History Of Hazara

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Hari Singh Nalwa: Forgotten Voices From Hazara

June 22, 2019

Indus Heritage Club

Published in SikhNet on May 29, 2019 by Indus Heritage Club founder Jahandad Khan

The most enduring landmark of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa’s legacy in Pakistan is the country’s western border with Afghanistan, which also once represented the furthest limits of the Sikh empire. However, it was in the Hazara region in today’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that Nalwa spent the bulk of his time on the frontier. Although local history sources contain a wealth of information on Hari Singh Nalwa’s fifteen-year tenure as Governor of Hazara, they have not received adequate scholarly attention. Foremost among these is the remarkable Tawarikh-e-Hazara. This book was penned in Persian in 1846 by Lala Mehtab Singh, who hailed from Musanagar (Kanpur) and joined Nalwa’s service in Hazara in 1824. As my ancestor Painda Khan Tanoli, of Amb-Darband in Hazara, was a contemporary and prominent rival of Nalwa, our elders also passed down rich oral and written traditions that shed light on the towering figure of nineteenth century South Asian history whose legacy on the frontier is often misunderstood. It is my earnest desire to see these local narratives from Hazara added to existing knowledge of Nalwa in an objective manner, before they fade away from memory and relevance.


The Political Economy of Conflict in Hazara


Hazara occupied a strategically important position at the beginning of the early nineteenth century, as the Durrani Afghans crossed the Indus and used routes through Hazara to access the wealth of Kashmir. Therefore, control of Hazara became increasingly important to Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Lahore Durbar as it attempted to take control of Kashmir away from the Durranis. This was bad news to the native tribes of the region who were used to maintaining their political autonomy. Both the Sikhs and Durranis experienced turbulence with the locals. In 1817, my ancestor Nawab Khan Tanoli was killed by Azim Khan Durrani, the Afghan Governor of Kashmir, for challenging Durrani authority in the region (1). Around the same time, Southern Hazara under the leadership of Muhammad Khan Tareen rebelled against growing Sikh control. Muhammad Khan Tareen was a distant ancestor of Pakistan’s first military dictator, General Ayub Khan, and a powerful chief who had formerly collected taxes from the region and paid them to the Sikh Empire’s agents at Attock Fort. The cause for the rebellion was an increase in annual tax demands from 5,000 to 25,000 Rupees (2).


To alleviate the resistance against the Lahore Durbar, Ranjit Singh’s crafty mother in law Mai Sada Kaur visited Hazara in 1818 with Sher Singh and a military contingent of 300 men from Lahore headed by Illahi Baksh (3). They built a fort at Tarbela in Hazara; Mai Sada Kaur adopted Muhammad Khan Tareen as her son and Maharaja Ranjit Singh later convinced him to accept a jagir of Rs. 20,000 to maintain peace in the region (4). Despite the efforts towards reconciliation with Hazarawal political elites, several notable Sikh officers like Makhan Singh, Diwan Ram Diyal and Amar Singh Majithia fell at the hands of local tribal chiefs who resented their decreasing autonomy (5).


The historian Hari Ram Gupta crudely assessed that conflict in Hazara was driven by “the religious zeal and bigotry” of the natives (who he incorrectly identifies as Yusufzai Pashtuns) (6). However, the above chain of events identifies excessive taxation and loss of political autonomy to both Durranis and Sikhs as the realistic drivers of conflict.


Nalwa’s Military Campaign in Hazara

Maharaja Ranjit Singh appointed Nalwa the Jagirdar-Governor of Hazara in 1822 following the latter’s decisive victory in an unplanned battle where the odds were heavily stacked against Nalwa. In 1821, Nalwa was rushing from Kashmir to Mankera when his forces were intercepted in Hazara. A large body of Jadun tribesmen had blocked the narrow pathway at Mangal, on the outskirts of modern-day Abbottabad, and demanded Pashmina shawls in return for right for passage. Hari Singh Nalwa sent Najeebullah Khan Swati and Lala Raj Kunwar to negotiate with the tribesmen on his behalf three times (7). After three failed attempts through the local intermediaries, Nalwa took the fort at Mangal by storm. Local records mention that the Sikh forces that scaled the walls of the Mangal Fort at dawn were headed by an Iqbal Singh who displayed exemplary courage. The defeated tribesmen sent delegations of local Hindus and Sikhs from Nawanshehr and Dhamtor in Hazara to parley with Nalwa on their behalf. Nalwa permitted the Jaduns to resettle in their captured territory on the condition that each house in Nawanshehr, Dhamtor and Rajoyya pay five and a half rupees as fines for the inconvenience caused (8).

On becoming the Governor of Hazara in 1822, Nalwa built the Harkishangarh Fort a mile east of the city of Haripur, at a strategic location pointed out him by his local Muslim ally Muqaddam Musharraf who was from the Gujjar tribe (9). This would remain the Lahore Durbar’s largest fort in Hazara. However, it would take Nalwa two years to further cement his authority in the region. A series of toughly contested battles took place at Srikot, a mountain retreat of the Mashwani tribe that had become a seat of resistance for chiefs from around Hazara who fell out of favour with the Durbar. In 1824, Maharaja Ranjit Singh himself participated in the Hazara campaign when Nalwa was seriously wounded while attempting to take Srikot from a confederation of local tribes (10).


Control of Hazara was firmly established in 1824 when, on Nalwa’s local ally Muqaddam Musharraf’s advice, the following chiefs were apprehended and blown away from cannons following a battle at Srikot: Bostan Khan Tareen of Dervesh, Sher Muhammad Khan of Saraye Saleh, Saleh Muhammad Mashwani, Saleem Shah Mashwani, Jalal Khan Dilazak of Saraye Saleh and Sheikh Jadun of Rajoya. Srikot was garrisoned by the Sikh empire and the Mashwani tribe was driven out of their mountain range for two years (11). The Mashwanis were only allowed to return when elders of the tribe promised Nalwa that they would not cause further trouble to the Lahore Durbar (12).
After 1824, my ancestor Painda Khan Tanoli of Amb-Darband was the only chief left to continue the resistance in Hazara – a point to note is that he was at war not just with Nalwa but also simultaneously with the Afghan Durranis and Syed Ahmed Barelvi. This explains why Edward Conolly referred to Painda Khan as a “a sort of wild man, at war with all around him,” (13) who would cross the river Indus with his tribal army on inflated goat skins to ambush garrisons built by the regional powers in his native lands. Nalwa was aware that Painda Khan’s father, who was put to death by the Afghan Governor of Kashmir, had as his dying wish made his son swear an oath never to trust an outside ruler. Perhaps sympathetic to his solitary condition, Nalwa made unsuccessful peace overtures to my ancestor no less than five times until his death in Jamrud in 1837 (14).

Nalwa was therefore surprised when he received a letter from the reclusive Painda Khan requesting his assistance against Syed Ahmed Barelvi, an angry preacher from UP who wanted to rally the frontier tribes in Jihad (Holy war) against the Sikh Empire. Barelvi and his men had captured my family’s seat of power at Amb-Darband after my elders’ refusal to become part of their war. Additionally, the strict version of Islam Barelvi preached was at odds with the flexible folk Islam traditionally practiced by local communities.
Hari Singh Nalwa agreed to provide military support against Barelvi in return for Painda Khan sending his eldest son, Jahandad Khan, to Nalwa as a guarantee of good will. Jahandad was a boy of eight years at the time. Interestingly, the exchange between the two rivals making common cause against Barelvi was preserved as poetry by local bards. Syed Murad Ali Aligharhi translated the folk poetry into Urdu in the 1870s (15). An excerpt from his translation is as follows:

Barelvi’s forces were driven out of Amb-Darband with the help of the Sikh reinforcements. The alliance was short lived as the old differences between Nalwa’s lieutenant Mahan Singh and Painda Khan Tanoli soon resurfaced, and they were back to skirmishing (16). This also meant that the eight-year-old Jahandad Khan spent a few years in Nalwa’s custody before he was able to rejoin his family.

It’s important to clarify that despite his robust military presence, Nalwa’s control was never established in all of Hazara. Local sources and the Umdat Ut Tawarikh ascertain that Painda Khan Tanoli, based in the Trans-Indus Tanawal belt, continued to be a source of disturbance to Nalwa throughout the 1830s – launching prominent attacks on the Lahore Durbar’s forces in Mansehra, Kiriplian, Qadirabad, Shergarh, Parhena, Bhirkund, Nilore, Agror and Bharukot. As late as 1836, the Umdat ut Tawarikh mentions that Maharaja Ranjit Singh was annoyed with Nalwa “for in spite of that fact that there were 8,000 horse and foot with the Sardar, the affair of Painda Khan had not yet been over” (17). Our elders told us that control of the Shergarh Fort, which was built by Diwan Bhawani Das in 1819 and is currently in custody of my family, changed hands seventeen times between Painda Khan and the Sikh Empire between 1824 and 1844.

 

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Administration

Nalwa managed Hazara through 4000 men from his personal Jagirdari forces, who were stationed in 80 forts and towers in Hazara at an annual cost of 200,000 rupees (18) (19). Reinforcements were summoned from Lahore when the need arose. As Jagirdar-Governor, Nalwa’s primary responsibility was to collect taxes from the region and deposit a fixed amount into the state treasury, while ensuring that the pathways to Kashmir remained clear of the Durrani Afghans (20). In the early years, he did this by directly appointing the following officers as Thanedars in Hazara: Gulab Singh at Shinkiari, Dal Singh at Galli Badral, Hukam Singh at Mansehra, Diwan Bhawani Das for Tanawal, Syed Hassan Shah at Nilan, Fateh Singh at Tarbela and Mool Singh at Saraye Saleh (21).


Nalwa took several steps to develop Hazara’s economy. These were done not only to offset the high military expenses, but also to fund a number of key social, administrative and political projects in the region. These would come as a surprise to those accustomed to viewing Nalwa primarily as the fighting arm of the Sikh Empire. The table below provides a summary of the types and numbers of the grants given out by Jagirdar-Governor Nalwa in Hazara (22).

To improve the revenue generating potential of the region, Nalwa developed critical irrigation infrastructure in the Haripur plains. Known as the Rangila Canal, the water distribution system introduced by Nalwa on the Dor River for the first time allowed modern agriculture as well as urban settlements to spring up in the Haripur plains (23). The Sikhs collected revenue on agricultural produce twice a year. Although official policy was to demand half of output, a third was usually collected (24). Additional sources of revenue in the region were taxes on grazing livestock and Jandars (water mills).

The water distribution system, gardens and groves laid down by Nalwa in Haripur and Khanpur laid down the foundations for citrus farming in the region, which is a key driver of the local economy even today (25). Security was provided to traders traveling between Hazara’s three commercial hubs (Haripur, Baffa and Nawanshehr), and Khatri traders migrated from northern Punjab moved to Hazara to set up shop in Hazara.

Nalwa’s legacy as a diplomat who tackled insurgency through political settlements is largely forgotten today. Of the 125 Jagirs that existed in Hazara under British rule in 1883, 102 were continuations of Jagirs granted under Sikh rule, primarily by Nalwa (26).


Muhammad Khan Tareen, Mir Zaman Khan Utmanzai, Habibullah Khan Swati, Hassan Khan Karlal, Sher Muhammad Tanoli, Muhammad Khan of Jalloh and Faiz Ali Shah of Kaghan were some of the leading chiefs from Hazara who were rewarded with Jagirs by Governor Hari Singh Nalwa in return for abandoning resistance (27). Alexander Burnes detailed reports also mention the settlements made with and tribute taken by Nalwa from the major Pashtun tribes west of the Indus (39).

As the urban regions were settled after 1824, Nalwa turned over day to day administration of Hazara to Mahan Singh Mirpuri (28). His loyal lieutenant had stood by Nalwa’s side at a time when others deserted him, when he was severely injured at the battle of Srikot in 1824. On assuming administration, however, Mahan Singh replaced Nalwa’s handpicked officers in Hazara with his own relatives (29). Two of Mahan Singh’s brothers were appointed Thanedars at Saraye Saleh and Mansehra, and a cousin was assigned the task of collecting revenues from Tanawal.

Mahan Singh was far less effective at managing relations with the local tribes than Nalwa, and frequently created headaches for the Lahore Durbar in the region. His decision to kidnap and humiliate Sher Muhammad Tanoli, a Jagirdar appointed by Nalwa, led to rebellion in the Tanoli country that would continue till the next two decades (30).

None of the Governors appointed by the Lahore Durbar after Nalwa’s death in Jamrud in 1837 could match his administrative and military abilities. Ten years after Nalwa’s death, the British sent in a survey team comprising Peter Van Agnew and Henry Lumsden to Hazara to negotiate ways to transfer the region to Dogra control without bloodshed. On 6th February 1847, the team reported that “the people are all willing to tender allegiance to Maharaja Golab Singh on his guaranteeing to them what they held in the time of Sirdar Hurree Singh” (31).



Was it a clash of religions?

As mentioned earlier, the root causes of the conflict lay in the challenging of the status quo by the expanding Sikh empire. Prior to Sikh rule, Haji Wahab, an agent of the Durrani rulers had also perished while attempting to collect taxes from Hazara in 1803 (32).

A large number of Punjabi Muslims served in the Sikh army stationed in Hazara; similarly, there is evidence that the resistance in Hazara became a destination for Hindus and Sikhs escaping the Lahore Durbar’s reach. As early as May 1820, Nand Singh, the Thanedar of Rawalpindi who fell out of favour with the Maharaja escaped to Hazara and made common cause with the “mischief makers of Darband” (33). When my ancestor Painda Khan attacked the Sikh fort in Mansehra in 1832, he had to confront a local Muslim army headed by Saddam Khan Jahangiri, who was appointed Mayor of Mansehra city by Hari Singh Nalwa (34). When the Muslim Mayor was slain by the tribal army, his young son Muhammad Zaman Khan was handsomely rewarded by Nalwa with 1000 kanals of land, and revenue rights to three villages and three water mills (40). It seems unlikely that any of the above could have happened if the conflict between Nalwa and local tribes in Hazara had strong religious undertones.

However, the ban on beef eating and Azan (call to prayer) imposed by Ranjit Singh on the 95 per cent Muslim majority population of Hazara was an extremely weak public policy move. Even if it was only implemented in the urban areas under direct Sikh control, it was widely seen as an action hostile to Islamic beliefs.


Which was the moral army?

There is ample evidence that the Afghan, Sikh and Hazarawal political elites locked in realpolitik were pragmatic in their dealings with one another, and even became allies when it suited their interests. However, any decent and enlightened citizens of the twenty first century would be appalled by some of the acts committed by all sides:

• Plundering and bullying non-combatants to induce fear in the general population was considered fair game by all parties. My own ancestor had the unsavory habit of throwing rich merchants into the Indus after chaining heavy rocks around their necks – sometimes even after collecting ransom payments from them. Syed Ahmed Barelvi, who had come from UP to unite the Muslim tribesmen in a holy war against Ranjit Singh, plundered and destroyed a rich trading hub bordering Hazara at Hazro in 1823 (35). In 1824, William Moorcroft found Peshawar’s houses, gardens and orchards in ruins after the Sikhs took control of the city for the first time (36).
• Nalwa locked up in a well and starved to death Muhamad Khan Tareen, one of the most respected chiefs of Hazara, after he developed differences with the Sikh Empire. Following his death, each family under Sikh control in Hazara was forced to pay 2.5 Rupees to cover the 50,000 Rupees expense Nalwa incurred when he ‘purchased’ the release of Muhammad Khan Tareen from Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s captivity (37).
• In 1821, the Swati tribe destroyed the Sikh garrison at Shinkiari and carried away around 300 Sikh and Hindu women residing therein. As retaliation, Nalwa conducted a lightening raid on peasants in the Konsh, Agror and Nindhar glens in northern Hazara and captured around 1000 Muslim women and children. All of the Sikh, Hindu and Muslim women were returned after negotiations between Nalwa and the Khan of Garhi Habibullah (38).

Had our historians encouraged a culture of introspection and critical thinking instead of chest thumping to half-truths, perhaps an exact repeat of the senseless murder, carnage and violence on women at the time of partition could have been avoided.

In February 2019, I experienced an emotional journey with a group of twenty Sikh guests visiting Pakistan from the United States and Singapore. We went to the sites in Hazara that witnessed the complex relationship between Nalwa and my elders in an unforgiving world six generations ago. We celebrated with a large group of locals the 200th anniversary of Shergarh, one of the few Sikh era forts in Pakistan that survives in its original form. A month earlier, a group of my friends in Haripur had taken a stand to prevent the demolition of the Harkishangarh Fort built by Nalwa, citing its importance to our once shared past. History remembers the mountains of the frontier for many things – but rarely for compassion. As the urban centers of South Asia increasingly appear captive to the petty posturings of identity politics, perhaps hope for the future thrives in the unlikeliest of places.



References:

1. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 95.
2. Sohan Lal Suri, Umdat-ut-Tarawikh, Daftar II, Guru Nanak Dev University Amristar. 2002. pg. 240.
3. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 104.
4. ibid pg. 109.
5. Hari Ram Gupta, History of the Sikhs, Volume V, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2008. pg. 149-150.
6. ibid. pg. 144.
7. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 106.
8. ibid. pg. 108.
9. ibid. pg. 110.
10. Vanit Nalwa, Hari Singh Nalwa Champion of the KhalsaJi. Manohar Publishers and Distributors. 2009. pg. 89.
11. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 125-126.
12. ibid. pg. 126.
13. Capt Edward Conolly, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Volume IX, Bishop’s College Press. pg. 931.
14. Syed Murad Ali Aligarhi, Tarikh-e-Tanolian, Maktaba-e-Qadriyya, Jameh-Nizamiya-Rizviya. 1875.
15. ibid. pg. 53.
16. ibid. pg. 57.
17. Sohan Lal Suri, Umdat-ut-Tarawikh, Daftar III (Parts i-iii), Guru Nanak Dev University Amristar. 2002. pg. 379.
18. Vanit Nalwa, Hari Singh Nalwa Champion of the KhalsaJi. Manohar Publishers and Distributors. 2009. pg. 102.
19. Journals and Diaries of the Assistants to the Agent, Governor-General, Northwest Frontier and Resident at Lahore (1846-1849), Sang-e-Meel Publications. pg. 74.
20. Vanit Nalwa, Hari Singh Nalwa Champion of the KhalsaJi. Manohar Publishers and Distributors. 2009. pg. 102.
21. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 127.
22. Gazetteer of the Hazara District 1883-4, Sang-e-Meel Publications.2013. pg. 200-202.
23. Vanit Nalwa, Hari Singh Nalwa Champion of the KhalsaJi. Manohar Publishers and Distributors. 2009. pg. 93.
24. Gazetteer of the Hazara District 1883-4, Sang-e-Meel Publications.2013. pg. 181.
25. ibid. pg. 202.
26. ibid. pg. 202.
27. Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni, Tarikh-e-Hazara, Maktaba Jamal. 2016. pg. 423.
28. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 122.
29. ibid. pg. 127.
30. Ibid. pg. 128
31. Journals and Diaries of the Assistants to the Agent, Governor-General, Northwest Frontier and Resident at Lahore (1846-1849), Sang-e-Meel Publications. pg. 312.
32. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 99.
33. Sohan Lal Suri, Umdat-ut-Tarawikh, Daftar II, Guru Nanak Dev University Amristar. 2002. pg. 345.
34. Ghulam Nabi Khan, Al Aghan Tanoli, Al Tariq Printers Rawalpindi. 2001. pg. 193.
35. Altaf Qadir, Sayyid Ahmad Barailvi – His Movement and Legacy from a Pakhtun Perspective, SAGE. 2015. pg. 65.
36. William Moorcroft, Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan and the Punjab, Volume II, Asiatic Society of Calcutta. pg. 337.
37. Mehtab Singh, Tawarikh-e-Hazara (Translated by Dr. Sher Bahadur Panni). 1846. pg. 126.
38. ibid. pg. 113.
39. Alexander Burnes, Reports and Papers, Political, Geographical and Commerical, Bengal Military Orphan Press. pg. 1.
40. Ghulam Nabi Khan, Al Aghan Tanoli, Al Tariq Printers Rawalpindi. 2001. pg. 195.

 

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History Of Hazara
All about Hazara,The natural beautiful area of Pakistan...



Durani Period

Attock Fort

A fresh epoch in the history of Hazara started with the invasion of Punjab by Ahmad Shah Durani, the successor of Nadir Shah in1748, and the cession to him of the Punjab including Kashmir in 1752. Hazara also came under the new invaders. The Duranies managed the area through chiefs, on whom they conferred chiefdoms and large allowances. It is probable that the succeeding years of Ahmad Shah and his successor,s reign saw a little strengthening of administration in Hazara. But it was not to the interest of Kabul rulers to exact much revenue. They were able as occasion needed to draw good soldiers from the area, used one of the best roads to Kashmir which lay through its center and were content with the meager revenues.

Raja Ranjit Singh

The Duranies were the rulers but due to their little scamp in this country their rule was only nominal. Their administration was so weak that in the beginning of 19th century the Durani government had lost its influence over the people of Hazara. This was indeed a matter of little concern to the Durani rulers and their deputies in Kashmir. Collecting such arrears of revenue as they could conveniently extort on their way through the area, they were content to forget it as soon as they were out of it. According to H.D. Watson. If their faces were set towards the rich vale of Kashmir it was lost time to loiter on the road. If they were returning home towards Afghanistan their hearts were still less inclined to linger in so profitless a tract.





Dur to their weak administration law and order situation had so much degenerated that factions, treachery, assassinations, inter-tribal raids and general lawlessness were the common feature of daily life. Even the safety of movement of a traveler from one estate to the other was conditioned by a tax called Badragha.





The Duranies had tried their best to improve the law and order situation in the area. For this purpose they sent several detachments of troops on different occasions. Due to which several skirmishes also occurred between the two parties. Though in these skirmishes the rebels were defeated but the Duranies failed in establishing law and order situation on firm footing, as well as obtaining taxes.
In the area this lawless situation continued till Duranies defeat, after which they were compelled to evacuate Hazara for its new rulers, The Sikhs.

Old age farmer

Though Duranies were completely beaten during the first half of 19th century but they claimed their right over this country for quite some time, but at last according to a tripartite treaty ( The Governor General, Raja Ranjit Singh and Shah Shujah-ul-Mulk were the members) called The Treaty of Alliance and Friendship between Maharajah Ranjit Singh and Shah Shujah-ul-Mulk, signed on 25th june 1835, at Shimla. The later surrendered all claims and titles by him self, his heirs, his successors and all the Saddozaies, to Kashmir, Attock, Punjab, some areas of Sindh and all most the whole of the present K.P.K area to Maharajah Ranjit Singh.

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Labels: About Hazara, administration, Ahmad shah Durani, Badragha, Durani, hazara people, Kabul, Kashmir, khuber pakhtoon khawa(K.P.K), Punjab, Raja Ranjit Shing, revenue, Sadduzai, Shimla, Sindh, Watson


Hazara upto Mughals.




Stories about legendary Hindu hero "RAJA RASALLU" of about the 2nd century A.D are still remembered by the elders of the 20th century. He, it is said was a son of Raja Salbahan of Sialkot and visited this area only for amusement.According to historians "RAJA SERI CUP" the ruler of this area was a gambler and lost his kingdom and also his daughter Rani Cokallan to Raja Rasallu in a game of chess. According to some local tales the gambling practices of Raja Seri Cup lost his life at the hand of Raja Rasallu at a point near the present Khanpur village.


Another story recorded in several books about Raja Rasallu is also common. Theme of the story is that the Raja slew his wife who was in love with a giant. He also closed the mouth of the cave with boulders in which the giant had taken shelter. It is also given that before closing the cave the Raja drew a picture of his bow and arrow on the cave's inner side. seeing this the demon dared not attempt to issue forth and ever since he has remained inprisoned in the cave. emitting from time to time roars and groanings that sound like the rumbling of distant thunder.






The Mughal emperor Jahangir in his autobiography, also writes a note about this voice, that " I heared from the people of this country that when it is not the rainy seasons and there is no sign of a cloud or lightning a noise like the rumbling of clouds from this hill, ( The Gandgar Hill, situated on the south western side of Haripur city. This noise is heard every year or at least every two years. I had repeatedly heard of this also when I was in attendance on the Late King.






The next account about the history of this area is from the pen of the famous Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang. He visited it in the 7th century A.D and described this land as the Kingdom of Wu-La-Shi , situated to the north west of kashmir.







According to another account of the history of this region, some historian are of the opinion that accouding to RAJA TARANGINI written by Pandit Kalhana, KING SHAUKARAVARMAN and his army was attacked by the inhabitants in 902 A.D. when they were marching through this country. In the next century Kalahana describes Urasa as being occupied by a Kashmiri force under Kalashan (1063 to 1089 A.D) while from 1112 A.D to 1120 A.D this area remained under the direct sway of King Susala . Traces here and there of ancient villages and forts legends inscribed on walls one at Soha near Bir village in Tanawal area and another at Patan are evidences of Hindu domination.








The next that we hear of Hazara is in connection with the Great Timurlance, who on returning after his invasion of Delhi in 1399 A.D. made over the area to a number of Kurluke Turks By this time the Hindu rulers had been ousted and the authority of the Muslims had beem established over their places. After their settlement in this area they (The Turks) remained in power for more than four centuries. It may also be noted here that to this settlement of the Turks, the name Hazara is probably due.









Throught out its history upto March 1849 the date when the British formally amalgamated Hazara in their domain Hazara ramained under different chiefs as well as under different rulers. as well as under different rulers at the same time. As during the Mughal period , the Governors of Kashmir while the North eastern area of this country was controlled by the Governor of Kashmir while the Western side and Haripur plains were under the direct control of the Turk Chief as well as under the governors of Attock illaqa respectively.









This area from Haripur plains to the Kaghan glens via Pakhli was a vital link in the chain that connected Kashmir with the rest of India as well as with Afghanistan. The Mughals used it on several occasions. Akbar the Great, for instance used this route twice while in 1619-20 when Emperor Jahangir decided to spend his summer in the Kashmir valley he also used this route. During the journey he halted at several places and on the request of Sultan Hussain, the Turk chief of Pakhli went to his house. Emperor Akbar had also visited the Turk chief house on 23rd September 1589 and granted him the Pakhli area as a fief. During Jahangir's visit Sultan Hussain exchanged presents with the Emperor. Due to the Turk chief behaviour and attitude on that occasion, the Emperor promoted his mansab Rank to 600 sawars and 350 horses. The Emperor also conferred on him a robe of honour a jewelled dagger and an elephant.

 

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Though during Akbar's later days the Pakhli area saw a scene of a revolt initiated by a chief named Hindal, entitled Sultan Nasir, but it was crushed succesfully and Pakhli was restored to its legitimate owner.



During the later Mughal period changes of great importance took place in this area. These arose mainly from two causes, tha decadence of the vitality of the old families and the increasing inroads of the pathans and their allied races. One of the most notable of these events was the invasion of Pakhli by the Swaties. The Latest inroads of the Sawaties under the capable leadership of Saiyed Jalal was in 1703. The Turks ( dominant Tribe of the area) were ousted and the invaders established themselves on the northern part of Pakhli and in the hilly country adjoining it to the west. It is also a fact that during the same period Tanawalies, Jadoons, Tareens, Utmanzaies and other Pathan tribes crossed the Indus and siezed some territory in this area.







For lack of any written records it is difficult , if not impossible to describe exactly the events taking place during the period . but as a matter of fact the changes were the natural result of the total absence of a strong controlling central authority and of a system in which might was the only right.

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Hazara Before The Christ




The complete ancient history of Hazara is shrouded in obscurity. Besides some salient points, repeated by different writers, historians have also not written much about it. Though some old caves discovered in the Khanpur area have been regarded by them as, of stone age of human civilization which means some 8000 years B.C, but their views seem to be controversial.





The first authentic point, related with the ancient history of this area, is about the time of Alexander the Great,s Punjab campaign during 327 B.C. At the time Arsakas was the ruler of this land. Alexander was offered a lot of resistance during his passage through the present Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa(N.W.F.P). He also faced opposition of the wild tribes of lower Hazara, and for a time being, the subjugation of the Gandgar fort, according to Ahmad Hasssan Dani, was a hard task for the Greek Army.




Hazara, even upto 1847 was divided in several fiefdoms of different chiefs and was controlled by different rulers at the same time. This was some at Alexander the Great,s arrival in this area. As the upper portion (Manshera district) of Hazarawals granted by the Greek invader to Abisara in 327 B.C, while Arsakas was the ruler of the lower part (Haripur district) of this area.



But during the Budhist dynasty, this area for some time remained under the direct sway of the Governor of Taxila. And when in 272 B.C. Arsokavardhana, commonly known as 'Ashoka' ascended the throne and made this area and the Gandhara Valley as his main seats of Government. He was undoubtedly the greatest ruler of the Maurya dynasty. During his sway, Buddhism spread over a vast area and from the above mentioned places preachers of this creed used to be sent to the far-flung lands.










Besides his other achievements, he had left some enduring monuments in the forms of edicts, which according to Akbar.S.Ahmad, are amongst the most remarkable historical remains in the world. Ashoka's edicts, inscribed on rocks and pillars, 13 in number, have been found in different areas. Among them three were discovered near the base of Barrari hills, a mile to the west of Mansehra town. These in meanings are similar to those of Ashokans edicts found in Shahbaz-Garhi in Mardan Division. One of Ashokan Mansehra edicts declares:- Father and mother must be obeyed; equal respect for all living creatures must be enforced: truth must be spoken. These are the virtues of the Law of duty (Dharma) which must be practised. Similarly the teachers must be reverenced by the pupils and proper courtesy must be shown to the relations.






According to Dr. Stein, the area where these edicts were found was a famous place of pilgrimage and a convenient halting place for the pilgrims, on their way to the spiritual heights of Srinagar. These pilgrims can perform a local religious obligation to 'Shiv' by climbing up to the Barrari Peak. According yo local traditions, and stories, an annual fair was held there till 1947.

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Origin of the name Hazara


NAME OF HAZARA.

Map of Hazara

The original name of the region now known as Hazara(as a whole) is lost in oblivion. Mac-Iver, a shrewd political scientist, is right in saying that origins are always obscure. This is true, particularly of the original name of Hazara. However it has variously been explained by different writers.

​

Major James Abbot

Some historian maintain that,Hazara takes its name from the name Abisara, i.e, the country of Raja Abisaras. It is said that in the year 327 B.C Alexander, the Great, handed over this area to Abisaras, the Raja of Kashmir. So after his name the country was called "Abisara". Dr Stein, a celebrity of Indian history, holds a different view. According to him the name of "Hazara" has been derived from Urasa, the ancient name of Pakhli. While according to H.D Watson, the settlement officer of Hazara during 1899-1907, the name Urasa is "probably Uraga of the Mahabharta".

ALEXENDER

A majority of historians and writers are agreed to the possible derivation of the name Hazara from HAZARA -KURLUKEorKURLUKE MING, a Turkish word. They further maintain that the Kurluke is the name of a Turk tribe, while in Turkish dialect the word "MING" means one thousand or HAZAR. It is said that in 1399 A.D Taimur, the famous Turk Chief of Samarkand, subjugated a vast area in the Sub-Continent. He, on his return towards Kabul left a Ming or a regiment of Kurluke soldiers in this area, for the protection of this important trade route between Kashmir and Kabul.

VIEW OF ABBOTTABAD 1907

He also handed over this area to some Turk chiefs. By this the Hindu rulers had been ousted and the authority of the Muhammadans had been established in their Place. So to the settlement of Turks, the name Hazara is probably due. As, it is mentioned above that Hazar or 1 thousand is the translation of the word Ming so Hazara is therefore the territory of a Turk Ming or a regiment.

Alyasi Masjid Abbottabad

It is important to mention her that upto 1850the lower part of this area was called MEDAN-e-HAZARA, as well as, Hazara-e-Kurluke, while the upper portion was known as Pakhli. But in 1849 after the 1st summery settlement of this area, the word Kurluke was dropped and the whole area i.e, from Haripur Plains to the Kaghan glens was named as "HAZARA".

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The People of Hazara

9. MISHAWANIES.





According to J.M.Wickely the Mashawaies are Ghurghust Pathans, descended from Said Mohammad Gaisu-e-Daraz, from a Sirani women. But, besides historical facts, they claim themselves as Syed and addthe word SHAH at the end of their names, but the Syed of Hazara do not accept them as true Syeds.





About their entry into Hazara, accompained with the Utmanzaies, historians date it around the 16th century A.D while the Gandgar area, where they dwell now a days was granted to them as a reward by the Utmanzaies.

By nature they are very brave people and were a constant source of troubles for the Sikhs. During the early days of the British, they rendered re-mark able services to the Government and their loyalty was beyond questions. At the time of the second Sikh war in 1848-49. Major James Abbott, the first Deputy Commissioner of Hazara, found them brave, as well as, his staunch supporters among the Mashwanies and described them as one of the bravest races in the world.



10. SWATIES.





The swaties, a tribe living mainly in upper Hazara without exception regard themselves as Pathans. Some historians are of the view that "The orignal Swaties were a race of Hindu Origin", but as a matter of fact, the swaties are Afghans in their origin.






The Swaties are a tribe, who besides effectively resisting Babur and Ulugh Baig ( Mughals) had produced some prominent personalities in history. For instance, one Baba Shah Mir who proceeded from Batkhaala to Kashmir, established his kingdom there in 1443 A.D under the title of Shah Mir Shams-ud-Din Shah. He was a piousMuslim and according to historians, Islam spread in Kashmir by his family's efforts, which remained dominant over that area for more than 4 centuries.






The present Swaties in Hazara are the descendants of those who during 1703 under the command of Syed Jalal Shah, entered this area as conquerors. They ousted the original inhabitants ( The Turkd) of the area and occupied the whole of Mansehra District except it's southern corner.


In Hazara the Swaties are divided into two main section, the Ghabri and the Mamili or Mitrawi. Scattered families of this tribe are to be found throughout the Division but a major part of Mansehra District
Tanawal and pakhli are their main places of their dwellings.
Besides the above mentioned tribes, Abbasi, Arrora, Dhund, karral, Kakar, Mughal, Maliar, Pani, Qureshi, Saras, Syed, Sulemani or Shalmani etc.

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The People of Hazara

7.AWANS:

Awan Sepoy

The Awans who are in large numbers throughout Hazara, claim that they are descendants of Qutab Shah of Ghazni. About the arrival of Qutab Shah in the Sub continent they also claim that he had come from Hirat in about 1035 A.D and settled in the suburbs of Peshawar, while, on the other hand Mr. Brandrith is of the opinion that they are more probably the descendants of the Bactrian Greeks. General Cunningham identifies the Awans with JUD, the descendants from the same ancestor as the Junjuhas. Besides these claims, sojme p[eople also think that Awan Karri, to whom this tribe owes it's name was a profession instead a race.






Their entry in Hazara is shrouded in darkness. Khakars and Chuhans are the leading sections of the Awans in this area and the Qazi family of Sikandarpur, a village near Haripur is prominent among them.





8. GUJARS:










The Gujars, a mixed cast of the Aryans are the oldest inhabitants of Hazara. General Cunningam links them with Kushans or Yu-Chi, and gives his idea that in the first century A.D they conquered Kabul and Peshawar valley under the command their able chief Kadphises 1, while his son Hima Kadphises extended his sway over trhe whole of the Punjab and over some southern areas. His successors annexed Kashmir but due to the attacks by the White Huns in the 3rd century A.D. this tribe (Kushans) started migrating towards the south. After wandering about a time they established their rule in Rajputana during the 5th century A.D. and scattered throughout the Sub-Continent. So probably their arrival in the high land of Hazara dates from that time.






The Gujars are divided in to more than one hundred branches, of whom about 45 different swell in this area. Though in the former days they were dominant in the Haripur Region, now are scattered throughout the Division and a major part of Mansehra District is their main seat of habitation.



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6.TANAWALIES OR TANOLIES.

Lower Tanawal

The TANAWALIES or TANOLIES , a tribe of Hazara, claim descent from Amir Khan, a Barlas Mughal, whose two son, Hind khan and Pal khan crossed the Indus some four centuries ago and settles in the area now known as Tanawal. Historians write that in 1472 some 4000 TANAWALIES crossed the river Indus under the command of their leader Moulvi Ibrahim Lodhi and established themselves over the Tanawal over the Tanawal area.

View of Tarbela Lake near Tanawal Area

Now a days they are scattered through out the Division and occupy Khalabat Town ship and the lower and the upper Tanawal area including Garhian tracks of the Mansehra District, VHindwal and pallal are chief sections of this tribe which are further divided into a large number of subsections whose name end in "al"



7. UTMANZAIES:

Main Chowk Khalabat Town Ship

Utmanzai is a sub tribe of Yousafzai tribe. In Hazara they were incited by the Gujars, from whom the Utmanzaies acquired land and were dominant there during the Sikh and the British periods. They also helped the British Government with great zeal during its early days in this area and were considered by the British as their most reliable friends in Hazara.

Utmanzai Tribe

Before the construction of Tarbela Dam, Kaya , Khabble, Tarbela, Khalabat , Morti , Mera etc etc and a narrow strip between the Indus River and the Gadun region were their chief areas of dwelling but after that project ( Tarbela Dam) they scattered through out the Division and the Punjab. However a sizeable section of a population of this tribe made Khalabat Town Ship their main place of living.

Spell way Tarbela Dam

Though itself a sub-section of the Yousafzai Tribe, the Utmanzai tribe is further divided into five main sections namely, Allazai, Akazai (distinct from the same tribe of the Black Mountains) Khanzai, Saddozai and Tahirkhali.

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4. TURKS.

Mankara Village View

The name Turk is a "Tartar" word which means "Wanderer". while literally it means an iron helmet. The Turks in Hazara are the descendants of Mongolian Kurluke Turks, who had entered this area with Taimur in 1399 A.D. At one time they were dominant and had ruled the Pakhli area for more than three hundred years. But Pathan and other invaders expelled them gradually from their possessions.

Tomb On Hill Near Mankara

They, throughout their existence, saw many ups and down in this area. For instance at the start of the 18th century A.D. they were ousted from their headquarters Mankarai (a village near Haripur) by the Ghurghust Afghans. During the same period the Swaties also expelled them from Tanawal and Pakhli area. For the time being they remained as wanderers but in 1786, due to their request to Taimur Shah son of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Turks were re-instated in Mankara. Now a days in Hazara they dwell mostly in Haripur and in Mansehra District and Mankara is still counted as their headquarters in Hazara.



5.DILAZAKS.

Railway Station Sarai Saleh

Though H.W Bellew is of the opinion that it is not clear who these Dilazaks are? but it is a fact that the Dilazaks are a sub-section of the Pathans. They also consider themselves as members of Kadai Karlani branch of the Pathans. Irshad Khan also mentioned that their genealogical connection with the Afghans had been found during 17th century.

According to saome historians, the Dilazaks had entered Hazara in the first half of 17th century, while a majority of the historians are of the view that they had entered this area in 1553 A.D.

Dor River In Sarai Saleh

They faced many hardships in Hazara. In 1615, for instance, Shah Saleem Badshah (Muhammad Jehangir) bodily deported the Dilazaks from Hazara, as well as from Peshawar and settled them as a colony in Dhakka. But during Emperor Alamgir,s reign they were again permitted to live in Hazara. Scattered families of this tribe are still to be found along the left bank of the river Indus and the Dor, while Sarai-Saleh, constructed by one Dilazak chief, named Saleh Muhammad Khan during 1772, is still their headquarters in Hazara.

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The People of Hazara



Peoples.


Hazara is peopled by an conglomeration of various races and tribes. Due to this fact some ignorant people have a misconception about the name of Division that Hazara owes it,s name to Hazar or a thousand tribes dwelling in this area.

About the people, historians, as well as, these tribes are of the opinion that, among them several are the original inhabitants of this area, while the rest have migrated from other places. They migrated to this area under necessity. Some came for trade and commerce, because this area was an important trade route between Kabul and Kashmir, while a few entered this region as conquerors. Beside these two groups, the third group was of those people who sought shelter in this area after their expulsion from their native homes.

Though the majority of the population in this area (about 99.98%) are Muslims, but the religion of people before the advent of Islam was Hinduism, as well as, Buddhism. Islam in Hazara, like in other parts of the N.W.F.P now (KPK) spread very rapidly, but at the time of partition of the Sub-Continent, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Ahmadies were also part of the population of this area.
The following area the principal races and tribes in Hazara:-



1. JADOONS.

Of the genuine Pathan tribes in Hazara, the most numerous are the Jadoons. They Occupy Mangal, Rash and Rajoia plains with villages on their fringe. Bagra and its neighbouring villages are also the chief dwelling places of this tribe.
About their origin Olaf Cairo in his famous book " The Pathans " mentioned that the Jadoons are the Pathans of the family of Ghurghust, son of Qais Abdur-Rashid. While on the other hand Sir Denzil Ibbetson asserts that " the jadoons are of Indian origin " but it is a fact that Ghurghust s/o Qais Abdur Rashid had three sons and the Jadoons or Gadoons are the descendants of one of his son Darni.
The Jadoons entered Hazara in the beginning of the 17th century and took possession of lands then belonging to Turks and Dilazaks. Some historians also believe that when Bhakko Khan attacked Hazara in the 17th century, Jadoons also accompanied him. About their establishment on firm footing in this area, historians write that," after expulsion of the Dilazaks by Emperor Jahangir, the Jadoons family established themselves and spread up to the Dor Valley, as far as Abbottabad".
They are divided into three main sections. Emperor Jahangir and Salar, and dwell in the areas mentioned above.

2. TAHIRKHALIES.

The Tahirkhalies, a sub-section of the Utmanzai Yousafzaies, dwell in Kharri and in the lower part of the Gandgar hills in the south-western Hazara. Though the Tahirkhalies are a sub-section of the Utmanzaies but have a different character and customs.
During the Sikh rule over Hazara they (the Tahirkhalies) created a lot of troubles for the neighbouring villages and for the time being they also remained a troublesome tribe for the British. It is an industrious tribe and dwells in , and Ghazi villages of the Haripur District.


3. TAREENS.

The Tareens are directs descendants of Sharkbun, the grandson of QaisAbdur-Rashid so in their origin they are connected with Jadoons. They came to Hazara in 18th century with the Utmanzaies and gradually supplanted the original inhabitants of this area, the Gujars. H.D. Watson writes that the first Tareen chief settled in this area was driven out by the Governor of that place. Sher Khan on his arrival in the sub-continent took service under the Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631. Shah Jahan also gave him 2,00,000 rupees in cash and permitted the Tareen chief to keep up a contingent of 1,000 horses.
The Tareens were very powerful during the Mughal and the Durani periods but with the advent of the Sikhs their power began to wane. Instead of it, they were a constant source of trouble for the British during the middle of the 19th century.
The Tareens are divided into two sections i.e the Tor (Black) and the Spin (White) Tareens, which are further divided into fourteen sub-sections, six of them from Tor and eight from the Spin Tareens. In Hazara they dwell mostly in Haripur District and Darwaish and Rehana are their main villages.

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Rivers, Streams, Lakes & Ponds.

1. Rivers

River Indus

The Indus, Siran, Dor, Harroh & kunhar are the important water resources in Hazara. Here it is also worth-mentioning that the Indus river, after covering its course through Kohistan Area, and the River Jehlum, only skirts this division. The Former runs on the western side of Hazara for 30 miles while the later on the Eastern side for 25 miles.

Beauty of River Indus

The Rivers and streams mentioned above differ from one another in respect of their origins and discharge flow. The Indus rises about 280 miles away from Ladakh, while the Siran, Dor & Harroh takes start from Bhogarmang valley. Dunga Galli (near Nathia Galli) and Lalu Sar Lake (Naran Valley) respectively.
Irrigation in this region is possible mainly by the Siran, Dor and Harroh, while the Kunhar, which joins the River Jehlum at Domail, is so rapid and deep that utilization of its water for irrigation on a large scale is very difficult.

River Kunhar in its bloom

The above mentioned water bodies have numerous tributaries. Among them some are perennial while others seasonal. These in the Vernacular are known Kathas, or small ********. These Kathas are an important source of irrigation and water more then 22000 acre of land under their respective catchment limits, while Siran, Dor and Harroh irrigate some 20,000, 16,000 and 5000 acre of land respectively.

LAKES:

Ansu Lake (TEAR)

There are many natural, as well as, man made lakes in Hazara. These , surrounded by rocky snow capped hills are confined to the Kaghan Valley and Haripur District. Their names are Lalu Sar, Dudi Pat Sar, Saif ul Malook, Ansoo (Tear) Tarbela and Khanpur Lake.

Tarbela Lake

These Lakes lies in Idyllic seclusion and tranquil surrounding with their water reflecting the wonderful and changing tints of the sky. There are associated many fables, and events of great importance with these lakes, such as, the Legendary Love story of one fairy named BADAL JAMAL connected with Lord Saif ul Malook Sar and the scene of arrest of some 600 soldiers of 55 native infantry in 1858 are connected with Dudi pat Sar.

Saif-ul-Malook

Besides, there also exists a large area in the Division where water is scarce or distant. In these areas, especially in the Tanawal Region and District Haripur, ponds for storage of rain water have been constructed and people utilize their water for drinking and irrigation purpose, from the same tanks.

MINES & MINERALS:
Though mining in Hazara has not been done on a large scale but minerals of different kinds like Coal, Lime Stone, Building stone, Gypsum, Coarse Slate, Antimony or oxide of led (Surma, Kajal) and iron are founded in abundance in this area.

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February 2012 | History Of Hazara

 

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Physical Features of Hazara

1. Mountains.




The distinctive physical feature of Hazara Division is its forest-rich mountains, full of trees of different kinds and snow (Great natural attraction for local as well as International visitors and tourists), especially in the winter. These mountains vary in height i.e, from 4,000 feet to 17,000 feet and are naturally divided into two i.e, the western and the eastern range. These run down either side of the Division with a trend generally from the north-east to the south-west and work like a dividing line between Hazara, Azad Kashmir, Murree, Rawalpindi, Swat and Malakand on their respective sides.

Besides other, Malka-Parbat (17000feet) Musa_ka_Mussala (13379 feet) Bhingra (8500 feet) Biliana (6192) Tanglai, Serri and Phambla are important peaks in this area, and these mountains, besides providing healthy environments, are a constant source of income to the country.


Musa-ka-Musalla






Mali-Ka-Parbat





Mountain covered with snow in Naran Valley.




Peak of Miran opposite of Nathia Gali






Position Area And Boundaries.


Hazara, the northern most administrative area of Pakistan and only
part of KPK (Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa), east of the river Indus, lies
at the base of Himalayas between 33 44 and 35 10 latitude and 72
33 and 74 6 east longitude. The total area of the Hazara is 5282 sq
miles and has a larger area then Bahrain(678 sq km), Hong Kong
(1046 sq km), Cyprus (11295 sq km), Gambia, Falk Land, Jamaica
and Luxumburg .


As regards its boundaries, on the north the Kaghan separates the
administrative Division from Chilas and on the north east, as well
as, on the east the mountain range,which borders the left bank of
river Kunhar and Jhelum river, separates Hazara from the Azad
(Independent) Kashmir, Murree and Rawalpindi regions.On its
north-western side lies the far-famed Black Mountains ( Kala
Dhaka now Toor Ghar District and also called Dar-us- Salam ),
while on the south-west the Indus separates it from the Utmanzai
Tribal areas, as well as, from a part of the Swabi District of
Mardan Division. On the north-western side a mountain range also
works like a dividing line between Hazara and Malakand Agency (a
provincially administered tribal belt ).On its southern side lies the
Attock District of Punjab Province, while on the south-eastern side
the Margalla Hills separate it from Rawalpindi District and from
Federal Capital of Islamabad. Thus Hazara Division is like a wedge
between Kashmir on the east and mountain ranges on the west.