Pathans of pohalli

Introduction

 This blog is about pathans of pohalli and adjoining villages, located in suburbs of Meerut , U.P, INDIA.

The word  "Pathan" is an Indian version of "Pashtun" or "Pakhtun". Pathan is a race or caste among Muslims originating from North and central Afghanistan. Some theories suggests that in the period before Islam pathans migrated from Israel to present day Iran and Afghanistan. With the conquest of India by Mahmud Ghaznavi, pathans started to come and settle in India and were often granted high ranks in the royal armies.  The Lodi and Suri were pathans, these dyanasties ruled India for a considerable period of time.  In modern times, there are vast colonies of pathans mainly in Western uttar Pradesh , madhya Pradesh , Gujarat , Deccan and Awadh region. Pathans are among the four higher castes among Muslims with sheikhs , Sayyeds and Mughals. There are many clans of pathans namely, Yusufzai, Tareen , Dilazak, Sherwani, Afridi, Kakarzai, Bangash, Durrani, Ahmedzai, Niazi, Okarzai , Ghori and many others. 

Pathans in Pohalli 

Sher Shah Suri

Read more about Sher Shah Suri , click here

The history of pohalli pathans can be traced back to the time of Sher Shah Suri . He took control of India from the Mughals in 1538 after a battle with Humayun. In his army he had a general named MALIK JALAAL KHAN. Being impressed from Jalaal Khan's work , Sher Shah granted him the jageer of Meerut. Malik Jalaal Khan belonged to Sherwani clan. He came from Kandahar, with his family and joined the army. He built his palace near Budhana Gate in Meerut.

Malik JALAAL KHAN,  then took control of the meerut jageer. His family is called "Ghods" that is because he once served in the city of Ghod in Bengal. He had a son Malik Khan. Malik Khan then had four sons :- 

1. MALIK SAALIM KHAN

2. MALIK JAHAA'N KHAN

3. MALIK ALI KHAN

4. MALIK AKHWAND KHAN

These four brothers moved from meerut towards villages near sardhana. And then settled in a village called Mahabali, which was later named Pabli khas. This place had seen local conflicts of rajputs. The brothers with their pathaan companions settled there. They took the work of development of the village and agriculture works. For  farming they brought Jaats from nearby villages of dabathua and others. They gave a separate land to jaat farmers , this place gradually turned to a mini village, Pabli khurd. 

Meanwhile the Brahmins from pohalli were creating a headache for pathaans. They used to loot and plunder the farms of Jaats and often did killings and other crimes. Once the pathans got the news that the Brahmins had looted the homes in Pabli khurd. Therefore they decided to end their misdoings once and for all. The Pathaans led by Malik Saalim Khan , fought against the Brahmins in the fields of pohalli. Pathaan force emerged as victorious , drove most of the Brahmins out of the village and killed the others. The wells of pohalli were filled with dead bodies of brahmins.

After the war, peace prevailed in that place. Malik Saalim Khan gave the jageer of pohalli to his younger brother Malik Akhwand Khan. Malik Akhwand Khan started living in Pohalli. Within few centuries, Pohalli got largely populated with Pathans. The rest of the three brothers settled in Pabli Khaas.

Malik AKHWAND KHAN

Akhwand Khan is also knows as Dada Malakundan or The Father of Pathans of Pohalli. His rule brought peace to the village. All the communities especially farmers prospered under him. He and his children continued to Maintain friendly relations with the Pathans in Pabli Khas. Alkhwand Khan has his grave in the qabristan of the village and every Thursday it is visited by Hindus and Muslims both. Malik Akhwand Khan had 3 sons. Malik Shataab Khan , Malik Shadi Khan and Malik Bahadur Khan. The younger son Bahadur Khan didn't had any children.

FAMILY OF MALIK AKHWAND KHAN

Malik Shataab Khan

 He was the eldest son of Akhwand Khan. His family is called Ghods, like his grandfather's, (however, children of his brothers took up different name for distinction). He had two sons , Mahmud Khan and Buddhu Khan. From Buddhu Khan's blood line are Laiq Khan s/o Lateef Khan and Akhlaaq Khan s/o Saddeeque Khan. On the other hand , the family of Mahmud Khan till now holds a prominent place and is one of the respected families ,since his time. The shajra of Mahmud Khan is as follows:- 

• MAHMUD KHAN
• Sher Mohammad Khan
• Chhajju Khan
• Sa'ad Ullah Khan
• Shahamat Khan (was the first zamindaar of Pohalli along with Raajat Khan)
• Sabit Khan
• Khadim Khan 
• MOHAMMAD KHAN
• Abdul Hameed Khan

Abdul Hameed Khan

Abdul Hameed Khan

Abdul Hameed Khan was the middle son of Mohammad Khan. He had two brothers Abdul Majeed Khan and Abdul Waheed Khan. He also had 5 sisters, of which one of them was married to his cousin and another zamindaar of Pohalli, Mohammad Asghar Khan. He was prominent land owner of the village and was respected by all people, Hindus and Muslims. He also performed Hajj to the holy cities of Arab. He was married to Asghari begum, a girl from promimemt zamindaar family of Pabli Khas. He had two sons , Iqbal Mohammad Khan and Ishtiyaq Mohammad Khan and a daughter Iqbal Fatima. 

IQBAL MOHAMMAD KHAN  and

ISHTIYAQ MOHAMMAD KHAN.

 

IQBAL MOHAMMAD KHAN

ISHTIYAQ MOHAMMAD KHAN

Iqbal Khan was married to Muna Begum and Ishtiyaq khan was married to Salma Begum. Both were daughters of Mohammad Asghar Khan.

Iqbal Khan has 2 sons ( Ahmed Raza Khan and Nadeem Raza Khan) and a daughter , Farzana. While Ishtiyaq Khan has 5 daughters , (Dilshad Begum , Rukhshana Begum , Gulfisha Begum, Shama Parveen and Uzma Khatun).