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Chatha Jats are found in Gujaranwala Division particularly Hafizabad and Wazirabad area in the Pakistani Punjab and held 81 villages as late as 1911 and converted to Islam in 1600s [1] For a more detailed profile I will redirect my readers to the newpakhistorian blog particularly his post on Chatha Jats offers immense value as my post is more on the political history side of things.
I have already covered how 18th century Punjab was the “Wild West”, where the Mughals, Afghans (Pashtuns), Sikhs & Punjabi Muslim tribes were all trying to assert their authorities at varying levels in the political vacuum created due to the decay of Mughal authority in the area, which was going through the usual decline part of the medieval state life cycle but accelerated with the continuous invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali, maliciously portrayed and naively acknowledged by many Punjabi Muslims as a Holy cause.
Back to the topic, numerous Punjabi Muslim tribes started to claim independence and refused to pay taxes to Delhi and Chatha Jat Muslims were one of them. Nur Mohammad is the first prominent Chatha name we find in history born 1704, the Chathas had grown in power and influence that their friendship was sought out by Chiefs of Multan and Jammu and their primary rivals were the Sukarchakia Sikhs of Gujaranwala [2]
The Gazetteer goes on “Of the Muhammadan tribes who struggled with most success to maintain their independence, the most prominent were the Bhattis and Tarars in the Hafizabad tehsil who were overcome by Ranjit Singh and the Chathas in the Western half of Wazirabad tahsil who carried on an unceasing and bitter struggle against Sikh ascendency till their final overthrow by Ranjit Singh in 1799” [3]
In 1750, the Chatthas would declare independence under Nur Muhammad after building forts in Manchar, Alipur and Rasulnagar. Charat Singh of Sukerchakia Misl, the grandfather of Ranjit Singh after consolidating himself in Gujaranwala would turn his guns towards Chathas, a struggle which would last 10 years between the Sikh Charat Singh and his Punjabi Muslim counterpart, Ahmad Khan who by now had taken over from his father Nur Muhammad.
Mir Mannu who had now defected to the Durrani Afghans laid siege to Chatha possessions in 1764 on behalf of his new employers, but this was unsuccessful and even when Ahmad Shah Abdali himself invaded Punjab he confirmed the Chatha Jatts claim but according to Gazetteer this was done as a counter balance to the rising power of Sikhs in Gujaranwala. [4]
Ahmad Khan was son of Nur Muhammad who started leading Chathas in battle due to his father’s old age and in 1765 would capture the famous Bhangi gun placed in Gujaranwala. Soon, after this triumph he would have a falling out with his brother Pir Muhammad, which would involve the deaths of Ahmad Khan’s sons and nephew. Pir Muhammad would seek help from Sikhs of Bhangi Misl, Sahib and Gujar Singh. The latter two invite Ahmad Khan to a conference then treacherously imprison him without water till he gives up the Bhangi gun. [5]
Charat Singh dies in 1775 and Nur Muhammad, the Chatha chief and his son Pir Muhammad would pass away close to each other a couple years later after Charat. The grandson of Nur Muhammad, Ghulam Mohammad would inherit the Chatha dominion and Mahan Singh would do the same in Gujaranwala for his own people.
Chathas would defeat Mahan Singh in many battles [6] which would prompt Mahan to strike an alliance with rival Sikh chief, Sahib Singh by having his sister Raj Kaur marry the Bhangi Misl chief [7] In 1790 the combined forces besieged Manchar, which would last more than six months in which Sikhs would lose a good number of men, young Ranjit Singh himself almost lost his life when Ghulam Muhammad’s uncle, Hashmat Khan tried to take a shot at the future Emperor after climbing his elephant but was struck down. After realizing there is no recourse, Ghulam Muhammad would surrender in return for a safe passage to Mecca but was betrayed and killed by Mahan anyways after being shot in the head. [8]
Jan Muhammad, son of Ghulam Muhammad escaped to Kabul and returned in 1797 alongside Durranis with King Shah Zaman and recovered some of the former Chatha territories. This was short lived as Ranjit Singh in 1799 would decide to finally subdue the Chathas once and for all in a campaign which sees Jan lose his life to a cannon shot from a far in Rasulnagar, a town founded by his great grandfather which would then be renamed Ramnagar by the Sikhs. [9]
For additional reading, there is a poem Chatthian di Var which is meant to be an eye witness account of the events, but it wasn’t used here for the piece. Refer to Shafqat Tanvir Mirza’s Resistance Themes in Punjabi Literature pg. 50 for more context.
Part 2 yet to be posted but will involve my analysis & interpretation of events for Punjabi Muslims.
References:
[1] Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab & NWFP vol.2. pg. 154
[2] The Punjab Chiefs Vol 2 by Lepel Griffin pg.201
[3] Gujaranwala Gazetteer 1893 pg.23
[4] Gujaranwala Gazetteer 1893 pg.23
[5] The Punjab Chiefs Vol 2 by Lepel Griffin pg.201
[6] The Punjab Chiefs Vol 2 by Lepel Griffin pg.201
[7] Gujaranwala Gazetteer 1893 pg.24
[8] The Punjab Chiefs Vol 2 by Lepel Griffin pg.203
[9] The Punjab Chiefs Vol 2 by Lepel Griffin pg.203
Punjabi Waseb 