Rajput (from
Sanskrit raja-putra, "son of a king"
[1]) is a member of one of the
patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and some parts of Pakistan. They claim to be descendants of ruling
Hindu warrior classes of
North India.
[2] Rajputs rose to prominence during the 6th to 12th centuries. Until the 20th century, Rajputs ruled in the "overwhelming majority" of the
princely states of
Rajasthan and
Surashtra, where the largest number of princely states were found.
[3]
The
Jammu Region, which is one of the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir state (the other two being the
Kashmir Valley and
Ladakh), is bounded on the North by the
Pir Panjal Range of the middle
Himalayas, in the south by Punjab, to the East by Ladakh and close to the West in
Pakistan. The lower Himalayan ranges begin suddenly behind the town of Jammu, which is placed on a slope of over 1300 feet above sea level, overlooking and commanding the plain watered by the
Chenab,
Ravi,
Tawi and
Ujh rivers. The city of Jammu is the winter capital of the state (the summer capital being
Srinagar, in the Kashmir Valley).
The Rajput population in
Jammu was thickest around the
Mughal road leading from the plains of western
Punjab into
Kashmir, through the
Bhimber-
Rajauri-
Shupian route across the
Pir Panjal. This was the route historically used by various Muslim armies on their march to Kashmir. The first Rajput chiefs said to have embraced were those of the
Khokhartribe. One of their chief Khokhar Rai, according to the Tabakat-i-Nasiri had embraced
Islam in the time of
Mohammed Ghori.
[3] Manhas and
Sulehria Rajputs became
Muslims in large numbers on the borders of Jammu in the region called
Salahar-Tappa and Manhas-Tappa. Communities such as the
Jarral,
Sulehria,
Mangral,
Bhao and
Manhas converted in large numbers in the 16th Century. The territory between
Tawi and
Jhelum, became known as the Chibhal, after the largest tribe in the region, the
Chib. With their conversion to
Islam, many other clans such as the
Bhawpal, Sau and Kamlak also converted to
Islam.In the pre-independence period the
Muslim Rajput population was more than double that of the
Hindu Rajputs.
[4]
After the division of the Jammu region in 1948, areas around
Mirpur,
Bhimber,
Kotli, and Poonch became part of Azad Kashmir, while other areas such as
Reasi,
Rajauri, Nawshehra fell under Indian administration. Thus the Pahari Rajput community is now divided by the
line of control.
History of the Panjab Hill States by J. Hutchinson and J.P.Vogel lists a total of 22 states (16
Hindu and 6
Muslim) that formed the State of Jammu following the conquest of Kashmir by Raja Ranjit Singh in 1820.
[5] Of these 6
Muslim states, two (
Kotli and
Poonch) were ruled by
Mangrals, two (
Bhimber and Khari-Khariyala) were ruled by
Chibs, one (
Rajouri) was ruled by the
Jarrals and one (
Kishtwar) was ruled by the
Kishtwaria. Of these 22 states, 21 formed a pact with Ranjit Singh and formed the State of Jammu. Only Poonch ruled by the Mangrals retained a state of semi-autonomy. Following the War of 1947 Poonch was divided and is now split between Pakistan Administered Kashmir
Poonch District (AJK) and Indian Administered Kashmir
Poonch.
[6]
As stated in History of the Panjab Hill States by J.Hutchinson and J.P. Vogel: "Kotli was founded about the fifteenth century by a branch of the royal family of Kashmir. Kotli and Punch remained independent until subdued by Ranjit Singh in 1815 and 1819 respectively."
The royal family of Kashmir which Hutchinson and Vogel are referring to is the family of Raja Mangar Pal the son of Raja Hani Dev and the ancestor of the Mangral rajput.
Kotli was historically known as Kotli Mangrallan.
There is a famous saying in
Pahari: "Kotli Mangrallan da, Rajouri Jarallan da, Bhimber Chiban da, Mirpur Gakharan da, Khari Sohlana da, Jammu Jamwal aur Minhasan da, Ram Garrh aur Salahr Sulehrian da.
Translation:
