Nawabs of Maler Kotla

The rulers of Maler Kotla (now in Punjab state of India) were descendants of a Pashtun saint belonging to Sarwani tribe who migrated to and settled in India during the times of Sultan Bahlul Lodi. Shaikh Sadruddin is said to have received a gift of 68 villages near Ludhiana in 1454 AD when he married a daughter of Sultan Bahlul Lodi. In 1458 a Bhatti Rajput chief of Kapurthala gave his daughter in marriage to Shaikh Saddrudin. His descendants from his Rajput wife became the rulers of Maler Kotla while his descendants from his Pashtun wife (a Lodi princess) became caretakers of his tomb, khalifas. Shaikh Sadruddin founded a new town which was named as Maler. The fort and the surrounding houses were completed by the year 1461. Shaikh Saddrudin died in 1508 AD.

Mughal emperor Akbar removed all Pashtun jagirdars from Punjab who were linked to Lodi and Sur dynasties with exception of the descendants of Shaikh Sadruddin who were spared and allowed to retain their lands because of them being descendants of a Sufi saint. However, they were not allowed to fortify their settlements. Bayazid Khan Sarwani (1593-1659) joined the Mughal military and eventually became a high ranking mansabdar. He received the permission from Mughals to fortify the Sarwani settlements. In 1656 AD Bayazid Khan founded Kotla, a walled town with seven gates just south of Maler.

In mid 18th century Jamal Khan, then Nawab of Maler Kotla, became protégé of Ahmad Shah Durrani and supported him in his military campaigns in India. Ahmad Shah Durrani bestowed the title of Rustam-i-Hind on him. He was killed in a battle against Ala Singh (Sikh ruler of Patiala) in 1762. His son and successor Bhikan Khan continued supporting Ahmad Shah Durrani and received the right to mint his own coinage. Bhikan Khan played key role in the battle between Sikhs and Afghans in 1762 which is known as "Vadda Ghallughara" among the former (for details, read this blogpost). He was shot in the back by a Sikh at Kotla in 1763/1764.

Malerkotla was attacked many times by Sikhs in 18th century, but the principality managed to survive. In 1712 AD there were eleven parganahs in the state ruled by the Sarwani Nawabs, all of which, save Maler, succumbed to the rising Sikhs in the process of time. In 1794, the Bedi Kala Dhari, a descendant of Guru Nanak, proclaimed a religious war against Afghans of Malerkotla for slaughtering cows and induced several Sikh chieftains to join him. Ataullah Khan, the Nawab of Malerkotla, managed to repel Bedi with assistance from the Sikh Maharaja of Patiala. After Ranjit Singh conquered Kasur (also ruled by descendants of Pashtuns) in 1808, he crossed Sutlej and attacked Malerkotla. Ataullah Khan saved his state by coming under the protection of British East India Company.

Nawab Ahmad Ali Khan of Malerkotla, 1910. Source

Source

References:

1- "A description of the Principal Kotla Afghans" (published in 1882), by Inayat Ali Khan
2- "The rajas of the Punjab, the history of the principal states in the Punjab", by sir Lepel Henry Griffin
3- Read also: Sarwani tribe

Ahmad Ali Khan, the Nawab of Maler Kotla (a princely state of British-India), 1910. Source

Khwaja Khizr Khan Sarwani

Mausoleum of Khwaja Khizr Sarwani (Sonipat, Haryana, India)

Mausoleum of Khwaja Khizr Sarwani (Sonipat, Haryana, India)

Khwaja Khizr Khan Sarwani was a Pashtun of saintly reputation who was governor of Sonipat (Haryana state, India) during the during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Lodi (1517-1526 AD). He is buried in Sonipat in a magnificent Mausoleum which was constructed during the reign of Sultan Ibahrim Lodi. According to a Persian inscription on the site, Khwaja Khizr Khan was the son of Darya Khan Sarwani. The latter himself was an influential noble in the court of Sikandar Lodi. Work commenced on the tomb in 1522 and was completed by 1524. It was built on the orders of Langar Khan Khizr who was most probably his relative. The inscriptions read as follow:

"The portico of the tomb of Khwaja Khizr Khan, son of Darya Khan Sarwani – may God have mercy upon both! – was erected on Monday, 15th Shawwal, 928, in the reign of Just and liberal King, who relies on the assistance of the Merciful, Abul Muzaffar Ibrahim Shah, son of Sikandar Shah, son of Bahlul, the King. May God continue his kingdom and reign! "

"With the help of God, who is blessed and exalted, and by his grace, the building of this tomb of the great and noble saint, Miyan Khwaja Khizr Khan, the deceased, the pardoned, son of Darya Khan, son of the Shaikh of Shaikhs Shaikh Ahmad, son of the king of Shaikhs Shaikh Manduki Darwesh Sarwani – may God have mercy upon them,  – muqta (governor) of the town of Sonipat, was completed in the time of the kings of kings, the confirmer of the laws of Islam and the faith, the shadow of the God in both worlds, who trusts to the aid of the Merciful, Abdul Muzaffar Ibrahim Shah, son of Sikandar Shah, son of Bahlul Shah, the King  – may God perpetuate his kingdom and rule – by order of Langar Khan Khizr, on the 15th Rajab – may the honour of this month increase, A.H. 930."

Sarwani is an extinct tribe of Pashtuns who are said to be descendants of Sarwanaey, a son of Shah Hussain Ghori by his second wife Bibi Mahi who was daughter of a servant of Shaikh Batan. Descendants of Sarwanaey were brought up by Bibi Mato and are also grouped under the general name of Mati tribes.

Dattu Sarwani, a Pashtun soldier of early 16th century

Dattu Sarwani was a soldier in the service of Masnad-i-Ali Isa Khan Sarwani during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. When the latter was defeated by Babur at the battlefield of Panipat in 1526, Dattu Sarwani accompanied his fellow clansmen to Bihar. In 1528 Dattu was part of the army led by Mahmud Khan Lodi (brother of Ibrahim Lodi) which had intention of opposing Babur but it melted away without any engagement with the enemy. Later Dattu joined the cause of Babban Lodi and Bayazid Farmuli who were resisting Mughals. Dattu accompanied Babban Lodi to Gujarat and was part of the army of Sultan Bahadur of Gujarat which invested Chitor in 1535. In 1535-1536, Dattu joined Alauddin Khan Lodi (brother of Sikandar Lodi) who had sought refuge in the court of Sultan Bahadur of Gujarat. Alaudin Khan Lodi elevated him to a position of an officer and put him in charge of his pargana of Dholqa in Gujarat. Dattu deserted his post and returned to Bihar where his family had settled. 

Dattu Sarwani participated in Sher Shah Sur's second victory over Humayun at Qanauj in May 1540 When Dattu's old patron, Masnad-i-Ali Isa Khan Sarwani was put by Sher Shah in charge of the district of Sambhal, Dattu accompanied him and served him there.  (Ref: Lataif i Qadusi)

Sarwani tribe of Pashtuns

Sarwani Pashtuns (corrupted into 'Sherwani' in India) are descendants of Sarwanaey, son of Shah Hussain Ghori, by his second wife Bibi Mahi who was daughter of a servant of Shaikh Batan. Descendants of Sarwanaey were brought up by Bibi Mato and are also grouped under the general name of Mati tribes.

Out of Shah Hussain's descendants, the Sarwanis were the first to leave their original home.  They are said to have taken possession of Darabhan and surrounding areas (in present-day Dera Ismail Khan, KP), soon after the time of Shahabuddin Ghori. The ancient Darabhan has been deserted, the present town of that name having built on a different site. Its northern gate was named after its founder Shaikh Mali Qatal Sarwani of Sari-pal section that was, till recently, referred to as Shaikh Qatal Sarwani gate.

A feud with the Sur tribe was the cause of Sarwani decadence and made them unable to withstand the inroads of more energetic neighbors. It is said that a Sur from Rohri eloped with a girl of his clan and took refuge with the neighboring Sarwanis of Darabhan. Sarwanis demanded handing over of the culprit. The Sarwani jirga, following the tenets of Pashtunwali, refused the demand and instead offered five maidens from Sarwani tribe to the relations of the girl. This offer was refused by Suri men who repeated their demand and prepared to enforce it. Roused to indignation the Sarwani also flew to arms, and the opposing forces met at old Darabhan. The fight was very fierce, and not until most of the young men on both sides were killed, did the remaining few desist from mutual slaughter, to collect the thousands of the slain and dispose of them in shallow, hastily made graves. 

In the reign of Humayun, Miyakhel and Bakhtiyar clans attacked the enfeebled Sarwani tribe, destroying and dispersing them, and taking their principal own Darabhan. Most of the survivors made their way to Maler Kotla (East Punjab, India), the ruler of which was a fellow clansman. Many of the Sarwanis had earlier moved to Hind and made their name as powerful mercenary groups. The tribe may say to have been extinct in Afghanistan/Pakhtunkhwa.

The Sarwanis consisted of 52 or 104 'Khels' or minor sub-divisions and though possibly they may have visited India before the Tughlaq Sultans of Delhi, but the first Sarwani of note, about whom we hear , was Malik Qabul Khan, Governor of Badoan, during the reign of Feruz Shah Tughlaq, and later on, about the end of Tughlaq dynasty, we find that Malik Yousuf Sarwani was included as a commander in the army of Tamurlang that overran India up to the Gangetic plain. Powerful and influential Sarwani chiefs were in the service of Lodi sultans and later, that of Sur sultans.

Known Sarwani nobles of the Lodi empire

→ Sikandar Khan Sarwani

→ Umar Khan Sarwani (entitled Khan-i-Azam)

→ Ibrahim Khan Sarwani

→ Babu Khan Sarwani

→ Saif Khan Sarwani

→ Ahmad Khan Sarwani (entitled of Azam Humayun , rank of 45,000 sawars, 700 elephants)

→ Fateh Khan Sarwani ( rank of 10,000 sawars)

→ Daud Khan alias Rao Khan Sarwani

→ Haibat Khan Sarwani

→ Said Khan Sarwani

→ Muhammad Khan Sarwani

→ Darya Khan Sarwani

→ Firoz Khan Sarwani (rank of 6,000 sawars)

→ Isa Khan Sarwani

→ Islam Khan Sarwani (rank of 40,000 sawars and 500 elephants)

→Jamal Khan son of Khaira Sarwani (governor at the fort of Budaun , 1495-96)

→ Qutb Khan Sarwani

→ Dilawar Khan Sarvani

Sarwani nobles of Sur empire

→ Isa Khan Sarwani (entitled Masnad-i Ali)

→ Muzaffar Khan Sarwani (entitled Khan-i-Azam)

→ Said Khan Sarwani

→ Shaikh Muhammad Sarwani

→ Saif Khan Acha Khel Sarwani

→ Shahbaz Khan Acha Khel Sarwani

→ Ibrahim Khan Sarwani (entitled Sarmast Khan)

→ Bijli Khan Sarwani

→ Ayub Kakbur Sarwani

→ Muhammad Kakbur Sarwani

→ Darya Khan Sarwani

Khwaja Khizr Sarwani

Mausoleum of Khwaja Khizr Sarwani (Sonipat, Haryana, India)

 

Mausoleum of Khwaja Khizr Sarwani (Sonipat, Haryana, India)

According to a Persian inscription on the site, Khwaja Khizr was the son of Darya Khan Sarwani. Darya Khan himself was an influential noble in the court of Sikandar Lodi. Work commenced on the tomb in 1522 and was completed by 1524 by Ibrahim Lodi.

Shaikh Sadar-ud-Din Sarwani

Shaikh Sadar-ud-Din, commonly known as Sadar Jahan, fourteenth in descent from common ancestor Sarwani, was of devout life and pious practices. Leaving his native Darahban, he set out for a journey through Hindustan, and having reached what is now Maler, built himself a hut on the banks of a tributary of the Sutlej, and there became absorbed in religious practices and meditations. In view of his piety, Bahlol gave him his daughter in marriage and bestowed on her 12 large and 55 small villages which formed the nucleus of Malerkotla state. The Shaikh afterwards also married a Rajput maiden. Shaikh Sadr-ud-Din died in 1515 A.D, and was buried in the midst of Maler, where his grave is still resorted to by high and low. His children by the Afghan princess became the guardians of his shrine while his children by Indian wife succeeded to his rank and jagir.

Afghans of Malerkotla, c.1830-1840. British Library. Photo courtesy: Farrukh Husain

 

Afghans of Malerkotla, c.1830-1840. British Library. Photo courtesy: Farrukh Husain

Aligarh Fort

Aligarh Fort (Uttar Pradesh, India). The fort was built by Muhammad Khan Sarwani son of Umar Khan Sarwani (Sarwani is a Pashtun tribe), Ibrahim Lodi's governor of Kol (Aligarh). Muhammad Khan Sarwani hastily constructed and completed fort in 1525. We do not know what happened to Muhammad Khan Sarwani after battle of Panipat. The inscription in the fort says: -

"At first i said: —' Praise be to God, who has created Mustafa (the prophet).' 

I then wrote several verses on account of the fort. I shall not remain, a monument (of me) shall remain. 

A strong fort, a firm foundation, completed in the reign of my king, 

Whose name is Ibrahim [son of] Sikandar, who bestows silver and gold on beggars. 

During the shiakdari of Muhammad, son of Umar, when Shihab, son of Munawwar, was councillor. 

He has suffered much hardship on account of the building, and raised the structure, in a short time. 

It was in 931 H (1525). when the fort was completed. 

May I, a helpless man, whose name is Ahmad, find on the day of resurrection the shadow oi Ahmad (the prophet)." [Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1872, p-167]

 Aligarh fort built by Muhammad Khan Sarwani

Lineage tree of Sarwani tribe

 

References:

1- Muhammad Hayat Khan,"Hayat-i-Afghani", p-302.
2- Muhammad Abbas Khan Sarwani, 'Proceedings of the Indian history congress", 1943, p-392-95
3- Haroon Rashid, "History of the Pathans", Vol-III, pp-390-393.
3- Rita Joshi, ''Afghan nobility and the Mughals", p-92 , p-99
4- Abdul Halim, History of the Lodi sultans of Delhi and Agra