Description of Major Muslim Communities in India: Muslim Kamboh

In this post, I return to the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP), and the Muslim communities that inhabit it. In particular, I will look at the Muslim Kambohs, a Muslim community that is part of the wider Kamboh ethnic group of South Asia. They are also known as Zubairi. The Muslim Kamboh are found mainly in the Rohilkhand and Doab region. They are entirely Sunni and speak Urdu. They are fairly small community, but played a major role in the history of Western Uttar Pradesh. Like the Gujjars and Bhattis discussed in my earlier posts, they are likely to have been immigrants from the Punjab.

Origin

There are a number of different traditions as to the origin of the Kamboh. Some Kamboh claim Afghan origin, others claim Arab origin, while others simply claim to be Muslim converts from the Hindu Kamboh caste.

• Those who claim Indian ancestry claim descent from Raja Sodakhsh of Kamboja, an ancient Indian kingdom. The Rajah was a descendent of the god Chandra Verman, and the Kambojas are referred to in the Mahabharata. They are said to have inhabited Afghanistan, which was known as Kamboja desa, or land of the Kamboh.

• Those who claim Afghan origin, claim to belong to the famous Kayani dynasty of ancient Iran. The word Kamboh is said to be a compound of the word Kai Ambo, after an ancestor. The descendents of this king were known as the Kamboh, and Ghazni in Afghanistan was a centre of their power.

• Those who claim Arab ancestry claim descent from Zubair ibn al-Awam, the first cousin of the Prophet Mohammad. According to this tradition, the original homeland of the Kamboh wasMultan and not Afghanistan.

It seems clear is that most Uttar Pradesh Kamboh have strong traditions of migrating from Punjab. Some groups, such as those of Bareilly claim that they were part of the army of Shahbaz Khan Kamboh, a general in the army of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir. He was asked to pacify a rebellion in Assam, and said to have come from Jalandhar in Punjab. Many in his army were Punjabi Kamboh, who instead of returning to Punjab settled in various locations in western Uttar Pradesh.

The exact circumstances of the Kamboh migration to Uttar Pradesh are unclear. However, towards the end of the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526), we hear increasing references to the Kamboh as playing an important role in the politics. During the Lodhi and Moghul rule. Miyan Jumman Khan Kamboh was “Hajib-i-Khas” (Special Lord of Bed Chamber),Umar Khan Kamboh was Amir-i-Akhur (Minister of Cavalry department)[ and Miyan Ladan Khan Kamboh was an Imam and Royal Nadim of Sikandar Lodhi, Shaikh Itmad-ul-Malik Sambhal was Amir-i-Arz (Paymaster General) and then Prime Minister of Sher Shah Suri. Numerous other Kamboj are known to have occupied very key military and civil positions during Lodhi, Pashtun and the Moghul reign in India. Irfan Habib writes:

The Sayyids and the Kambohs among the Indian Muslims were specially favoured for high military and civil positions during Moghul rule”.
The Kambo, Indian Shaikhzadas and local Saiyid nobles rose to prominence during the period under review” (i.e. Lodi dynasty of Delhi).

According to the historian Muhammad Umar writes:

“The (Muslim) Kamboh distinguished themselves by their courage, generosity and high spirits. They were famous for their excellent manners and were particularly gifted with wisdom and nobility….In terms of social stratification, the Kambohs were counted among the Shaikhs…..Among the Indian Muslims, the Kambohs were regarded as the noblest of all. However, perhaps with a view to maintaining the purity of their descent, or because of pride of nobility, they confined their matrimonial relationships within their own groups and did not establish marriage connections with other Muslim groups including even the Saiyids and the Mughals. Some members of this clan like Shahbaz Khan Kamboh, Nawab Abu Muhammad Khan, Bahadur Khan and Nawab Khair Andesh Khan rose to high positions during the reign of Mughals”

Hindu origin

The tradition of a Hindu origin seems more prevalent among the Kamboh of Saharanpur District. According to tribal myths, they originally  lived about Mathura and were Kshatriyas. When Parasu Rama was slaughtering the Kshatriyas, he found their ancestor Bhup  Rae armed and ready resist. He, therefore, proposed  slaying him; and on Bhup Rae saying that he was not a Kshatriya,Parasu Ram is said to have replied that he was demenour was that of a  Kshatriyas. Bhup Rae at once objected that he was not qaim buu (of any fixed  odour) at all and was saved. He was afterwards was known as Qaimbn,
which gradually got changed into Kamboh. This legend was recorded in the late 19th Century by the ethnologist William Crooke, at the time most Hindu and Sikh Kamboh were making claims to Kshatriya.  What was clear was that both in Punjab, where the majority of Kambohs lived, and in western UP, they were seem by their neighbours as quasi-kshatriya.

 

Those who claim a Hindu origin, claim their conversion to Islam occurred during the early years of Islam in India, one of the groups of this clan embraced Islam at the instance of Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya Suhrawardi (of Multan) and his son Shaikh Sadruddin. Their tradition refers to their migration from Multan to Saharanpur under during the rule of the Lodhi dynasty. It is interesting that Saharanpur District is also home to a large community of Hindu Kambohs. These Kamboh have largely remained affiliated with agriculture. In this district, they are believed to be one of sub caste of Jatts. This region may be the site of their earliest settlement in Uttar Pradesh.

 

Arab origin

The tradition of an Arab origin is more common among the Kamboh of Etah and Bareilly districts. They generally now prefer to be known as Zubairi. Zubairi literally means in Arabic a descendant of Zubair, and the Zubairi Kamboh claim descent Zubair ibn al-Awam. Zubair ibn al-Awam was the first cousin of the Prophet but was also one of his closest companions. He was known for his valor and bravery and is remembered as the conqueror of Egypt in 19 AH, and embraced martyrdom in 36 AH. Zubair was laid to rest in Basra, near the borders of Kuwait and Iraq. This town was named as Al-Zubair. Zubair had twelve sons and nine daughters. Three of his famous sons were Abdullah, Musab and Urwah. Abdullah was a Muslim caliph at Makkah, Musab was the governor of Kufa in 73 AH and Urwa was the first Muslim historian.

After almost fifty years of the conquest of Sindh by Muhammad Bin Qasim, Zuberis started migrating from Makkah and Medina towards Sindh. Most of them settled at place near modern Dadu. By the end of 4th century AH, Zuberis started migrating from Sindh to Multan. During 14th century AD, portion of Zuberi clan migrated to Delhi. Sheikh Samauddin Zuberi was a famous Sufi who led this migration. Afterwards Zuberi family flourished in Lahore, Panipat, Delhi and Sambhal. During the regime of Mughal Emperor Akbar, Zuberis also settled in Meerut.

Kamboh of Marehra, Etah District

The Kambohs of Marehra in Etah District claim to be Arab descent, and often call themselves Zubairi. There ancestor was Shaikh
Khwajah Imad-ud-din Muhammad , a native of Multan, who was a courtier of the first Mughal Emperor Babur (20 April 1526 – 26 December 1530). Babur appointed him amil (administrator) of Marehra around 1527.In 1542, during the reign of Sher Shah, the Khwaja’s two sons were appointed to the offices of chaudary and kanunjo of the pargana (lowest administrative unit), when theses post were created. These posts remained with the descendants of the original holders until the occupation of country by the British, when the office of was abolished.The Mughal Emperor Akbar conferred the proprietary rights on Marehra to Fateh Khan and Umar Khan, grandsons of the Khwaja. The town was divided into eleven muhallas or wards, the most noteworthy of which was the Kamboh muhalla.

Kamboh of Meerut District

The Muslim Kambohs of Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh have a tradition that they belonged to a distinguished Kamboh family of Ghazni which had come to India in early eleventh century in the invading army of Sulatn Mahmud of Ghazni (rule: 997 AD – 1030 AD). According to their own accounts the name “Kamboh” of the family is derived from that of their original home, Kamboja, the ancient name for Afghanistan. The Muslaman Kambohs of Meerut stated that that one of their ancestors, Hasan Mahmudi Kamboh was the Wazir (minister) of Sultan Mahmud Ghazni and came to India in first decade of eleventh century AD in the army of the Sultan. Their ancestors succeeded in capturing the city of Meerut from Raja Mai of Meerut Hassan Mahmudi Kamboh built the Jama Masjid in the city and around it stand buried the Kamboh heroes from Ghazni who fell in the attack on Meerut. The Masjid was later repaired in 16th century during the rule of Mughal Emperor Humayun. The early members of the Kamboh family built the Sangi Mahal which was later known as Permit House and another elegant palace known as Rangi Mahal– the remains of both these once-elegant palaces are still in existence.

Kamboh of Amroha and Moradabad

The Kambohs of Amroha all claim to come from Afghanistan. They traditionally resided in two mohallahs, the Saddu muhalla Kamboh who were Shia and those of Badshahi Chabutra wo were Sunni. The Saddu muhalla Kambohs claimed descent from from Hakim Imam-ud-din Khan, who arrived in Amroha the end of the eighteenth century from Meerut . The Sunni Kambohs claim descent from Muhtashim Khan, who came to Amroha at a somewhat earlier date. This family is related to the Sunni Kambohs of Moradabad, whose ancestor, Karim Bakhsh arrived in Moradabad from Dehli , during the rule of the Awadh Nawab Asaf-ud-daula. The Awadhi authorities appointed him chakladar . When Awadh rule was replaced by the British in the beginning of the 19th Century, he was made tehsildar. These Moradabad Kambohs were substantial landowners. In addition to the Muslim Kambohs, the old district of Moradabad (now Amroha, Moradabad and Sambhal) was also home to a large community of Hindu Kambohs.

Distribution of Muslim Kamboh in Uttar Pradesh by District According to 1891 Census of India

 

District	Hindu	Muslim
Saharanpur	3,271	689
Muzaffarnagar	920	8
Dehra Dun	290	5
Meerut	760	480
Bulandshahr		11
Aligarh		38
Agra		1
Farrukhabad		67
Mainpuri		2
Etawah		2
Etah		437
Bijnor	274	16
Badaun		11
Moradabad	308	294
Shahjahanpur		19
Kanpur		7
Fatehpur		62
Banda		17
Hamirpur		2
Allahabad		50
Jhansi		24
Jalaun		23
Ghazipur		8
Gorakhpur		6
Basti		13
Nainital	309
Lucknow		9
Sitapur		10
Barabanki		2
Bahraich		9
Total Population in UP	6,222	2,322

 

Population of Muslim Rajput Clans of British Punjab According to the 1891 Census of India

In 1891 the total Rajput population was 1,983,299 of which Muslims were 1,559,977. I would also ask the reader to look at my other posts such as Muslim Rajput clans of British Punjab according to the 1901 Census of India.

 

Tribe	Population	Distribution
Bhatti	297,343	throughout Punjab, but special concentrations in Bhatiana (Firuzpur/Hissar/Sirsa), Bhatiore (Jhang/Chiniot), Gujranwala and Rawalpindi
Khokhar	137,883	Jhang, Jhelum, Hoshiarpur, Sialkot, Hoshiarpur, Jallandhar and Gurdaspur
Chauhan	132,116	Modern Haryana (especially Karnal and Panipat), Ambala, and central Punjab – the Karnal, Rohtak and Rewari Chauhan are a Ranghar tribe, in central found mainly in Lahore, Amritsar and Jallandhar
Sial	106,146	Jhang, Multan and other parts of South Punjab
Gondal	62,071	Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Shahpur
Panwar	54,892	Rohtak, Karnal, Jind and Hissar (the eastern group); Bahawalpur, Multan and Muzaffargarh (the western group) – the eastern group are a Ranghar tribe; a smaller grouo also found in Jhelum
Kharal	51,586	Faisalabad and Sahiwal
Joiya	47,773	Along the banks of the Sutlej from Multan to Firuzpur extending to Hissar and Sirsa
Janjua	36,970	a western group in Rawalpindi and Jhelum and eastern group in Hoshiarpur
Ghorewaha	34,192	Present East Punjab, Jallandhar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana
Manj	26,983	Present East Punjab, Amritsar, Jallandhar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana
Wattu	24,150	Along the banks of the Sutlej from Bahawalpur to Firuzpur extending to Hissar and Sirsa
Sulehri / Sulehria	24,345	Sialkot and Gurdaspur
Naru	22,680	Present East Punjab, Amritsar, Jallandhar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana – by early 20th Century, several Naru were settled in Faisalabad and Sahiwal in the canal colonies
Tomar / Tonwar	21,691	Modern Haryana (especially Rohtak and Panipat), Ambala, and in the Bahawalpur Stater
Bariah also pronounced as Varya	19,463	Present East Punjab, Jallandhar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana
Ranjha	18,490	Jhelum / Chakwal
Taoni	17,730	Ambala – a Ranghar grouping
Manhas / Minhas	16,026	From Rawalpindi to Hoshiarpur – a Muslim Dogra grouping
Dhudhi	11,286	Sargodha, Jhang, Faisalabad and Sahiwal
Bhakral	11,207	Rawalpindi and Jhelum
Jatu	10,837	Modern Haryana (especially Hissar and Gurgaon), Ambala, and Rohtak. They are a Ranghar tribe
Satti	10,799	Rawalpindi
Dhanyal	8,524	Rawalpindi – Murree Tehsil
Khichi	7,845	Sargodha, Jhang and Sahiwal
Mekan	7,733	Sargodha (Shahpur District), Jhang and Rawalpindi
Chib	6,673	Gujrat, a Muslim Dogra clan
Mandahar	4,022	Modern Haryana (especially Karnal and Panipat), Ambala, and Hissar. They are a Ranghar tribe
Khanzada	3,471	Gurgaon – a branch of the Jadaun clan
Tiwana	3,120	a western group in Kushab and eastern group in Patiala
Raghubansi / Raghuvanshi	3,060	Ambala – a Ranghar clan
Kanial	2,725	Rawalpindi and Jhelum
Katil	2,461	Sialkot and Gurdaspur
Pundir	2,117	Ambala and Karnal – a Ranghar group with villages near the Yamuna river
Bargujar	2,046	Gurgaon – a Ranghar tribe found in Rewari
Kethwal	1,849	Rawalpindi – Murree Tehsil
Jadaun	1,353	Gurgaon and Karnal – a Ranghar tribe
Bagri	1,186	Hissar and Firuzpur, in areas bordering Bikaner. Rajasthani immigrants
Rathore	1,067	Hissar, Firuzpur and Bahawalpur, in areas bordering Bikaner. Rajasthani immigrants
Chandel	912	Present East Punjab, Jallandhar, Patiala and Ludhiana
Khoja	841	Multan and Bahawalpur State
Jaswal	558	Hoshiarpur
Gaurwa	546	Gurgaon – Ranghar group
Atiras	477	Patiala State
Pathial	470	Kangra and Hoshiarpur
Luddu	258	Hoshiarpur
Guleria	248	Hoshiarpur
Dhanwal	214	Sahiwal and Okara
Dadwal	147	Hoshiarpur
Pathania	138	Gurdaspur – a Muslim Dogra group
Katoch	101	Hoshiarpur
Miscellaneous clans	299,166	throughout Punjab

 

Description of Major Muslim Communities in India: Muslim Bhumihar / Kamsar Pathan

In this post, I look another major Indian Muslim community, found mainly in eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of north western Bihar. There preferred self-designation now is Kamsari Pathan, although history they were known as Muslim Babhan, or Muslim Bhumihar. The Kamsari are a community of rural Muslims, who are descended from the Hindu Bhumihar community.

To start off with, I will briefly discuss the origin of the Bhumihar community, from whom the Kamsar trace their descent. The Bhumihars claim Brahmin status, and are also referred to as Bhumihar Brahmin. In Bihar, they are also known as Babhan and they have also been called Bhuinhar. The word Bhumihar is itself of relatively recent origin, first used in the records of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh in 1865. It derives from the word bhoomi (“land”), referring to the caste’s landowner status. The term Bhumihar Brahmin was adopted by the community in the late-19th century to emphasize their claim of belonging to the priestly Brahmin class. The alternate name “Babhan” has been described as a distorted colloquial term for “Brahmin. As with many castes in India, there are numerous myths regarding the origins of the Bhumihar community. One legend claims that their ancestors were Brahmins who were set up to take the place of the Kshatriyas slain by Parashurama but some non-Bhumihars have implied that they are the mixed-race offspring of Brahmin men and Kshatriya women. Other legends state that they are the offspring of a union between Rajput men and Brahmin women, or that they derive from Brahman-Buddhists who lost their high position in Hindu society.

With regards to Ghazipur District, the terms Bhumihar and Rajput are somewhat elastic, since the line of demarcation between these two communities is often extremely vague, both claiming a common origin in several instances, such as the case of the Kamsar Pathans. The Kamsar Pathans, who are found mainly in the Ghazipur District of eastern Uttar Pradesh. According to tribal traditions, they ancestor was a Kam Deo, a Sikarwar Rajput who came from the region of Agra. According to tribal traditions, Kam Deo served in force led by his brother Dham Deo, a leader of four thousand troops and fought alongside Rana Sanga of Mewar, who led a large Rajput alliance against the Mughal Emperor in the battle of Khanwa, a place near Agra in 1527. The Mughals were victorious and the Rajput army was scattered. Dham Deo and his elder brother Kam Deo came down to Ghazipur with their families and followers. The refuges are said to have settled in a territory between Karmnasha and Ganges in what is now Ghazipur district, Dham Deo and his followers settled in Gahmar, while Kam Deo settled in Zamania. Kam Deo’s descendants intermarried with other settled Bhumihars in the region, and founded the clan of Kinwar Bhumihars.
Subsequent to their arrival, both brothers and their followers entered into the service of Tikam Deo, the Cheru tribal chieftain of Birpur and eventually overthrew him, seizing his capital and occupying his estate At the time of the arrival of the refugees, the Cheru were said to be the rulers of most of Ghazipur. After a couple of generation, the community split into three main branches; after the founders Rajdhar Rai, Mukund Rai, and Pithaur Rai. Rajdhar Rai captured Birpur and one of his subdivisions settled in the Bara taluka of Zamania, and converted to Islam. There is however some dispute as to when the conversion to Islam. According to some traditions, the conversion occurred during the period of Lodhi rule over Ghazipur district, while others traditions point to a much later date during the rule of Sher Shah Suri. The first to convert to Islam was a Narhar Dev, later called Narhar Khan after his accepting of Islam.

The Kamsari are now mainly a community of peasant cultivators, but historically were in possession of most of the Bara of Ghazipur District. They speak Bhojpuri, although most also understand Urdu. The Kamsar now occupy a compact territory near the town of Bara, between the Ganges river and the Bihar state border. The most important settlement in Kamsar region of Dildarnagar Kamsar. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste council known as a panchayat, which enforces communal norms as well as resolving intra-community disputes. This region is also known as Kamsar-O-Bar, and the following villages Usia, Rakasaha, Tajpur Kurrah, Gorasara, Mania, Khajuri, Kusi, Bhaksi, Jaburna, Dewaitha, Fufuao, Bahuara, Saraila, Chitarkoni, Akhini come in the Bar sub region. Other then the Kamsar, there are several lineages of Muslim Bhumihar found in Munger and Muzaffarpur of Bihar, where they are called as Diwani Pathan.

Hoteel and Janhal tribes of Azad Kashmir

In this post I intend to look at two tribes, namely the Janhal and Hoteel, who both claim to be Mughals and are found in the Poonch Jagir. The word Mughal is simply the Farsi and Urdu version of the word Mongol, for the two words are only different forms of the same name, probably either entered the Punjab with Ẓahīr-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Babur (14 February 1483 – 26 December 1530), or were attracted to India during the period of Mughal rule (circa 16th Century to 18 Century). For this article, I have relied heavily on Munshi Muhammad Din Fauq’s Tareekh Aqwam Poonch as my main source.

Hoteel

We now take a look at the Hoteel, a fairly compact tribe found only within the historic Poonch Jageer, in the region which is now Bagh District. Like the Douli, the Hoteel claim a Mughal origin, descended from Taimurlane or Amir Timur, the Barlas ruler of Central Asia. There ancestor was a Sultan Khalil Mirza, an uncle of the first Mughal Emperor Babar (14 February 1483 – 26 December 1530). Fourth in descend from Sultan Khalil was a Hot Yar Khan, who is said to have given the tribe its name. He is said of settled in the Poonch region during the rule of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, while his son Sanjar Khan, the first two be given the surname Hoteel established a principality in the Poonch region, around the settlemet of Bngion. The present Hoteel tribe claims descent from Buj Khan and Bunga Khan, Sanjar Khan’s sons. Their main settlement is Bangion, in present Bagh District of Azad Kashmir. This town gets its name from the Bango Khan, who is said to founded the town. This family tree would make the Hoteel to be members of the Barlas, the tribe of the Mughal Dynasty of India. However, despite this pedigree, the Hoteel do not claim to Barlas, but allege a Chagtai ancestry. I shall just briefly to look at who these Chagtai are. Chughtai’s were Turkic or Tatar nomads of Central Asia, who were followers or descendants of Chagatai Khan, the second son of Genghis Khan, who founded the Chagatai Khanate in 1226, which covered an area of most of what are now the five Central Asian republics. The Chagatai language, which the lingua franca in Central Asia for at least eight centuries and Chagatai Turks take their names from him. There is tradition of Chaghtai migration to India, after the Mughal conquest, so it is just about possible that the Hoteel are by origin Chaghtai.

The Hoteel are found mainly in Bagh District, with important villages of Bangion, Jandala, Qamrota, Pachiot, Tahla and Samrota.

Janhal

Looking now at the Juhnal, or sometimes pronounced Janhal or even Janhaal, they too have a number of traditions as to their origin. According to some traditions, the Junhal are Rajputs, however most Janhal oclaim a Barlas Mughal origin. The Junhal are said to be descended from Mughal troopers who were settled in the mountainous region of Kahuta to keep watch over the hill tribes of Murree and the Dogras who inhabited the slopes of Pir Panjal mountains. Most Janhal families claim descent from two sons of Amir Timur, founder of the Timurid / Mughal dynasty of Central Asia and India, namely Ghayasudin Mansour and Mansour Mirza. Mirza Bhakar Khan, the founder of the Janhal tribe was a decendent of Ghayasudin Mansour, arrived in the Kahuta region during the 16th Century. The tribe gets its name from Mirza Jahan Khan, the Jahan aals, or sons of Jahan that was corrupted to Janhaal or Janhal. Sixth in descent from Mirza Jahan were two brothers, Mirza Bhuga Khan and Mirza Kuna Khan. The descendents of Mirza Kuna are found in Kahuta, where they founded an independent state, while Bhuga Khan’s clansmen crossed the Jhelum and settled in what was then the Poonch state. According to tribal tradition, Bugga Khan married into the locally dominant Rai Zada family, and founded the village of Bugga in Kotli. A decendent of Buagga Khan, Noor Khan founded the town of Norsa, which became a centre of another Janhal principality. Norsa gets its name from Noor Khan Janhal.

Up to the 18th Century, the Junhal were a considerably power occupying a tract of the Jhelum River valley that now forms part of Kahuta Tehsil of Rawalpindi District, and a part of Bagh District. However, their independence was destroyed by the Gakhars, and the tribe was reduced to cluster of villages near the town of Beor in Kahuta Tehsil, where they are still found. The Junhal are now one of a number of agrarian tribes, such as Maldiyal and Douli who claim a Mughal ancestry, and are found in the hill country covering parts of Rawalpindi District and Azad Kashmir.

In terms of the settlements, outside the town of Beor itself, which is still largely Janhal, important villages in Kahuta Tehsil include Bharuthi, Chanor, Janhatal, Khalol, Sail, Sanj, Seri and Sweri. Across the Jhelum river in Sudhanoti District, their villages stretch from a cluster of villages near the river bank such Bloch, Bethok Thalyan, Sahar, Janga Bagla, Kalar, Kharand, Norsa, Gallah, Janhal Chawkian, Pakhonar, Gaam Kotli, Chana Gali, and Poti Chaharian. In Kotli District, there villages include Pooral, Noi, Nigai, Sersawa, Bugga and Bandhoor. Near the line of Control, there are number of Janhal villages such an Manarhol and Tahi, and Tattapani town contains several Janhal families.

Population of Muslim Rajput clans of Jammu and Kashmir State according to the 1911, 1921 and 1931 Census of India

In this post I set out the results of the 1911, 1921 and 1931 Census of the Jammu and Kashmir Princely State for the various Rajput clans. Around 60% of the population was Muslim, divided into as much as a hundred clans. In terms of Administration, the state was divided into four regions, Kashmir (including Muzaffarabad), Jammu (including Mirpur), Poonch and the Frontier regions. The administration set up was as follows:

Jammu Province: Districts of Jammu, Jasrota (Kathua), Udhampur, Reasi and Mirpur.

Kashmir Province: Districts of Kashmir South (Anantnag), Kashmir North (Baramulla) and Muzaffarabad.

Frontier districts: Wazarats of Ladakh and Gilgit.

Internal jagirs: Poonch, Bhaderwah and Chenani.

In the 1941 census, further details of the frontier districts were given:[28]

Ladakh wazarat: Tehsils of Leh, Skardu and Kargil.
Gilgit wazarat: Tehsils of Gilgit and Astore
Frontier illaqas: Punial, Ishkoman, Yasin, Kuh-Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar, Chilas.

The Muslim Rajput population was found mainly in Jammu, Poonch and Muzaffarabad region of Kashmir. They spoke Punjabi and related dialects.

The 1911 Census recorded 22 clans, whie the 1931 recorded 23 clans. Jammu District, which included most of the southern part of the State, had prior to 1947 a large Muslim population, most of whom moved to Pakistan as the result of partition. Like neighbouring Sialkot in Punjab, most Jammu Rajputs belonged to the Agan, Awan, Bhao, Bhatti, Khokhar, Minhas and Sulehria tribes. These tribes spoke Punjabi, and had much in common with clans found in Sialkot and Gurdaspur. West of Jammu tribes, we find those of Mirpur, roughly covering the southern third of modern day Azad Kashmir. The Chibs were the largest tribe in this region, concentrated in and near Bhimber, and other areas east of the Chenab. Around Mirpur town, we find the Awan, Bains, Gakhar, Sahu and Minhas, and while a large number of Jaral were found in near Bhimber. In the mid Himalayas, roughly comprising the modern districts of Rajouri and Reasi we find the Domaal, Jaral, Kamlak and Thakkar tribes. Most of these tribes spoke dialects of Pahari. Finally, in the Poonch Jagir now divided in half by the line of control, we find the Badhan, Dhund, Douli, Janjua Janhal, Maldial, Mangral and Minhas tribes. The edges of the Kashmir valley were home to the Bomba and Khakha tribes.

1911 Census

The total Muslim population was 196,817  (58%) out of a total population of 341,665. The rest were entirely Hindu.

Tribe	Jammu District (including city)	Jasrota	Udhampur District	Reasi District	Mirpur District	Poonch Jagir	Muzaffarabad District	Kashmir North	Total
Awan	1,978	127	108	324	6,280	6,171	11,642	580	27,558
Badhan				79	1,393	4,007	505		6,586
Bains				167	5,802	59	97		6,193
Bhao	66		2	51	437	16			592
Bhatti	502			1,900	347	543	1,111		4,451
Bomba					4		1,190		1,462
Chauhan	147	24	4	6	46	32	2,219	368	3,646
Chib	198	2	13	336	8,659	270	100	8	9,665
Dhund						9,611	6,225		15,858
Domaal			9	2,599	1,035	2,992		308	6,953
Douli					248	2,820	23		3,099
Gakhar	121	5	170	357	4,095	8,186	759		13,825
Janhal					236	944			1,180
Janjua	186	2	11	1,404	427	4,460	1,343		8,062
Jaral	214	29	52	3,893	3,434	569	172		8,566
Khakha			1		4	1,206	179		1,391
Khokhar	486	72	23	1,115	949	2,537	2,305		7,736
Maldial					8	11,492	123		11,643
Mangral	17	2		429	5,937	539	76		7,027
Manhas/ Minhas	1,000	42	110	403	490	3,630	1,024		6,797
Narma	2			127	1,970	4,495	14		6,617
Sau / Sahoo	26				2,934				2,961
Thakkar	5	9	66	4,038	16	728	359	6,103	10,451
Others	8,150	372	949	2,833	3,081	4,106	596		24,497

1921 Census

In 1921 Census, seperate clans other then the Basdhan, Bhatti, Dhund and Domaal were not seperately enumerated.

 

Tribe	Jammu District (including city)	Kathua District	Udhampur District	Reasi District	Mirpur District	Poonch Jagir	Muzaffarabad District	Kashmir North	Total
Badhan	17		8	371	260	2,865	469		3,992
Bhatti	1,203	65		2,144	464	1,236	957		6,246
Bomba				48		11	2,327	366	3,609
Dhund					15	9,896	5,180		15,430
Domaal				2,682	310	4,657			7,670
Others	2,263	228	6,751	4,298	14,776	16,683	863		46,290

1931 Census

The total Rajput population was 391,888 of which Muslim Rajputs numbered 233,441 (60%)

 

Tribe	Jammu District (including city)	Kathua District	Udhampur District	Reasi District	Mirpur District	Poonch Jagir	Muzaffarabad District	Baramula District	Total
Awan	2,140	33	17	562	5,817	9,674	12,481	701	33,600
Badhan	7			142	532				5,211
Bains					678	3,832	442		678
Bhao	53		4	83	569	21		30	761
Bhatti	1,355		16	2,312	1,664	2,893			8,240
Bomba				48		11	2,327	366	3,609
Chauhan	241	32	207	69	279	193	127	1,275	3,947
Chib	971	14	63	452	7,378	392	253		8,073
Dhund	5			43	1	12,105	5,360		17,523
Domaal	32			2,769	97	3,458			6,856
Douli					11				27
Gakhar	98	17	102	776	5,076	6,608	3,723		16,726
Janhal						14	62		78
Janjua	198	20	10	1,364	220	2,112	1,709	186	6,022
Jaral	1,068	8	152	6,094	3,480	566	144		11,627
Khakha		11	11		9	1,010	6,627	10	7,739
Khokhar	1,156	47	48	1,162	943	921	1,698		6,700
Maldial				112		13,985	1,390		15,630
Mangral	7		10	545	6,827	1,101	956	37	9,509
Manhas/ Minhas	1,425	15	109	1,043	1,162	3,760	1,159		8,682
Narma	12			75	2,078	4,684			6,857
Sulehria/ Sulehri	7,733	45	37	203	45	98			8,162
Sau / Sahoo					834				894
Others	2,263	228	6,751	4,298	14,776	16,683	863		46,290

Mahra, Naich and Waiha tribes of South Punjab

In this post I shall look at three tribes, namely the Mahra, Naich and Waiha or Vehas, that are found mainly in South Punjab. They all have traditions of migration from Rajasthan, leaving the desert of the Thar and settling in the valley of the Indus or Sutlej. The Jats and Rajputs of this region are said to have came from Rajputana and Jaisalmer and converted to Islam in the reign of Feroz Shah Tughlak (ruler 1351 to 1388). According to tribal traditions, as the Bhati rulers of Jaiselmer extended their control, they extinguished the independence of the various Jat of the what was then known as the Jangal Desh. As the tribes moved west towards the valley of the Sutlej, they encountered a Sufi saint who converted them to Islam. One of the Sufi often referred to in the conversion story was Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari (1199–1291), which conflicts with the migration story under Tughlak. In Punjab, a claim of conversion at the hands of Sufi often adds prestige, therefore it is possible the migration occured latter under Tughlak, but the Sufi story was added later. One more point I wish to make that in Southern Punjab, the word Jat refers to any tribe that does not claim to be Saiyads, Baloch, Pathan and Qureshis and is somehow connected with agriculture. Therefore, according this definition, all these tribes are Jat.

Mahra

I start off by looking at the Mahra. According to tribal traditions, the Mahra were descended from a group of Chaghtai Mughals who were orignally settled in Delhi. However misfortune struck these group of Chaghtais, and in a feud, the entire tribe was slain, save a young boy. As he was found lying among the corpses, he was named Mars or Mehra, literally the dead one in Sindhi. He and his descendants migrated to the banks of the Indus. Here they contracted marriages with locally settled Jat tribes, and became Jat. However, despite this claim of Mughal origin, its worth mentioning that there are still several communities of Hindu Mahra Jats in Nagaur district such as Silanwad suggesting that the Mahra like the Naich and Waiha are also immigrants from the Jangal Desh.

They are still found along the banks of the Indus in Rajanpur District on the west bank and also in larger numbers in Alipur tehsil of Muzaffargarh District.Their main villages include Kot Mahra in Multan District, Bahadur Mahra, Mahra Faraz and Mahra Sharqi in Muzaffargarh District, Hazrat Wala in Rajanpur District, and Shaidani Sharif in Rahim Yar Khan District. A small number of Mahra are also found in northern Sindh.

Naich

The next tribe I will look at are the Naich, eastern neighbours of the Mahra. They are found largely in the valley of the Sultlej. The Naich claim to be Suryavanshi Rajputs, descended from Rajah Karan of the Mahabharata. Ninth in descent from Karan was a prince called Wadhol, Raja of Nainwal, who is said to have five sons – Langah, Naich, Shajra, Dahir and Bhutta. Naich is said to have a married a Jat, and his descendents became Jat. It is interesting to note the the other four names are all well known Jat tribes of South Punjab. According to their tribal traditions, they were converted to Islam by Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari, the famous saint of Uch Sharif at the same time as their hereditary foes the Bohar. However, despite both groups converting to Islam, their feud continued. The region around Uch Sharif became extremely dangerous as a result of this feud. The Sayyid had enough and arranged that they should intermarry. The Bohars obeyed, but when it came to their turn to give a daughter to the Bohar they not only refused to do so but killed their Bohar son-in-law. As a result of the feud, the Bohar moved to the Cholistan, and the Naich became effective rulers of the territory which is now known as Rahim Yar Khan, until the arrival of the Daudpotras in the 18th Century.

Their clans are :

Dandra.
Nawal.
Tarapa.
Ladhrini
Malhni.
Murani
Budhani
Hajani

Villages

Bahawalpur District

Ahmad Naich

Amin Naich

Basti Fazal Ilahi Naich

Basti Muhammad Naich

Channi Goth

Hamad Naich

Jhok Naich

Kotla Naichan

Mauza Laalo Naich

Mauza Mahand Naich

Naichan Wala

Tahir Wali

Qadra Naich

Rahim Yar Khan District

Allahabad

Ali Haider Naich

Azizpur

Basti Atta Muhammad Naich

Basti Gul Muhammad Naich

Basti Huzoor Bakhsh Naich

Basti Imam Bakhsh Naich

Basti Laala Naich

Basti Malik Ahmad Bakhsh Naich

Basti Malik Bakht Ali Naich

Basti Malik Ghulam Rasool Naich

Basti Muhammad Panah Naich

Basti Muhammad Hussain Naich

Basti Noor Ahmad Naich

Basti Wasaya Naich

Chak No. 15/A

Changni Chowk

Dandli Naich

Dub Naich

Hazary Wala

Janpur Naichan

Kachi Muhammad Khan

Kanjaki Wala

Khan Bela

Naich Wala

Naich

Noorpur

Pakka Laran

Pakka Naich

Patti Naich

Unra Shareef

Wahi Wala

Muzaffargarh_District

Basti Islamabad

Basti Naich

Bhambhoo Sandeela

Jalasar Wala

Khakwani Wala

Khathar Wala

Sabu Wala

Khanewal District

Arry Wala

Basti Allah Yar Naich

Bohar Wala

Chak No. 8/9R Qasba

Dhory Wala

Dilawar Wala

Dinga Naich

Goh Wala

Jallah Naich

Vehari District

Bair Wala

Chah Baqar Khan Naich

Chah Kor Wala

Chak No. 65/KB

Chak No. 200 EB/33

Dingi Pul

Gehli Chak No. 37/WB

Ghara Mor

Karampur Qasba

Kassi Wala

Mauza Khahi Peer

Mauza Mustafa Abad

Bhakkar District

Basti Naich

Bhamban Wala

Dera Naich

Mohallah Naichan Wala Kallar Kot

Mohallah Naichan Wala Kohawar Kalan

Mohallah Naichan Wala Kotla Jam

Layyah District

Jhok Naich

Naich Nagar

Naich Wala

Toba Tek_Singh_District

Baggi Saidpur

Basti Faram

Chak No. 690/32 GB

Rajanpur District

Basti Malik Amanullah Naich

Naich Wala

Lodhran District

Chah Naichan Wala

Dhanot

Jangal Naich

Dera Ghazi Khan District

Chah Qutab Wala

Naich Wala

Multan District

Basti Naich

Naich

Wahi Naich

Other Villages

Chak No. 19 NB (Punjab, Sargodha), Chak No. 99/12L (Chichawatni, Sahiwal), Goth Fateh Muhammad Naich (Pind Dadan Khan, Jehlum), Kassowal (Chichawatni, Sahiwal), Katana (Punjab, Noor Pur Thal, Khushab), Chak No. 52 AMB (Sargodha), Manda Khel (Isa Khel, Mianwali), Naich Naich (Pind Dadan Khan, Jehlum) and Nizamabad Naich (Thathi Muzamil, Shahpur, Sargodha).

Waiha / Veha

The last tribe I will look at this in this post are the Waiha or sometimes written as Veha.

They trace their origin to Jaisalmer and according to tribal traditions that in the 4th century of the Hijra (913 CE – 1009 CE) the Raja of that State gave Rurar, the modern Tajgarh, in dower to his daughter Huran, and that the place was named after her. This region is now part of the arid region of Cholistan, a region that was part of the Bhati state of Jaisalmer until the arrival of the Daudpotras from Sindh in the 18th Century. At the close of the 10th CE, the Sufi saint Sayyid Ahmad Billauri settled in the this part of Cholistan in a place now called Amingarh close to Rurar which is now found in the modern Rahim Yar Khan District. The Sayyid began to preach Islam among the tribes of this desert region. This region was then ruled by Raja Bhunak Bhati who became a convert to Islam. Therefore, by ancestry the Waiha are Bhati Rajputs.

There are a number of traditions as to why these the Raja and his family acquired the name Waiha. One of the tradition point to a change in their name on conversion, for one derives Veha from vih, the Seraiki word for twenty, as it was that leading members of the tribe having been converted with Raja Bhunak. Another derives the name from wahi cultivation, because the Raja of Jaisalmer, Bhunak’s overlord as well as kinsman, confiscated their lands on their conversion, and the Sayyid told them to take to cultivation. A third fanciful etymology derives Veha from wah, because their conversion was applauded by the Sayyid’s followers. The Waiha were largely pastoralist, but most of their homeland now has a network of canals, and they are now settled farmers.

Most Waiha villages are located near the town of Allahabad, in Liaqatpur Tehsil of Rahim Yar Khan District. Two other clusters are found in Tulamba near Multan and in Dera Ismail Khan District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Population of Jat clans of Faisalabad, Multan and South Punjab according 1901 Census of India

The British province of Punjab comprised five administrative divisions — Delhi, Jullunder, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi — and a number of princely states. This post gives a breakdown of the Jat clans enumerated as part of the 1901 Census of India. In 1901, the Multan Division comprised the following districts:

• Dera Ghazi Khan
• Jhang
• Mianwali
• Multan
• Muzaffargarh
• Lyallpur

 

Multan District

The total Muslim Jat population in 1901 was 137,718, out of a total of 140,315, therefore almost all of Jat were Muslim.

Tribe	Total
Athangal	308
Atwal	386
Aulakh	205
Autrah	2,979
Bachh	175
Bains	2,097
Bajwa	266
Bhangu	134
Bhullar	141
Bhutta	4,872
Buttar	141
Chaj	123
Chadhar	3,734
Channar	1,696
Cheema	311
Chhajra	168
Daha	472
Dhillon	82
Dhudhi	254
Gaun	349
Ghallu	2,761
Gill	536
Hanjra	190
Heer	370
Jakhar	1,822
Kachela	1,010
Kalyar	1,123
Kalru	1,362
Kanju	626
Khaira	467
Khaki	1,465
Lak	303
Lang	1,883
Langah	2,927
Langrial	3,171
Maan	122
Mahe	953
Mahota	271
Maitla	1,751
Naich	108
Nain	21
Nonari	617
Panuhan	268
Pandah	165
Phor	2,019
Raad	616
Rak	432
Rawn	1,813
Randhawa	113
Sahi	127
Sahota / Sahotra	379
Sahu	3,413
Sanda	286
Sandhel	2,118
Sandhu	606
Shajra	539
Sipra	749
Soomra	1,458
Tarar	140
Thaheem	4,540
Warraich	390
Wasir	1,586
Virk	1,571

Chenab Colony

The total Muslim Jat population in 1901 was 150,602 (65%)  out of a total of 230,529. Unlike the other parts of the erstwhile Multan Division, the Chenab Colony was a site a British Imperial colonization scheme, that brought large number of settlers from central Punjab. Among these settlers, the Jat were encouraged to come, and the Chenab Colony latter Lyalpur District had a large presence of Hindu and Sikh Jats. The Muslim Jat population included both long settled Jats such as the Bhutta, Khichi, Wagha and Wasir, and settlers from East Punjab such as the Bal, Dhariwal and Sandhu.

Tribe	Total
Atwal	1,361
Aulakh	635
Bains	2,599
Bajwa	4,229
Bal	189
Balani	167
Bar	628
Bhangu	330
Bhatti	4,594
Bhullar	80
Bhutta	351
Buttar	247
Butta	563
Chahal	355
Chadhar	8,678
Chatha	692
Cheema	4,755
Chhina	1,054
Deo or Dev	492
Dhariwal	479
Dhillon	1,159
Gawanis	262
Ghumman	1,372
Gill	3,430
Gondal	768
Goraya	2,132
Hanjra	1,505
Harral	2,671
Heer	266
Jaj	382
Jakhar	248
Kahlon	594
Kahu	1,331
Kajla	364
Khake	120
Kang	308
Kathia	199
Khichi	120
Lak	609
Lali	207
Langah	214
Lidhar	132
Maan	190
Mahe	332
Mahil	97
Mangat	139
Naul	438
Noon	172
Pannu	352
Pawania	113
Rajoka	667
Randhawa	1,999
Sahi	699
Sahmal	778
Sandhu	2,467
Sarai	467
Sidhu	499
Sian	131
Sipra	3,385
Siroha	144
Sohal	67
Tatla	117
Tarar	1,154
Thaheem	158
Virk	1,683
Wagha	616
Wahla	756
Warraich	3,708
Wasir	1,112
Wattu	411

Jhang District

The total Muslim Jat population in 1901 was 50,596, out of a total of 50,769, therefore almost all of Jat were Muslim.

Tribe	Total
Aura	437
Bains	257
Bar	271
Batth	145
Bhangu	179
Bhutta	477
Chadhar	6,345
Dab	805
Gil	539
Gilotar	1,393
Hanjra	370
Harral	3,491
Hasnana	104
Hidan	426
Jappa	706
Kalasan	252
Kasra	204
Kathia	119
Kudhan	216
Lak	394
Lali	1,932
Langah	112
Mahe	97
Maitla	238
Mangon	204
Matmal	149
Murali	526
Naul	616
Noon	181
Sahmal	641
Sipra	1,945
Suddle	221
Tarar	158
Targar	150
Thaheem	469
Virk	234
Wagha	200
Waiha	314

Muzzafargarh District

In 1901 the entire Jat population of was Muslim and numbered 117,362.

Tribe	Total
Aulakh	122
Autrah	843
Babbar	2,363
Bhullar	116
Bhutta	2,803
Chadhar	525
Chan	479
Chatha	544
Daha	1,454
Dhal	368
Dhotar	138
Dona	205
Ghallu	1,327
Hanjra	402
Hans	395
Heer	395
Jakhar	104
Janjua	778
Jatal	144
Kalasra	1,281
Kalru	1,488
Kang	629
Khaira	2,085
Khaki	1,822
Lakaul	1,518
Langah	700
Lar	778
Mallana	1,797
Naul	118
Nonari	1,454
Panuhan	455
Parhar	2,610
Sahota / Sahotra	630
Sahu	870
Sandhel	2,477
Sipra	123
Soomra	611
Thaheem	1,748

Dera Ghazi Khan District

The total Muslim Jat population in 1901 was 118,701, out of a total of 118,843, therefore almost all of the Jat were Muslim.

 

Tribe	Total
Atra	493
Babbar	4,294
Bains /Waince	123
Barra	1,597
Batwani	895
Bhatti	700
Bhutta	1,835
Buttar	1,292
Chachar	1,156
Chadhar	181
Channar	263
Chhajra	913
Chhina	545
Dahya	436
Dhandla	643
Dumra	778
Hanbi	871
Heer	372
Jakhar	273
Janjua	3,861
Jehlan	1,584
Jhar	402
Kahlon	416
Kajla	558
Kalru	106
Kanera	765
Kang	978
Khaira	200
Khati	612
Kohawer	467
Lakaul	1,157
Lak	547
Langah	1,967
Mahar	773
Mahesar	648
Maitla	776
Mallana	1,358
Mohana	3,591
Panwar	189
Parhar	579
Phor	719
Sahota / Sahotra	994
Sandhel	916
Sangi	1,244
Sial	231
Soomra	2,508
Thaheem	1,234
Virk	548
Wagha	456

Bahawalpur State

The total Muslim Jat population in 1901 was 175,370, out of a total of 192,146, therefore almost all of Jat were Muslim.

Tribe	Total
Atwal	351
Bains / Waince	177
Bhaya	923
Bhutt	475
Bhullar	43
Buttar	447
Bipar	508
Bohar	3,833
Burara	498
Chachar	8,923
Chadhar	334
Chaudhary	1,162
Chhlar	7,529
Chhina	159
Dahar / Dahiri	1,307
Daha	148
Dahya	1,508
Dala	1,364
Dakah	823
Dasa	459
Dhandu	643
Duran	977
Gabora	352
Ganja	1,047
Hamshira – Chauhan	233
Jaam	448
Jhak	246
Jhullan	1,285
Kahka	1,453
Kalhora	745
Kalwar	1,584
Khaki	514
Khalne	412
Kheri	219
Khal	512
Khombra	637
Kohadar	493
Kolar	661
Kont	288
Langah	2,474
Lodhra	446
Makwal	473
Malak	3,264
Manela	628
Markhand	155
Marral	880
Masson	563
Mohal	373
Naich	3,786
Nanwai	1,833
Nehon	184
Parhar	7,960
Panwar /Puar	7,702
Samma	3,084
Sangah	123
Sangi	1,094
Sanda	139
Shajra	259
Sipra	611
Soomra	4,393
Sutera	468
Thaheem	1,653
Tonwar / Tomar	1,038
Unnar	327
Uttera	1,817
Waraich	287

Basra, Goraya and Nagra tribes

In this post, I intend to look at three tribes, namely the Basra, Goraya and Nagra, who are found mainly in the northern half of the Ravi Chenab (Rechna Doab) Doab, mainly now the districts of Hafizabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala and Narowal. Historically, these tribes also had a presence in Gurdaspur, but like other Punjabi Muslims they had to migrate to Pakistan at the time of partition. All these tribes are Jat clans, and this region of Pakistan perhaps has the clearest boundary between Rajput and Jat. Jats are found all over this region and form the backbone of the agricultural community. They are divided into numerous clans and historically belonged to different religions. It was not uncommon to find in a village a few Jat families practicing Sikhism while others Islam. Along the border with the Jammu and Kashmir state, many Jats had remained Hindu, and many Hindu Nagra Jats are still found in the Jammu Jammu Region. Therefore, we find among the Basra, Goraya and Nagra groups following Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. The Gazetteer of the Sialkot District (1920, Part A) gave the following description:

profess different religions, but a strong family likeness pervades the whole tribe. The Muhammadan is sometimes said to be less energetic than his Hindu or Sikh brother, but it is very doubtful whether any such distinction exists. The Sikh sometimes indulges a taste for liquor and a certain amount of illicit distilling occurs in the district. All are patient, hardworking cultivators without much enterprise but tenacious of their rights and proud of their position as zamindars or landowners, even if their holding be but an acre or two.

Another interesting factor is that both the Basra and Goraya claim descent from the Saroha Rajputs, a tribe of which little is known. The quote makes reference to the word zamindar, literally landowner, and almost Jats in this region interchangeably describe themselves as zamindar and Jat.

Basra

I start of by looking at the Basra, a clan found mainly in the northern part of the Rechna Doab. Like many of other Jat tribes in the Sialkot region, they claim descent from the mysterious Saroha tribe. There are currently very Saroha Rajputs, but most claim to be Chandravanshi Rajputs. Many Basra also connect themselves with the mythical Rajah Salvahan, who is said to founded the city of Sialkot. According to this tradition, Raja Salvahan has two sons named as Basra and Sarra. From Basra descend the Basra tribe of Jats and from Sarra the Sarai, another well known Jat tribe. Basra is said to have migrated to Phagwara, now located in the Kapurthala district of Indian Punjab. There original settlement was the village of Mehli, located near the town of Phagawara. Incidentally, almost all Basra of the Sialkot / Narowal region claim Mehli to be their village of origin. Melhi is also still home to Basra Jat families who follow the Sikh faith. Some five centuries ago, a famine drove the Basra from Phagwara, and they established their first settlement at the village of Gharial Kalan, south of the town of Pasrur. They then founded the village of Gharial Khurd , due to the unavailability of land in Gharial Kalan. It is unclear when the Basra began converting to Islam, but the majority were Muslim at the time of the arrival of the British in the Punjab 1849. Most Basra are now found mainly near the city of Daska.

In terms of distribution, most Basra are still found in Raya Tehsil of Narowal District, and Daska Tehsil of Sialkot District. There are a second cluster of Basra villages in the Kali Subha region of north eastern Gujranwala. In the district Sheikhupura, they are found in the villagers of Bule Chak, Akbarian-Bhagian, Hamidpur and Gundowal. Outside their historic area, the Basra Jats have settled in the Canal Colony districts of Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh, where there are now several Basra villages.

Goraya

The next tribe I will look at are the Goraya. There are several origins myths for the Goraya, which is not uncommon among Punjabi tribes. But most agree that sometime in the past they were once pastoral. Like the Basra, the Goraya are said to be descended from the Saroha Rajputs, and to have come to Gujranwala as a nomadic and pastoral. tribe from Sirsa, in what is now Haryana. According to another tradition,t he tribe is descended from a Sombansi Rajput called Goraya whose grandson Mai came from the Lakki Thal, in what is now Bhakkar District. A third tradition is that Rana their founder, came from the Jammu hills during the period of Mughal rule over Punjab (circa 15 -17 AD). Interestingly, the word goraya is also used for the nilgai, a type of a large antelope. Therefore, it is possible that Goraya could have been a nickname for their ancestor. Finally, it is sometimes said that they are a clan of the Dhillon tribe, descended from Budh who had
twenty sons, one of whom was Goraya.

They are now found in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal and Gurdraspur. They own 31 villages in Gujranwala. In Sialkot, there villages are located ibn the north-east of the Pasrur Tehsil.

Nagra

The last tribe I will look at are the Nagra. According to tribal traditions, the clan claim descent from Nagra, who is said to be a Chauhan Rajput, and the tribe also claim a common origin with the Cheema. They are said to have left Delhi during the rule of Alauddin Khilji (rule 1296 to 1316), and settled initially in Jalandhar, and them moved to Pasrur, near Sialkot. The Sikh Nagra consider the Sikh Cheema to be their collaterals, and as such these two clans do not intermarry. After the partition of India in 1947, the Sikh Nagra of Sialkot District moved to India, while the Muslim Nagra undertook a similar migration from Gurdaspur District

Nagra tribal territory stretched from Pasrur in the west to Gurdaspur in the east. Like many Jat clans in this region, they are partly Muslim and partly Sikh. Many Nagras, like other Jat clans were settled in the Canal Colonies of Lyalpur and Montgomery in the 19th and early 20th Century. One such Nagra village in the canal colonies is Chak 351 GB Nagra in Toba Tek Singh District.

Jats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

In this post, I shall look at the Jat community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all of whom are Seraiki speaking. According to the 1901 Census of India, the total Jat population was 81,081, almost all of whom about 75,542 were Muslim. The Hindu and Sikh Jat recorded by the Census were all soldiers who were stationed in the province.

The term Jat was commonly used in describe any Muslim cultivator who had not identified themselves as Pathans, Baloch, Sayads, or Qureshis, and often included Awans and Rajputs. The Jats are found mainly in the Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan Division, and are all Seraiki speaking. In the districts of Lakki Marwat and Bannu, a process of assimilation by Pashtuns has been an ongoing process. Most of the Indus plain is inhabited by Jats, who are divided into a number of clans. In Lakki Marwat, and the neighbouring Isa Khel Tehsil of Punjab, most Jats belong to the Turkhel clan, many of whom prefer to call themselves Pathans. The Lakki Marwat and Bannu Jats have much in common with the Bannuchis, and with the Awans they make up the mass of the hamsayah “Hindkis” in Bannu District. The Jat are most numerous in the neighbourhood of Ghoriwal and Shamshi Khel. Every Bannuchi village has few Jat families.

In Dera Ismail Khan, the assimilation process is slower, with the Asar, Bhumla, Chadhar and Chhajra forming an important element in the Indus plains. Almost all the Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu Jats are also found in the Bhakkar, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan and Mianwali districts of Ounjab. In the Bannu Division, there is no difference now between groups who call themselves Jat and those who are Rajput, with both groups intermarrying. However in Dera Ismail Khan Division, the Sial and Bhatti groups keep a Rajput identity and are distinct from groups that call themselves Jats.

Dera Ismail Khan

The total Jat population in the district was 61,115, all of whom were Muslim. Bellow are the main clans according 1901 Census of India:

Tribe	Total
Aheer	843
Asar	1,377
Aulakh	1,887
Autrah	1,075
Bains	353
Bhumla	793
Bhatti	778
Bhutta	778
Chadhar	1,226
Chhajra	367
Chhina	1,580
Dab	103
Dhariwal	184
Dhotar	949
Ghallu	818
Gill	190
Gujjar	365
Hassam	336
Jakhar	603
Janjua	573
Joiya	670
Kalyar	918
Kanera	1.754
Khera	176
Khokhar	3,185
Kohawer	1,020
Langah	704
Langrial	222
Mallana	454
Marral	229
Noon	169
Saggu	434
Sawag	460
Sial	2,945
Sipra	2,945
Soomra	930
Thaheem	352
Turk	1,499

Bannu District

The total Jat population in the district was 13,487, all of whom were Muslim. Bellow are the main clans according 1901 Census of India:

Tribe	Total
Aheer	843
Bhumla	793
Heer	169
Kanera	147
Khokhar	248
Mohana	2,945
Mona	2,945
Sanda	930
Turkhel	1,499

Population of Muslim Jat Clans of British Punjab According to the 1901 Census of India

Bellow is a breakdown of the larger Jat clans by population. I would also the reader to look at my posts Population of Muslim Jat Clans of British Punjab According to the 1891 Census of India/ and Major Muslim Jat clans, which gives a brief description of the main clans.

 

Tribe	Population	Distribution
Wariach	58,936	Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum, Sialkot, Lahore and Amritsar
Cheema	39,358	Patiala, Lahore, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat and Chenab Colony
Bajwa	27,609	Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Jallandhar and Patiala State
Chandhar/ Chadhar	27,422	Montgomery, Amritsar, Firuzpur, Lahore, Jhang, Muzaffargarh, Mianwali, Multan, Jhelum, Shahpur and Chenab Colony
Sandhu	25,786	Hissar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Montgomery, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Amritsar, Shahpur (Sargodha), Chenab Colony, Jhang and Multan
Tarar	25,606	Lahore, Gujrat, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Jhelum and Chenab Colony
Gill	19,894	Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Firuzpur, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, and Chenab Colony
Virk	19,703	Gujranwala, Chenab Colony, Gujrat, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sialkot, Lahore and Amritsar
Ghumman	16,893	Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, and Chenab Colony
Hanjra	15,892	Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Montgomery, Shahpur, Gujrat, Sialkot, and Chenab Colony
Bains	14,398	Ambala, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Sialkot, Gujrat, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Shahpur, Chenab Colony, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan
Bhutta	14,208	Shahpur, Jhelum, Mianwali, Multan and Chenab Colony
Goraya	14,076	Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, and Chenab Colony
Bhatti	13,682	Shahpur, Jhelum, Mianwali and Chenab Colony
Langrial	12,960	Sialkot, Gujrat and Multan
Dhillon	12.913	Ambala, Hissar, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot Mianwali, and Chenab Colony
Sipra	12,558	Patiala, Montgomery, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Shahpur (Sargodha), Chenab Colony, Jhang, Multan and Bahawalpur
Heer	11,839	Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Montgomery, Shahpur, Mianwali, Gujrat, Sialkot, and Chenab Colony
Soomra / Samra	11,509	Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur
Chatha	11,483	Patiala, Lahore, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat and Chenab Colony
Sahi	11,478	Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Gujrat, Jhelum and Sialkot
Sidhu	11,322	Hissar, Jallandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Sialkot, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat and Chenab Colony
Parhar	11,099	Shahpur, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan
Thaheem	11,023	Multan, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan
Kahlon	10,809	Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Chenab Colony
Langah	10,808	Shahpur, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, Multan and Bahawalpur
Harral	10,599	Gujranwala, Shahpur, Mianwali, Gujrat, Jhang, and Chenab Colony
Chachar	10,079	Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan
Randhawa	9,617	Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Gujranwala and Sialkot
Chhina	8,492	Lahore, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Mianwali, Chenab Colony and Dera Ghazi Khan
Panwar or Puar	7,900	Bahawalpur and Firuzpur
Chelar	7,529	Bahawalpur
Babbar	6,657	Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh
Kang	6,580	Patiala, Lahore, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat, Multan, Muzaffargarh and Chenab Colony
Sandhel	6,215	Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur
Maan	5,939	Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Chenab Colony
Aulakh	5,838	Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Amritsar, and Jallandhar
Sarai	5,746	Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Ambala and Jallandhar
Janjua	5,394	Mianwali, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan
Jodhra	5,157	Attock
Mangat	5000	Patiala, Ludhiana, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Sialkot
Autrah	4,962	Multan, Mianwali and Muzaffargarh
Ghallu	4.906	Multan, Muzaffargarh and Bahawalpur
Buttar	4,923	Dera Ghazi Khan, Ludhiana, Firuzpur, Lahore, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala and Sialkot
Dhariwal	4,884	Ambala, Hissar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Chenab Colony
Chahal	4,466	Ambala, Ludhiana, Firuzpur, Amritsar, Lahore, Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Chenab Colony
Sahu	4,294	Multan and Muzaffargarh
Dosanjh	4,198	Kapurthala and Jalandhar
Sial	4,169	Rawalpindi and Mianwali
Jakhar	4,165	Hissar, Firuzpur, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Montgomery, and Multan
Lak	3,971	Shahpur, Jhang, Chenab Colony, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan
Bhullar	3,905	Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar and Lahore
Naij	3,894	Bahawalpur
Bohar	3,833	Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan
Khaki	3,801	Multan, Muzaffargarh and Bahawalpur
Khokhar	3,735	Gujranwala
Malana	3,609	Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan
Dahya	3,602	Ambala, Bahawalpur, Hissar, Karnal, Rohtak and Delhi
Mohana	3,591	Dera Ghazi Khan
Deo / Dev	3,549	Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Mianwali and Chenab Colony
Lodike	3,269	Gujranwala
Malak	3,264	Bahawalpur
Atwal	3,200	Jalandhar and Amritsar
Lali	3,137	Shahpur and Jhang
Samma	3,084	Bahawalpur
Kharal	3,046	Gujranwala
Kalru	2,956	Multan and Muzaffargarh
Kanyal	2,944	Rawalpindi and Jhelum
Khera or Khaira	2,942	Lahore, Amritsar and Sialkot
Sahotra	2,805	Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Chenab Colony
Maitla	2,765	Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan
Phor	2,738	Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan
Lakaul	2,675	Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan
Dhotar	2,545	Gujranwala and Gujrat
Gondal	2,508	Jhelum, Rawalpindi and Chenab Colony
Bassi	2,449	Jalandhar and Kapurthala
Sohal	2,383	Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Sialkot
Sangi	2,338	Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Firuzpur and Kapurthala
Naul	2,311	Jhang
Aura	2,329	Rawalpindi
Kalasra	2,284	Mianwali and Muzaffargarh
Bahiniwal / Wahiniwal	2,227	Montgomery, Hissar, Rohtak and Firuzpur
Daha	2,222	Muzaffargarh, Multan and Bahawalpur
Dhamial	2,209	Rawalpindi and Jhelum
Johal	2,199	Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Chenab Colony
Nonari	2,086	Multan, Muzaffargarh, Montgomery and Bahawalpur
Channar	1,959	Multan and Bahawalpur
Lang	1,873	Multan
Mahil	1,861	Ambala, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar
Nanwai	1,833	Bahawalpur
Uttera	1,817	Multan and Bahawalpur
Kalial	1,791	Rawalpindi
Sudhan	1,765	Rawalpindi
Pannun	1,752	Amritsar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Chenab Colony
Chhajra	1,648	Dera Ghazi Khan
Barra	1,597	Dera Ghazi Khan
Bhachar	1,588	Mianwali
Jakhlan	1,584	Dera Ghazi Khan
Kalwar	1,582	Bahawalpur
Khatreel	1,578	Rawalpindi
Rehan	1,573	Jhang and Shahpur
Hans	1,542	Multan, Muzaffargarh and Montgomery
Waseer	1,513	Chenab Colony
Jhammat	1,508	Mianwali and Jhelum
Turk	1,499	Mianwali
Kohawer	1,487	Mianwali
Kahka	1,453	Bahawalpur
Gandhi	1,452	Mianwali
Bal	1,439	Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore, Jalandhar and Ludhiana
Marral or Marhal	1,434	Karnal, Patiala and Jhang
Sahmal	1,417	Jhang and Chenab Colony
Tulla	1,403	Sargodha
Asar	1,400	Mianwali
Sanda	1,398	Bahawalpur and Mianwali
Gilotar	1,394	Jhang
Dumra	1,357	Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan
Turkhel	1,344	Mianwali
Sekhon	1,335	Gujranwala
Kahu	1,331	Chenab Colony
Dahar / Dahiri	1,327	Bahawalpur
Kalu	1,301	Mianwali
Kalu	1,301	Mianwali
Jhullan	1,285	Bahawalpur
Lohanch	1,275	Mianwali and Muzaffargarh
Wagha	1,273	Chenab Colony
Rawn	1,213	Multan
Bhidwal	1,207	Mianwali
Hanbi	1,207	Dera Ghazi Khan
Bhangu	1,186	Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Chenab Colony
Khandoa	1,168	Mianwali
Chaudhari	1,162	Bahawalpur
Ser	1,144	Mianwali
Uttra	1,145	Mianwali
Kalyar	1,123	Multan
Rawn	1,212	Multan
Talokar	1,096	Mianwali
Jhawari	1,092	Shahpur
Mahe	1,050	Multan
Ganja	1,047	Bahawalpur
Tonwar / Tomar	1,038	Bahawalpur
Dhindsa	1,032	Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, and Chenab Colony
Kachela	1,010	Multan
Samtia	1,007	Mianwali
Joiya	993	Bahawalpur, Firuzpur and Mianwali
Duran	977	Bahawalpur
Panjootha	966	Shahpur
Grewal	965	Ludhiana
Dhudhi	965	Mianwali
Dhandla	929	Dera Ghazi Khan
Bhaya	923	Bahawalpur
Kajla	922	Dera Ghazi Khan
Hidan	915	Jhang
Dab	908	Jhang
Bar	899	Chenab Colony
Minhas	824	Jhelum
Dakah	823	Bahawalpur
Gorchhar	807	Mianwali
Shajra	796	Multan and Bahawlpur
Bhumla	793	Mianwali
Lar	778	Multan and Muzaffargarh
Mahaar	773	Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur
Kanera	765	Dera Ghazi Khan
Wahla	756	Chenab Colony
Kalhora	725	Bahawalpur
Panuhan	723	Multan
Jora	718	Shahpur
Jappa	706	Jhang
Jatal	703	Rawalpindi
Kolar	661	Bahawalpur
Burana	657	Shahpur
Khichi	651	Bahawalpur
Mahesar	648	Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur
Baghial	647	Rawalpindi
Dhandhu	643	Bahawalpur
Khombra	637	Bahawalpur
Dhamtal	635	Rawalpindi
Manela	628	Bahawalpur
Kanju	626	Multan
Raad	618	Multan
Khatti	612	Dera Ghazi Khan
Butta	610	Chenab Colony
Rajoke	607	Chenab Colony
Mial or Miyal	599	Rawalpindi
Maghial	596	Rawalpindi
Bhakral	585	Jhelum
Pawania	581	Karnal, Hissar and Firuzpur
Lodhra	580	Multan
Pawania	576	Hissar, Karnal and Rohtak
Bedha	572	Mianwali
Masson	563	Bahawalpur
Nissowana	560	Shahpur and Jhang
Ghatwala or Malik	556	Hissar, Karnal, Rohtak and Delhi
Marath	549	Shahpur
Sanghera	544	Jalandhar and Kapurthala
Basra	540	Gurdaspur and Sialkot
Thathaal	534	Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Sialkot
Murali	526	Jhang
Khal	512	Bahawalpur
Bipar	508	Bahawalpur
Dharal	499	Mianwali
Burara	498	Bahawalpur
Kohadar	496	Bahawalpur
Badhan	494	Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Sialkot
Magrial	486	Rawalpindi
Chan	479	Muzaffargarh
Bhutt	475	Bahawalpur
Makwal	473	Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur
Sutera	468	Bahawalpur
Sehwag	462	Karnal and Rohtak
Dasa	459	Bahawalpur
Nain	456	Karnal, Rohtak and Delhi
Jaam	448	Bahawalpur
Sagoo	445	Shahpur (Sargodha)
Rak	435	Multan
Khalne	412	Bahawalpur
Wattu	411	Chenab Colony
Sandi	410	Mianwali
Jhar	402	Dera Ghazi Khan
Deshwal / Deswal	400	Hissar, Gurgaon, Karnal, Rohtak and Delhi
Khar	389	Muzaffargarh
Jaj	382	Chenab Colony
Noon	377	Multan
Dhal	374	Shahpur
Mohal	373	Montgomery and Bahawalpur
Budhwana	366	Mianwali
Rathi	363	Karnal, Rohtak and Delhi
Chauhan	361	Lahore and Amritsar
Gahora	352	Bahawalpur
Gaun	349	Multan
Manais	332	Montgomery
Sahgra	331	Multan
Unnar	329	Bahawalpur
Toor	329	Patiala State
Gangal	325	Rawalpindi
Kathia	320	Montgomery
Matyal	314	Rawalpindi
Athangal	308	Multan
Sarah	300	Firuzpur,
Dona	290	Multan
Kont	288	Bahawalpur
Siroha	281	Rohtak
Mahota	277	Multan
Bucha	275	Multan
Bhagiara	270	Rawalpindi
Gawanis	262	Chenab Colony
Wawana	258	Mianwali
Kalasan	252	Jhang
Jhak	246	Bahawalpur
Hurgan	236	Shahpur
Chauhan-Hamshira	233	Bahawalpur
Tama	231	Jhelum
Hundal	230	Amritsar and Chenab Colony
Mangral	226	Rawalpindi
Hattial	222	Rawalpindi
Suddle	221	Multan
Khehi	219	Bahawalpur
Kudhan	216	Jhang
Kassar	216	Jhelum
Rawana	215	Mianwali
Salhal	215	Rawalpindi
Mangon	204	Jhang
Kasra	204	Jhang
Bhindar	194	Gujranwala
Harrial	194	Rawalpindi
Nehon	184	Bahawalpur
Atar Khel	181	Mianwali
Waghora	173	Mianwali
Godara	170	Karnal, Rohtak and Delhi
Phira	170	Rawalpindi
Pala Khel	169	Mianwali
Balani	167	Chenab Colony
Pandah	165	Multan
Des	158	Mianwali
Markhand	155	Bahawalpur
Hannial	155	Rawalpindi
Mundra	150	Rawalpindi
Targar	150	Jhang
Matmal	149	Jhang
Dagur	148	Gurgaon, Rohtak and Delhi
Kalu Khel	147	Mianwali
Lidhar	141	Amritsar and Chenab Colony
Gallat	138	Rohtak
Phal	135	Rawalpindi
Walana	132	Rawalpindi
Sian	131	Chenab Colony
Birkan	130	Mianwali
Chal	123	Multan
Sangah	123	Bahawalpur
Tatla	117	Chenab Colony
Sahrawat	108	Karnal, Rohtak and Gurgaon
Hasnana	104	Jhang
Khalis	102	Rawalpindi
Narwal	101	Karnal
Dalal	97	Hissar, Gurgaon, Rohtak and Delhi
Bandecha	90	Lahore
Chandhran	76	Multan
Kookara	55	Jhang
Ahlawat	48	Rohtak
Baidwan	47	Ambala
Rohal	44	Karnal and Rohtak
Dhankar	42	Delhi and Rohtak
Sheoran	37	Hissar and Karnal
Salakhlan	25	Rohtak
Gulia	17	Rohtak and Delhi
Sethi	14	Ludhiana
Boparai	13	Ludhiana
Aujla	Malerkotla	11
Kadian	11	Karnal