Tanoli

The Tanolis (also spelt Tanauli, Tanawali) are a prominent and famous Muslim tribe residing mainly in the Amb, Hazara district of NWFP Pakistan. They have a history that spans to the early 13th century since the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate. They have ruled the state of Amb of Hazara since the 13th century up until the vigorous rebellions against the Sikhs in the 19th century. They also allied with Ahmed Shah Abdali in his conquest of India. Many Khans and princes of their dynasty have gained mass popularity as heroes.

Renowned for their courage and fierce warlike nature, Charles Allen referred to them in his book "Men who made the North-West Frontier" referred to them as "the extremely hostile and powerful Tanolis of the Tanawal Moutains, brave and hardy and accounted for the best swordsmen in Hazara."

They were also the last ruling dynasty of the Princely State of Amb.

Origins and History

The Tanolis entered the North-West Frontier Province history from the early 13th century when a Janjua conqueror Raja Mal Khan aided his sons conquest into different regions of Northern India. One of his sons, Raja Tanoli (also spelt Tanawali) conquered the region of what is today Hazara. He became Muslim before this conquest. (The Punjab Chiefs, Sir L.H.Griffin, Lahore, 1909,p214)

The Gazetteer of North-West Frontier Province (p138) records that "Tanawal state also known as Amb-Darband after its twin capitals, under its founder Raja Tanawli (also spelt Tanoli) extended its tentacles across the Indus to Buner in Swat and Bajaur in Dir.....Its real rulers (Tanolis) are divided into two steps, the Pul-al and Hando-al or Hind-wal. The former held the tract of the Siran, its chief founded Bir when the Mughal empire was decaying, but internal dissensions led to intervention of Kashmir. Meanwhile the Hind-wal spet had gained power and its chief Nawab Khan defied the Durranis, but met his death at the hands of Sardar Azim Khan in 1818. His son Painda Khan, played a considerable part in the history of his time and vigorously opposed the Sikhs, but lost his territory except the tract around Amb. On his death in 1840 his son Jahandad Khan recovered part of it through favour of Gulab Singh of Kashmir and the British Govt. Thus the present semi-independent estate comprises the territory formerly held by the Hind-wal Tanawalis. It has an area of 204 square miles, with population of (1901) of 31,622.....on the east by the Mansehra tehsil of Hazara District."

Raja Tanoli was succeeded by his son Amir Khan Tanoli. Amir Khan Tanoli was succeeded by his two son's, Hind Khan and Pal Khan. They are also both the epical ancestors of the Hindwal Tanolis and the Palwal Tanolis. These are the the only two branches of the Tanoli.

Some recent writers claim Tanolis to have migrated from a place called "Tanubal River" in Afghanistan. However, no 'Tanoli' tribe has ever been found in any of the Pashtun tribal genealogies and nor is there any record of such a river in Afghanistan. The authenticity of this claim is in question as Afghanistan has never shown the presence of this tribe in that country ever. Sir Denzil Ibbetson commented in Panjab Castes regarding the Tanoli tribe, "There can be little doubt that they are of Aryan and probably of Indian stock." (2002, p92-93)

Infact the reason for this confusion could be explained from the Panjab Castes source, where it cites, "The remainder of the district (Hazara), that is the northern and central portion, is held by tribes which, whatever their origin, have by long association become assimilated with the Patháns in language and customs, the Jadún, holding the Dor valley from Bagra upwards to Mángal, the Tanoli holding the Tanawál tract in the west centre of the district between Abbottábád and the Indus, much of which belongs to the semi-independent Nawáb of Amb."

The last Hindwal Tanoli Nawab of Amb, Nawab Salahuddin Khan has confirmed his tribal origin from the Janjua, although over the ages they are now culturally more Pashtun.

Tanolis of Punjab are widely accepted as a sub-caste of the Janjua and some even take on the hereditary title of Raja (Gujar Khan, Rawalpindi regions).

Wars and Famous Personalities

The Yousafzai tribe came to Swat in approximately 1450AD and began fighting with tribes inhabiting Swat namely the Tanolis, Swatis and Dilazak. After several battles between the Tanolis and the Yousafzais, the Tanoli Chief Sultan Ameer Khan Tanoli was finally martyred whilst fighting with Yousafzais at Topi (near Swabi). The Tanolis were temporarily pushed to the eastern bank of river Indus.

Sardar Zabardast Khan/ Suba Khan Tanoli

In 1752AD the Tanoli Chief Sardaar Zabardast Khan allied with Ahmed Shah Abdali in his conquest of India. His renown was such, that he gained the title of Suba Khan from Ahmed Shah Abdali for his bravery in the historical battle against the Marathas at Panipat, where 250,000 strong army of Marathas were famously defeated by just 60,000 of Abdali's soldiers and allied Muslim tribes. His later grandson, Mir Nawab Khan saw the Durrani empire crumbling and defeated the Durranis, thus freed his kingdom of their control, however, in this battle he was killed by Sardaar Azim Khan.

Mir Sar-Buland Khan

During the Governorship of the Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa, Mir Sar-Buland Khan Tanoli, was very rebellious towards him. He allied with Mir Painda Khan and Muhammad Khan Tareen as well as chiefs of the Jadun tribes against them. Whilst engaged in one battle, Hari Singh Nalwa shot dead his son Sher Muhammad Khan. He continued his rebellion regardless and unrelented in his repeat incursions against them, though without success against the militarily superior opposition. At one point, he and Mir Painda Khan seiged and conquered Darband fort from the Sikh chief Sardar Gordat Singh.

Mir Painda Khan

Mir Painda Khan is famed for his staunch rebellion against Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Governors of Hazara. He was the son of Mir Nawab Khan, who defeated the Durranis and freed his kingdom from their influence.

From about 1813, he spent a life long rebellion against the Sikhs, who realising the potential of his rebellion, set up forts at strategic locations to keep him in check. Hari Singh Nalwa took this initiative during his governership.

Painda Khan's relentless rebellion against the Sikh empire, cost him a major portion of his Kingdom, leaving only his twin capitals Amb and Darband. However, this deterred him less and appeared to increase his resistance against the Sikh government.

The "District Gazetteer of the North-West Frontier Province" (p138) confirms, "Painda Khan, played a considerable part in the history of his time and vigorously opposed the Sikhs."

Mir Painda Khan set the tone for the regional resistance against Sikh rule. Men who made the North-West Frontier (Charles Allen, Abacus 2001, p139) attests, "There was a long history of conflict between Jehandad Khan's family and the Sikhs, and the name of his father Painda Khan, was said to be 'magic to the ears of the people of Hazara' because of the struggles he fought on behalf of his 'poor circumscribed and rugged principality' against the Sikhs. Abbot was aware that before his death Painda Khan had made his son (Jehandad Khan) swear never to trust his safety to any ruler."

Eventually, realising that the Heroic Tanoli Khan would not be subdued by force, General Dhaurikal Singh, commanding officer of the Sikh troops in Hazara, had Painda Khan poisoned to death in September 1844. He is still reverred in Hazara today as a Heroic Warrior King of the People.

In 1828 Mir Painda Khan gifted the State of Phulra to his brother Mir Madad Khan.

Mir Jehandad Khan

This Tanoli chief deserves special mention as the son of a famous Tanoli hero of Amb Darband Hazara, Mir Painda Khan.

It is mentioned in Men who made the North-West Frontier (Charles Allen, Abacus 2001, p139) that "Of all the tribal chiefs of Hazara, the most powerful said to be Jehandad Khan of the Tanoli, whose land straddled both banks of the Indus and whose fellow-tribesmen were 'brave and hardy and accounted for the best swordsmen in Hazara'. There was a long history of conflict between Jehandad Khan's family and the Sikhs, and the name of his father Painda Khan, was said to be 'magic to the ears of the people of Hazara' because of the struggles he fought on behalf of his 'poor circumscribed and rugged principality' against the Sikhs. Abbot was aware that before his death Painda Khan had made his son (Jehandad Khan) swear never to trust his safety to any ruler." This was a strong testament to the physical, political power and heroic background of the House of Tanoli which continued throughout the history of the tribes ancestry.

Mir Jehandad Khan is further mentioned in the same source as, "Jehandad Khan - a good looking young man of 26 years, tall and slender, with remarkably large and fine eyes - rode into Abbott's encampment surrounded by an escort of horsemen clad in shirts of mail and steel skull caps, handsomely mounted and equipped, who made a most picturesque display....the bystanders, who regarded the Chief with great awe, were thunderstruck.."

In 1852, Jehandad Khan was summonsed by the President of the Board of Administration (who travelled to Hazara to see the Khan) in relation to a murder enquiry of two British civilians in his lands. It is mentioned in the above source (p203,p204) that "Jehan Dad Khan, the head of the Clan, and his minister Boostan Khan...knowing himself charged for his life, with the air of a prince sat down....answered all questions in an easy off hand way that looked very much like innocence. I was glad when the examination was over and the men let go, for they had a following of five or six hundred men, all stalwart fellows who had accompanied their Chief..." The President ended the talk by threatening him that, "If you refuse to give up the murderers...I will come with an army to burn your villages and give your country to another." It is said that the Khan replied, folding hands and with some fun replied with his elders, "We should consider your presence (in our kingdom) an honour, but our country is a 'rather difficult one' for your army." This famed statement was the talk of the day and remembered by many locals of Hazara even to this day as a heroic answer to a staunch threat from a powerful official.

His son, Nawab Bahadur Sir Muhammed Akram Khan was conferred the title Nawab Bahadur by the British Raj.

Ayub Khan Tanoli

Pakistan Government Federal Minister Ayub Khan Tanoli was a famous personality during the early history of Pakistan and his daughter Kiran Tanoli is a successful TV actress as well as politically inclined like her father. She is the Youth Co-ordinator of North-West Frontier Province, fighting for youth and female rights and equality. She also received a Gold Medal from Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in 2005 for her work.

Tanolis Today

The last Nawab of the state of Amb was Nawab Salahuddin Khan who is the fourth in descendant grandson of Mir Jehandad Khan son of Mir Painda Khan of the Hindwal Tanolis. The dynasty of Raja Tanoli had ruled Tanawal/Amb state for centuries since the 13th century until 1973 when the royal status was abolished by the Pakistani Govt.

The majority of Tanolis reside in the former state of Amb in the Hazara division of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. They also make up approximate 11% of the population of Mansehra, 24% Abbottabad, Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan, Havelian and Sultanpur. Their main languages are Hindko and Punjabi. Those living in Pashtun dominated areas also speak Pashto.

During 1974 many Tanolis migrated because of a Tarbela Dam, which the Pakistani Government started to construct, which caused some territorial damage to homes in their region.

Some Tanolis have migrated during colonial times to other areas of Pakistan such Potohar area of Gujar Khan and many have also migrated to the UK to contribute to the labour shortages after the 2nd World War.

References

Chiefs and Families of Note in Punjab by Lepel H.Griffin (1910, ii, p254)
Gazetteer of the North-Western Frontier Province p138
Journal of Central Asia Vol XII, (July 1990), Prof.Ahmed Hasan Dani, July, 1990 p79
Soldier Sahibs: The Men who made the North-Western Frontier by Charles Allen, Abacus 2001
Tehreek e Janjua written by Muhammad Anwar Khan Janjua
Chronicles of Early Janjuas by Dr Hussain Khan

External links

Social groups of Pakistan | Pashtun tribes | Pakistani names | Muslim ruling clans of India

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