Mir Chakar Rind is often glorified as the “King of Baluchistan”, and some modern accounts bestow upon him the epithet "the great." However, a rigorous examination of history reveals a different picture. Far from a king, Chakar Rind appears to have been no more than a tribal chieftain, his stature inflated by legend and fiction. Even according to Baloch folklore, his power was limited to that of a tribal leader, as evidenced by his inability to defeat the Lashari tribe in a protracted thirty-year war. [1]
It is often claimed that Chakar Rind, at the head of forty thousand Rind Baloch warriors, joined forces with Mughal emperor Humayun to secure the Delhi throne for the latter. However, this claim not corroborated by any contemporary or near contemporary historical source [2]. Eyewitness accounts penned by Gulbadan Begum, Bayazid Bayat, and Jauhar Aftabchi, all of whom accompanied Humayun, make no mention of Chakar Rind. This conspicuous absence suggests that Chakar Rind was either of little consequence to Humayun's endeavors, or that he did not join the Mughal camp to begin with.
The claim that Mir Chakar Rind joined Humayun against Sur Afghans, is also not supported by the Baloch ballads recorded in 19th century by Longworth Dames and other British officials. In fact, Baloch ballads narrate tales of Chakar Rind and his sons waging war against Humayun Chughtai and his Mughal forces, and emerging victorious [3][4]. These legends are not corroborated by Mughal sources.
Who was the historical Chakar Rind? According to the Tabaqat-i-Akbari by Khawaja Nizamuddin Ahmad (compiled in 1593-94), Mir Chakar Rind arrived in Multan from the vicinity of Siwi (Sibi) with his two sons, Mir Allahdad and Mir Shahdad, in the early sixteenth century. Chakar Rind sought to enter the service of Sultan Mahmud Langah of Multan but was thwarted by Malik Sohrab Dodai, a favoured noble of the Langah Sultan. Subsequently, Chakar Rind departed from Multan and sought the protection of Jam Bayazid Sammah of Shortkot (in modern-day Jhang district, Punjab), a former wazir of the Langah Sultans who had pledged allegiance to Sultan Sikandar Lodi. Jam Bayazid granted him a jagir from the royal lands (of the Lodi sultan?), likely Satgarah. The relevant passage in the Tabaqat-i-Akbari reads as follows:
"About this time Mir Chakar Rind came to Multan from the direction of Siwi (Sibi) with his two sons Mir Allahdad and Mir Shahdad. Mir Shahdad was the first man who promulgated the Shia religion in Multan. As Malik Suhrab Dudai was held in great honour by the Langahs, Mir Chakar Rind could not remain there; and sought an asylum with Jam Bayazid. As he was the head of a clan, Jam Bayazid received him with much honour, and bestowed on him and his sons a part of the territory which was in the Khalsa or crown land." [5]
Thus, we learn that Mir Chakar Rind was merely a jagirdar serving Jam Bayazid during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodi. The author of the Tabaqat-i-Akbari characterizes him as a clan leader rather than a former king.
“When Sher Shah had laid siege to the fort of Raisin, he received a letter from Khawas Khan saying that he and Niazi had developed some differences between themselves. “The letter contained a request that Sher Shah should, therefore, summon one of the two. Having gone through the letters of Khawas , Sher Shah summoned Khawas Khan, Isa Khan Niazi and Habib khan. Then he conferred the country of Punjab on Haibat Khan Niazi and ordered him to rescue and rehabilitate Multan which had been usurped by the Balochs. He was also to chastise Fateh Khan Jat of Qabula, who had been, during the Mughal period, laying waste to the country up to Panipat. As soon as Haibat Khan received these orders, he summoned the representative of Chakar Rind – The hakim (حاکم) of Satgarah. The representative was told to go and inform Chakar Rind that Haibat khan Niazi was going to tour those areas. Chakar should be prepared to present his contingent for review. One who related the story that he had heard it from Wakil Fateh Khan Kanbo that when he went to Chakar Rind and disclosed to him what Haibat Khan Niazi has said, the former was thrown in panic, he had no time either to a reception or to put together the ‘lashkar’ as demanded. At this time Haibat Khan Niazi was merely two day’s distance away. Next morning the news came that Haibat Khan Niazi had already arrived. Hearing this, Chakar became nervous, although he did manage to get on his horse and to go out to receive the dignity.” [6]
The above passage from Tuhfa-i-Akbarshahi indicates that Chakar Rind was far from being an independent and powerful king of a vast realm. Instead, he was a subordinate of the Punjab governor, his estate limited to the pargana of Satgarh. There are no Mughal records of Mir Chakar Rind and his progeny pertaining to events after 1555 AD, suggesting that they were ignored by the Mughals due to their former affiliation with the Sur Afghans. He died at Satghara and is buried there.
References
1- "Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal", Vol-49, Part 1, p-140
2- "Popular Poetry of the Baloches" (1907), by M.Longworth Dames, Vol-1, p-32
3- Ibid, p-33
4- "Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal" (1880), Vol-49, Part 1, p-142
5- Tabaqat-i-Akbari", translated into English by Brajendranath De, Volume III, pp.804-804.
6- "Afghans of the Frontier Passes: A Study in the Historical Geography of Sibi and Dhader in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan" (1992), by A.Aziz Luni, Vol-1, p-86
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History needs to be reconstructed honestly and the truth-or something close to it-be taught, at school and in the general society, as someone has aptly said that A NATION WITHOUT A HISTORY IS A NATION OF MAD MEN.
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