Wednesday, February 22, 2012

JADOONS’ INTRUSION INTO HAZARA


The Jadoons intruded into the Hazara, round about the end of seventeenth or at the beginning of eighteenth century. In this respect, the views of the Gazetteer of Hazara District, 1907 are as under:
“During the decline of Mughal dynasty, changes of great importance took place in the political constitution of the tracts, now included in the district. These changes arose mainly from two causes - the decay of vitality of the old families, and the increasing
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aggressiveness of the Pathans and their allied races. One of the most notable of these events was the invasion of Pakhli by Swathis in a succession of inroads during the seventeenth century. They came from Swat, the country on the Swat river northeast of Peshawar, being driven out by pressure from the Pathan tribes.
Shortly before their eviction, their Sovereign was one Sultan Pakhal, of the dynasty of the Jehangiri Sultans, from whom the name of Pakhli is derived. The latest inroad was probably made early in the eighteenth century, and was led by a Saiad named Jalal Baba, whose tomb is in the Bhogarmong valley. The Turks were dispossessed, and the Swathies established themselves in the northern portion of the district and in the hill country adjoining to the west.
Similarly, the Tanolies, were pushed out of their trans-Indus country round Mahaban by the Yusufzais, and established themselves in the tracts now called by their name. The Jadoons, a Pathan tribe, also crossed the Indus and appropriated to the old Turk rights in the country round Dhamtaur. The Karrals and Dhunds began to assert their independence of the Gakhars; the Pathan tribe of Tarins acquired a large portion of the rights of the elder Gujar families in the Hazara plain; and the Utmanzais, whom the remaining Gujars called across the Indus to Tarbela in order to strengthen their position, obtained possession by mortgage and sale of much of the land belonging to those who had invited their aid.
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All these events appear to have taken place in the end of seventeenth or at the beginning of the 18th century. In the total absence of all written records, it is impossible to place them in their correct order, or to describe exactly how they came about. Nor is it necessary to repeat the exaggerated traditions of each tribe. The changes were the natural result of the absence of a strong controlling central authority, and of a system in which might was the chief or only right. A weak tribe would find its territory the subject of harassing demands and attacks from some poor but braver tribe in the vicinity. Unable to defend itself unaided, it would call its neighbours to help. To them, it would give land in payment for their arms and, on a service tenure, subordinate to the old lords. But in the course of time, the latter would become stronger, while their retainers would grow more numerous and exacting in their demands, and so, gradually, the original tribe would be entirely supplanted.
Accounts of the Jadoon intrusion, their settlement and encounters with local tribes in the Hazara have been recorded in details in the history books. Hence, here lengthy detail has been avoided.
Due to rapid growth in population, particularly in its Hassazai subsections, Jadoon tribe had faced great hardships in the area. Because, the area, in which they were dwelling, was mostly mountainous and unproductive. Large families and meager income compelled them to search for new avenues. So, under the law of nature, they had to struggle for their survival and tried their fortune in the cis-Indus of Hazara. In the lower plain of Hazara, Jadoon, firstly acquired lands through mortgages from Dilazaks and Turks around villages of Bagra, Shahmaqsood, etc.
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On the northern side of the Hazara, a body of strong fighting men of Jadoon tribe particularly of its Hassazai subsection were staying at Inayatabad and Gherwal in Pakhli Plain as mercenaries under the protégé of Swathi Khans. Swathi Khans exploited them against their rivals.
During the decline of Mughals, changes of great importance took place on the political arena of the tracts now included in Hazara. Due to loose control of the central government, there was a complete anarchy in the northern parts of the Mughal Empire. The law of “Might is Right” was prevailing everywhere.
In those days of anarchy, a dispute erupted between Karral and Tanoli tribes of Hazara over the usurpation of Karral rights by the later at Chamba village. Karrals at that time were weak and not in a position to take back lands from Tanolis. In these circumstances, the only alternative for Karral tribe was to seek help of a stronger tribe against the aggressor. So, the Karrals approached Swathi Khans of Pakhli and sought their help. They (Swathis) acceded to their request and persuaded Jadoons to help the Karrals. As already been mentioned, a group of Jadoons at that time was staying at Pakhli. An agreement was reached between both the tribes (Jadoon and Karral with the mediation of Swathi Khans), according to which, villages of Jaswal and Kyal were to be granted to Jadoons as a reward in case of success. Accordingly, Jadoons marched from Pakhli towards Karrals’ territory. On the way, they encamped at Dhamtaur, which was part of the Turks’ domain. The scenery of Dhamtaur and its fertile agricultural land attracted the Jadoons. Instead of
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going onward they decided to prolong their stay at Dhamtaur, which created doubts in the minds of Turks. They considered it an open challenge to their authority. So, they attacked the Jadoons but were defeated by being inflicted with a heavy loss of lives. The success of Jadoons proved a turning point in their future role in Hazara. Turks were evicted from their possession. Consequently, Jadoons emerged as a third power, besides Tanolis and Karrals, in the area. They became master of vast lands and steadied their footings in Hazara. To strengthen their position further, they sent for reinforcement from Trans-Indus Area.
The day to day changing situation in their neighbour-hood alerted the Tanolis and Karrals. They felt danger from the newly emerging power of Jadoons. Keeping in view the gravity of the situation, both the tribes shunned their differences and united themselves against Jadoons. Turks also joined hands with them. Hence, a new and great alliance of Tanolies, Karrals and Turks was formed against the Jadoons. On the other hand, Jadoons were not sitting idle. They were aware of the seriousness of the situation and ulterior motives of the alliance. To strengthen their position, they had requested their brethren in Gadoon Area for help. So, fresh reinforcements of Jadoons were despatched to Dhamtour from Gadoon Area.
At that time, Sahib Khan and Bhadur Khan were the leading Khans and rulers of Tanolies while Mustajab Khan and Aziz Khan were leaders of Karrals. Under their command, allied forces attacked the Jadoons, but they (Jadoons) charged them so gallantly that the allied forces could not stand before
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them. Jadoons fought under the command of Naseer Khan, Peru Khel, Hassazai. Sahib Khan Tanoli, the leading commander of the allied forces, was killed in the encounter, which disheartened the allied forces and they ran away from the battlefield in panic. They also suffered a heavy loss of lives. In this way, Jadoons carried the day. The battle was fought at Dhamtaur plain.
After the defeat of Karrals, Tanolis and Turks, the Jadoons occupied their villages such as Banda Bazdar, Langra, Khuta Qabr area, Banda Sahib Khan, Kalu Maira, Nowshera, etc, from Tanolis. Karrals surrendered to them the villages of Bagnotaur, Sirbanha, Rajoia plain (all ilaka such as of Dhangar) Sultanpur, Chamba, etc. Turks were deprived of Dhamtaur, Rash Plain upto Tannan and Salhad pass. After the victory of Dhamtaur, Jadoons established themselves in the Rash plain and Dhanger.
Now the Jadoons had taken steps to apportion the conquered land among themselves. The whole land was firstly divided into three divisions also called tappas with their headquarters at Dhamtaur, Nawanshehr and Rajoia. Tappa means a district, tract, country, etc. and not a representative of subsection, section or a branch of a tribe, as wrongly considered by the masses. Salhad, Shaikul Bandi, Bagnotaur, Sirbanha and half of Mangal area were attached with Dhamtaur. Kakul, Mirpur and half of the Mangal area with Nawanshehr. Banda Said Khan, Banda Buzdar, Nowshera, Langra, Banda Sahib Khan, Kalu Maira, Chamba, Sultanpur, Bandi Atai Khan, Banda Shaikhan, Keyala, Chamnaka, Jeswal, Keyal, Gharhi Phulgran and the remaining Dhangar with Rajoia. The distribution of tappas or divisions
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was made by drawing lots. Dhamtaur had fallen to Hassazais, Nawanshehr to Mansoors and Rajoia to Salar sections and subsection of Jadoon tribe. After this distribution of land, they shifted to their respective tappas or divisions of land. Although Hassazai is a subsection of Mansoor, yet they were given one third of land on the basis of their larger number of fighting men.
Baghra, Kholian and other surrounding villages had fallen to Hassazai branch through its individual efforts. 

2 comments:

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  2. False. The Karlal and Jadoons never battled over land. By the time the mughal empire was declining, the Jadoons crossed the Indus and were fighting to get land at the plains of Hazara, the Karlals were busy battling the Gakhar-Kayanis of Potohars (the Gakhars semi ruled the Karlal and Abbasi areas under the patronage of the Mughals and a weakened Mughal empire meant end of Mughal influence in Hazara and Potohar) in the mountains of Nilan Valley and Galiyat and Murree Hills. The Jadoons were busy battling the Turks in Orash and the Dor Valley. Also, the Karlals were not owners of Sultanpur, Chamba, and Havelian at the time and neither did they live there. They lived in and owned land in Nilan Valley and Galyat only. Today,Karlals still inhabit those areas. However,some Jadoons also live in Nilan valley now. Not because they battled the Karlals over it. The Hasanzai Jadoons were brought in by the Karlals to Nilan Valley's Rajoya, Bandi Atai Khan, Kiala, Batala, and Chamnaka as RETAINERS. Meaning they were rented out land in exchange of farming services. The karlals did not have enough man power to irrigate the vast lands they owned themselves. This is where the Jadoons came in and offered their services. The Jadoons were short of land and the karlals were short of man power. It was a mutual benefit for both the tribes. Jadoons were given land in exchange of tending to the fields and producing for the Karlals and Karlals got man power to utilize all its fertile lands. After a 100 or so years of doing so, the Jadoons increased in numbers and were able to assert their ownership of the aforementioned villages. This FACT is also mentioned in ' Report on the land revenue settlement of the Hazara District of the Punjab : 1868 - 1874 ' written by E.G Wace.

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