Afghan tribesmen, 1879

 

Jahandad, a Lohani Pashtun from Ghazni, Afghanistan, 1879. From ''The Illustrated London News'', April 19, 1879.

South or Humayun gate of Purana Qila, Delhi

According to the Persian inscription on the site, South or Humayun gate of Purana Qila in Delhi was completed in the year 950 Hijri (1543) during the reign of Sher Shah Sur by the order of Ghazi Khan Lohani (Pashtun).

Translation of the partially faded inscription:

(1) " The gate of the peaceful valley was completed in the reign of Sher Shah

who is the Taj-dar (the crown-wearer).

(2) By order of Ghazi Khan Lohani who is a loyal well-wisher of the king. 
 

(3) The king has spent an abundance of silver and gold (on the erection of

the gate) so that there may remain a memorial of him through the years. 

(4) It was in the year 950 resplendent made bright."

Lohani (لوحاڼي) or Nuhani Pashtuns, a section of Lodis, are found in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Lakki Marwat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Abdul Hai Habibi, Abdul Shakoor Rashad (and many others who have followed them) confused Lohani (لوحاڼي) section of Lodis with Lawani لواڼي (a branch of Miyana tribe of Pashtuns) and Lawan لوڼ (a branch of the Panni tribe of Pashtuns).

South or Humayun gate of Purana Qila, Delhi, 1950s.

South or Humayun gate of Purana Qila, Delhi. Photo taken in 1933 by Ram Nath. Source

Backside of the South gate

Its Luhani or Nuhani (لوحاڼي ) , not Lawani (لواڼي)

Nuhani or Luhani Pashtuns are erroneously referred to as "Lawani" in modern Pashto literature of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Abdul Hai Habibi and Abdul Shakoor Rashad (and many others who have followed them) have confused Nuhanis/Luhanis (a branch of Lodis) with Lawanis (a branch of Miyanas).

Khushal Khan Khattak calls them Luhani (لوحاني) in Swat-nama [1] :-

نور مې ځای په څوتره ، لوحاني دی
که څوک وي، نه ناکام د کرلاڼی دی


In the footnotes, Abdul Hai Habibi says that Nuhani or Luhani is Indianized form of Lawani (لواڼي) or Lawan (لوڼ). Abdul Hai Habibi is incorrect here. Nuhani is original. Makhzan-i-Afghani informs us that Luhanis are descendants of Nuh [2]. H.G.Raverty says that as in the case of some other Semetic words, the "n" in the Nuh is sometimes changed for "l", thus Luh and Luhani. According to Raverty, the last mode of writing is comparatively modern. [3]

Abdul Hai Habibi and other authors have confused Luhani with Lawani (a branch of Miyana tribe of Pashtuns) and Lawan (a branch of Panni tribe of Pashtuns). According to Makhzan-i-Afghani, Lawani was one of the 12 sons of Miyana [4]. While Lawan (لوڼ) was one of the sons of Panni. [5]

Dawlat Nuhani was 17th century Pashto poet and a follower of Bayazid Ansari. He has been erroneously referred to as Lawani by 20th century authors from Afghanistan (the error which is reproduced and repeated by authors from Pakistan) but he refers to himself as "Nuhani" (نوحاني) in his poetry. [6]

The earliest sources which mention Nuhani Pashtuns, are inscriptions of Lodi period. In an inscription dated to 1496 A.D, a Nuhani noble of Sikandar Lodi is mentioned. The mode of writing in that inscription is Nuhani (نوحاني), not Lawani [7]. Babur also refers to them as Nuhanis. [8]

Ameer Khan, a Lohani Chieftain', 1836. By Godfrey Thomas Vigne. Source

References

1- Swat-nama of Khushal Khan Khattak, edited and annotated by Abdul Hai Habibi, p-17
2- “History of the Afghans” by B.Dorn, p-50
3- “Notes on Afghanistan and part of Baluchistan”, by H.G.Raverty, p-486
4- “History of the Afghans” by B.Dorn, p-43
5- Tarikh Khan Jahani wa Makhzan-i-Afghani, Persian text, p-635
6- “Da Daulat Lawani diwan”, edited by Abdul Shakoor Rashad, p-232
7- “Lodi and Sur inscriptions from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh”,by W.H.Siddiqui, p-27
8- “Babur-nama”, translated into English by A.S.Beveridge”, p-455

The Pashtun Lohani or Nuhani dynasty of Bihar

Nuhanis are descended from Isu Khan son of Ismael son of Siani son of Lodi, according to the traditional history. He is said to have been commonly known as Nuh or Nuhan , and his descendants came to be known as Nuhani. They are also known as Lohanis which is corruption of word Nuhani. Nuhanis are divided into four main branches, Marwat, Miya Khel, Daulat Khel and Tatur.

In 1495 AD,  Darya Khan Nuhani, son of Mubarak Khan Nuhani, was appointed governor of Bihar by Sultan Sikander Lodi. On Darya Khan's death, his son assumed independence with the title of Sultan Muhammad Shah during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. Thus Bihar turned into a base of Nuhani Afghans. The Nuhanis continued to retain their hold over Bihar with Babur's support till 1530 AD when it was seized by Sher Khan Sur.

The longest lasting Afghan dynasty in history : Lohanis of Jalore and Palanpur

The dynasty of Nuhani Afghans which held sway at Jalore (Rajasthan, India) for nearly three hundred years, and which, after session of this town and district to Marwar by Aurangzeb in 1697, transferred its capital to Palanpur (Gujarat, India) where it ruled till 1947. By virtue of its an uninterrupted rule extending over five centuries and half, the ruling house of Palanpur was ranked as the oldest among the Muslim states of India in 1947. They belonged to Aba Khel section of Mian Khel branch of Nuhani tribe.

About 1370 a soldier of fortune named Malik Khurram Khan Nuhani, accompanied by his relatives and retainers, left Bihar and came to Jalore, a fort and a district in Marwar , where he took service under the then Ruler Chauhan Sangara Rajput Visaldev.

Visaldev was assassinated by the Rathor Prince of Mandor. Malik Khurram Khan who was at that time the Deputy Governor of Jalore, immediately installed the Dowager Princess Popan Bai on the gadi. But ultimately disagreement arose between Rajputs and Afghans, and Popan Bai issued an order for execution of Malik Khurram Khan. Malik Khurram Khan having previously obtained information of the conspiracy besieged the Palace, from which Popan Bai deserted by her supporters, managed to escape and the vacant Gadi passed into the hands of Malik Khurram Khan who established his sovereignty there in 1391. In this unexpected manner a strong Muslim power was founded in the very heart of Rajputana.

Malik Khurram Khan was succeeded by Malik Yousaf Khan who in turn was succeeded by his son Malik Hasan Khan who enlarged his fiefdom. Malek Khuram Khan was, recognized by the Gujerat Sultan as the Ruler of Jalore.

Malek Usman Khan, 5th Ruler of this House, was granted the hereditary title of " Zubdat-ul-Mulk " by Mohamed Begda, the Sultan of Gujerat. Under Malik Usman Khan, Muslim authority became definitely established in south Rajputana and north Gujarat, and he was presented with dresses of honour by the Lodi Sultan at Delhi. Malik Usman Khan accepted the doctrines of Mahdavis. From this period the ruling princes of Jalor and Palanpur continued to be attached to the Mahdavi creed.

The reign of Malek Sikandarkhan, second in succession from Mujahid Khan the fourth in descent from Malek Hasan was disturbed by the attack of Rao Maldev of Jodhpur, who took and plundered both Jalore and Sanchore. Malik Sikander Khan, who died in 1548, was succeeded by Malik Ghazni Khan, the twelfth Ruler of Jalore, restored the prestige of the Jalore family. The emperor Akbar bestowed on him the hereditary title of " Dewan " in recognition of his conspicuous services on the frontier and presented him with a robe of Honour and a jewel-studed sword.

Banu Begum, the Emperor's foster sister, was given in marriage to Dewan Ghazni Khan, and the emperor gave the principality of Palanpur, Deesa, Dhantiwada, etc., as a dowry. Dewan Ghazni Khan was also appointed Governor of Lahore. His services were further recognized by Emperor Jahangir who increased Dewan Ghazni Khan's former rank by 500 infantry and 400 horses. His son Pahar was executed by Jahangir,

"When I came to Dih Qaziyan, near Ujjain, I summoned Pahar - This wretch had been put by me, after the death of his father, in possession of the Fort and the district of Jalor, his ancestral home. He is a young man and was often checked by his mother for his bad bahaviour. Annoyed at this, he entered with some of his companions her apartments, and killed her. I investigated the case, found him guilty, and had him executed." [Tuzk-i-Jahangiri]

Another son of Ghaznin Khan is Nizam, who died in the 6th year of Shahjahan's reign. He was a commander of 900, 650 horse. Ghaznin's brother Firuz was a commander of 600, 400 horse, and died in the 4th year. The Padishahnamah mentions also a Mujahid of Jalor, who in the 20th year of Shahjahan's reign was a commander of 800, 800 horse.
.....................

The Lohanis lost Jhalor to Dalpat Singhji Rathor during the early seventeenth century, victims of the alliance between Emperor Jehangir and the Rajputs. Diwan Pahar Khan I was forced to withdraw to the Aravali foothills in Gujarat. Pahar's successor, Diwan Firuz alias Kamal Khan, was reconciled to the Imperial authorities after Emperor Shah Jahan acknowledged his services in bringing in the outlaw, Kanji Koli.

After half a century of independence, the state came under increasing harassment by the Marathas. Like their neighbours, they were subject to the usual arbitrary "indemnities" and "taxes" that amounted to little more than extortion. The Lohani's therefore became keen allies of the British and concluded a treaty of alliance and protection with the EIC in 1817.


References:

1- "List of Ruling Princes and Chiefs in Political Relations with the Government of Bombay and their Leading Officials, Nobles and Personages", 1938.
2- "A history of Gujarat, including a survey of its chief architectural monuments and inscriptions", 1938.

The Diwan of Palanpur with his two sons

Ancestral village of Sher Shah Sur in Pakhtunkhwa

Sher Shah's father name was Hasan and they belonged to the Shera Khel sept of the Sur tribe [1]. Their tribe was located in the present-day Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Sher Shah’s grandfather, Ibrahim Khan, was a horse-dealer in his homeland. He migrated to India with his son Hasan during the early years of Sultan Bahlul’s reign and took up a career as a soldier. [2]

According to Abbas Sarwani, who a compiled a 16th century biography of Sher Shah Sur, Sher Shah's family originated from a village in Afghanistan (Pakhtunkhwa) which was known as Zhaghri in Afghani (Pashto) and Rohri in Multani (Seraiki) [3]. The Dera Ismail Khan district is a region where both Seraiki and Pashto are spoken in close proximity. K.R. Qanungo, author of a renowned book on Sher Shah, incorrectly identified Zhaghri, or Rohri, as Surgurgai near Ab-i Istadeh in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, where Seraiki is not spoken [4]. Abbas Sarwani provides further information about the village's location, stating that Zhaghri, or Rohri, is situated on a ridge extending six or seven kuroh along the Gomal River, originating from the Sulaiman Mountains. [5]. According to the survey of Suleiman mountains published under the Direction of Brigadier E.O.Wheeler (Surveyor General of India) in 1941 [6], Rohri is a village, situated on an offshoot of the Suleiman mountains which is roughly 15 miles long, that is the six or seven kuroh of Abbas Sarwani. This branch of Suleiman mountains is known locally as "Mian Nur” ridge. The river Gomal runs close by Rohri village. According to Aminullah Khan Gandapur, village Rohri is located 11 miles northwest of Kulachi town in the Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan. [7]

In the mid-sixteenth century, the Sur tribe in Pakhtunkhwa was attacked and defeated by the neighboring Lohani tribes. It is likely that the fall of the Sur dynasty in India in 1555 encouraged the Lohanis to attack and displace the Surs. Many Surs were killed, and the survivors fled to India. Subsequently, Khan Zaman Katti Khel, the chief of the Lohanis, awarded the former lands of the Surs to the Gandapur tribe in the late sixteenth century. This was done with the intention of using the Gandapur's power against his Marwat enemies. Today, the village of Rohri is inhabited by the Gandapur tribe of Pashtuns. [8].

References

1- “Akbar nama”, English translation by H.Beveridge, p-326
2- Ibid.
3- “The History of India, as told by its own Historians”, Vol-4, p-308
4- “Sher Shah and his times”, K.R.Qanungo, p-05
5- “The History of India, as told by its own Historians”, Vol-4, p-308
6- "Transition of power from the early Mughals to Sher Shah Suri", by Hussain Khan, pp.80-81
7- "Tarikh-i-Sarzameen-i-Gomal", by Aminullah Khan Gandapur, p-39
8- "Afghanistan and Its Inhabitants: Translated from the HAYAT-I-AFGHANI of Muhammad Hayat Khan, p-286

Portrait of of Sher Shah Sur. Water colour painting. Date of Creation: 1900-1949

Rohri marked with red arrow in the map