In this post, I will at the Adrah, who are found mainly in Gujarkhan, Chakwal and Sohawa tehsils and neighbouring Mirpur District. Like other Pothahar clans, the Adrah are split between Jat and Rajput sections, this especially the case among the Mirpur Adrah, who consider themselves as Jats. The information on this community comes largely from the Tazkira Potohar by Mohammad Artsab, Aqwam-e-Pakistan ka encyclopaedia by Anjum Sultan Shahbazand Tabqat-e-Faroqi by Chaudhary Mohammad Farooq.
Origins
The earliest reference to the Adrah is found in J. E. Cracroft’s Rawalpindi Settlement Report of 1865. He writes the following about them:
The Adrah are a family converted from Hinduism. They were formally a powerful clan, but were almost annihilated by the Gakhars. They inhabit villages chiefly in the tehsil of Gujarkhan
According to tribal myths, the Adrah are a branch of the Chauhan Rajputs, and Adrah is simply the Pothohari way to pronounce Hara, which is a major branch of the Chauhans. The Chauhan is perhaps the most famous of the Rajput clans, for Prithvi Raj, the last Hindu ruler of North India, belonged to this clan. According to their bardic traditions, the Chauhan are one of the four Agnivanshi or ‘fire sprung’ tribes who were created by the gods in the Agni kund or ‘fountain of fire’ on Mount Abu to fight against the Asuras or demons. Chauhan is also one of the thirty-six ruling races of the Rajputs. However, among the Adrah of Mirpur District, the Adrah are named after a Chauhan forefather whose name was either Adrah or Aadu Khan.
History of the Chauhan Rajput
In the early eleventh century, the Chauhans later asserted their independence from the Pratiharas, with the Sakhambari king Ajaya-Raja founded the city of Ajayameru (Ajmer) in the southern part of their kingdom, and in the mid twelfth century, his successor Vigraharaja enlarged the state, captured Dhilika (the ancient name of Delhi) from the Tomaras and annexed some of their territory along the Yamuna River, including Haryana and Delhi. In 12th century the Chauhans dominated Delhi, Ajmer and Ranthambhor. They were also prominent at Godwar in the southwest of Rajputana, and at Hadoti (Bundi and Kota) in the east.
The Chauhan kingdom became the leading state and a powerful kingdom in Northern India under King Prithviraj III (1165-1192), also known as Prithvi Raj Chauhan or Rai Pithora. Prithviraj III has become famous in folk tales and historical literature as the Chauhan king of Delhiwho resisted and repelled the invasion by Mohammed of Ghor at the first Battle of Tarain in 1191. Armies from other Rajput kingdoms, including Mewar, assisted him. The Chauhan kingdom collapsed after Prithviraj faced defeat in the war.[1][2] the battle ground against Mohammed of Ghor in 1192 at the Second Battle of Tarain. Prithviraj’s defeat and capture at Tarain ushered in Muslim rule in North India by the Delhi Sultanate. The Chauhans of Ajmer remained in exile due to Muhammad of Ghor and his successors, the Sultans of Delhi, and thus swelled the ranks of the armed forces of the Maharana of Mewar, until 1365, when Ajmer was captured by the Sisodias rulers of Mewar, and Ajmer was then returned to the Chauhans.
A branch of the Chauhans, led by Govinda, the grandson of Pritviraj III, established themselves as rulers of Ranthambore from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, until Ranthambore was captured by Rana Kumbha of Mewar. The Haras dynasty of the Chauhans, moved into the Hadoti region in the twelfth century, capturing Bundi in 1241 and ruled there until the twentieth century. One sept of these Hada Rajputs won Kota.
Adrah Chauhan of the Pothohar
I now come specifically to the Adrah. According to Chaudhary Mohammad Farooq in his book Tabqat-e-Faroqi, the Adrah are a Chauhan clan, while Major J.E Cracroft, author of the First Settlement Report of Rawalpindi District, the Adrah were ruler of the Gujarkhan district until their conquest by the Gakhars in Lodhi period. Under Baran Shah Adrah, the tribe tried the challenge the Gakhars, but were ultimately defeated. They remained as petty rajahs in the region until the British arrival in 1849.
According to the traditions of village of Usman Zada Adra, there ancestor Changa Khan left Delhi and founded the village. He had two sons Usmanzada and Adrah, from who descend the Adrah tribe. The village is still home to a large community of Adrah Chauhans. Anjum Shabaz gives a slightly different account of the tribe. According to him, the Gujar Khan Adrah descend from an individual named Baran Shah. He had four sons, Ahmed Mat, Usman, Lona and Kun. Ahmed is said to have founded the village of Matore in Kallar Syedan, Usman founded Usman Zada Adrah in Gujar Khan, Lona is said to have founded two villages, Luni and Luna in Rawalpindi and the fourth son founded Bajrana Kanyal in Gujar Khan and was the ancestor of the Kanyal Chauhan tribe. The Matore Adrah were later driven out of the village by the Janjua. Under Baran Shah Adrah, the tribe tried the challenge the Gakhars, but were ultimately defeated. They remained as petty rajahs in the region until the British arrival in 1849. Indeed, the title Raja was initially only held by them, but with time, almost every tribe of Rajput status uses it. In 1864, the British confirmed ownership of seven villages outright, and in 29 they shared ownership with other tribes at the times of the British conquest.They are found mainly in Rawalpindi and Gujarkhan tehsils of Rawalpindi. A smaller number are also found in Mirpur region of Azad Kashmir. According to another tribal tradition, the Adrah are named after a Chauhan forefather whose name was either Adrah or Aadu Khan.
Distribution
In Rawalpindi District, the main Chauhan settlements are at Usman Zada Adra where the village is owned by the in Gujar Khan Tehsil. Starting with Rawalpindi Tehsil, there is a settlement in Sadar Rawalpindi at Adra, while others are smaller settlements at Panjgran, Sihala, Darkali, Kotlah, Jhatta Hathial and Sahib Dhamial, the last of which they share with the Dhamial Rajputs. In Kallar Syedan Tehsil, they are found in the village of Takal. While in Tehsil Gujar Khan, in addition to Usmanzada Adra, they are found in Borgi Karam Chand, Jatli, Jhanda, Dhoke Chauhan, Dora Budhal, Kauntrilla, Mankiala, Mandra, Nagial Pahalwan, Narali, Pindori, Ranjali and Ratala.
In the Sohawa Tehsil of Jhelum District, they are found in the villages of Bains Qasim, Bulbul Kalan, Bulbul Khurd, Diwan Hazoori-Bishandaur, Dheri Dhamial, Gurrah Matta and Rakha Dhamyal. In Chakwal Tehsil of Chakwal District, they are found in the villages of Dhuraggi, Ghazial, Kahalah, Sangwali and Zayal Raizada (a hamlet near Ghazial).
In Mirpur District, the Adrah are mainly found in Tehsil Dadyal and are closely connected in terms of kinship with the Adrah of Mohra Adrian, Samote, Rawalpindi, perhaps even originating from there. In Tehsil Dadyal, the Adrah have major centres in Sarthala and Gojrathala, Kandore, and Aadreya-na-Mohra, Samlotha. From Gojrathala, the clan spread to Mohra Dhall, Khadimabad (named after Molvi Khadam Hussain who belong to the Adrah family); Nakka, Ankar; and Kheri.
newpakhistorian 