Punjab and the Rebellion of 1857

[Braith]

"From Charat Singh, Zamzama was snatched by the Pathans of Chhata who took it to Ahmadnagar where it became a bone of contention between the Pathan brothers Ahmad Khan and Pir Muhammad. In the fight that ensued, two sons of Ahmad Khan and one of Pir Muhammad were killed. In this fight, Gujjar Singh Bhangi sided with Pir Muhammad. After the victory, the gun was restored to Gujjar Singh. After two years, the gun was wrested by Charat Singh Shukerchakia from whom it was once again snatched by the Pathans.

Next year, Sardar Jhanda Singh Bhangi defeated the Pathans of Chhata and brought the gun to Amritsar. In 1802, Ranjit Singh, after defeating the Bhangis, got hold of the gun. He used it in the battles of Daska, Kasur, Sujanpur, Wazirabad and Multan. In the siege of Multan, the gun was badly damaged."
http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98oct31/saturday/head4.htm

 

[Tergon18]

"From Charat Singh, Zamzama was snatched by the Pathans of Chhata who took it to Ahmadnagar where it became a bone of contention between the Pathan brothers Ahmad Khan and Pir Muhammad. In the fight that ensued, two sons of Ahmad Khan and one of Pir Muhammad were killed. In this fight, Gujjar Singh Bhangi sided with Pir Muhammad. After the victory, the gun was restored to Gujjar Singh. After two years, the gun was wrested by Charat Singh Shukerchakia from whom it was once again snatched by the Pathans.

Next year, Sardar Jhanda Singh Bhangi defeated the Pathans of Chhata and brought the gun to Amritsar. In 1802, Ranjit Singh, after defeating the Bhangis, got hold of the gun. He used it in the battles of Daska, Kasur, Sujanpur, Wazirabad and Multan. In the siege of Multan, the gun was badly damaged."
http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98oct31/saturday/head4.htm

'Pathans of Chatha'? Lol
That is an error or fallacious narrative. Chatthas are Punjabis and are still present in great number in Gujranwala area.

 

[Kabira]

"From Charat Singh, Zamzama was snatched by the Pathans of Chhata who took it to Ahmadnagar where it became a bone of contention between the Pathan brothers Ahmad Khan and Pir Muhammad. In the fight that ensued, two sons of Ahmad Khan and one of Pir Muhammad were killed. In this fight, Gujjar Singh Bhangi sided with Pir Muhammad. After the victory, the gun was restored to Gujjar Singh. After two years, the gun was wrested by Charat Singh Shukerchakia from whom it was once again snatched by the Pathans.

Next year, Sardar Jhanda Singh Bhangi defeated the Pathans of Chhata and brought the gun to Amritsar. In 1802, Ranjit Singh, after defeating the Bhangis, got hold of the gun. He used it in the battles of Daska, Kasur, Sujanpur, Wazirabad and Multan. In the siege of Multan, the gun was badly damaged."
http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98oct31/saturday/head4.htm

Chatthas are not pathans though, this is what seem to have happened.

"Soon after this Ahmad Khan and his brother Pir Muhammad quarreled, and fought for some time with varying success and among the killed were Bahram Khan and Kadar Baksh sons of Ahmad Khan^ and Fatah Muhammad his nephew. At last Pir Muhammad sought help from Gujar Singh and Sahib Singh Bhangi who invited Ahmad Khan to a conference captured him and shut him up without water till he agreed to resign the great gun which was carried to the fort of Gujrat."

 

[Tergon18]

Yes. Chattahs of Gujranwala also allied with Afghans in 1797 against sikhs.

BY LEPEL H. GRIFFIN

Nur Muhammad was bom in 1704. When he grew up his friendship was sought by Raja Banjit Deo of Jammu and by the chiefs of Multan, for the Chattahs had now grown powerful and Nur Muhammad was their acknowledged chief. When Nur Muhammad ^^97 old^ Ahmad KAan^ his younger son, a brave and skilful soldier led the Chattahs to battle. The great enemies of the tribe were the Sukarchakia chiefs of Gujranwala, who were ever striving to extend their possessions. In the time of Sardar Charrat Singh the Chattahs held their own, and Ahmad Khan, in 1765^ captured the celebrated Bhangi gun which Charrat Singh had placed in Gujranwala.

Soon after this Ahmad Khan and his brother Pir Muhammad quarreled, and fought for some time with varying success and among the killed were Bahram Khan and Kadar Baksh sons of Ahmad Khan^ and Fatah Muhammad his nephew. At last Pir Muhammad sought help from Gujar Singh and Sahib Singh Bhangi who invited Ahmad Khan to a conferencei captured him and shut him up without water till he agreed to resign the great gun which was carried to the fort of Gujrat.
Mir Manuj the viceroy of Ahmad Shah Duranii laid siege to the fort of Manchar for some months without success^ but when the Emperor himself invaded the Panjab, he seems to have treated
the Chattah chiefs with consideration and to have confirmed them in their possessions. Sirdar Charrat Singh, the Chattah enemy died in 1774^ closely followed by Nur Muhammad and his son Pir Muhammad.
The towns founded in the Gujranwala district by these chiefs are neither few nor unimportant. Among those founded by Nur Muhammad were Ahmadnagar, Ghadhi Gul Muhammad and Rasul-
nagar, renamed by the Sikhs Ramnagar^ while Pir Muhammad built three difibrent forts called after his own name, also Kot Mian Khan^ Alipur, renamed by the Sikhs Akalghar, Naiwala^ Kot Salim^ Kot Ali
Muhammad and Fatahpur. Ghulam Muhammad^ who succeeded to the estate succeeded also to the hatred of the Sukarchakias.

Both Sirdar Mahan Singh son of Charrat Singh and Ghulam Mukammad were able
and brave men^ and it was clear that peace could only result from the death of one or the other. For a long time the advantage lay with the Chattahs and Mahan Singh was defeated on several occasions. Once he
besieged Jhokian, held by Mian Khan, uncle of Ghulam Muhammad^ who came down in haste to reUeve it. After some hard fighting, peace was agreed upon, but in an unguarded moment the treacherous Sikh seized
Mian Khan carried him off prisoner and blew him from a gun.

At length, in 1790, Mahan Singh, having become very powerful, assembled his forces and besieged Manchar. The siege lasted for more than six months, and the Sikhs lost a large number of men. The young Ranjlt Singh himself was in great danger, for Hanhmat Khan uncle of Ghulam Muhammad^ charged bis escort with a few sowars and climbing upon bis elephant, was about to kill the child, when he was stiack down by the attendants. Ghulam Muhammad seeing that he could no longer hold the fort, offered to surrender if he were allowed to leave for Mecca in safety. This Mahan Singh promised solemnly, but he had hardly sworn his truth, than one of his men, by his orders or with his connivance, shot the brave Chattah chief through the head. Mahan Singh then gave up Manchar to plunder, and seized the greater part of the Chattah territory.
Jan Muhammad son of Ghulam Muhammad escaped to Kabul, from whence he returned in 1797, with Shah Zaman, and by the aid of the Afghans recovered his possessions on the Chenab ; but when his protec-
tor had returned to Afghanistan, Ranjit Singh attacked Rusulnagar, determined to destroy for ever the Chattah power. The besieged made a gallant resistance, but day by day their numbers and their strength
diminished. Unlike the divine twin brothers who fought so well for Bome by Lake Begillus, the Muhammadan saints abandoned their followers, for the story is that the Chattahs asked a famous fakir who
lived at Rasolnagar to aid them. '^ How can I help you,'' wis his reply, *^ when I see the holy ^ Mahbub Subhani, dressed in green, fighting on the side of Ranjit Singh." At length Jan Muhummad was killed by
a cannon shot and the fort surrendered.


​

I think that it is interesting that some Punjabi Muslims like Hayat Khan and Jan Muhammad were allied at some time with Durranis while others like Adina Khan fought them at various times. Same case with Nader Shah, Mukarrab Khan Gakhar allied with him and joined him onto Karnal while others like Dillo and Saidoo Gondal of Mandi Bahauddin fought him.

 

[Kabira]

You're right bhaiya, we conquered all of South Asia under guidance of Angrezi:

Brother how are you?

 

[TopCat]

I dont think punjabis are actually indian.

 

[Tergon18]

Are you Punjabi from mother side?............i have seen your pictures and your facial features is of Punjabi rather than of a Marri-Baloch. Your complexion is dark but Balochs are generally also very dark .......You did tell us that your family has intermarried a lot with other ethnic groups.. For example on this very thread you threw taunt of Babur taking Pashtun wife in knee-jerk-reaction to an imagined insult against Punjabis, while i simply stated that "Two Ghakkar women entered into the royal harem"............how is a Muslim woman from Ghakkar tribe marrying a Muslim prince from Mughal, an insult against Punjabis?....

Lol, just read this. Would you not consider Maulana Fazlur Rehman as Marwat due to his complexion? As for giving daughters/ marrying and all, even Barakzai Afghan king Sher Ali Khan gave his daughter to Gakhar chief Jahandad Khan. It is a repsectable union, nothing insulting in it.

He decrees to ban azaan and cow-slaughter, clearly makes him non-secular.

Yeah, thats why I said I said 'secular to some degree', obviously not fully secular in modern day sense. He was on one end of the secular spectrum, especially considering regional and socio-political circumstances at that time.

 

[Kabira]

You have raised a very interesting point here, some years ago I came across a fellow kharral from Multan through a common friend in London, the man had a go at me for not having Rai as the title & instead having Chaudhary as title ( I personally don't give a toss about either of these title ) untill I explained to him that in Gujrat, Mandi Bahaudin,Sialkot & Gujranwala districts claiming Rajput ancestory would mean inviting people to queue up for head,face & arm pit shaves outside ones house. Even Bhatti Rajputs don't use titles of Rai or Raja in the above motioned districts and are identified as Jutts in mentioned districts.
The situation however is different in Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Sargodha & further south in Punjab. However Mirza Jutt ( the character in one of Punjabi folklore ) was also a kharral originating in down south the Ravi bar.
All my relations and all those that I know of are in to Jutt clans, like Warraich, Sandhu, Gondal, Ghumman, Cheema & such, I am yet to see any one from my side marrying a janjua, kiyani, chib, jaral or such Rajput tribes.
According to whatever little information I have gathered so far & research done the concept of Rajput & a related title remained untill one remained a Hindu.
Nearly all the jutt tribes & clans claim Rajput ancestory.

One interesting thing that I came across was an election census or report listing the representation gained by different Qaums ( castes or tribes ) in elections back in 60s. The interesting point being that we Kharrals were neither counted in/under Jutt or Rajput categories but a completely separate category of our own. This was a couple of years ago and I have since then tried to get my hands on to that peice of paper for some further insight but I have been unsuccessful so far.

Another example being Sir Zafar ULLAH Khan, who like me hailed from the Sahi sub clan of Kharrals while his mother being from a Bajwa ( Jutt ) family in modern day Narowal.

I hope I have made some sense & cleared any doubts that you may have.

I came across this paper about pastoral or semi nomadic Ravi bar tribes roles in 1857, they are identified as jutt tribes including Khurruls, Khattias, Wattoos, Fatwanas etc

"The British administrators and narrators have described their contributions in their biographies and gazetteers. By describing their role, they have actually drawn a difference between their allies and traitors after the War of Independence (1857). Their writings have declared those tribes as criminal tribes. “These tribes had been cattle-stealers and thieves from time immemorial; but being of no political importance, the Sikhs, after two unsuccessful attempts to conquer them, took only the precaution of having armed escorts when passing through the district, and allowed them to remain in almost undisturbed indulgence of their predatory propensities, especially as these rarely extended beyond their own immediate neighbours; thus they were generally left to settle their raids and their thefts, and to fight out their quarrels among themselves.” However the objective of tribal chiefs was the achievement for the “emancipation of their beloved homeland.”

According to Branderth, Secretary to Chief Commissioner of Punjab, wrote a letter to Secretary (Foreign Affairs) Government of India, “These clans can muster some 20 to 30,000 men, and occupy a tract of country in the Googaira District of full 40 to 50 miles in breadth, and from 70 to 80 in length. They have few villages, and generally reside in temporary grass huts, which are constructed in such localities as afford the best pasturage and water for their numerous herds of cattle. They are known under the domination of Khurruls, Khattias, Wattoos, Fatwanas and other names, and are of Jat lineage.”43

The British forces possessed advanced weapons and they used the weapons without any hurdle in the War. But the local tribes of Googaira district had not even a single weapon to fight with the British. They fought with the British without guns and bullets. The British suspected that the rebels achieved the weapons from the Multan, but this supply of weapons had no historical relevance and no proof was found in this aspect. They made their tools and weapons from the blacksmith. The British historians describe that, “In the district around are numerous Mohammedan tribes of Jut origin, at present degenerated into cattlefeeders and cattle-stealers, who nevertheless retained somewhat of their ancestral love of war and plunder; hundreds and thousands oh whom wanted only the opportunity and encouragement to spring up armed—for though nominally disarmed, what Punjabee does not know where to lay hands on his weapon in time of need?---and at the first sound of the war—cry, “Deen! Deen! (religion), in Moslem fanaticism, they would have made Mooltan their rallying-point.”

http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/HistoryPStudies/PDF-FILES/13-Saeed_V28_no2.pdf

British used to write that all these pastoral or otherwise jutt tribes were off rajput origins from Delhi, rajasthan, Up etc origins but genetic tests doesn't prove their theories. Here is about kharrals

"The Kharrals are Rajputs. Their ancestor was Raja Karn of Hastinapur (which is in Uttar Pradesh). His descendent Bhupa left that place and came to Uch, where he and his son Kharral were converted by Makhdum Jahania Shah. From Uch the Kharrals spread over the country about the Ravi. They appear to have settled first in the Sandal Bar (Lyallpur District) Montgomery District Gazetteer, 1933 (Lahore,1935),p.94"

 

[asad71]

1.The major uprising was by the Bengal Army. The English Co then also maintained the Madras Army and the Bombay Army. The revolt had received widespread support of the Muslims, whereas the Hindu support ws neither spontaneous nor widespread. In the Punjab the Muslim landlords and hereditary Pirs that the English patronized opposed the revolt. But the crucial support for the English came from Patiala Maharaja. But for the Patiala Sikh troops, and later the Gurkhas, the English could not have contained the revolt.

2. Interestingly Capt Amarindar Singh, CM of Indian Punjab is the current Maharaja of Patiala and a direct descendant of the Maharaja whose troops had committed horrible atrocities and loot of Delhi. In Pakistan these landed and religious aristocracies continue. Just check out the family name. In BD we have done away with these blood-sucking stooges of colonial masters. Same in WB, TN and Kerala.

 

[Kabira]

1.The major uprising was by the Bengal Army. The English Co then also maintained the Madras Army and the Bombay Army. The revolt had received widespread support of the Muslims, whereas the Hindu support ws neither spontaneous nor widespread. In the Punjab the Muslim landlords and hereditary Pirs that the English patronized opposed the revolt. But the crucial support for the English came from Patiala Maharaja. But for the Patiala Sikh troops, and later the Gurkhas, the English could not have contained the revolt.

2. Interestingly Capt Amarindar Singh, CM of Indian Punjab is the current Maharaja of Patiala and a direct descendant of the Maharaja whose troops had committed horrible atrocities and loot of Delhi. In Pakistan these landed and religious aristocracies continue. Just check out the family name. In BD we have done away with these blood-sucking stooges of colonial masters. Same in WB, TN and Kerala.

In punjab tribes who sided with British in 1857 revolt gained economically, politically and military. Most famously the Tiwana chief of Shapur on its on went to British officer and offered him people to crush 1857 revolt. Later on Khizr Hayat Khan Tiwana will go on to become PM of punjab. But their continued support for Unionsts well in to 1947 meant that soon after Pakistan was formed they lost all their political clout but not the land and businesses.

THE TIWANAS
THE TIWANAS The Tiwana family of Shahpur district in northwest Punjab were one of the score or so landed families who benefited enormously from the British rule of their province The vast irrigation system built by the British included "private canals" that drew water from the main rivers of the province during the rainy season A number of these inundation canals were located in the riverine tract of the Jhelum River, and from 1860 onward they were entrusted to the area's large landlords for management These were not the only concessions granted by the British to the landed families of Punjab Land was also awarded under a number of other schemes, including land for maintaining stud farms to provide horses and mules needed by the British armed forces in India Under the patronage of the British, the Tiwanas were able to vastly expand their holdings This was a good investment by the British rulers; the Tiwanas and other landed aristocrats provided the rulers with much needed loyalty in an area in which opposition to British rule could have been both embarrassing and expensive The British recruited a large number of soldiers from Shahpur to put down the disturbances associated with the Great Indian Mutiny of 1857 They also turned to Shahpur and neighboring districts to recruit soldiers for the British Indian Army during World Wars I and II And finally, when much of India became openly hostile to British rule�a development that shook the Indian subcontinent in the 1930s and 1940s�Punjab remained steadfastly loyal to its rulers


Under Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana, the prime minister of Punjab, the landed interests of the province opposed Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his demand for establishing Pakistan, an independent homeland for the Muslims of British India. Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana became so closely associated with the anti-Pakistan movement in Punjab that the Tiwanas paid a heavy political price once Pakistan came into being Whereas other landed families were able to find their way back into the mainstream of Punjabi politics in Pakistan, the Tiwanas did not fully recover their prominence Khizar was never invited back into the corridors of power in Lahore.
http://www.kppsc.com.pk/pages/?The-tiwanas

 

[asad71]

This is also related. Tiwanas had been the biggest land owners of Punjab. They were not only deprived of their holdings by the Sikhs but also driven out of their land. Even their women folk were disgraced. The Sikh Wars, which was ten years before the so called Mutiny/War of Independence, helped the Muslim landlords defeating and ousting Sikh from the corridors of power in Lahore. They got back their lands and continued their support for the British, fearing lest the Sikhs comeback. The atrocities of the Sikh rule were numerous including converting Shahi Mosque in front of Lahore Fort into the stable for their cavalry.

 

[xairhossi]

This is also related. Tiwanas had been the biggest land owners of Punjab. They were not only deprived of their holdings by the Sikhs but also driven out of their land. Even their women folk were disgraced. The Sikh Wars, which was ten years before the so called Mutiny/War of Independence, helped the Muslim landlords defeating and ousting Sikh from the corridors of power in Lahore. They got back their lands and continued their support for the British, fearing lest the Sikhs comeback. The atrocities of the Sikh rule were numerous including converting Shahi Mosque in front of Lahore Fort into the stable for their cavalry.

During Sikh times, Malik Fateh Khan Tiwana was the governor of the 'NWFP' or conquered Pashtun areas, he only fell out of favor after murdering the crown prince Pishora Singh and throwing him off the Attock Fort into the Indus. And it wasn't as simple as that, there were many Muslim chiefs, both Punjabi and even Pashtun, that were allied with Ranjit Singh.

 

[Kabira]

This is also related. Tiwanas had been the biggest land owners of Punjab. They were not only deprived of their holdings by the Sikhs but also driven out of their land. Even their women folk were disgraced. The Sikh Wars, which was ten years before the so called Mutiny/War of Independence, helped the Muslim landlords defeating and ousting Sikh from the corridors of power in Lahore. They got back their lands and continued their support for the British, fearing lest the Sikhs comeback. The atrocities of the Sikh rule were numerous including converting Shahi Mosque in front of Lahore Fort into the stable for their cavalry.

I don't think Tiwanas were thrown out of their land by sikhs, source? Tiwanas were ones who gained most out of all others who sided with British. I don't know about their fortune now but back then they were richest family in Pakistan. They fell out of political landscape after continued support for Unionsts otherwise they may have been Sharif brothers of punjab politics.

 

[asad71]

I don't think Tiwanas were thrown out of their land by sikhs, source? Tiwanas were ones who gained most out of all others who sided with British. I don't know about their fortune now but back then they were richest family in Pakistan. They fell out of political landscape after continued support for Unionsts otherwise they may have been Sharif brothers of punjab politics.

Many thanks. Actually my source is a Tiwana Malik who is my old friend.

 

[Mian Babban]

During Sikh times, Malik Fateh Khan Tiwana was the governor of the 'NWFP' or conquered Pashtun areas, he only fell out of favor after murdering the crown prince Pishora Singh and throwing him off the Attock Fort into the Indus. And it wasn't as simple as that, there were many Muslim chiefs, both Punjabi and even Pashtun, that were allied with Ranjit Singh.

To be precise he was made governor (kardar or revenue-collector) of only Bannu after first Anglo-Sikh war . A fort was built by him in my home town Lakki in 1844.