census 1931)
121
2. Locality.— This very small clan is found cheifly in
the Lahore and Lyallpur districts.
Several prominent members of the tribe are servinj
as Officers in the Army as well as in the civil.
3. Leading families. — The best known family is that
of Nawab MuzaflFar Ali Khan of Lahore. In the Dehra
Ismail Khan district there are also families of good status.
4. History and particulars.— The original Kizilbash
were a tribe of Tartar horsemen from the Eastern
Caucasus, who formed the backbone of the old Persian
army and of the force with which Nadir Shah invaded
India. Many of the great Moghal ministers have been
Kizilbash, and notably Mir Jumla, the famous minister
of Aurangzeb.
They form an important military colon\ in Kabul.
Those found in the Punjab are descendants of the families
who came with Nadir Shah or after him.
They are all Shiahs.
61. Koreshi
1. Male population (in the Punjab). — Over 50,003.
(Census 1931). It is probable how-ever, that comparatively
few of those who have returned themselves as Koresh
have any real title to the name.
2. Locality. — Koreshis are found throughout the
Punjab, they are most numerous in the Rawalpindi,
Multan and Jhang districts.
3. Leading families. — In the Gujar Khan tahsil
(Rawalpindi) is the family of a pensioned Subedar Major
122
who was A.D.C. to the Commander-in-Chief and a Zaildar.
The family of the Ilaqadar of Banhar, Chak Misri, Pindi-
Dadun-Khan tahsil (Jhe!um). In the Shorkot tahsil of
Jhang there are several families, known as Sheikhs, here a
title of honour. The "Makhdum" family of Multan and
other well-known Koreshi families in the Multan district,
two of whom are descendants of the Saint Bahawal Haqq.
4, History and particulars. — The Koreshis claim
descent form the tribe to which the Prophet ■i--*^ (peace be
upon him) belonged. Among those who so style themselves
many claim to belong to the Faruqis or descendants of
Hazrat Umar, the second Kaliph, or to Sadiqis or descen-
dants of Hazrat Abu Bakar the first Kaliph both of
whom were Koreshi by tribe.
In Gujar Khan there is a well-known section known
as Dolal, among whom there have been several disting-
uished Officers.
Another section in the same tahsil is known as Jagial.
The Shorkot Koreshis (Jhang district) have an excel-
lent record as soldiers.
The tribe is respected by for its sanctity.
The best class are agriculturists.
62. Lillas.
1. Male population.— '&90. (Census) (1931)
2. Locality.— This small tribe is peculiar to the
Jhelum district and lives west of, and near to, Pind-Dadun
Khan.
3. Headmen.— IhQ Lumbardars of their four vill-
ages :— Lilla Bharwana, Lilla Hindwana, Lilla Bhera and
Lilla Guj.
123
4. History and particulars.— The Lillas wish to be
known as Moghals, but are of Jat rank. They state ihat
they are relations of the Prophet -'-'^ (peace be upon him)
on his mother's side, and therefore if they had their rights,
are Koreshis.
In the time of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, a member
of the tribe migrated to India with a band of 160 men as
as well dependants. After many wanderings from Multan
to Gujranwala they finally settled in their present home.
They are Sunni Muslims and say they were so long
before their migration to India. They show no signs
of Indian origin.
The tribe is supposed to inter-marry with any Jat tribe.
Being such a small tribe they can give but few men to
the Army and civil.
63. Mair and Mair Manhas
1. Male population.— 7,800. {Census (1931)
2. Locality.— The Mairs are found chiefly in the
Chakwal tahsil of the Jhelum district and are also scatter-
ed about the adjacent of districts Rawalpindi and Attock.
3. Leading families.— Their headmen are known as
"Choudhri." In Chakwal is the family of an (late) Extra
Assistant Commissioner. Other families of standing are
in Kot Rupwal Ghugh, Badshahan, Chakral Chak
Naurang and Mian Mir.
4, History and particulars.— The Mairs say they are
Manhas Rajputs (Manhas being a word denoting agri-
cultural pursuits, applied to Rajputs who took to agri-
cultural) and that they are Dogars of the same stock as
124
the Maharaja of Jammu : this has apparently been admit-
ted by one Maharaja.
Their ancestors lived in the hilly country west of
Jammu.
The Dhanni country (Chakwal) was then part of
Kingdom of the Dogras, and was given to their forefather,
Bhagiar Der, as his share of the ancestral estates. He
went there with his following, some time before the advent
of Babar.
The country was then occupied by wandering
Gujjars who were rejected by the Mairs. The eastern
part of the Chakwal tahsil was covered by a great lake
which Babar drained by cutting through the Ghori Gala
by which the Bunha torrent novv escapes. The Mairs
took up the drained country.
The Mairs like their neighbours, the Kassars, are
passionate and revengeful. They gave the Sikhs much
trouble, and it required Ranjit Singh's presence in their
tract to bring them to order'
Thep joined the Sikhs in 1848 and on making over a lady
(Mrs. George Lawrence) to them, all their Jagirs were
confiscated by the English.
In the 1857 they distinguished themselves by some
services and by good conduct, and thus obtained a rever-
sal of their attainder.
The Mairs inter-marry with the Kassars and, to a
less extent, with the Kahuts.
There appears to be a social distinction between the
ordinary Mair and Mair Manhas ; the latter consider
themselves Rajputs and of the aristocracy of the tribe.
125
Physically the Maiis are active and well made and
are high-spirited ; well suited in most respects for military
service.
64. Maldial.
1. Male population. — 57,00{Ccnsiis 1931)
2. Locality.— The Maldial inhabit both banks of the
iVTahl river in Poonch (Azad Kashmir).
Particulars. ~l\\e tribe claims to be of Moghal des-
cent, but can produce no evidence to substantiate this
claim, their neighbours do not allow it and will not give
their daughters in marriage to the tribe.
The men are of medium stature and well-built.
' 65. Maliar.
Maliars are cultivators and gardeners and are the
same a Malis or Baghbans. They are found every where,
but are most numerous in Rawalpindi, Attock and Jhelum.
Maliars are fond of calling themselves by the name of
some tribe higher in the social, as Awan or Janjua.
They are excellent cultivators.
66. Malik
1. Male population. -19, Om. (Census 1931)
2. Particulars.— The Malik is a tribe of lower Rajput
status found in Poonch and Jammu.
They describe themselves as having been brought into
Poonch by the Emperor Akbar to guard the passes into
Kashmir from the Punjab. They sometimes call them-
126
selves Malik Manhas. A certain number are employed
in the Kashmir Imperial Service Troops.
They do not marry outside the tribe.
67. Mangral.
1. iMale population.- About 4,500 (Census 1931).
2. Particulars.— M^ngrals are of good social position
and are found chiefly in the Kotli tahsil of the Mirpur.
(Azad Kashmir).
A good number is seving in the Army and some Officers
of the tribe have been in the Frontier Force.
They are sometimes known as Mangral Gakkhars but
appear to have no real connection with the Gakkhars except
that they will not give their daughters to any other tribe. ^
The men are small but of good physique, and they are keen
on military employment.
68. Manhas.
1. Male population. — Approximately 2,500. (Census
1931).
2. Locality. — The tribe is found scattered about in
small communities in the Sialkot and Rawalpindi districts.
3. Leading families.—TheTQ are none of any im-
partance.
4. History and particulars.— The word Minhas or
Manhas refers to agriculture and denotes that section of
the tribe which took to agricultural pursuits. The Jamwal
is the royal branch who do not engage in agriculture. The
tribe has an illustrious pedigree and claims to be of Solar
origin through Ram Chandra of Ajudhya. Their ancestors
127
are supposed to have settled in Jammu and Kashmir. They
now occupy rather a humble place in the Rajput scale of
precedence. They nevertheless make excellent soldier.
69. Manj.
1. Male population.— About S,000. (Census 1931).
2. L(3ca//7v.— Pre-partition this tribe belonged mainly
to the Jullundur district but is found in Lahore and Rawal-
pindi.
The Alpials of the Rawalpindi district claim to be
Manj Rajputs.
3. History and particulars. — The Manj claim to be
connected with the Bhatti, and descended from a mythical
Raja name Salvahan. South of the Sutlej the Manj Rais
of Talwandi and Raikot ruled over a very extensive ter-
ritory till dispossessed of it by Ranjit Singh and his Sikhs.
North of that river the Manj never succeeded in establish-
ing a principality.
With the exception of the Alpial branch, the Manj has
now little to recommend him except his good physique.
Too proud to till the land themselves they cultivate it as a
rule through the agency of servants, or lease it out to
tenants. In either case they only receive landlord's profits,
while the sturdier Jat, cultivating with his own hands, reaps
the profit of both landlord and cultivator.
The conversion of the tribe to Islam probably took
place in the reign of Shahab-ud-Din Ghory, i.e., in the
middle of the 12th century.
70. Mekan.
1. Male population.— Probably 3,000. (Census 1931).
128
2. Locality. —The Mekan are chiefly found in the
Shahpur district, and also, in very small numbers, in Jhelum
Multan and the Kharian tahsii of Gujrat.
3. Headmen.~The best known of the tribe are two
families of the Zaildars in the Shahpur tahsil, in the villages
Kot Bhai Khan and Kot Pahlwan.
4. Particulars .—The Mekan are said to be of Panwar
origin, descended from the same ancestor as the Dhudhi.
They are a partial tribe and are said to be somewhat tur-
bulent.
They rankas Rajput and are generally of fine physique.
71. Meos or Mawatis
Male population.— 1\, (ill). (Census 1931).
The early history and origin of the Meos is abscure ;
they themselves claim Rajput origin, alleging descent from
an ancestor converted in the time of Kut-ub-Din. It seems
probable, however, that the Minas and Meos are connected
and they are probably both representatives of the earlier
non-Ayran inhabitants of the country. In former times
the Meos were noted for their turbulance. As soldiers they
are cheery and willing workers. Their physique is excellent
as they have strong thighs and broad chests. There is
ample and good material for enlistment in infantry.
72. Moghal.
1. Male Population.— There are over 100,000 so-called
Moghals males in the Punjab. (Census 1931).
2. Locality. — Moghals are common throughout the
Punjab but the census returns show that the Jhelum district
129
contains the largest number, over 11,000 males in that
district having returned themselves as Moghal; Rawalpindi
with nearly, 8,000 and Attock with 5,000 come next.
3. History and particulars. — Moghuh or Mongols,
either entered the country with Babar or were attracted
during the reign of his dynasty. Of the figures given above
only a small number are of pure Mongolian blood. Irres-
pective of the mixture of blood resulting from inter-mar-
riage of the Moghals with the local castes, there is a strong
tendency among men of low status to claim Moghal
descent, and it has even become the fashion of late years
for some well-known tribes to describe themselves as
Moghal. Among such are the following : —
Ghebas, Kassar, Phaphras, Tanaolis, and even some-
time the Gakkhars. In "A History of the Mcghals of
Central Asia" by N. Elias and E. D. Rose we find the
following :—"Iii origin there is little difference between
the Turk and Moghal. The word 'Moghal' even where it
is used in an ethnic sense, is frequently misapplied, and so
extended at certain periods in history, as to comprise many
tribes of real Turki race (among the others) until large
numbers of people who were not of Moghal race came to
be called Moghals. This habit appears to have been pre-
valent first in the time of Chingiz Khan and his immediate
successors, and subsequently during the ascendency of the
Chaghatai (or so called Moghal) dynasty in India. The
third conclusion is that the application and signification of
all these names.— Turk, Tartar and Moghal— varied at
different times and in different countries."
The true Moghal has great pride of race, which feeling
usually accompanied those qualities which we look for in
the soldier,
I
130
The best known clans are— The Barlas, Chaghatta and
Kiani, whilst in the Lahore district are some known are
Turkmal and Ghori. The true Moghal will always add
"Beg" to his name, and generally uses "Mirza" as a
prefix.
A man who calls himself Moghal but who cannot tell
the name of his clan should generally be rejected as an un-
desirable.
73 Narma.
The Narma is a Rajput tribe with a male population
of 3,300, found chiefly in the Bagh tahsil of Poonch and the
Kotlia (ahsil of Azad Kashmir. They are also to be found
in small numbers in Kahutta, Gujar Khan and Rawalpindi
Tahsil.
Their tradition connects them with Puran. said to be
a son of Raja Salvahan from whom also come the Bhattis
and Manj Rajputs.
They connect themselves with the Solhan Rajput with
whom they inter-marry.
They are generally of good physique, short and sturdy
with good legs.
74. Naru.
1. Male population.— About 12,000. (Census 1931).
2. Loca//0'.— Pre-partition this tribe belonged mainly
to the Hoshiarpur and Jullundur districts, and a few in
Gurdaspur and Amrilsar. Now in Pakistan they one found
in Lahore and Rawalpindi and Sahiwal and Miiltan.
4. Headmen. — Their headmen were "Raaas" of
131
the four "Parganas"" in Hoshiarpur, and one in Jullundur
(India).
5. History and particulars. — The Narus say that they
are Surajbansi Rajputs converted in the time of Mahmud
of Ghazni. They came originally from Muttra and thence
through Jaisalmer to the Punjab.
Their ancestor, Raja Tilochand, having applied for
help in a civil war to the King of Delhi, was sent to con-
quer the Punjab, which he did, and in return was made
ruler of the country.
His son Nihal Chand, became a Muhanimadan, and as-
sumed the name of Naru Shah. Naru Shah first settled at
Mau in Jullundur (India) whence his son RatanPal founded
Phillaur. Thence were founded the four Naru "parganas"
of Hariana, Bajwana, Sham Chaurasi and Ghorewaha
in Hoshiarpur and Bahr in Jullundur (India). The chief
man in each of these "parganas" is known as "Rai" or
"Rana".
75. Panwar.
1. Male population.— About 30,000. (Census 1931).
2. Locality.— The Panwar is found in the Bahawalpur
State, in Multan, Sahiwal and Lahore.
3. History and particulars. — The Panwar or Pramara
was once the most important of the Agnicula Rajputs.
"The world is the Pramaras" is an ancient saying denoting
their extensive sway, and the Nankot Marusthali, extend-
ing along and below the Sutlej from the Indus almost to
the Jamna, signified the Maru Asthal or arid territory
occupied by them. But many centuries have passed since
132
they were driven from their possessions, and in 1826 they
held in independent sway only the small State of Dhat in
the desert.
Ranghars (Musalman Rajputs).
The Musalman Rajputs of the Ambala Division are
commonly known as Ranghars. After partition they have
settled down in the Lahore, Sheikhupura and Multan
districts.
They belong chiefly to the Batti, Chauhan, Ponwar,
Jatu, Taoni and Tonwar clans. They are much superior
in quality to the Eastern R ijput.
76 Phaphra or Phiphra
1. Male population. — 350. As shown in the census
returns (1931) but from the number who are serving in the
army there must be many more than this.
2. Locaity, — The Phaphra have a few villages a* the
foot of the Salt Range, east of Pind Dadan Khan in the
Jhelum district.
3. Headmen.— A retired Extra Assistant Commis-
sioner and Subedar Major are perhaps, the most influen-
tial members of the tribe.
5. History and particulars. — The Phaphras follow the
prevailing fashion and call themselves Moghals, to which
they have no claim.
The tribe is classed as "semi-Jat" ranking somewhat
above the Jat status in popular estimation. They inter-
marry with the Lillas, Gondals and Varaich, etc., who are
for the most part certainly Jats.
In character, customs and physique they do not seem
133
to differ from the othsr agricultural tribes of the Jhelum
district.
77. Phularwan.
1. Male population.— Abowi 1,700. (Census 1931).
2. Locality. — The Phularwan occupy a compact block
of 10 villages in the Zaffarvval tahsil of Sialkot round
Chobara and also few villages in the Phillaura tahsil.
3. Headmen. — The Zaildar of Pindi Bago.
4. History and particulars. —L'lttlQ is known about this
tribe and it is not mentioned in the census returns.
The "Rivaj-i-am" describes it as Rajput, and accounts
for it as follows : —
One Feroze Shah became a convert to Islam and was
given land in the Jhang district, where he founded a village
called Bharwal. For five generations his descendants lived
in Bharwal, they then offended the authorities and all were
put to the sword, except one Manga, who escaped. Manga
came to Zaffarwal and his descendants established them-
selves in their present habitations.
Phuler Awan has been suggested as the derivation of
the tribal name, but there appears to be nothing definite
to support this supposition.
78. Punjabi Pathan.
Male population.~l,93,S}5. (Census 1931).
The Pathan is generally associated with the Trans-
Indus districts, but scattered about the Punjab are to be
found small colonies of Pathans who, in order to dis-
134
tinguish them from the Pashtu-speaking Pathan of the
borders, are here termed Panjabi Pathans.
These non-frontier Pathans are usually known by the
town or locality in which they are settled, e.g., Kasur
Pathans, Multani Pathans. These colonies of Pathans
are accounted for by Sir Densil Ibbetson in the following
manner : —
"During the Lodi and Sur dynasties many Pathans
migrated to India especially during the reign of Bahlol Lodi
and Sher Shah Suri. These naturally belonged to the
Ghilzai section from which those kings sprung.
But large numbers of Pathans accompanied the armies
ofMahmud Ghaznavi, Shahab-ud-Din and Babar, and
many of them obtained grants of land in the Punjab plains
and founded Pathan colonies which still exist. Many
more Pathans have been driven out of Afghanistan by
internal feuds or by famine and have taken refuge in the
plains east of the Indus.
The tribes most commonly to be found in Punjab
are the Yusufzai including the Mandahr, the Lodi Kakar,
Sarwani, Orakzai, the Karlauri tribes and the Zamand
Pathans. Of these the most widely distributed are the
Yusufzai, of whom a body of 12,000 accompanied Babar in
the final invasion of India, and settled in the plains of
India and the Punjab. But as a rule the Pathans who have
settled away from the frontier have lost all memory of
their tribal divisions, and indeed almost all their national
characteristics.
Multani Pathans.—The descendants of Zamand very
early migrated in large numbers to Multan, to which
135
province they furnished rulers, till the tiaie of Aurangzeb,
when a number of the Abdali tribe under the leadership of
Shah Husain were driven from Kandahar by tribal feuds,
took refuge in Multan, and being early supplemented by
other of their kinsmen who were expelled by Mir Wais,
the great Ghilzai chief, conquered Multan and founded
the tribe well known in the Punjab as Multani Pathans.
Zahid Khan Abdali was appointed Governor of Multan
with the title of Nawab, at the time of Nadir Shah's inva-
sion. Multan was Governed by different members of this
family, until in 1818 the city was captured by the Sikhs
under Ranjit Singh, after a heroic defence in which the
Nawab and five of his sons were slain.
Kasw Pathans. — When the Zamand section was bro-
ken up, the Khweshgi clan migrated to the Ghorband
defile, and a large number marched thence with Babar and
found great favour at his hands and those of Humayun,
One section of them settled at Kasur, and are known as
"Kasuria Pathans"
The Kasuria Pathans increased in numbers and impro-
tance until the chiefs thought themselves strong enough to
refuse to pay tribute to the Moghals. After some severe
fighting the Kasuria Pathans were compelled to give in,
they never lost heart however and maintained their inde-
pendence until 1807, when they were finally subdued by
the Sikhs. After the confiscation of Kasur by Ranjit
Singh, the Pathans were ordered to remain on the left bank
of the Sutlej where their leader was assigned the Jagir of,
Mamdot.
Besides these two better known clans, there are,
136
as already mentioned others to be found in small colonies
throughout the Punjab.
Many distinguished Officers, from cavalry regiments,
belong to this class.
79. Rajputs.
The Punjabi Musalman Rajput tribes described in
this chapter have been mainly those of the Rawalpindi
Civil Division. The term Rajput has to a large degree
come to mean a social grade rather than an ethnological
term among Punjabi Musalmans. The Census Report of
1931 gives the male population af Punjabi Musalman Raj-
puts as 9,19,165.
80. RaDJha.
1. Male population.— About 8,000, (Census 1931)
2. Locality.— The bulk of the Ranjhas are to be
found in the Bhera tahsil of the Shahpur district, there are
a few also in Gujranwala and Jhelum.
3. //eflf/me/7.— The most influential members of the
tribe are the Zaildars of Mid Ranjha and Bhadar in the
Bhera tahsil. The lumbardars of Pind Dadun Khan and
Lilla in the Jhelum district are men of some standing.
4. — History and particulars. — The Ranjhas are gen-
erally classed as Jat though they are Bhatti Rajputs. Lat-
terly a few of the tribe have claimed Koreshi origin.
They closly resemble the Gondals, with whom they inter-
marry.
The Ranjhas show little desire for military service.
137
81. Sakhal.
This tribe is found chiefly in the Mirpur district
where they own a group of viHages round Khattar. A
few are also in Poonch. They are "' Sahu " and claim to
be Gakkhars. The Admal Gakkhars describe fhe Sakhal
as having formerly been servants of the Gakkhars.
The tribe is a small one.
82. Salehria.
1 Male population.— BtiWQtn 12,003 and 14,000.
(Census 1931\
2. Locality. —The Salehria are mostly found in the
Zaffanval (Sialkot) and Shakargarh. There are some also
in the Lahore district.
3. Headmen. —The best known and most influential
family belong to a village named Rupar Chak in the
Zaffarwal tahsil, its head is a Zaildar.
4. — History and particulars. — The Salehria are Som-
bansi Rajputs who trace their descent from Raja Saigal, of
fabulous antiquity, and from his descendant Chandra
Gupta. They say that their ancestors came from the
Deccan, as part of a military force, to suppress an
insurrection among the Khokkars, and settled in Sialkot.
83. Sarara.
1. Male population.— 4,600. Census 1931).
2. This tribe is met with only in the Boi tract, bet-
ween the Thandiani Range and the Kunher river, in the
Hazara district.
138
They connect themselves with both the Dhunds and
the Tonaolis, but say at the same time that they come
from Pakpattan in the Sahiwal district. The tribe is
classed as Sahu and inter-marry on equal trems with the
Dhunds.
Their physique is above the average.
84 Satti.
1. Male population.— 9, 12>Q. (Census 1931).
2. Locality.— Iht Satti occupy the lower range of
the Murree hills in the Murree and Kahuta tahsils of the
Rawalpindi district.
3. LeflJ/Mg-Za/n/V/e^. — The head of the Sattis lives at
Kanira blow the Narh hill. Another good family is at
Chujjana in the Murree tahsil, the head of which is a
Zaildar.
4. History and particulars. — Next to the Dhunds the
Sattis are the largest and most important of the hill tribes
of the Rawalpindi district. They occupy the whole of the
Kotli spur in the Murree tahsil and they divide the whole
of the mountainous portion of the Kahuta tahsil with the
Jasgams.
They are probably of the same descent as the Dhunds
who pretend to look down on them. They were at one
time the traditional enemies of the Dhunds but at the pre-
sent day the two tribes have no feud and inter-marry
freely.
The Sattis have two traditions: as to their origin, one
connects them with Hazrat Abbas, the paternal of the
139
prophet J# (peace be upon him) while the other makes
them the offspring of one Takht Khan, who came with
Timur to Delhi. The Dhunds account for the Sattis
in yet another manner which is absolutely rejected by
them as false.
There is little doubt that they were originally Hindu,
probably Ponwar Rajput's, whose conversion to Islam is of
comparatively recent date.
The tribe came to English assistance when the Dhunds
attacked Murree in 1857.
Holdings among them are very small and without
military service they could not live. The tribe is of good
social standing and among them tribal feeling is strong.
They hold together and look up to there headman.
They make first-rate soldiers, enlist readily, and are
always in great demend.
85. Sayad.
1. Male population.—Ower 2,50,000. (Census 1931).
2. Locality. Sayads are found everywhere in the
Punjab. (West Pakistan).
3. History and particulars. — True Sayads are the
descendants of Hazrat Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law, who
married Fatima Prophet's (Be peace up on him) daughter.
Many Sayads, however, profess to be his descendants
through other wives.
The Sayads of to-day obviously contain a very large
mixture of Indian blood, partly by marrying wives from
the Indian Muslims of other castes and partly by the
140
tendency of the lower castes to stop gradually into the
folds of that holy caste. An niimense number of those
who profess to be Sayads have really no claim to the title.
In the Eastern Punjab they form a comparatively small
portion of the population, and are mostly the descendants
of true Sayads who followed the Muslim conquerors, and
were given grants of land which their descendants continue
to enjoy. In the Central and Western Punjab, and more
especially on the Frontier, on the Indus, and in the Salt
Range, ther are numerous.
As a rule they are cultivators and depend more upon
their income from " Piri Muridi," /. e., dues received as
holy people, than on agriculture. Their influence on the
whole is declining, but they still have considerable power.
They are as a rule intelligent. Their social position is
very high and they will not give their daughters in
marriage to any one except a Sayed or Koreshi, while
tribes of the highest social standing marry their daughters
to Sayads.
Sayads generally add Shah to their names and are
respectfully addressed as " Shahji '". They are found in
every branch of the army and opinions differ greatly as
to their value as soldiers.
Probable the most compact colony of Sayads are
those of the Kagan valley in Hazara, descendants of Jala
Baba, who led the Swathi invasion into Hazara. It
required an expediton in 1852 to enforce complete sub-
mission.
The following are the principal sub-divisions in the
Punjab : —
141
Hasani, Bokhari, Gilani, Hussaini, Mashaidi, Shirazi,
Zaidi, Jafiri, Gardazi. Most Sayads are " Pits," having
a large following of " Murids " or disciples.
86. Sheikh.
1. Male population.— US1,370. (Census 1931).
2. Locality. — Sheikhs are met with everywhere thro-
ughout the Punjab.
3. Origin and particulars.— The word Sheikh means
" learned," and was originally applied to holy immigrants
from Arabia, but it came to be usea for converts from
Hinduism. A man may be a Sheikh by birth or become
one if he is not a Muslim.
The term Sheikh includes over 1,0 JO sub-castes, many
of which appear to have assumed high sounding titles. All
Koreshis are Sheikhs but, except in a few localities, they
prefer to be known as Koreshis.
87. Sial.
1. Male population. -About 50,000. (Census 1931).
2. Locality.— The bulk of the Sials are in the Jhang
and Multan districts : in the former they are located in
Shorkot and Jhang tahsils and the latter in th; Kabirwala
tashil. They are found also in lesser numbers, in Sahiwal,
Shahpur, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, the Chenab
Colony and the Bahawalpur State.
3. Leading families.— The descendants of Kabir
Khan, the 17th Sial chief, who died in 1801, live in Jhang-
Maghiana.
142
Other families of standing are at Kharanwala, Bad
Rajbana and Rustam Sargana. In the Multan district
the best known are those of Kund Sargana and Bager.
4. History and particulars. — The Sials are descended
from Taj Shankar a Ponwar Rajput, whose home was at
Daranagar, between Allahabad and Fattehpur. A branch
of the Ponwars had previously emigerated from their
native country round Delhi to Jaunpur, and it was there
that Rai Shankar was born. One story has it that Rai
Shankar had three sons— Seu, Teu and Gheu - from
whom have descended the Sials of Jhang, the Tiwanas of
Shahpur, and the Ghebas of Pindi Gheb. Another tradi-
tion states that Sial was the only son of Rai Shankar,
and that the ancestors of the Tiwanas and Ghebas were
only collateral relations of Shankar and Sial. Owing to
dissensions among the members of the family, Sial emigr-
ated during the reign of Ala-ud-din Ghori to the Punjab.
Sial in his wanderings came to Pakpattan, and was there
converted to the Muslim religion by the eloquent exhorta-
tion of the sainted Baba Farid ^M -i ^*^j of Pakpattan.
The alleged connection of the Sials with the Tiwanas
and Ghebas is most improbable. The tribe is undoubtedly
of Rajput origin and migrated west during the reign of
Ala-ud-din Ghori when many Rajput families, including
the ancestors of the Kharrals, Tiwanas, Ghebas and
Chaddars, emigrated from the provinces of Hindustan
to the Panjab. Crossing the river Ravi in its lower reaches,
the tribe appears to have reached the Chenab in the
vicinity of Shorkot in the 14th century, and to have found
it necessary to entrench itself against the local tribes, in
forts, which mark the country. From this base they
143
appear to have spread n:)rth and south along the river,
the Thai proving an insuperable barrier to their further
progress westward.
The Sials appear to have reached the zenith of their
power shortly after Ahmed Shah Abdali's first invasion of
the Punjab (1754-55). After a brief period of prosperity,
the tribe gradually succumbed to the Sikhs, and was
finally conquered by Ranjit Singh, though still retaining
considerable political importance.
About one-fifth of the tribes has returned itself as
Jat, and the remainder as Rajput.
They appear to have no connection with the town of
Sialkot.
88. Sohlan.
The Sohlan is a Rajput tribe connected with the
Narma.
The Muslim section is found chiefly in the Mirpur
district of Azad Kashmir.
Their physique and characteristics are much the same
as the Narma with whom they inter-marry.
The tribe is a small one.
89. Sudhan.
1. Male population.— 25,300. (Census 1838)
2. Locality.— The Sudhanoti tahsil of Poonch is the
home of the Sudhans, but they spread also into the
Havali, Bagh and Kotli tahsils and a few even are to be
144
met with across the Jheluni in the Kahuta tahsi of Rawal-
pindi.
3. Leading families.— 1\\Q Rais of Alisozel in Sudha-
noti is perhaps, the most influential man of the tribe.
Other families of good status are at Neriya Chowki
and Kirk in the same tahsil.
4. History and particulars.— The Sudhans are the
most important tribe of Poonch, and of late years an in-
creasing number have been enlisted in the Army.
They claim Pathan origin and say that they are desce-
ndants of Ismail who founded Dera Ismail Khan, and also
of one Jassi, who was a Pathan.
According to them they first settled near Kotli, in the
Murree hills (not the place of the same name in Jammu
territory), which was at that time occupied by Brahmans.
A tribe known as the Bagar held the opposite bank of
the Jhelum and tyrannised over the Brahmans, who called
in the Sudhans to their aid. The Sudhans having defeated
the Bagars, seized their country and named it Sudhanoti,
it was at this time that they took the name of Sudhan,
which they had earned as a compliment to their valour
from the Brahmans. If all this has any foundation in
fact, it must be very ancient history for there is now no
trace of the Bagars in Poonch.
The Sudhan varies in physique, and other desirable
qualities, with the locality in which he is found. The best
are obtained from Sudhanoti, and the nearer they are to
the centre of that tahsil the better they are ; here their
physique is excellent.
145
Large numbers of Sudhans take domestic service and
are to be met with in Murree, Rawalpindi and the Galis.
The Sudhans have pride of race and look on them-
selves as superior to any of the other tribes of Poonch,
but they cannot be considerd high class Rajputs, which
term, notwithstanding their claim to Pathan origin, they
apply to themselves.
They marry chiefly among themselves but also take
and give wives to the Maldials and some of ihe Murree
hill tribes.
90. Tarar.
1. Population.- 1 \, 100. (Census 1931)
2. Locality. — They bulk of the Tatars are in the
Phallian tahsil of the Gujrat district, the tribe is also met
with in Gujranwal, Shahpur, Jhelum and Sialkot.
3. History and particulars. —The Tarar rank as Jat
though they claim Solar Rajput origin, apparently from
Bhatti of Bhatner. They say that their ancestor Tarar
look service with Mahmud of Ghazni but that his son
Lodhi, from whom they are descended moved from
Bhatner to Gujrat, Gujranwala and Shahpur.
They inter-marry with the Gondal, Varaich, Gil,
Virk and other leading Jat tribes of the neighbourhood.
91. Tezal.
1. Population. About 5,400, (Census 1931)
i
Locality. —The Tezal are found on the right bank of
the Mahl river in the Bagh tahsil of Poonch.
146
3. Particulars.— The tribe appears to be a sub-divis-
ion of the Kakkhe and ranks as Rajput.
They inter-marry with the Sudhan and Chandal of
the same locality.
They are of the short stature but robust physique.
92. Thatal
1. Population.— 1,216. (Census 1931)
2. Locality. — The Shahpur and Jhelum district.
3. Particulars.— An obscure tribe of Jat status.
93. Tiwana
1 . Male Population. —About 1 , 1 00. (Census 1931)
2. Loca/Z/v.—Tiwanas inhabit the Thai country west
of Kushab in the Shahpur district, a few are also to be
found in the Bhera and Shahpur tahsils.
3. Leading families. — The Tiwanas although numeri-
cally a small tribe possess more families of distinction
then any other tribe. In fact, "Maliks" appear to
predominate over the ordinary rank and file of the tribe.
The Mitha Tiwana family is by far the most impor-
tant in the Shahpur district. Its history is given in '"The
Punjab Chiefs." There are many branches of this family,
the wealthiest and probably ihe most important being that
of which Malik Umar Hayat Khan was the head.
Other families of high status are in Hanioka and
Hadali.
147
5. History and Particulars. — Notwithstanding their
claims to high Hindu Descent, the Tiwanas were until
about a century ago an ordinary Punjab Musalman tribe,
inhabiting a few villages at the north of the Thai desert.
After a severe struggle with their neighbours, the Awans,
the head of the clan established independent authority
over the Thai, and even after the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh,
brought them under subjection, they found it advisable to
employ the Tiwana Chiefs as their local Governors. Their
earlierhistory represents them as being Ponwar Rajputs
who emigrated from Hindustan to the Punjab, probably in
15th century. Their first settlement appears to have been
at Jahangir on the Indus, where they became converts to
Islam.
Moving eastwards they eventually occupied Shahpur,
and in 1680 built Mitha Tiwana.
The Tiwana, rendered valuable service in 1848 when
the Multanis rose against English and again in 1857,
when they proved their loyalty to the English by furnish-
ing over 1 ,000 horsemen for the irregular cavalry raised in
the Punjab by Lord Lawrence.
The Tiwanas are essentially cavalry soldiers, and also
serve in infantry.
Their Maliks breed excellent horses.
Closely related to the Tiwanas are a family of Nums
(Bhatti Rajputs) with whom the Tiwanas inter-marry.
94. Traggar.
1. Population— 900. (Census 1931)
148
2. Locality. — The Traggar are found only in ihe
Multan and Muzaffar-garh districts.
3. Particulars. — This tribe claim to be Bhatti Rajputs,
and take their name from their ancestral home at Traggar
in Bikanir.
The social position of the tribe is good, they are fond
of horses and are anxious to serve in cavalry,
95. Varaich.
1. Male population.^ khowi 40,000. (Census 1931)
2. Locality. — The Varachi are chiefly found in the
Phalia and Gujrat tahsils of the Gujrat district, they have
also spread in to Gujranwala Sialkot, Jhelum, Lahore
and Rawalpindi.
3. Leading families. —Thz VVazirbad family is the
most important and is mentioned in the "Punjab Chief's."
At Jallalpur Jattan, in th." Gujrat tahsil, there is another
fanmily of good status, the head of which is a Zaildar.
4. History and particulars.— The Varaich is one of
the most important of the Jat tribes of the Punjab.
There are many stories as to its origin, the most general-
ly accepted of which is that their ancestor Dhudi was a
Jat who came into India with Mahmud of Ghazni and
settled in Gujrat. The other stories make them Rajputs,
which but few Varaiches claim to be. There is little
doubt that Gujrat was their first home and that their
movement has been eastwards.
It is a disgrace for a member of the tribe to marry a
low caste woman. Their social standing is good, and they
marry with the best local tribes.
149
The conversion of the Varachi to Islam took place
comparatively recently.
The physique of the men is excellent and they make
good soldiers.
96. Virk
1. Po/7M/a//o/?.— 16,290. (Census 1931)
2. Locality.— The Headquarters of the Virk Musal-
man's appears to be the Gujranwala and Lahore districts.
The tribe is also found in Gujrat, Shahpur, Jhang and
Multan.
3. History and Particulars. —The Virk claim origin
from a Manhas Rajputs named Virak, who left Jammu
and settled in Amritsar. They are now of Jat status and
they marry freely with Jat tribes of their neighbourhood.
Virks are more Sikhs than Muslims.
The tribe rose to some political importance about the
end of the 18th century, when they ruled a considerable
tract in Gujranwala and Lahore until subdued by Ranjit
Singh.
97. Wattu.
1. Populatio ].--24,500. (Census 1931)
2. Locality. — The Wattu are to be found along both
bank of the Sutlej and Ravi in the Sahiwal and Lyall-
pur districts. There are some also in the Lahore and
Sheikhupura districts.
3. History and particulars.— The V^aUu are a Bhatti
150
clan, descended from Rajpal, grandson of the Bhatti
Raja Salvahan of Sialkot.
The Sutlej Wattus have now taken to agriculture,and
are peaceful and industrious cultivators.
The tribe was coverted to Islam by Baba Farid of Pak-
pattan in the 13th century.
Wattu's are also good soldiers.
Beside the Punjabi Musalman tribes described in the
foregoing pages, there are a large number which are class-
ed in the census returns as Rajput and Jat.
CHAPTER VI.
A brief account of Cis-Indus Pathans, and tribes
peculiar to Hazara District N-W-F-P and akin to
Pathaus.
The Awans and Gujars of Hazara District numbering
approximately 50,000 and 70,000 males respectively are
spread all over the District, and from long residence
therein have acquired the manners, customs, etc. of the
Hazara tribes among whom they dwell, are indistinguish-
able from them and are different to the Awans and Gujars
of the Punjab.
Other purely Punjabi Musalman tribes such as
Gakhars, Dhunds, Kethwals, Karrals, and Sararas are
found in the Southern and South Eastern hills of Hazara
District, extend into Rawalpindi and Murre Tehsils. A
history of these tribes and also of the Awans and Gujars
is given in Chapter V.
Akazais.
1. Population. — Muster 1,000 fighting men, (Census
1931)
2. Locality. —The left bank of the Indus to the Black
Mountain.
3. History and particulars. — The Akazais are a tribe
of Isazai Yusafzais, they are divided into four clans— the
Barat Khel, Aziz Khel, Tasan and Painda Khel.
They should make satisfactory soldiers for the
country.
151
152
Chagarzais.
Po/?i//fl//o/;.— Cis-IndusCha[?arzais muster about 2,500
fighting men. (Census 1931)
Locality.— Both banks of the Indus from the Trans-
Indus Dama mountain on the West, to the Black Moun-
tain on Hazara Border.
History and particulars. —The Chagarzai are a tribe
of Malizai Yusafzais, closely allied by family to the Buner-
wals. They are divided into three clans, the Firoz Khel
entirely Trans-Indus and the Nasrat Khel and Basi Khel
on both banks of the Indus.
The Chagarzais are a purely race owning cows, buffa-
loes and goats. They are men of excellent physique,
good mountaineers, have a great reputation for bravery
and make excellent soldiers for the country.
Chachh Pathans.
1. Male population.— Abcut 10,000. (Census 1931)
2. Locality.— The Chachh plain in the northern
portion of Attock Tehsil, Attock District, on the left
bank of the Indus.
History and particulars.— Many Pathans have migra-
ted from Afghanistan, Tribal Territory and Trans-Indus
Territory for various causes during the past two centuries
an<i taken refuge in the plains to the East of the Indus.
The Pathans in the Chachh area have retained their
coustoms and language and are mainly decendants of the
Yusafzai including the Mandaur, the Lodi, the Tarin and
the Dilazak tribes.
153
Enterprise is a very marked characteristic of the
Chachh Pathan, as an agriculturist he is excellent— he is
a curious blend of farmer, trader and is of very good
physique, and makes a very good soldier when he does.
Dilazaks.
1. Male population.— Khoni 1,200. (Census 1931)
2. Locality.~\n Haripur Tehsil of Hazara and the
Chachh plain of Attock Tehsil.
3. History and particulars.— Tho, ong\n o{ \h\s iuh&
is doubtful, they are acknowledged by Pathans as belong-
ing to the Kodai Karlani branch of the Ghurghushl
Pathans, but are probably a race of Scythic descent.
The formerly occupied the country about Peshawar and
the Indus, and on the borders of Ningrahar. They
were driven across the Indus by the Yusafzais,
Muhammadzais, Mohmands, and Khalils, at a last fight
near Kapur-da Garhi in the Yusafzai plain, in the 16th
century.
They make satisfactory soldiers for the country.
Hasanzais.
1. Population. ~C\s-\nd\xs Hasanzais muster about
1,000 fighting men (census 1931)
2. Locality.— hoih. banks of the Indus, the Cis-Indus
portion living on the Black Mountain and the Trans-Indus
portion immediately opposite them.
I
3. History and particulars. — The Hasanzais are a tribe
oflsazai Yusafzais. The tribe is divided into 11 clans,
six living Cis-Indus and 5 Trans-Indus. The Khan Khel
154
is considered the Chief clan and from it is elected the
Khan of the Isazais, otherwise known as the Sahib-e-
Dastar (master of the Turban.)
is-
Indus —
Trans-Indus —
1.
Nasrat Khel.
I. Lukman Khel.
2.
Mamu Khel.
2. Nanu Khel.
3.
Dada Khel.
3. Zakaria Khel.
4.
Mir Ahmad
Khel.
4. Kotwal.
5.
Sayads.
5. I^a Khel.
6.
Khan Khel.
They should make satisfactory soldiers for the
country.
Jaduns.
Male population.— \n Hazara 6,500. (Census
1931)
2. Locality. — Abbottabad and Haripur Tehsils of
the Hazara District,
3. Chief families.— The Hassazai family of
Dhamtour once held the Khanship of the tribe and are
still looked up to. Other families hold jagirs of Banda
Pir Khan and Bandi.
History and particulars. — The Jaduns are an offshooi
of the Transfrontier Jaduns of the Mahaban Range.
About the end of the 17th century, they crossed the Indus
and spread up the Dor Valley as high as Abbottabad,
latter thev further extended their holdings at the expense
of the Dilazaks and the Karrals. At the present day
155
their settlements are along the banks of the Dor between
Bagra and Mangal, part of the Abbottabad plateau and
its neighbourhood, and in the Nillan Valley.
The divisions of the tribe are :
1. Solar—
(/) Mat Khwazai.
(;7) Utazai.
(//■/) Sulinianzai.
2. Mansur —
(/■) Daulatzai.
(//) Musazai.
(///) Khadarzai.
3. Hassazai.
The men are of good physique but small statute,
they make good soldiers for the country.
Khattaks.
A very complete description of Khattaks is given in
the Hand book on Pathans. The following sections of
this tribe are found in the Punjab :
Part of the Saghris, inhabiting the left bank of the
Indus about Makhad in the south Western portion of
Pindigheb Tehsil of Attock District. The Bhangi
Khel, inhabiting the Mountainous tract north of
Kalabagh in the Isa Khel Tehsil of Mianwali District.
Mishwani
I . S4ale population— 'iSm. (Census 1 93 1 )
156
2. Locai/ty.—The north Eastern end of the
Gandghar Range in the Haripur Tehsil of Hazara.
3. Chief families.— There aie several Maliks of good
standing, they are all in or near Srikot, their chief village.
4. History and particulars.— The Mishwanis are
Ghurghusht Pathans, said to be descended from a Sayad,
Muhammad-i-Gisu Darez, by a Shirani woman and thus
Allied to the Shiranis, Ushtaranas, and Gandapurs.
Their original home was probably in Baluchistan whence
they attacked themselves as retainers to the Yusafzais in
their return to the Peshawar Valley in the 15th or 16th
century. A portion of them accompanied the Utmanzai
Yusafzais into the Hazara District.
They are a sturdy industrious and well behaved race
and their loyalty and courage are beyond question.
Major Abbott found in them his staunchest supporters
in 1848 and described them as "one of the bravest races
in the world." The chief clans are :—
\ Mani Khel
2. Hasain KheL
3. Dura Khel.
Niazis,
1. Male population —
Mianwali
Kohat
Bannu
Dehra Jsmail Khan
. 19,500
. 2,500
. 2,000
500
]
1
1
(- (Censu*
1 1931)
24,500 I
;
157
2. Locality.— On both banks of the Indus chiefly in
the Isa Khel and Mianwali Tehsils of the Mianwali
District.
3. History and particulars. -The Niazis are a Pathan
tribe descended from Niazai one of the three sons of
Ibrahim, surnamed Lodai. They are thus Lodi Pathans
and akin to the Dotanni, Prangis, Surs, etc. After their
defeat by the Marwats at the beginning of the 16th
century, they found a home in the Trans-Indus portion of
the Mianwah District, east of the Tanga Darra by expel-
ing or reducing to serfdom the Awans and Jats who they
found there. The Sarhani section subsepuently occupied
the left bank of the Indus. They are still fairly numerous
in Kohat and Bannu Districts and are found in small
numbers in Dera Ismail Khan. Part of the tribe is
nomadic, trading between Khorasan and the Derajat,
pitching their camp at Isa Khel in the winter. Although
their language (Pashto) has been completely replaced by
Punjabi in the Mianwali Tehsil and is undergoing the
same process in the Isa Khel Tehsil, they retain great
pride in being Pathans. The Awans and Jats living
amongst them from the great mass of the population but
are in the great majority of cases only tenants. The tribe
is almost entirely agricultural, they have been enlisted for
the Infantry and prove a great success as soldiers, their
physique is very much above the average.
Swatis.
1. Male population. ^-20,000 (Census 1931).
2. Locfl//7v. —The Swatis called the Swatis of Pakhli
inhabit Konsh, Bhogarmang, the Chatar Plain, Part of
158
Agor and some villages on the Kamhar River in the
Kagan Vally, all in Hazara District.
The Swatis of Allai, in independent Territory, extend
northwards from Mansehra Tehsil to Kohistan.
3. History and particulars. — The Swatis claim to be
Pathans, descendants of the people who inhabited Swat
and Buner before the Yusafzai invasion which drive them
into Hazara about the end of the 17th century.
The are divided into the following clans : —
1. Jehangirai.
2. Argoshal Mulkal.
3. Ishmaili.
4. Mir Khani Sulemani.
5. Sarkheii.
6. Mandrawi.
7. Panjghol. ( Shamota.
' Lochal.
8. Doodhyal i Mayor.
( Bishgrami.
9. Panjmiral.
10. Alisheri.
These Divisions are represented by a number of chiefs,
namely, those of : —
Ghari Habibullah.
Mansehra.
Giddarpur.
Doodhyal.
Bhogarmang.
Ratal.
Batigram.
Dhannial.
159
The country is rich in cultivation and cattle and the
population is dense. There are a number of large and
thriving villages.
Tanaolis.
1. Male population.— 35,000, of whom 20,00^ are
feudal Tanawal.
2. Locality.— The Hindwal section occupy feudal or
upper Tanawal and extend to the right bank of the Indus,
the Pallal lower Tanawal, including Badhnak and a num-
ber of villages in the Girhian tract of the Mansehra
Tehsil.
3. Leading families. — The recognised Chief is the
Nawab of Amb (feudal Tanawal).
The leading clan of the Fallals is the Labhya, com-
monly called Suba Khani, whose best known families are
those of Phuhar, Bir and Shingri which are represented
by three Jagirdars— besides these there are the Jagirs of
Sherwan and Chamhad.
4. History and particulars. — The Tanaolis claim de-
scent from Amir Khan, a Barlas Moghal, whose two sons
Hind Khan and Pal Khan crossed the Indus about the
end of the 17th century, from the country round Maha-
ban, and settled in the Mountainous area now held by
them and named after the tribe — Tanawal.
The Tanaolis are industrious cultivators of good Phy-
sique make very good soldiers. Punjabi is the Mother
Tongue though a few speak Pushtu as well, they have
many Pathan customs and take much pride in their dress
and appearance.
160
The sub-divisions of the tribe are : —
1. Hindwal. —
fCbaryal.
(0 Jamal -{ Ledhyal.
fLalal.
(//■) Saryal. -! Hedral
L Abdwal.
fLalal.
{ Hedrs
I Baizaj
(//■/) Jalwal.
(iv) Bohal.
(v) Baigal.
(v/) Tekral.
(v/7) An sal.
(v//7) Masand.
{ix) Rains.
2. Pallal.
(/) Labhya (Suba Khani).
(//) Matyal.
{in) Bainkaryal.
(iv) Dairal.
(v) Sadhal.
(v/) Judhal.
(yii) Baigal.
(vm) Tekral.
{ix) Asnal.
{x) Masand.
{xi) Rains.
161
3. BhujaL-
Tarins
1 . Male population- 1 ,000 (Census 1931).
2. Locality. —Hamrsi District and Attock Talisil.
3. History and particulars. — The Tarins are Sarbani
Pathans, despendants of Tarin, son of Sharkaban, son of
Sarban. According to tradition Tarin had three sons
Abdul Khan, Tor Khan and Spin Khan— from the first
are descended the Saddozais and Durranis ; from the
second and third the Tarins themselves. Some Tor Tarins
lie in the Haripur Plain and there are a few Spin Tarin m
Tarbela and Attock tahsil, the remainder of the tribe are to
be found in the Quetta Peshin District. The Tarins came
to Hazara with the Utmanzai Yusafzais early in the 18th
century and rose to be the most important tribe in Lower
Hazara, but with the advent of the Sikhs their power
waned.
The Tarin are divided into the following clans.
Tor Tarins —
1,
Saigi.
2.
Nurzai.
J.
Makhiani.
4.
Malikyar,
6.
Alizai.
6.
Abubakar
Spin
Tarins —
1,
Zaam.
2.
Wanechi.
162
3. Semani.
4. Raisani.
5. Marpani.
6. Lasiani.
7. Advvani.
8. Malgrani.
The men are of good physique and make good soldiers
for the country.
Tarkhelis.
1. Mole population.— 5Q0. (Census 1931).
2. Locality. — The Khari tract and the lower end of
the Gandgarh range in Hazara, with several villages in the
Attock Tehsil.
3. History and particulars. — The Tarkhelis are a sub-
section of the Alazai Utmanzais, they do not inter-marry
with the rest of Utmanzai, and their customs also differ.
Inheritance is per capita and not by the cbundawand rule.
The Tarkheli make excellent soldiers.
Turks.
1. Male population.— f^honX 2,000 (Census 1931).
2. Locality.— Haripur and Mansehra Tehsil of Hazara
District.
3. Chief families. — The Jagirdars of Biali in the
Mansehra Tehsil is probably the best known and most in-
fluential man of the tribe in Hazara District.
4. History and particulars. — The name of Turk is a
Tartar word meaning "Wanderer". The Turks are
163
descendants of the Mogolian Karlagh Turks who entered
India with Tamerlane in 1399 A. D. at one time they domi-
nated Hazara District, but gradauUy Pathan and other
tribes evicted them from their possessions and in A. D.
1786 they appealed to Timur Shah Durani to reinstate
them in Manakrai — the Headquarters of the clan near
Haripur, from which the Gurgust Pathans had ousted them.
They are now of little importance, but make satisfac-
tory soldiers.
Utmanzai.
1. Male populatiofj -2,600. (Census 1931).
2. Locality. — Both banks of the Indus, the branch on
the right bank is independent, musters about 400 fighting
men, and is situated on a narrow strip between Gadun
country and the Indus— their chief villages are Kabal and
Kaya : the branch on the left bank inhabits the Tarbela —
Khalsa tracts in Hazara on both banks of the Siran, from
above its junction with the Dor River to the Indus.
3. History and particulars.— The Utmaazais are a
tribe of a Mandanr Yusufzais, the physique of the Cis-
Indus branch is good and they make excellent soldiers.
Taibela is a Kanazai centre and is the principal village.
The are divided into the following clans : —
1. Alazai , Tarkhe lis.
2. Kanazai.
3. Akazai.
4. Saddozai-(Trans-Indus). \ \ ^'' ^^niad Khel.
' ' 3. Umar Khel
1. Aba Khel.
2. Mir Ahma
3. Umar Khe
.4. Bazid Khel.
DS Wikeley, J. M.
427 Punjabi Musalmans
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