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History of Punjabis

Overflow of River Ravi annually flooded Lahore, Pakistan. King Aurangzeb (1658-1707) built an embankment (اورنگزیبی بند) to save the city. Sikhs & British stole its bricks & floods recurred. Lahore was again flooded in 1952 which resulted in building of existing embankment (بند).


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7:57 AM · Dec 10, 2021

Ticker
@hannan021
 
The forgotten service of Punjabi soldiers during World War I

As many as 320,000 recruits from the Punjab took part in WWI. It’s time we acknowledged their valour.

Ammad Malik
December 01, 2021


More than a century after the guns fell silent in Europe, the University of Greenwich has disclosed records of the Punjabi servicemen who played a crucial role in Britain’s WWI victory. The registers had been kept in the basement of the Lahore Museum since they were compiled in 1919, a year after the Great War ended. The records comprise of 26,000 pages providing data on the service record and family background of each individual recruit.

Historians from Greenwich University have thus far uploaded the data from three districts – Sialkot, Jalandhar and Ludhiana – onto a website. The records from the remaining 25 districts are to be uploaded at a later date.

The British had long admired the ferocity and ruggedness of the Punjabi soldier, who had vanquished one Afghan army after another, during the reign of the legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh. At a time when other Indian rulers failed to counter the East India Company threat, Ranjit Singh acted with swiftness to negotiate the 1809 Treaty of Amritsar. The truce would hold till the Maharaja’s death in 1839, an event which ultimately paved the way for Punjab’s annexation into British India.

Despite the power vacuum and constant infighting between khalsa generals in the years following Ranjit Singh’s demise; it had taken the British a combination of two costly wars and treachery to complete the conquest of Punjab. The historian Amarpal Singh argues that troops of the East India Company came within an inch of total defeat at the 1849 Battle of Chilianwala, but were able to recover as the khalsa held back from a decisive blow.

After the British Indian army was reorganised following the failed 1857 sepoy mutiny, Punjab emerged as the chief recruiting pool for the imperial armed forces. British colonialism began to eulogise Punjab as ‘our Prussia’ and Victorian racial ideology cultivated Punjabis as a ‘loyal military race’. By the time European armies began to mobilise in summer 1914, the ‘Punjabisation’ of the Indian armed forces was complete. Over a million Indians would serve overseas in WWI – with Punjab contributing the lion’s share of recruits.

German war planners had initially expected a quick victory against the Allied powers. The Kaiser’s General Staff hoped to achieve this by text-book execution of the so-called ‘Schlieffen Plan’. For the plan to succeed; Germany would have to invade the Low countries and defeat the French Army before the Russians on the Eastern front could mobilise. The Germans would then divert troops to the Russian theatre, thereby avoiding a two-front war. Though the German war strategy made sense in theory; it was unrealistic as it required a flawless unfolding of events.

One of the first major setbacks to the Schlieffen Plan was the Battle of Yrpes in autumn 1914, where Punjabi soldiers played a pivotal role in stalling the German juggernaut. The delay would prove fatal to Berlin’s war ambitions as it allowed critical time for British and French troops to shore up their defenses. Recruits from the Punjab would distinguish themselves in battle again at Neuve Chapelle. The British led offensive at Chapelle initially broke through German lines but was later halted after heavy causalities on both sides. More than a thousand Punjabi soldiers lost their lives during the ill-planned attempt at taking Gallipoli. The gallantry of Punjabi troops at Gallipoli has only recently come to light, after a book on the subject was published by Peter Stanley.

Professor Stanley, who extensively studied Australian accounts of the battle, found multiple mentions of a Sikh infantryman named Karam Singh. As narrated by Australian veterans, Karam Singh was blinded after being hit by an artillery shell but had continued to fight and rally Allied troops.
Other theatres of WWI where Punjabi recruits served par excellence include Africa and Mesopotamia. The British Indian Army won a total of nine Victoria Crosses in the Great War – with eight of them going to Punjabi soldiers.

While the contribution of Sikh soldiers in WWI is now being recognised globally after the release of the war film ‘1917’, there hasn’t yet been a notable attempt to shed light on the war service of regions comprising Pakistani Punjab. Historians in Pakistan are certainly guilty of ignoring the subject, but Indian military writers have also worked overtime to project the battlefield success of Punjabi soldiers in the war as an exclusively ‘Sikh’ triumph.

However, a closer study of recruitment patterns reveals that the bulk of troops who fought in the Great War were drawn from West Punjab, part of modern day Pakistan. Contrary to the narrative set by Indian authors, Punjabi Muslims formed by far the largest group of recruits (156,300), followed by Hindus (63,900).

The participation of Sikhs in WWI- around 62,000 - paled in comparison to that of the Muslims and even dwarfed the number of Hindu volunteers from the province. The highest volunteer rates were recorded in areas such as Chakwal, Gujar Khan and Jhelum. The Rawalpindi division alone provided 120,000 soldiers, by far the highest of any region in British India. Part of the explanation why so many men from West Punjab enlisted in the imperial armed forces lies in economics.

Recruitment rates were highest in arid regions, where agriculture alone did not provide a stable income. The British understood this and ran a village to village campaign promising volunteers economic incentives such as cash and land holdings in return for war service. Cultural factors played a role too. Prestige or ‘izzat’ in Punjabi villages has long been associated with combat experience. For many recruits, the war provided them a chance to win highly coveted gallantry awards such as the Victoria Cross which would etch their names in village folklore.

Historians from the subcontinent have traditionally been very critical of Punjab’s role in the freedom movement and have accused Punjabis of being complicit in the imperial exploitation of India. Though this viewpoint holds some merit, the experience of Punjabi recruits in WWI served in many ways as a catalyst for the independence movement in India.

The Punjabis were the first Indian community which traveled to the west in great numbers and witnessed its blatant double standards. The imperial powers of Britain and France claimed to be fighting for freedom, while they denied that same right to the colonies. WWI convinced both Punjab and India, that the ‘white man’ was not invincible. If Punjabi soldiers could beat back wave after wave of German attacks, then India too could win freedom from the British.

The acknowledgment of Punjab’s contribution in WWI, especially that of Muslims, would also help in combating Islamophobia and racism faced by the Pakistani diaspora in the UK. British Pakistanis, most of whom are Punjabis, are eyed with suspicion and their patriotism is questioned by far-right parties such as the UKIP. A sustained diplomatic and public relations drive, led by the Pakistani government, can play a crucial role in informing British citizens of the Great War’s forgotten history. On the domestic front, the Punjab government should sponsor academic research on the subject, so that future generations won’t have to rely on foreign sources for historical study.


WRITTEN BY:
Ammad Malik

The writer is a defence and security analyst based in Lahore, Pakistan. His work focuses on Pakistan’s relationship with the Middle East and issues concerning military strategy.
 
Overflow of River Ravi annually flooded Lahore, Pakistan. King Aurangzeb (1658-1707) built an embankment (اورنگزیبی بند) to save the city. Sikhs & British stole its bricks & floods recurred. Lahore was again flooded in 1952 which resulted in building of existing embankment (بند).
Image
7:57 AM · Dec 10, 2021

Ticker
@hannan021
I thought after listening to the liberals degenerates of Pakistan, Ranjeet Singh and Sikh rule was the best thing that happened to the Punjab region.
 
Conversions to Islam in Punjab

Introduction:

How Punjabis became Muslims is an often ignored topic, in fact the entire genre of Punjabi Muslim history is neglected by Punjabi Muslims themselves. Without an in-depth analysis because it deserves a post of its own, this is due to the watering down of Punjabi identity with roots in colonialism and facilitated by certain elements in the state post 1947. The amplification of regional identities within the Punjabi sphere which had no conception pre-1950s and still cant articulate who they are is one example. So, how did Punjabis become Muslim? I try my best to illuminate the process which lead the residents of Panchnada to the Muhammadan faith.

Arrival of Islam:

If we are to look to Indian subcontinent as a whole, Islam arrived right during Hazrat Muhammad S.A.W’s time, a companion by the name of Hazrat Malik bin Deenar R.A. himself arrived on the South Indian West Coast. However, since the focus is Punjab, Islam in Panchnada or the Greeks called it Penta Potamia came with Muhammad Bin Qasim’s invasion in which Sindh along with parts of Southern Punjab were annexed into the Umayyad Caliphate in 712 AD.

Upper Punjab was introduced to Islam via Mahmud Ghaznavi’s invasions against the Punjab based, Hindu Shahi dynasty. After the state was finally subdued and Ghaznavid state formally established in Punjab is when we see a formal introduction of the Deen. Ali Hujwiri (1009-1077) who is popularly known as Data Ganj Baksh’s migration from Ghazni, Khorasan now the modern nation state of Afghanistan to Punjab in order to carry out missionary work marks a watershed moment. He wrote the Kashaf-ul-Mahjub which is regarded as the oldest Persian treatise on Sufism in Punjab & his mazaar is in Lahore.

Forced Conversions:

The common misconception is that Muslims in subcontinent converted due to fear of the sword. The narrative makes it appear as if conquest = conversion, but it is a false belief. For instance, after Muhammad Bin Qasim annexed Sind and parts of Southern Punjab at age 17, his administration was full of Hindu Brahmins due to their experience in governance and familiarity with local political climate, which made them invaluable to the Arab conquerors. The conquest of Multan was welcomed by the non-Hindu groups particularly the Jats (not-Hindu), who had been oppressed according to Lane Poole. Majority of population of Sindh was Buddhist and had no intention of defending their homeland for a Hindu sovereign [4].

Poole describes “The work of conquest, as often happened in India, was thus aided by the disunion of the inhabitants, and jealousies of race and creed conspired to help the Muslims.” [6]

The temples were largely left alone partly due to revenue they provided to the new administration via pilgrim tributes. This is not to say there weren’t instances of desecration, but to say there was a systematic attempt to “submit” people to Islam by destroying temples and executing those who refused, a narrative peddled by some corners is completely false.

When Ghaznavid governor of Hindustan territories, Ahmad Niyaltigin (Turk) rebelled, Sultan Masud (reign 1030-1041) sent a Hindu General, Rai Tilak to take care of the problem. Tilak in fact volunteered for this role and was happily accepted for being a native of Hindustan. Tilak’s army was composed of his fellow Hindus who upon entering Lahore, captured Niyaltigin’s Muslim followers and cut off their hands to spread terror which lead to many desertions. Niyaltigin took to flight, who was eventually caught and killed by the Jats who had an agreement with Tilak. Sultan Masud would invite Tilak to the Ghaznavid court along with the head of Niyaltigin. Lastly, besides being Hindu, Tilak was not a high born, but a son of a barber and his rise in Ghaznavid ranks was based purely on merit [1].

The Hindu section of Ghaznavid army was used as a counter balance Turkish commanders who were disposed as they would not sympathize and cause a rebellion. Of the many examples, when Sultan Masud cornered his uncle Yusuf Subuktigin by arresting him in a fortress, the cavalry responsible for the transport was Hindu (or Sawar-i-Hindu).

Besides the army, Hindu vassals also supplemented Ghaznavid forces in times of need. Rais and Rana are two names that appear when in 1151, Sultan Bahram Shah intercepted Ghurid, Alauddin. These are not anomaly as there were Hindus in Ghaznavi service as well both in the army and administration, according to Seljuk Vizier’s Siyasatnama we discover that the Ghaznavid army had Turks, Hindus, Khurasanis, Arabs & Ghurids that were kept separately for better cohesiveness and to benefit from each group’s ethos which individually contributed to diversity. The leader of the contingent was addressed with the title Sipahsalar-i- Hinduan and were utilized in Ghaznavid battles against Ilak Khan in Balkh & against Khanids. [2]

It is pertinent to mention that Hindu slaves had become so cheap after the fall of Punjab based Hindu Shahi dynasty which the Ghaznavids subdued that even sanitation workers were able to afford one in those days. Of course then there is the infamous sacking of Hindu temples. Then again the objective here was never to negate the exploits of Mahmud Ghaznavi in India, but the underlying point here is forced conversions in Punjab to which we find no reference and the service of Hindus in the upper echelon of Ghaznavid state machinery & Muhammad Bin Qasim’s administration only prove that there was no systemic attempt at forcing Islam on non-Muslims. [2]

Another thing to add is that the non-Muslim involvement in state affairs only grew with subsequent rulers, for example at one point the Grand Vizier of Mughal Empire was a Punjabi Hindu by the name Rai Todal Mal during Akbar’s reign, unarguably the peak of Mughals.

If we look at entire Hindustan the overwhelming majority is still non-Muslim, it was the basis of demanding Pakistan as a way to prevent living under a Hindu majority. As mentioned earlier if conversions were forced then surely states like Bihar would be Muslim majority considering that is where all these Muslim rulers based themselves. In Punjab specifically, in 1941 census just over half (53.2%) of Punjab’s population was Muslim, Hindus at 29.1% and Sikhs at just 14.9%. Yet previously in 1881 the census recorded Muslims at 47.6%, Hindus at 43.8% and Sikhs at 8.2%. [3]. And according to this same 1881 census half of Jatt population did not even convert to Islam even after a thousand plus years of the Religion’s presence in Punjab. [4]

Process of Conversions in Punjab:

One of the main issues with the argument of Muslims converting to Islam forcibly is that Punjab has always remained a periphery territory for Delhi based Central Asian Muslim rulers where this supposed forced Islamization were to occur. Wouldn’t places like Uttar Pradesh be majority Muslim given the duration of Islamic rule in Hindustan? Yet Interior Indian remained overwhelmingly non-Muslim. Bengal is another example of a periphery territory with a substantive Muslim population.

So, if it wasn’t the fear of the sword then what was it which lead to the Islamization of Punjab? The answer according to scholar Richard Eaton are shrines built on gravesite of Sufi saints, which operated as an institution. Prominent ones being in Taunsa, Makhad, Siyal Sharif, Sharqpur and of course Lahore which were located near the great rivers of Punjab whose dawah activities would bring Punjabis to Islam. Beyond the urban areas during dry seasons the nomads who were mostly Jats would bring their animals to the river areas, which would then have them rub shoulders with urban folk and their new faith. It is important to note, Jats were not Hindus.

As stated these shrines were an institution on their own, which connected the various tribes to the center in Delhi. Ghazi Malik who went on to found the Tughluq state and became known as Giyasuddin Tughluq was a regular at Pakpattan shrine during his days as a Dipalpur governor for Khaljis, where he was told by the diwan that his descendants will rule India, which of course became a reality. The two battles which lead to the formulation of Tughlaq dynasty had a significant presence & role of Khokhars, whether the common denominator was the Pakpattan shrine is a question I cant answer for sure. State patronage would follow and shrine keepers were even honored with robes and even employed in to imperial service.

Khokhars, Bhattis, Wattus & Siyals all claim to have been converted during Baba Farid’s (1173-1266) time & as mentioned all were willing to raise an army at the call of the shrine’s diwan [5]. The marriage alliances between clans and shrine keepers only strengthened this relationship, the great Punjabi rebel Jasrath Khokhar himself was father in law to Shaykh Faizullah of Pakpattan shrine according to a 16th century book, Jawahir-i-Faridi. [5]. The process of conversions was gradual and took a few centuries to complete, but its clear Islam had been present in Punjab well before even the Mughals had set foot & more or less the major tribes in Punjab had already converted.

Personal Thoughts & Conclusion:

So, it becomes evident that Islam in Punjab was spread not due to fear of the sword nor do Punjabi Musalmaan owe their conversion to any ruler especially not Ahmad Shah Abdali. A baseless lie often used to insult Punjabis, but well before the havoc caused by Abdali, Punjabi Muslims had already given birth to people like Ahmad Sirhindi (1564-1624) who is widely credited as Mujadid of his era & “reviver of second millennium”. Shaykh Sama’al-Din Kamboh, a Punjabi was in fact spiritual advisor to the Lodhi dynasty. The Gakhars who kept rebelling against Suri and for whom an entire Rohtas fort was built to keep them in check were also Muslims.


Anas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would often say, “O Turner of the hearts, affirm my heart upon Your religion!” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, we believe in you and in that with which you were sent. Do you fear for us?” The Prophet said, “Yes, for the hearts are between the fingers of Allah. He turns them whichever way He wills.

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2140 [7]

Therefore, the fact that half of Punjab was still non-Muslim in 1941 shows that no ruler nor any of neighboring ethnic group is responsible for the conversion of Punjabi Muslims, we were a humiliated people (because of not following the straight path) and Allah chose to honor us with his Deen, so he opened the hearts of our elders. However, our non-Muslim past is still our heritage, we should take pride in events such as Porus’ resistance against Alexander the Great and most importantly draw lessons in order to navigate today’s world, take for instance the famous state craft manual Arthashastra, which is the intellectual heritage of Punjab should not be dismissed because its author was a Hindu is just one example.

Read it in reddit thought should share it here too
 
In the Zoroastrian sacred scripture, the Avesta, Panjab is mentioned among the sixteen ‘perfect lands’ created by Ahura Mazda, the chief deity in the Zoroastrian religion: ‘The fifteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the Seven Rivers’
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Punjab Frontier Force (‘PIFFERS’) 1st Punjab Regiment, 1st Punjab Cavalry, 3rd Sikhs and Punjab Mountain Battery: Waziristan campaign, 3rd November 1894 to March 1895 on the North-West Frontier of India: picture by Richard Simkin

@Sainthood 101
 
damn it seems Waziristan is one of those never ending campaigns, more than 100 years now

Yea that place has never seen peace. I have more pics of Punjab regiment I'll share. Instead of the usual stuff on this forum I think showcasing our history and culture would be a good thing. I'll tag you while I dump stuff here lmao.
 
Yea that place has never seen peace. I have more pics of Punjab regiment I'll share. Instead of the usual stuff on this forum I think showcasing our history and culture would be a good thing. I'll tag you while I dump stuff here lmao.
dude if you have stuff/tweets from pre-britsh era history that'll be cool to
 

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