Sudhun
Encyclopedia
Sudhans are one of the major tribes from the districts of Poonch
, Sudhanoti, Bagh
and Kolti
in Kashmir
.
Rawalakot
, in the Poonch District and Pallandri, in the Sudhanoti Districts of Azad Kashmir
are major Sudhan strongholds. Internationally Sudhans are settled all over the world and have large communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. A significant Sudhan diaspora is now present in Australia, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Belgium. Sudhans are also found in large numbers in Middle East and South Africa.
Major G. Carmichael Smyth in his book A History of the Reigning Family of Lahore states:
"About the year 1832, several independent hill-tribes inhabiting the north western regions of the Punjaub [Punjab] were reduced into subjection to the Lahore
state. These were the Doondh, Soodhun (Sudhan), Suthee, Hoteels(Muhgals) and Murdiall(Mughals) tribes. The Doondh tribe lived chiefly on the banks of the Jhelum
...was in number about fifty or sixty thousand... The Soodhun tribe inhabited a large tract on the eastern bank of the same river opposite the country of the Doondhs, and numbered about forty thousand souls."
There are two different theories about the origin of Sudhan; Afghan
and Brahmin
ancestry.
Afghan Ancesty or Rajput Ancestry
According to Major (Retd) Tilla Mohammad, now deceased, a political leader in Peshawar, in his books on the Sudhan tribe stated:
, Kashmir and his ancestors had migrated to Peshawar from Kashmir.
Some Sudhans adopted the name Sadozai, after the publication of the articles by Major (Retd) Tila Muhammad.
Some members of the Sudhan tribe claim that the Sudhan tribe are descendendts from Afghan Pathan
tribes; this may just be because Ahmed Shah Durrani
's empire consisted of what is now known as Kashmir and the Sudhans just a by-product of the subsequent invasions. However none of this been ascertained by historical or genealogical proof. The only evidence given to this theory is through oral traditions.
Brahmin ancestry
According to Col. (Rtd) Dr. Khalil Khan, a dermatologist from Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir. "Sudhans were converted to Islam by Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir the sixth Mughal ruler".
The name Sudhan also occurs in the Mahabharata
mythology, as a descendant of the vedic rishi Angiras, this is also further corroborated by the reference above, although there is no reference of the tribe itself claiming descent from the mentioned Angiras's son Sudhan. Also in the Gazetteer of Rawalpindi, there appears no mention of the Sudhan's Mohyal
or Brahmin
connection. There are Hindu Sudhans, mostly living in India-controlled Kashmir, and Sikh Sudhans in Indian Punjab and Kashmir.
Castes and Tribes of Poonch by Muhammad Din Folk
“Sudhan is shown as one of the 12 communities in Hazara during the Vedic age. Sodhan is described as a Rajput tribe. Sud race is settled in East Punjab”.
Reigning Family of Lahore by Major G. Carmichael Smyth “Sud were originally called suwdik, one of the nomadic tribes who settled in Iran in 900 BC. The name changed to Sogdian-Sulik-Sud due to dialects of Chines, Sogdian & Punjabi writers. Sudrakas (sud race in South Punjab) fought battle with Alexander the Great and gave Alexander a tough time in Sogdian (Summarkand)”.
The Sudhan Revolt (The News 19 October 1997.) By Sardar M. Saleem Khan.
"Sudhan, and important and high caste of Chihalis-Rajputs (Aryans)".
Gazetteer of Kashmir & Ladakh (1890)
"Lehr Muni (ancestor of Sudhan) son of Bawa Muna (Chief of Katas Tirath) migrated from Katas to Poonch in 11th century. One of his descendants Sudh Sain/Pal is the patriarch of Sudhan. Sudhan Chander Bansi dynasty ruled from the capital of Sudhnuti. Sudhan are Muslims as well as Hindus".
e is the Pahari language. Sudhans generally learn and speak the language of the area of settlement but take pride in speaking Pahari. Sudhans living in Karachi and other elite classes have become accustomed to using English
and Urdu
.
. Pakistan sent the Punjab constabulary along with a Brigade of Pakistan Army, to crush the rebellion. This rebellion damaged the careers of some Sudhans, however, Sudhans supported the rebellion against the Pakistan military.
Sudhans were not given security clearance until 1972, and were not accepted in the Pakistan Military Academy regular course until 1965.
The Sudhans have long history of service in the Armed Forces. This was because in Poonch district, opportunities for employment were few and far between, thus
joining the Indian Army was necessary for survival. They joined the British Indian Army during the First World War and later during the Second World War.
During the Second World War Sudhans fought in Burma, North Africa and participated in the liberation of Europe. Some Sudhans who participated in the War are receiving war compensation from the Government of Japan
.
Sudhans fought against the British Occupation of India with the Indian National Army. One prominent being Colonel Hidayat Khan, Colonel Feroz Khan And others. They later fought in the war against Dogra rule.
After independence of India and Pakistan, Sudhans continued the tradition of joining the Armed Forces of Pakistan.
Sudhans won many gallantry awards in 1948, 1965 and 1971 wars against India.
, Hindu
& Sikh
religious communities. Muslim Sudhans are mostly Sunni of the Hannafi branch of Islam
. With mushrooming of religious madrassas all sects of Sunni Islam have crept into the sudhan belt. There is lately, Wahabi influence, that has crept into Sudhans communities being brought by Saudi Arabian authorities. Traditionally they believed in and revered saints/holy men and visited holy places with enthusiasm as most Sudhans were converted to Islam by Sufi saints.
The city of Rawalakot, the capital of the Sudhan tribe, suffered significant damage from the 2005 Kashmir earthquake
; although most of the buildings were left standing, many of them were rendered uninhabitable, and some of the population was left homeless. Most of the buildings have been reconstructed, though without the help of the Governments of Pakistan or Azad Kashmir.
In District Rawalakot the Press for Peace team in the supervision of divisional coordinator, Sardar Abid Siddique started rescue and relief work soon after the disaster.
Cuba
along with the Czech Republic
and Jordan
provided medical assistance to the population of Rawalakot.
Poonch
Poonch is a town and a municipal committee in Poonch District in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Based on the Mahābhārata evidence, and the evidence from 7th Chinese traveler Xuanzang, the districts of Poonch along with Rajauri and Abhisara had been under the sway of the Republican Kambojas...
, Sudhanoti, Bagh
Bagh
Bagh is the chief town of Bagh District in Azad KashmirBagh, the district headquarters of district Bagh is 100 Kilometers from Muzaffarabad via Kohallah & 80 Kilometers via Suddhen Gali, 205 Kilometers from Islamabad and 48 kilometers from Rawalakot. This town is situated on the confluence of two...
and Kolti
Kolti
Kolti is a village in Bajura District in the Seti Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4,530 and had 850 houses in the village....
in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
.
Rawalakot
Rawalakot
Rawalakot , is a city in Azad Kashmir, and is the capital of Poonch Division and Poonch District. It is in a saucer-shaped valley at an elevation of 1,615 metres ....
, in the Poonch District and Pallandri, in the Sudhanoti Districts 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...
are major Sudhan strongholds. Internationally Sudhans are settled all over the world and have large communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. A significant Sudhan diaspora is now present in Australia, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Belgium. Sudhans are also found in large numbers in Middle East and South Africa.
Major G. Carmichael Smyth in his book A History of the Reigning Family of Lahore states:
"About the year 1832, several independent hill-tribes inhabiting the north western regions of the Punjaub [Punjab] were reduced into subjection to the Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
state. These were the Doondh, Soodhun (Sudhan), Suthee, Hoteels(Muhgals) and Murdiall(Mughals) tribes. The Doondh tribe lived chiefly on the banks of 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...
...was in number about fifty or sixty thousand... The Soodhun tribe inhabited a large tract on the eastern bank of the same river opposite the country of the Doondhs, and numbered about forty thousand souls."
Theories of origins
The history of the Sudhans is replete with conflicting controversies. Whether they came from Ghazni or Kandhar or their ancestor converted to Islam may never be resolved, but it is a fact that they are a distinct tribe whose history demands detailed research.There are two different theories about the origin of Sudhan; Afghan
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...
and Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
ancestry.
Afghan Ancesty or Rajput Ancestry
According to Major (Retd) Tilla Mohammad, now deceased, a political leader in Peshawar, in his books on the Sudhan tribe stated:
Major (Retd) Tilla Muhammad was himself from Rehara
"Sudhans had immigrated to Azad Kashmir from GhazniGhazni ProvinceGhazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
and KandaharKandaharKandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
, Afghanistan, during the 14th century."
Rehara
Rehara is a village in Poonch District of Azad Kashmir. It is located about 20 miles northeast of Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir.Rehara has a population of less than 2,000. Every household in Rehara has had a member in the Pakistan Army. Most families have members who have emigrated in search of...
, Kashmir and his ancestors had migrated to Peshawar from Kashmir.
Some Sudhans adopted the name Sadozai, after the publication of the articles by Major (Retd) Tila Muhammad.
Some members of the Sudhan tribe claim that the Sudhan tribe are descendendts from Afghan Pathan
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...
tribes; this may just be because Ahmed Shah Durrani
Durrani
Durrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
's empire consisted of what is now known as Kashmir and the Sudhans just a by-product of the subsequent invasions. However none of this been ascertained by historical or genealogical proof. The only evidence given to this theory is through oral traditions.
Brahmin ancestry
According to Col. (Rtd) Dr. Khalil Khan, a dermatologist from Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir. "Sudhans were converted to Islam by Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir the sixth Mughal ruler".
The name Sudhan also occurs in the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
mythology, as a descendant of the vedic rishi Angiras, this is also further corroborated by the reference above, although there is no reference of the tribe itself claiming descent from the mentioned Angiras's son Sudhan. Also in the Gazetteer of Rawalpindi, there appears no mention of the Sudhan's Mohyal
Mohyal
Mohyal is the name of an endogamous ethnic group that originates from the Gandhara region and consists of seven Brahmin lineages of that area that left the usual priestly occupation of Brahmins long ago to serve as soldiers and in government services.The...
or Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
connection. There are Hindu Sudhans, mostly living in India-controlled Kashmir, and Sikh Sudhans in Indian Punjab and Kashmir.
Castes and Tribes of Poonch by Muhammad Din Folk
“Sudhan is shown as one of the 12 communities in Hazara during the Vedic age. Sodhan is described as a Rajput tribe. Sud race is settled in East Punjab”.
Reigning Family of Lahore by Major G. Carmichael Smyth “Sud were originally called suwdik, one of the nomadic tribes who settled in Iran in 900 BC. The name changed to Sogdian-Sulik-Sud due to dialects of Chines, Sogdian & Punjabi writers. Sudrakas (sud race in South Punjab) fought battle with Alexander the Great and gave Alexander a tough time in Sogdian (Summarkand)”.
The Sudhan Revolt (The News 19 October 1997.) By Sardar M. Saleem Khan.
"Sudhan, and important and high caste of Chihalis-Rajputs (Aryans)".
Gazetteer of Kashmir & Ladakh (1890)
"Lehr Muni (ancestor of Sudhan) son of Bawa Muna (Chief of Katas Tirath) migrated from Katas to Poonch in 11th century. One of his descendants Sudh Sain/Pal is the patriarch of Sudhan. Sudhan Chander Bansi dynasty ruled from the capital of Sudhnuti. Sudhan are Muslims as well as Hindus".
Education
Literacy rate in Azad Kashmir soars to 78 percent, leaving the rest of Pakistan behind. The Sudhan tribe in particularly is well educated composing of high literacy rates both among its female and male members.Language
The Sudhan mother tongue is the Pahari language. Sudhans generally learn and speak the language of the area of settlement but take pride in speaking Pahari. Sudhans living in Karachi and other elite classes have become accustomed to using English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 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...
.
Sudhan Rebellion against Pakistan Army
Sudhans rebelled against the Pakistan ArmyPakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
. Pakistan sent the Punjab constabulary along with a Brigade of Pakistan Army, to crush the rebellion. This rebellion damaged the careers of some Sudhans, however, Sudhans supported the rebellion against the Pakistan military.
Sudhans were not given security clearance until 1972, and were not accepted in the Pakistan Military Academy regular course until 1965.
Sudhans in Army
joining the Indian Army was necessary for survival. They joined the British Indian Army during the First World War and later during the Second World War.
During the Second World War Sudhans fought in Burma, North Africa and participated in the liberation of Europe. Some Sudhans who participated in the War are receiving war compensation from the Government of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Sudhans fought against the British Occupation of India with the Indian National Army. One prominent being Colonel Hidayat Khan, Colonel Feroz Khan And others. They later fought in the war against Dogra rule.
After independence of India and Pakistan, Sudhans continued the tradition of joining the Armed Forces of Pakistan.
Sudhans won many gallantry awards in 1948, 1965 and 1971 wars against India.
Religion
Sudhans are found among MuslimMuslim
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...
, 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...
& 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"...
religious communities. Muslim Sudhans are mostly Sunni of the Hannafi branch of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. With mushrooming of religious madrassas all sects of Sunni Islam have crept into the sudhan belt. There is lately, Wahabi influence, that has crept into Sudhans communities being brought by Saudi Arabian authorities. Traditionally they believed in and revered saints/holy men and visited holy places with enthusiasm as most Sudhans were converted to Islam by Sufi saints.
Employment
Sudhans are well represented in the military, government and business.Notable members
- Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim KhanSardar Muhammad Ibrahim KhanSardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan also known as Bani-e-Kashmir "Father of Kashmir" and Ghazi-e-Millat, is the founder of Azad Kashmir. Born in Horna Mirah, a village of District Poonch of Kashmir, Sardar Ibrahim obtained his LLB from the University of London in 1943, and began his practice as a...
, founder & first President of AJK. - Baba-e-Poonch Khansahib Col. Khan Muhammad KhanKhan Muhammad KhanColonel Khan Muhammad Khan was a prominent soldier and politician in Poonch, serving in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly and later as Chairman of the War Council during the 1947 War of Independence.-History:...
, member of the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly from 1934 to 1946. Chairman War Council of Azad Jammu & Kashmir in 1947 and then member Defence Council. Founder of Sudhan Educational Conference. - Col. Sardar Sher Ahmed Khan, 4th President of Azad Kashmir.
- Ghazi Muhammad Ameer Khan, Ex-British Army Soldier, Freedom Fighter and Former State councillor of Poonch Azad Kashmir.
- Major General (Retd.) Muhammad Hayyat Khan, 14th President of Azad Kashmir.
- Major General (Retd.) Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan, 25th President of Azad Kashmir.
- General (Retd.) Aziz Khan, former Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) Pakistan Army.
- Sardar Muhammad AslamSardar Muhammad AslamSardar Muhammad Aslam is a former Justice of Lahore High Court, jurist and professional lawyer from Pakistan. He also was justice in Supreme Court of Pakistan, a former Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court. However, as result of Constitution Petition No. 09 Of 2009 and Constitution Petition No...
, former Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan. - Sardar Muhammad Ashraf Khan, Former Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, Azad Kashmir
- Sardar Ghulam Sadiq Khan Speaker of AZAD KASHMIR
- Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan Political Leader
Earthquake of 2005
On Saturday, October 8, 2005 a 7.6 magnitude earthquake killed more than 30,000 people and left up to three million homeless in AJK alone.The city of Rawalakot, the capital of the Sudhan tribe, suffered significant damage from the 2005 Kashmir earthquake
2005 Kashmir earthquake
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major earthquake centered in Pakistan-administered Kashmir known as Azad Kashmir, near the city of Muzaffarabad, affecting Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It occurred at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time on 8 October 2005...
; although most of the buildings were left standing, many of them were rendered uninhabitable, and some of the population was left homeless. Most of the buildings have been reconstructed, though without the help of the Governments of Pakistan or Azad Kashmir.
In District Rawalakot the Press for Peace team in the supervision of divisional coordinator, Sardar Abid Siddique started rescue and relief work soon after the disaster.
Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
along with the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
provided medical assistance to the population of Rawalakot.