Maliar
Encyclopedia
The Maliar are a tribe found in the Potohar region of Punjab
, Pakistan
as well as the Peshawar
valley of the North West Frontier Province. Many Maliar now refer to themselves as Arain
, another well known Punjabi
caste
.
Malakara makers of garland or from the Persian and Arabic word Mal which means wealth or land e.g. Malir Kotla in India or Malir an area in Karachi the equivalent of Bagh in Urdu
or garden in English. According to their traditions their ancestor Mahbub accompanied Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna to India
. The Sultan assigned him gardening as a vocation, and as such the community became horticulturists. There is no consensus as to the ethnic identity of this Mahbub. This concocted tradition is not tenable because the Maiar/Baghbanan or Phularay were basically son of the soil and converted to Islam en masse otherwise who was tilling small land or orchards and gardens. If we accept this account, the community thus settled in India
at the start of the 11th century. Historically, the community was at a disadvantage, particularly in the Peshawar
valley, where it suffered at the hands of Pashtun
landlords.
Unlike other tribes found in the Potohar region, military recruitment was not open to them, because they were deemed not to be a martial race
.
According to the 1901 Census of India, there numbers in Jhelum District
were 23,000, in Rawalpindi District
, they numbered 17,000 and in Attock District
they numbered 37,000. In that particular district, they are the fourth largest tribe. Shahpur District, the modern day Sargodha District
was home to a further 4,000.
. They also extend into the neighbouring Peshawar
valley. There are also a few villages in the Mirpur District
of Azad Kashmir
.
, Kazi Hussain and Rajjo Pindi are two important Maliar villages.
Batala, Chahal, Maniand are important Maliar villages within Kahuta Tehsil
, in Gujar Khan Tehsil
Bhatta Maliar, Kant Maliar and Bagh Sangra, Jabbar Derwaish,Kuri Malrian(Kuri Khuda Baksh) are important villages and in the Rawalpindi Tehsil, Dhalla, Dughal, Khasala Kalan
, Gulidana Maliar, and Salargarh are important villages.
In Attock District
, Dhok Maliaran in Fateh Jang Tehsil
is a major Maliar village. They are also found in the town of Mansar.
In Chakwal District
, Mohra Maliaran and Marjan Maliran are important villages.
in Jhelum District
, the villages of Dheri Malliaran and Maliar in Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil are important settlements.
In Gujrat District
, the village of Dandi Maliar.
. They have also benefited from the loosening of social restrictions in Pakistan, and as successful hortoculturists have entered into the wholesale fruit and vegetable business.Mohammed Ajeeb
, the first Mayor of British Muslim ancestry, came from the Maliar community.
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...
, 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...
as well as the Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
valley of the North West Frontier Province. Many Maliar now refer to themselves as Arain
Arain
The Arain , are a Muslim agricultural caste settled mainly in the Punjab, with significant numbers also in Sindh. They are chiefly associated with farming, traditionally being landlords or zamindars.- Origin :...
, another well known 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...
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...
.
History and origin
The term Maliar comes from the SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Malakara makers of garland or from the Persian and Arabic word Mal which means wealth or land e.g. Malir Kotla in India or Malir an area in Karachi the equivalent of Bagh in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
or garden in English. According to their traditions their ancestor Mahbub accompanied Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna 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...
. The Sultan assigned him gardening as a vocation, and as such the community became horticulturists. There is no consensus as to the ethnic identity of this Mahbub. This concocted tradition is not tenable because the Maiar/Baghbanan or Phularay were basically son of the soil and converted to Islam en masse otherwise who was tilling small land or orchards and gardens. If we accept this account, the community thus settled in 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...
at the start of the 11th century. Historically, the community was at a disadvantage, particularly in the Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
valley, where it suffered at the hands of Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
landlords.
Unlike other tribes found in the Potohar region, military recruitment was not open to them, because they were deemed not to be a martial race
Martial Race
Martial Race was a designation created by Army officials of British India, where they classified each ethnic group into one of two categories: 'Martial' and 'Non-Martial'. A 'martial race' was typically considered brave and well built for fighting. The 'non-martial races' were those whom the...
.
According to the 1901 Census of India, there numbers in 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...
were 23,000, 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...
, they numbered 17,000 and in Attock District
Attock District
Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...
they numbered 37,000. In that particular district, they are the fourth largest tribe. Shahpur District, the modern day Sargodha District
Sargodha District
Sargodha District is a district of Punjab province, Pakistan, the capital of the district is Sargodha. It is an agricultural district, wheat, rice, and sugarcane being its main crops. The Sargodha district and region are also famous for citrus fruit; kino is a newly developed variety...
was home to a further 4,000.
Distribution
They are found through the Potohar region, with especial concentrations in the Attock DistrictAttock District
Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...
. They also extend into the neighbouring Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
valley. There are also a few villages in the Mirpur District
Mirpur District
Mirpur District is a district in the disputed and divided state of [Jammu and Kashmir]. The district is named after the main city, Mirpur. The District of Mirpur has a population of 371,000 and covers an area of . The district is mainly mountainous with some plains...
of 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...
.
Villages
They are found in just about every village in the Pothohar region, but there are a few villages which they occupy as the dominant tribe. In Jhelum DistrictJhelum 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...
, Kazi Hussain and Rajjo Pindi are two important Maliar villages.
Batala, Chahal, Maniand are important Maliar villages within 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:...
, in 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...
Bhatta Maliar, Kant Maliar and Bagh Sangra, Jabbar Derwaish,Kuri Malrian(Kuri Khuda Baksh) are important villages and in the Rawalpindi Tehsil, Dhalla, Dughal, Khasala Kalan
Khasala Kalan
Khasala Kalan is a village of Rawalpindi District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°26'24N 72°58'25E with an altitude of 370 metres and lies south of the district capital, Rawalpindi. A significant proportion of the population belong to the Maliar tribe....
, Gulidana Maliar, and Salargarh are important villages.
In Attock District
Attock District
Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...
, Dhok Maliaran in Fateh Jang Tehsil
Fateh Jang Tehsil
Fateh Jang Tehsil is an administrative subdivision , of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 14 Union Councils...
is a major Maliar village. They are also found in the town of Mansar.
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:...
, Mohra Maliaran and Marjan Maliran are important villages.
in 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...
, the villages of Dheri Malliaran and Maliar in Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil are important settlements.
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...
, the village of Dandi Maliar.
Language
They speak either the Potwari language, or the closely related Hindko language.Present circumstances
The Maliar like other Potohar communities, have started to emigrate to the west particularly the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They have also benefited from the loosening of social restrictions in Pakistan, and as successful hortoculturists have entered into the wholesale fruit and vegetable business.Mohammed Ajeeb
Mohammed Ajeeb
Mohammed Ajeeb CBE is a former Lord Mayor of Bradford, and was the first Asian Lord Mayor in the United Kingdom.-Biography:Mohammed Ajeeb was born in Mirpur, Azad Kashmir in 1938. Ajeeb attended Dadyal High School and then studied at a local college in the district and went on to study at Karachi...
, the first Mayor of British Muslim ancestry, came from the Maliar community.