Rajput Clan: Bhakral
Vansh	Agnivanshi
Descended from:	Parmara
Branches:	None
Ruled in	Pothohar
Princely states:	None
Surnames:	Rajah or Khan

The Bhakral are a Muslim Rajput tribe found in the Punjab

Punjab (Pakistan)

Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...

 province of Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. Another pronunciation is Pakhral, particularly in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...

.

Their population according to the 1931 census of India, was 6,600. At the time of the 1931 census they were located mainly in Kahuta

Kahuta Tehsil

Kahuta Tehsil is one of the seven Tehsils of Rawalpindi District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The neighbouring Tehsil of Kotli Sattian used to be part of Kahuta, but was later created as a separate tehsil.-History:...

, Gujar Khan

Gujar Khan Tehsil

Gujar Khan Tehsil, head-quartered at Gujar Khan, is one of the seven Tehsils of Rawalpindi District in the Punjab province of Pakistan...

 and Rawalpindi tehsil

Tehsil

A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....

s of the Rawalpindi District

Rawalpindi District

Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...

, with a few also found in Chakwal District

Chakwal District

Chakwal is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985; until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.-Administration:...

 and Jhelum District

Jhelum District

Jhelum District is in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According the 1998 census the district had a population of 936,957, of which 31.48% were urban. Jhelum is known for providing a large number of soldiers to the British and later to the Pakistan armed forces due to which it is also known as...

.

History

The Bhakral claim to be Panwar Rajputs. They probably came from Jammu

Jammu

Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...

 territory across the Jhelum River

Jhelum River

Jehlum River or Jhelum River , ) is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...

. The tribe is considered Rajput and historically appeared to hold a high place in the social scale in the Pothohar region. They historically did not marry outside the tribe.

Historically, there were several pensioned military officers in the old British Indian army, belonging to the tribe notably at Saba Mohra in Chakwal District

Chakwal District

Chakwal is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985; until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.-Administration:...

 and Kamtrila in the Gujar Khan Tehsil

Gujar Khan Tehsil

Gujar Khan Tehsil, head-quartered at Gujar Khan, is one of the seven Tehsils of Rawalpindi District in the Punjab province of Pakistan...

 (Rawalpindi District

Rawalpindi District

Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...

).

The Bhakral are closely connected with other tribes of Panwar origin in the Potohar region such as the Baghial

Baghial

The Baghial are a Rajput tribe of Punjab, Pakistan. The tribe is found chiefly in the Rawalpindi District, where they occupy five villages in the Gujar Khan Tehsil. They also to be a found in the Jhelum, Gujrat and Gujranwala districts of the Punjab and Mirpur and Kotli Districts of Azad Kashmir...

, Bangial

Bangial

The Bangial, or sometime spelt Bangyal are a tribe of Rajputs found principally in the Potohar region of Punjab, Pakistan. They also to be a found in the Jhelum, Gujrat and Gujranwala districts of the Punjab.-History and origins:...

 and Hon Rajputs.

According to some other sources, the Bhakrals are in fact are branch of the Manhas Rajputs.

Villages

In Rawalpindi District

Rawalpindi District

Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...

, Bhakral villages are found in every tehsil

Tehsil

A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....

, barring the mountainous tehsils of Murree

Murree

Murree city is a popular hill station and a summer resort, especially for the residents of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and for the cities of the province of Punjab, Pakistan...

 and Kotli Sattian.

Their villages in Rawalpindi Tehsil include Aujariala, Chak Bhakral, Dhala, Kartal Bhakral, Ghari Kalan, Sihala, Thatha, Sohawa, Sagri Khurd, Kirpa and Meda Halim in Rawalpindi Tehsil. Their villages in Kahuta Tehsil

Kahuta Tehsil

Kahuta Tehsil is one of the seven Tehsils of Rawalpindi District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The neighbouring Tehsil of Kotli Sattian used to be part of Kahuta, but was later created as a separate tehsil.-History:...

, include Chak Begwal, Jocha Mamdor, and Nathot.

They are also number of Bhakral settlements around the village of Bhakral, in Kallar Syedan Tehsil

Kallar Syedan Tehsil

Kallar Syedan is a tehsil of the Rawalpindi District. On 1st July 2004 Kallar Syedan became the seventh tehsil of Rawalpindi District, prior to which it was a part of the Kahuta Tehsilpopulation 1million 90 thousand people. 23 patwars. 1 police station. 7 union councils. literacy rate 62%. 99...

. While in the neighbouring Chakwal District

Chakwal District

Chakwal is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985; until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.-Administration:...

, they are found in the large village of Saba Mohra as well as in Janda Bhakral.