Chib
Encyclopedia
The Chib (Hindi
: चिब, Urdu / Punjabi: چب) Rajput (Rajpoot, Raja)
, is a Chandravanshi Rajput
clan found in the northern parts of India
and Pakistan
. They are mostly a Kashmiri
or Punjabi
tribe
found in both India
and Pakistan
. The majority of Chib Rajput have converted to Islam
and are therefore Muslim
s, while a lot still remained Hindu
s and a very few are Sikh
s as well. After independence in 1947
, nearly all Muslim Chib migrated to Pakistan
from the Indian areas, while Hindu Chib's moved to India
. A Chib Rajput is considered a person from a very fine caste
(Hindus) or tribe
(Muslims or Sikhs).
tribe. The ancestry of the Chib Rajput can be found in the Kangra
region of India. The last Thakial Maharaja of the State was Siripat. It was at this time that Partab Chand, a prince
of Kangra started his journey from Kangra to Bhimber
. When he reached the hill tops near Bhimber
, Partab Chand observed that it was very difficult to capture the state. He set a camp there and named this hilltop as Kangra and the village
still exists by the same name even today. Partab Chand stayed for a long time with his troops on the hilltop waiting for a suitable opportunity to attack and capture the state but this did not arise as he had run short of supplies for his men.
Partab Chand sent his soldiers in disguise with his own jewellery
to go down to the markets of Bhimber to get the much needed supplies. His men went to a Jeweller who was astonished when he saw the royal jewels. The Maharaja of Bhimber, Siripat Thakial learned about the men with the royal Jewels and found out about the deployment of the Kangra troops on hill top. He sent his ambassador
to Partab Chand which resulted a friendly meeting between the Partab Chand and the Maharaja
of Bhimber.
Maharaja
Siripat Thakial had no sons but had a daughter. He married the princess
with the oldest son of Partab Chand, the Raj Kumar Chib Chand. On the death of Maharaja Siripat, the Raj Kumar Chib Chand became the Maharaja of Bhimber. Raja Dharam Chand was the seventh Raja of the Chib Chand line. At present on dated 27 March of every year Hindu chibs of jammu
and kashmir region celebrate the birth
of maharaja Dharam Chand at the placed called Nud ka Khu appx. 35-40 kilometer from jammu toward Akhnoor. At that place a temple
in name of maharaja Dharam Chand and Rani is set up (on occasion of the day is called mael) and He converted to Islam and was named as Raja Shadab Khan of Bhimber. He was killed by Ibrahim Lodhi and his tomb
still exists on the hills of Bhimber by the name of Hazrat Sheikh
Baba Shadi Shaheed
(Rehmat-Ulla-Alae).
Therefore the current Chib clan can claim its ancestry from the union of the Royal Thakial Princess (Rani) and the royal Raj Kumar Chib Chand.
After the advent of Islam into the Punjab
a section of Chibs were converted to Islam
.
State of Bhimber
was divided between the sons of Maharajah and there laying the foundation of two separate states Bhimber and Khari Khalyari, Maharajah Ranjit Singh's Armies defeated the Rajah of Bhimber after a long siege however they failed against the armies of Raja Umar Khan at Mangla, after hard fighting it was decided by the Maharajah's General to offer a truce to Rajah and join hands. On the eve of pact Raja Umar Khan died and Maharajah's armies annexed the state after the agreement that Rajah's sons will hold the titles of Grand Jagirdars instead of Princes of state and be Maharajah's representatives.
Chib Rajputs of Lehri and Khoiratta were the major Jagirdars and most influentials in the royal courts of Maharajahs, after partition Rajah Allahdad Khan Jagirdar of Lehri was threatened by the mob of peasants who looted the family houses when Rajah Allahdad Khan and his family took refuge with the Royal Gujar family in Chalianwala, Gujrat
for six months.
The Chibh (No. 10). — The Chibh claim to be descended from the Katoch Rajputs of Kangra,
at least on the female side." If so, their position must once have been much higher than it now is ; but the history is probably untrue. I have suggested under the head Dhund that the Chibh may perhaps be Punwar/Paramara
. Their ancestor
Chib Chand is said to have left Kangra
some 1,400 years ago, and have settled at Bhimbar in the Jammu hills. The first Chibh to become a Muslim was one Sur Sadi of the time of Aurangzeb
. He died a violent death and is still venerated as a martyr
, and the Mahomedan Chibh offer the scalplocks of their male children at his tomb, till which ceremony the child is not considered a true Chibh, nor is the mother allowed to eat meat
. Rituals like these seems to against the teachings of Islam
, but like many other in the region the culture have some Hindu rituals left.
Sur Sadi's (or Shadi Khan's) Hindu name was Dharam
Chand. He was famed for his skill in medicine and was
summoned to Delhi to attend the Emperor Jehangir. He
was successful in effecting a cure and received a daughter
of the Emperor in marriage, became a Muslim
and
changed his name to Shadi Khan. He deserted his bride
and fled home, and was eventually killed in an invasion
of his country by the Moghals.
Within the Panjab the Chibh are found almost entirely in the northern portion of Gujrat
just under the Jammu hills. But the hills above this territory are their proper home, and are attached to the State of Kashmir. The tribe has also given its name to the Chibhal, or hill country of Kashmir on the left bank of the neelam along the Hazara border, though I believe that they do not now occupy those hills. The Chibh is a tribe of very good position ; they, like the Janjua, enjoy the title
of
Raja and Saiyads and Gakkars do not hesitate to marry their daughters and till the Sikh rule they did not cultivate themselves. Nowadays, however, they follow the plough and are farmers.
The history of the Chibh chiefs is related at page 583 of the Panjab Chiefs. The Chibh are identified by some with the Sibae of the ancients.
District Gazetteer of 1921 contains much information on the Chibs. It states the Hindu Chibs were a bandit tribe and its main objective was to levy blackmail from peaceful farming communities. The Chibs would raid villages and kill and rob innocent people until Chaudhry Yar Muhammad from the Pabbi range declared war against them. It is recorded in the Gujrat District Gazetteer that the Chaudhry made a village rest house chabootra(terrace) from the skulls of Chibs. Most of the Chibs were Hindus living in villages of Deva and Battala.
The Muslim Chibs helped the English during the mutiny against British rule in the Jhelum
Cantonment which had rebelled. When the mutineers were half way across the Jhelum river on an island, the Chibs and the British gave them battle and defeated the mutineers.
The Chibs for their service to the British received the honorary title of 'Raja' and the area nearing Jhelum river crossing was given as jageer for their loyal service.
, Deva and Battala they retained their original faith as Hindus. The country of the Chibs being hilly was difficult to conquer and was left to Maharajah Ranjeet Singh himself to march against Chunian and Mangha, the two strong forts of Raja Umar Khan, the Chib chief, who was compelled to submit, and on his death, a few months later, the whole of his possessions were confiscated.
since the country got its independence in 1947. The Muslim Chib Rajputs abilities in war were also used by the british rule of India. Prakash Singh Chib Rajput was the first Indian soldier with Victoria Cross
given by the British army During World War II.
in Pakistani areas of Kotli
, Azad Kashmir
, Khoi Ratta, Segyum and Supplah. They claim descent from Raja Shadab Khan also known as Hazrat Sheikh
Baba Shadi Shaheed
(Rehmat-Ulla-Alae). There are also several Chib Rajput areas in the most northern part of Pakistan Punjab, just before the hills to Kashmir, like Kharian
in Gujrat District
and the Pabbi Hill region of Jhelum District
.
In India, the Chib Rajputs are concentrated in the Jammu region of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir, especially Jammu District
.
Though Muslim and Hindu Rajputs are considered the warriors of the Indian subcontinent
- the Chib Rajput also were focused towards Sufism
, which is considered among some, another and more spirutual toned way to practice Islam
.
You are able to find some few sikh Chib Rajputs, like at the village of Lasara in distt Jalandhar
in India Punjab.
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
: चिब, Urdu / Punjabi: چب) Rajput (Rajpoot, Raja)
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
, is a Chandravanshi Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clan found in the northern parts of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and 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...
. They are mostly a Kashmiri
Kashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
or Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
found in both India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and 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...
. The majority of Chib Rajput have converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and are therefore Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, while a lot still remained Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and a very few are Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s as well. After independence in 1947
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, nearly all Muslim Chib migrated to 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...
from the Indian areas, while Hindu Chib's moved to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. A Chib Rajput is considered a person from a very fine caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
(Hindus) or tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
(Muslims or Sikhs).
History
The Chib are a branch of the DograDogra
The Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. Being a diversified group, the Dogras include both Savarnas such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Non-savarnas. The Dogras also incluide merchant castes such as Mahajans...
tribe. The ancestry of the Chib Rajput can be found in the Kangra
Kangra district
Kangra is the most populous district of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Dharamsala is the administrative headquarters of the district.-Geography:Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is situated in Western Himalayas between 31°2 to...
region of India. The last Thakial Maharaja of the State was Siripat. It was at this time that Partab Chand, a prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of Kangra started his journey from Kangra to Bhimber
Bhimber
Bhimber is the chief town of Bhimber District, Azad Kashmir. The town is situated on the border between Azad Kashmir and Pakistan at a distance of about 50 km from Mirpur, about 48 km from Gujrat and about 166 km from Islamabad.-History:...
. When he reached the hill tops near Bhimber
Bhimber
Bhimber is the chief town of Bhimber District, Azad Kashmir. The town is situated on the border between Azad Kashmir and Pakistan at a distance of about 50 km from Mirpur, about 48 km from Gujrat and about 166 km from Islamabad.-History:...
, Partab Chand observed that it was very difficult to capture the state. He set a camp there and named this hilltop as Kangra and the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
still exists by the same name even today. Partab Chand stayed for a long time with his troops on the hilltop waiting for a suitable opportunity to attack and capture the state but this did not arise as he had run short of supplies for his men.
Partab Chand sent his soldiers in disguise with his own jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
to go down to the markets of Bhimber to get the much needed supplies. His men went to a Jeweller who was astonished when he saw the royal jewels. The Maharaja of Bhimber, Siripat Thakial learned about the men with the royal Jewels and found out about the deployment of the Kangra troops on hill top. He sent his ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Partab Chand which resulted a friendly meeting between the Partab Chand and the Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
of Bhimber.
Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
Siripat Thakial had no sons but had a daughter. He married the princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
with the oldest son of Partab Chand, the Raj Kumar Chib Chand. On the death of Maharaja Siripat, the Raj Kumar Chib Chand became the Maharaja of Bhimber. Raja Dharam Chand was the seventh Raja of the Chib Chand line. At present on dated 27 March of every year Hindu chibs of 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...
and kashmir region celebrate the birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
of maharaja Dharam Chand at the placed called Nud ka Khu appx. 35-40 kilometer from jammu toward Akhnoor. At that place a temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
in name of maharaja Dharam Chand and Rani is set up (on occasion of the day is called mael) and He converted to Islam and was named as Raja Shadab Khan of Bhimber. He was killed by Ibrahim Lodhi and his tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
still exists on the hills of Bhimber by the name of Hazrat Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Baba Shadi Shaheed
Baba Shadi Shaheed
Hazrat Sheikh Baba Shadi Shaheed Rehmat Ullah Alae was a Sufi Saint. He is thought to be the first Chib Rajput convert to Islam from the hand of Hazrat Pir Sufi Jaffar also known as Meera Pak from Bharot Sharif. During the reign of Ibrahim Lodi. He was a famed wise man who was requested to...
(Rehmat-Ulla-Alae).
Therefore the current Chib clan can claim its ancestry from the union of the Royal Thakial Princess (Rani) and the royal Raj Kumar Chib Chand.
After the advent of Islam into the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
a section of Chibs were converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
State of Bhimber
Bhimber
Bhimber is the chief town of Bhimber District, Azad Kashmir. The town is situated on the border between Azad Kashmir and Pakistan at a distance of about 50 km from Mirpur, about 48 km from Gujrat and about 166 km from Islamabad.-History:...
was divided between the sons of Maharajah and there laying the foundation of two separate states Bhimber and Khari Khalyari, Maharajah Ranjit Singh's Armies defeated the Rajah of Bhimber after a long siege however they failed against the armies of Raja Umar Khan at Mangla, after hard fighting it was decided by the Maharajah's General to offer a truce to Rajah and join hands. On the eve of pact Raja Umar Khan died and Maharajah's armies annexed the state after the agreement that Rajah's sons will hold the titles of Grand Jagirdars instead of Princes of state and be Maharajah's representatives.
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
for six months.
Other History
The following abstract is from Sir Denzil Ibbetsons book Punjab Castes.The Chibh (No. 10). — The Chibh claim to be descended from the Katoch Rajputs of Kangra,
at least on the female side." If so, their position must once have been much higher than it now is ; but the history is probably untrue. I have suggested under the head Dhund that the Chibh may perhaps be Punwar/Paramara
Paramara
Paramara is a Maratha, Gurjar,& Rajput clan of India.The Paramara clan belongs to the Agnivansha of Rajputs ancient Kshatriyas...
. Their ancestor
Ancestor
An ancestor is a parent or the parent of an ancestor ....
Chib Chand is said to have left Kangra
Kangra district
Kangra is the most populous district of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Dharamsala is the administrative headquarters of the district.-Geography:Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is situated in Western Himalayas between 31°2 to...
some 1,400 years ago, and have settled at Bhimbar in the Jammu hills. The first Chibh to become a Muslim was one Sur Sadi of the time of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
. He died a violent death and is still venerated as a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, and the Mahomedan Chibh offer the scalplocks of their male children at his tomb, till which ceremony the child is not considered a true Chibh, nor is the mother allowed to eat meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
. Rituals like these seems to against the teachings of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, but like many other in the region the culture have some Hindu rituals left.
Sur Sadi's (or Shadi Khan's) Hindu name was Dharam
Chand. He was famed for his skill in medicine and was
summoned to Delhi to attend the Emperor Jehangir. He
was successful in effecting a cure and received a daughter
of the Emperor in marriage, became a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and
changed his name to Shadi Khan. He deserted his bride
and fled home, and was eventually killed in an invasion
Invasion
An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all, or large parts of the armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a...
of his country by the Moghals.
Within the Panjab the Chibh are found almost entirely in the northern portion of Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
just under the Jammu hills. But the hills above this territory are their proper home, and are attached to the State of Kashmir. The tribe has also given its name to the Chibhal, or hill country of Kashmir on the left bank of the neelam along the Hazara border, though I believe that they do not now occupy those hills. The Chibh is a tribe of very good position ; they, like the Janjua, enjoy the title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
of
Raja and Saiyads and Gakkars do not hesitate to marry their daughters and till the Sikh rule they did not cultivate themselves. Nowadays, however, they follow the plough and are farmers.
The history of the Chibh chiefs is related at page 583 of the Panjab Chiefs. The Chibh are identified by some with the Sibae of the ancients.
Recent History
The GujratGujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
District Gazetteer of 1921 contains much information on the Chibs. It states the Hindu Chibs were a bandit tribe and its main objective was to levy blackmail from peaceful farming communities. The Chibs would raid villages and kill and rob innocent people until Chaudhry Yar Muhammad from the Pabbi range declared war against them. It is recorded in the Gujrat District Gazetteer that the Chaudhry made a village rest house chabootra(terrace) from the skulls of Chibs. Most of the Chibs were Hindus living in villages of Deva and Battala.
The Muslim Chibs helped the English during the mutiny against British rule in the Jhelum
Jhelum
Jhelum or Jehlum may refer to:* Jhelum, a city in Pakistan on the banks of the Jhelum River* Jhelum District, an administrative division in Punjab, Pakistan surrounding the city of Jhelum...
Cantonment which had rebelled. When the mutineers were half way across the Jhelum river on an island, the Chibs and the British gave them battle and defeated the mutineers.
The Chibs for their service to the British received the honorary title of 'Raja' and the area nearing Jhelum river crossing was given as jageer for their loyal service.
Sikh Wars
The Chibs, an ancient Rajput tribe, scattered through the low hills bordering the Kangra, Jammu and Gujrat districts, had for most part become Muslims, although, in KangraKangra district
Kangra is the most populous district of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Dharamsala is the administrative headquarters of the district.-Geography:Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is situated in Western Himalayas between 31°2 to...
, Deva and Battala they retained their original faith as Hindus. The country of the Chibs being hilly was difficult to conquer and was left to Maharajah Ranjeet Singh himself to march against Chunian and Mangha, the two strong forts of Raja Umar Khan, the Chib chief, who was compelled to submit, and on his death, a few months later, the whole of his possessions were confiscated.
Chib Migration
After the defeat of the Chibs at the hands of the Sikhs many families began to migrate into Azad Kashmir and into the Punjab plains where they were welcomed by their Muslim coreligionists.Chibs in the military
A lot of Pakistani Chib Rajputs have done service in the Pakistani armyArmy
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
since the country got its independence in 1947. The Muslim Chib Rajputs abilities in war were also used by the british rule of India. Prakash Singh Chib Rajput was the first Indian soldier with Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
given by the British army During World War II.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Location
There is a concentration of Chib villages in Bhimber DistrictBhimber District
Bhimber is the southernmost of the eight districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir it borders Indian-administered Kashmir to the east. The district is located between Latitude: 32-48 to 33-34 and Longitude: 73.55 to 74-45, and has an area of 1516 km². The chief town is Bhimber.-History:The area is...
in Pakistani areas of Kotli
Kotli District
Kotli is one of the eight districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Kotli the chief town of the district, was originally a minor town between Mirpur and Muzaffarabad, but has recently seen major growth.- Administration :...
, Azad Kashmir
Azad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...
, Khoi Ratta, Segyum and Supplah. They claim descent from Raja Shadab Khan also known as Hazrat Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Baba Shadi Shaheed
Baba Shadi Shaheed
Hazrat Sheikh Baba Shadi Shaheed Rehmat Ullah Alae was a Sufi Saint. He is thought to be the first Chib Rajput convert to Islam from the hand of Hazrat Pir Sufi Jaffar also known as Meera Pak from Bharot Sharif. During the reign of Ibrahim Lodi. He was a famed wise man who was requested to...
(Rehmat-Ulla-Alae). There are also several Chib Rajput areas in the most northern part of Pakistan Punjab, just before the hills to Kashmir, like Kharian
Kharian
Kharian is a city of Gujrat District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The chief city of Kharian Tehsil, it lies almost midway between Lahore and Islamabad on the Grand Trunk Road . This is the road which connects the city all the way to Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan and was used during...
in Gujrat District
Gujrat District
Gujrat is a district of Punjab Province in Pakistan. It is an ancient district located in between two famous rivers, the Jhelum and Chenab. Because of its proximity with the rivers the land is good for cultivation with rice and sugar cane as main crops...
and the Pabbi Hill region of 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...
.
In India, the Chib Rajputs are concentrated in the Jammu region of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir, especially Jammu District
Jammu District
Jammu District is a district in Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu is the winter capital of the state. The majority of the population of the district practise Hinduism; people of all religions, Muslims, Sikhs live in peace and harmony. Jammu is also known as city of temples with major attraction as Maa...
.
Though Muslim and Hindu Rajputs are considered the warriors of the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
- the Chib Rajput also were focused towards Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
, which is considered among some, another and more spirutual toned way to practice Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
You are able to find some few sikh Chib Rajputs, like at the village of Lasara in distt Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
in India Punjab.
- DograDograThe Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. Being a diversified group, the Dogras include both Savarnas such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Non-savarnas. The Dogras also incluide merchant castes such as Mahajans...
- Muslim RajputsMuslim RajputsMuslim Rajputs or Musulman Rajputs are Muslims belonging to the Hindu Rajput Kshatriya groups of Indian subcontinent, who converted to Islam.-History:...