An old member of the famous Jadoon tribe in his typical dress, 1951

 

Jadoon Afghans of Hazara, 1861

 

Jadoon Afghans of Hazara, 1861. Source: "People of India" by Watson and Kaye. 

 "The Jadoons are not British subjects, though they inhabit a portion of the district called Hazara. They inhabit a portion of the frontier below, that is south of the Hussunzye tribe, lying on the right bank of the Indus, and opposite to the British town of Torbeyla. Westward their territory extends till it meets the higher ranges of the Hindoo Koosh. The Mahabun mountain, with its dense forest, lies within their boundary, and the whole tract is wild and rugged in an almost inconceivable degree. The Jadoons are, however, peaceable people as far as the British and their subjects are concerned; they have never molested those tribes protected by us, and have made no raids upon lands within our frontier. Hence the Jadoons bear a better official character than their neighbours. 

 Though the Jadoons accompanied the Yoosufzyes when they descended from Kabool in the fifteenth century, and conquered and occupied the valley of Peshawur, they claim to have an independent origin, and are separate from the Yoosufzyes. The Jadoons were, at first, small in number, and, as they increased, they spread into the neighbouring district of Hazara, and now form one of the strongest tribes of that province, occupying the central portion; their villages lying from 1,500 to 6,000 feet above the plains of the Indus. The Jadoons subsist by agriculture and grazing flocks of sheep. They are described to be "hospitable, industrious, bold, and simple in their manners, and make good soldiers; they are, perhaps, less haughty than other Pathans, but they are untruthful, revengeful, and rapacious, and their turbulent spirit, repressed by a strong government, finds vent in petty contention and chicane among themselves." 

 The Jadoons are a fair complexioned tribe, many of them having brown hair and beards, and ruddy colour, with grey or hazel eyes, and they are, for the most part, fair, with strong, athletic forms, extremely active, and capable of enduring great exertion and fatigue. They are Mahomedans of the Soonnee sect, and follow the ordinary precepts and customs of the Mahomedan faith ; but are bigoted and ignorant to a degree. Their costume is not remarkable for any peculiarity, and consists usually of a white turban, vest, and trousers, with a blue loongee, or scarf, with borders and ends of crimson silk and gold thread. The figures in the Photograph are not armed, but all carry arms, and the sword, with a broad shield, is, perhaps, the favourite weapon, though a proportion of the tribe are armed with the long matchlock of the mountain frontier." ["People of India" by Watson and Kaye, vol-5] 

Read also: Jadoon or Gadoon tribe

History of the Tanoli tribe of Hazara

History of the Tanoli (Tanaoli) Tribe of Hazara

Majority of the Tanolis (or Tanaolis) insist on being of Pashtun origin but their rulers have accounted themselves to be of Barlas Mughal origin. Tanoli or Tanawali is actually an adjective denoting their abode Tanawal. They are divided into two divisions, Pul-Al and Hando-Al; the former occupies Lower Tunawal, and the latter Upper Tunawal. In 1907 they numbered 58,700 [1]. Although not usually acknowledged as Pashtuns, the Tanolis had by long association become assimilated with the Pashtuns in manners, customs and character. The tribal and cultural practices of the Tanolis closely resembled those of Pashtuns and all of them appeared to have spoken Pashto in the 18th century. Tanolis in Agror valley still speak Pashto language as their first language if not exclusively [2]. Captain E.G. Wase in 1868 reported that “majority of Tanolis have forgotten the Pashto tongue” but “those of the Tanoli villages on the bank of Indus, all speak Pashtu”. [3]

Tanawal in the 16th Century

H. G. Raverty, on the authority of Akhund Darweza, says that Tanawal or Tunawal was overrun by Khashi tribes of Pashtuns under the leadership of Ali Asghar in the latter part of Akbar’s reign, and its former inhabitants were expelled from some parts of Tunawal. [6]

Tanolis in the 18th Century

An Indian surveyor Syed Ghulam Muhammad visited Tanawal in 1780 and reported that Pashto language was spoken by its inhabitants and their chief Gul Sher Khan paid allegiance to Timur Shah Durrani. He writes:

“Tunawal is the name of a small territory lying on the east bank of the Aba-Sin... Latterly, according to some accounts, they have laid claim to be descended from the tribe of Birlas – Amir Timur’s own tribe.”

“Half a kuroh further you reach Derah-i-Gul Sher Khan... He pays allegiance to the Badshah of Kabul.”

“The Tunawal’s number about 20,000 families... Their chief places and seat of authority are Bir, Puhar, and Dera'h.” [4]

George Forester... mentions Gul Sher Khan (the chief of Tanolis) as “Mahometan of the Afghan tribe”. [5]

In 1752 AD, Zabardast Khan Tanoli joined Ahmad Shah Durrani in his conquest of India... [7]

Tribally allied with the Pashtuns they participated in the wars against the Sikhs and the British... [8]

References

1. Hazara Gazetteer 1907, p-29
2. “History of the Pathans”, By Haroon Rashid, Vol-6, p-34
3. Report of the Land Revenue Settlement of the Hazara District of the Punjab, 1868-74, p-74
4. “Notes on Afghanistan and Part of Baluchistan”, Henry George Raverty, p-275
5. A Journey from Bengal to England, vol-2, p-49
6. “Notes on Afghanistan and Part of Baluchistan”, Henry George Raverty, pp-275-276
7. “History of the Pathans”, By Haroon Rashid, Vol-6, p-36
8. Ibid, p-34
9. A Tanoli Afghan, 1861

Historical Images

A group of Tanoli tribesmen guarding a remote outpost on Amb State’s western boundary, October 1904. Photo by Aurel Stein.

Nawab of Amb and followers, Kaim Gulli, 1888 (c). Photo by Bourne & Shepherd.

Portrait of Nawab Zabardast Khan Tanoli from “Battle of Panipat in Light of Rediscovered Paintings.”

Nawab of Amb and Tanoli followers, Kaim Gulli, 1888 (c). Photo by Bourne & Shepherd.

A Tanaolee tribesman, Hazara, 1868. From Kaye & Watson collection.

Drawing of Nawab Khan, son of Sarbuland Khan Tanoli, 1870s.