through the bat
History
The Janjua Rajput tribe are a branch of the ancient Pandava dynasty through the Valiant warrior hero Prince Arjun Pandav, who is the ancestor of the Janjua.
Prince Arjun, known as the Achilles of India,[8] was famous for his valour, superior military skill and inspiring heroism. He was known as the perfect Kshatriya (Warrior), and was known as the Supreme Archer. He was a renowned conqueror of many powerful kingdoms and was the most fearsome warrior on the battle field of Kurukshetra.
Arjun was well built, extremely handsome and a diligent beloved student of his Martial Art master Drona. Arjun was not only a martial arts hero, but also a romantic hero of the Mahabharata epic[9] which records his romantic adventures as well as his martial campaigns.
The Pandavas were a Chandravanshi Kuru branch of the ancient Vedic Aryans of
tles, rebellions an
Arjun was himself first cousin maternally to the famed Krishna and also married
Arjun's great grandson, Maharaja Janamejaya, is an apical ancestor of the Janjuas. Janamejaya was later the ruling Emperor of the
Sir Lepel H Griffin K.C.S.I. had also recorded in the early 1900s that the Janjua were Pandavas in origin.[12]
Alexander and the wounded King of the Pauravas
It has been recorded that the Pandava princes ruled the region of Punjab and specifically
It is said:
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Unlike Darius, Porus fought aboard his elephant until the end..In victory Alexander treated Porus with the dignity reserved for a great warrior reinstating him a vassal king and sealing the bond of friendship |
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—From The Horse in the Ancient World by Ann Hyland[18] | ||
According to Arrian, Alexander is said to have asked King Porus "How would you like me to treat you?" to which Porus famously replied "As a Raja (king)". The answer touched Alexander, who in return allowed the Raja to retain his Kingdom and more.[19][20][21][22][23]
The page List of Indian monarchs gives an account of the period of rule of the Bharata-Puru-Pandava-Janjua Shahi phase which began from approx 1600BC to 1026AD.
[edit] The Janjua Emperors of the Hindu Shahi Dynasty
From about 964CE, the Janjua chief Parambhattaraka Maharajadhiraja Paramesvara Sri Jayapaladeva (Epithets known from the Bari Kot inscriptions) succeeded the Brahmin Hindu Shahi Emperor Bhimdev. The Janjua Shahiya emperors now ruled from Ghandar (Kandahar of Afghanistan) to the whole of Punjab in what was known as the second phase of the Hindu Shahiya, the Janjua Shahi Dynasty.
Famed ethnologists and Indo researchers Sir Alexander Cunningham,[24] Elliot and Dowson[25] and Sachau[26] led research into the origins of the Pala Hindu Shahiya, the second dynasty that succeeded the initial Brahmin Dev Shahiyas. Through independent research they concluded that the origins of Emperor Jayapala Shah was in fact in the Janjua Rajput. In 1973's Al-Biruni International Congress in Pakistan, Dr Hussain Khan presented a paper in called "An Interpretation of Al-Biruni's Account of the Hindu Shahiyas of Kabul" which also confirmed the same findings. Finally, the Janjuas own genealogy records the names of the Janjua Shahi Jayapala as well as the continued descendants of his House.[27]
Jayapala was challenged by the armies of Sabuktigin and his son Sultan Mahmud towards the end of his reign as emperor. According to the Minháj ad-Dīn in his chronicle Tabaqát-i Násiri,[28] writes a testament to the political and powerful stature of Emperor Jayapala Shah, "Jayapála, who is the greatest of all the ráis (kings) of Hind..." Upon being captured after a fierce battle with Sultan Mahmud, Jayapala was ransomed and upon his release, "he ordered the construction of a funeral pyre. Mounting and setting it alight, he nobly perished in the flames".[29] Misra wrote:"Jaypala was perhaps the last Indian ruler to show such spirit of aggression, so sadly lacking in later Rajput kings".[30]
[edit] Anandpal Shah
His son prince Anandapala who ascended the throne (in about March/April 1002CE) already proved an able warrior and General in leading many battles prior to his ascension.
According to Adáb al-Harb[31] in about 990, "the arrogant but ambitious Raja of Lahore Bharat, having put his father in confinement, marched on the country of Jayapála with the intention of conquering the districts of Nandana, Jailum and Tákeshar." Jayapala instructed prince Anandapala to repel the opportunist Raja Bharat. Anandapala defeated Bharat and took him prisoner in the battle of Takeshar and marched on Lahore and captured the city and extended his father's kingdom yet further.
During his reign many losses were incurred on his kingdom by the Ghaznavids. During the battle of Chach between Sultan Mahmud and Anandapala, it is stated that "a body of 30,000 Gakhars fought alongside as soldiers for the Shahi Emperor and incurred huge losses for the Ghaznavids."[32] It is also mentioned in the same text that "the Gakhars (or Khokhars) formed a very significant force in the armies of the Sáhis".[33]
Despite the heavy losses of the enemy, he eventually lost the battle and suffered much financial and territorial loss. This was Anandapala's last stand against Sultan Mahmud.
Anandpala eventually signed a treaty with the Ghaznavid empire in 1010CE and shortly a year later died a peaceful death. R.C Majumdar[34] compared him ironically to his dynasty's ancient famous ancestor "Porus, who bravely opposed Alexander but later submitted and helped in subduing other Indian rulers." And Tahqíq Má li'l-Hind finally revered Anandapala in his legacy as noble and courageous.[35]
[edit] Tirlochanpal Shah
Tirlochanpála, the son of Anandapala, ascended the throne in about 1011CE. Inheriting a reduced kingdom, he immediately set about expanding his kingdom into the Siwalik Hills, the region of the Rai of Sharwa. His kingdom now extended from the River Indus to the upper Ganges valley.
According to Al-Biruni, Tirlochanpála "was well inclined towards the Muslims" and was honourable in his loyalty to his father's peace treaty to the Ghaznavids. He later rebelled against Sultan Mahmud and was eventually assassinated by some of his own mutinous troops in 1021-22CE, an assassination which was believed to have been instigated by the Rai of Sharwa who became his arch-enemy due to Tirlochanpala's expansion into the Siwalik ranges.[36].
He was romanticised in Punjabi folklore as the Last Punjabi ruler of Punjab.
[edit] Bhimpala Shah
Bhímapála, son of Tirlochanpala, succeeded his father in 1021-22CE. He was referred to by Utbí as "Bhīm, the Fearless" due to his courage and valour".[37] Considering his kingdom was at its lowest point, possibly only the control of Nandana, he admirably earned the title of fearless from his enemy's own chronicle writer. He is known to have led the battle of Nandana personally and seriously wounding the Commander of the Ghaznavid army Muhammad bin Ibrahim at-Tāī[38]
He ruled only five years after his father before meeting his death in 1026CE.
ces w
His remaining descendants, Rudrapal and his brothers Diddápála and Anangapāla had settled in Kashmir and played a major role in the court of Kashmirian king Ananta (1028-63CE). According to the Rājtarahginī,[39] Rudrapal proved himself extravagant in personal valour by crushing the rebels of the king, as commander in chief of the Kashmiri royal army.
Al-Biruni, despite living under Sultan Mahmud's grace, praises the house of Jayapala:
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We must say that in all their grandeur, they never slackened in the ardent desire of doing that which is good and right, that they were men of noble sentiment and noble bearing |
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—Biruni, Al-Biruni | ||
Kalhana writes of the Shahis:
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"Where is the Shahi dynasty with its ministers, its kings, and its great grandeur? ... The very name of the splendor of Shahi kings has vanished. What is not seen in dream, what even our imagination cannot conceive, that dynasty accomplished with ease |
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—Rājtarahginī, Kalhana | ||
[edit] The Janjua Rule of Mathura
Raja Dhrupet Dev Janjua ruled Mathura state in the late 12th century. Dhrupet was also the ruler of the Mandu fort of the Shiwalik hills. He was well known for being a Pandava descendant of Janamejaya.[40]
Raja Dhrupet's rule of Mathura ended when Qutb-ud-din Aybak, the general of the Ghorid army, attacked
[edit] Raja Mal Khan
Rai Dhrupet Dev was the father of a famous rebellious king Rai Ajmal Dev Janjua[43] who embraced Islam in the 12th century.
Rai/Raja Mal followed the Islamic tradition of change of name after conversion and was then known as Raja Mal Khan. He was among the first Muslim Rajputs recorded in Indian history. This conversion was done before the armies of Shahabudin Ghauri entered into the Indian Plateau to conquer whilst he was very young in his teens and inclined towards Islamic philosophy of the Sufis[44], whose missionary efforts were gaining popularity in
Conquering for himself a kingdom in the Koh-i-Jud he settled his capital at Rajgarh which he later renamed Malot. He re-conquered the
The Tarikh-e-Alfi of the Ghorids mentions the rebellious behaviour of Rai Mal towards the Delhi Sultanate. It records that he excited a rebellion against them and intercepted communications between
There is still today remnants of an ancient fort in Malot, Chakwal which was initially built by the Shahis and later rebuilt and fortified by Raja Mal Khan. It is also inscribed that the last Hindu Shahi prince Raja Mal embraced Islam at this place.[53]
Raja Mal Khan was also the first ruler to begin the mining of salt in the
Many Rajput clans converted to Islam during the medieval period of India's history, for political economic reasons[55] with continued social functions as before but with variations in worship. However, cases are also recorded of where the Rajput has converted out of a real change of belief[56], even continuing into the late 19th century (British Raj era) with even Kingdom ruling Rajputs converting to Islam[57] Muslim Rajputs of all clans are also noted for their strict adherence of the Islamic faith in comparison to other converts of south Asian origin.[58]
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The general conversion of the Muhammadan Rajputs from Hinduism is supposed to have taken place towards the end of the 13th or early 14th century AD. The Muhammadan conquests undoubtedly accelerated this change of religion, but the preaching of several renowned Muhammadan saints, especially Bawa Farid of Pakpattan, whose eloquence drew large numbers to hear him, helped considerably to this end... |
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—From Punjabi Musalmans by J.M.Wikeley[59] | ||
Some Hindu Janjuas continued exploring other faiths with some converting even to the Ahmeddiya faith during the early 20th century too[60] with also many numbers as Sikhs today also[61]
[edit] Delhi Sultanate and the Janjua Rajputs
The princes of the House of Rai Mal Khan, continued their rebellion against the Emperors of Delhi from whom they held their own against for many centuries[62] remaining always turbulent, defiant and restless.[63]
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Sultan Jalal al-din Khalji (1290-6) calls Janjuas as his enemies. He led a punitive expedition into Koh-i-Jud and crushed the power of the Janjuas. The Sultan is reported to have said "..how at another time, I made the blood flow in Janjua, so that a boat might have glided within the hills of Jud"... |
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—Chronicles of Early Janjuas[64] | ||
[edit] The Main Branches of The Janjua Rajput
The most prominent Hindu and Muslim Janjua Rajputs of today are chiefly represented by the sons of Raja Mal Khan.
The princes were Raja Bhir Khan, Raja Jodh Khan, Raja Kala Khan and Raja Khakha Khan. Jodh and Bhir were born of a Gakhar Rani while Kala, and Khakha were born of another Rajput Rani.[65]
[edit] Khakha Rajputs
Raja Khakha Khan was succeeded by three sons, Faggal Khan, Aliya Khan, Mangi Khan who took over from him on his death. The Raja's of the Khakha Janjua of Kashmir and Pakhli became a renowned tribe of the Kashmiri region. Raja Khaka Khan's descendants inhabit Muzaffarabad, Kot Khakha amongst other villages near the Jammu frontier of Kashmir.[66]
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The Khakhás, who enjoy the proud title of Rájá, are, like the Chibs, Musalmán Rájputs, and trace their descent to Rájá Mal......They regard themselves as belonging to the Janjuah tribe |
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The Khakha Rajputs are renowned for being a powerful and warlike Muslim Rajput tribe. During the period of the Afghan overlordship over the region of Kashmir it is recorded that they, "...paid little to their overlord and were practically independent." Even when the Sikh empire tightened their hold over the Jhelum Valley of Kashmir, the Khakha Rajputs retained a privileged position.[69]
ith World conquerors.
