Gigyani tribe

The Gigyanis belong to the Khashi (or Khakhai) branch of the Sarbani Pashtuns. According to traditional genealogical accounts, Khashaey was the son of Sharkhabun, son of Sarban, son of Qais Abdur Rasheed. Their closest kin, therefore, are the Yousafzais and the Mandanrs. Akhund Darweza records that Makh, the second son of Khashi by his first wife, Marjina (or Marjanai), had only one child—a daughter named Gagi. She was married to his shepherd, Bazarki or Ziraki, whose lineage is unknown. The Gigyanis trace their descent from Gagi, the daughter of Makh.

Hotak, son of Gagi, had five sons, from whom the various clans or sections of the Gigyani tribe trace their descent. From the very beginning, they aligned themselves with other Khashi tribes. During the conflict between the Yousafzai and the Tareen, they sided with the former, and in the 15th century migrated with them to the Kabul Valley, where they lived peacefully alongside their kinsmen, the Yousafzai. Their chiefs at the time were Changaey, followed by his son Hasan, and later Shibli, son of Turaey.

According to Hayat-i-Afghani, their first quarrel with Yousafzai originated over the elopement of a Gigyani woman with a Yousafzai who was already betrothed to one of her own kinsmen. The Gigyanis pursued the matter vigorously, resulting in a serious feud with the Yousafzai. They connived with Mughal chief Ulugh Beg and killed 700 Yousafzai notables. The Yousafzai left the Kabul area and headed for Peshawar valley, where they succeeded in acquiring some lands. During Babur's rule over Kabul, the Mughals started harassing the Gigyanis around Kabul. However, in 1505 AD, Babur mentions them around Peshawar. In the same year one of the Gigyani Maliks, namely Malik Khusru Gigyani, accompanied Babur during his march on Kohat. Babur writes:

"At the time the Gigyanis were located in Peshawar but, in dread of our army, had drawn off to the skirt-hills. One of their headmen, coming into this camp, did me obedience. We took him as well as the Fajji with us, so that, between them, they might point out the roads."

Babur has not mentioned the name of Malik Khusru. However, Annete S. Beveridge, the translator of Babur-nama, in the Index-I personnel of Volume-II (page 771) mentions that "Khusru's name be inserted in the last line of page 230."

The Gigyanis attempted to set a footing in Bajaur but failed and sought Malik Ahmad Mandanr’s aid. He assigned the Doaba (area between river Swat and river Kabul) to them, but they soon found cause of quarrel with the Dilazaks, and even with the Yousafzais and Mandanrs also. In 1519 the Gigyanis brought Babur into the Hashtnagar tract, ostensibly against the Dilazaks, with whom the Yousafzai and Mandanrs left them to fight it out. As a result, the Dilazaks completely overthrew the Gigyanis. The former were elated at their victory, arousing the jealousy of Malik Ahmad, who formed a great Khashi confederacy, including various vassals of Yousafzai and Mandanr. In a great battle fought in the Guzar Rud, between Katlang and Shahbazgharhi, the Dilazaks were defeated with great loss.

Gigyanis are divided into two main sections, Hotak and Zirak. During Taimoor Shah Durrani's period, the Gigyani tribe numbered about eight thousand families and furnished a contingent to the Durrani army. They numbered 6,000 males at the census of 1901.

An Afghan (Pashtun) chief, 1931. Painting by John Burnes.