Tanoli

The Tanolies (also spelt Tanauli, Tanawali) (Urdu: تنولی ) are a prominent and famous Muslim tribe residing mainly in the Amb, Hazara district of NWFP Pakistan. They were the last rulers of Amb (princely state). During the the late 17th century,Turks were overthrown by the Swatis in the area of upper Hazara.

Tanolis later on put up 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 Nawabss of their dynasty have gained mass popularity as heroes.

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 Mountains, 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

Pashtun Origin

The most widely accepted theory is that the people who came to be known as Tanolis are identified as such due to their link with a particular geographical setting in which they found themselves (i.e. Tanawal State) as a great majority of them were immigrants from across the River Indus from where they were pushed out by Yousafzais from Afghanistan, as had happened before to the Swatis who also have Pashtun origin . This is not an unusual event. Throughout history collectives of individuals follow their kinfolk into territories where they come into conflict with those of their own background, and who had already settled in those regions. It just so happens the newer arrivals always had success in ousting inhabitants who had become comfortable in their settled surroundings - Swatis and Dilazaks, Pakhtun tribes in Hazara, are another major example of this as having been unsettled from their much loved Swat by the Yusufzais. In many accounts the Swatis, Jadun and Dilazaks etc. have been called Pashtuns, non-Pashtuns and been given a variety of indigenous Indian affiliations. The Tanolis have suffered from similar fate. Dr Sher Bahadur Khan Panni has followed some the other commentators in agreeing with this explanation of Tanolis background - Jaduns, Swatis, Dilazaks as well as Tanolis, are all Pakhtuns who had been declared non-Pakhtuns by British imperial sources as non-Pakhtuns at various times in colonial period but now a consensus of their Afghan origin is prevalent. It is interesting to note that all of these tribes are neighbours to each other and would've been considered a great threat to British authorities as were the other Pakhtun tribes were on the western bank of the River Indus.

Contemporary Tanolis are not a singular tribe but a collection of smaller groups which consists of those who call themselves Tanolis because they have resided in an area called Tanawal and those who are sub-groups, septs or clans of different Pashtun tribes representing major Afghan khels (sub tribes) in the State of Tanawal. The fact that there is a great deal of diversity among Tanolis makes this view at least more plausible than other explanations offered so far. This view is shared by many major families in the area of Tanawal.

Many other Tanoli clans have disputed amongst themselves some of the theories of their origin. For example the Hassanals have always maintained that they are actually Hassanzais from the Kala Dhaka or Black Mountains - Tur ghar and adopted the nomeclature of the Tanoli area when they left their own areas, due to tribal feuds with other clans located there. The fact that there was also a non-Hassanzai group with that name did not matter as there are many sub-tribal names which are identical but with different tribal affiliations. This also seems quite plausible given the fact that Tanolis in Agror Valley, Mansehra and the surroundings speak Pashto as first language if not exclusively. This is documented in the first Hazara Gazetteer written soon after the settlement of Hazara by Captain James Abbott. This book also mentions the fact that the original language of the Tanolis was Pashto but some have forgotten it and now speak Hindko in areas where the majority speaks this language.

Tanoli clan names do not all follow the Pashtun style, such as end with khel or zai. Considering the case of Afridis, Mohmands, Waziris as prominent Pashtun tribes, who also don't follow this practice the case of Tanoli tribe is not unusual. Recently some Tanolis clans such as Mamakhel use the typical khel ending in their branch. Thus this justification for rejecting Tanolis as Pakhtuns falls.

It would seem that there are among the Tanolis a great majority who have Pashtun heritage but also those who call themselves Tanolis because the area is more important for their identity than a Pashtun one. The majority still would back a Pashtun label as an ethnic identity. Previous erronous links have been made in the past, in relation to other Pashtun tribes when dubious links were made between Rajput and Pashtun tribal names by Sir Alexander Cunningham, author of the "History of the Sikhs", when he noticed some similarity between Rajput clan/caste names and Pashtun tribal appendages. This similarity doesn't constitute a foundation. Therefore non-Pakhtun origin theories are baseless and without historical validity.

A recent article, The Herald (Karachi), on the ex-ruling family's residence in Shergarh, Tehsil Oghi, District Mansehra, included ongoing debate as to whether they are of Barlas Mughal origin or Yousafzai roots but no mention of Janjua descendancy was made. However, considering the above points of the multi-tribe make up what is today a Tanoli,any link cannot be completely ruled out. Alhough till date, no sub-tribe called Tanawali appears in Yusafzai geneaological table it does not mean Tanoli are not Pakhtuns. The case of Swatis is one major case in point as mentioned above - see Dr Sher Bahadur Khan's Tarikh-e-Hazara and article on Swatis in Wikipedia. It must also be noted that Dr Sher Bahadur Khan comments that the Tanawalis consist of various Afghan tribes though majority are from different banches of Yusufzais including the Hassanzais of Tur Ghar (Black Mountains).

In fact 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." Here the uninitiated reader may be led to the conclusion that these tribes are not really pakhtun. This is wrong as the writer Raverty is not making such suggestions but merely speculating: the key phrase is '..is held by tribes which, whatever their origin, have by long association become become assimilated with the Pashtun/Pathans.. If we conclude from this that the Tanolis are non-Pakhtuns then Jaduns, also mentioned by Raverty, and other tribes e.g. Swatis etc. are also to be deemed as being outside of the Pakhtun faraternity which would be absolutely absurd.

It has been argued by some rejectionists of Pakhtun origin that there is no record in the Yousafzai genelogical tree of a sub branch called Tanoli even though a sub-branch of the Yousafzai tribe can be a resident of Tanawal and hence adopt this name. They also claim that pride of race is a strong Yousafzai trait and so to change a family name into one denoting a geographical residence would seem dubious for any Pashtun tribe of such pride and prominence. But such people do not mention that Swatis are generally accepted as Youfazais and were known by their area of residence before coming across the Indus into Hazara. Interestingly enough the Rohilas of India, who also claim Yousafzais descent, are known by their residential origin i.e. people of the mountains. As both these groups are vast in numbers, and given their claim to be both Pakhtuns and Yousafzais, the comment of those mentioned above pale into insignificance and hence irrelevant to this debate. To assert that all Pakhtun tribes follow a particular way of giving themselves titles, and that there is a diversity of khels, zais, 'als and 'is, is overlooked by these rejectionists. So it is totally an absurd way to reject Pakhtun heritage of Tanolis - they are also a very proud people who fought British and the Sikhs , along with other Hazara pakhtuns e.g. Swatis, Dilazaks, Jadund, Tahirkhels, Hassanzais, Maddakhels, Akkazais and Mashwanis to name a few. A more accurate response to such nonsense is to cite the evidence that Swatis, recognised as Yousafzais are named after a geographical area. Moreover, Hassanzais, Akkazai, Maddakhel, Chagharzais and other tribes residing in and around Tur Ghar (Kala Dhaka) are descendents of Yousafzais but whose names do not betray their parent tribal associations.

Tanolis also follow Pakhtunwali and like Swatis of Hazara, who are now accepted as of Pakhtun Yousafzai origin , add their own labels to this system of honourable conduct i.e. Swatwali and Parawali. Swatis, Tanolis, Hassanzais, Maddakhel and Akkazais, the last three mentioned are undisputed Pakhtun tribes, all live together in and around Tur Ghar (Kala Dhaka) in Mansehra District (Tanawal, Agror,Balakot and Pakhli), intermarry and engage in social intercourse as Pakhtuns. This is evidence enough for all to accept the Tanolis as Pakhtuns. A recent article, The Herald (Karachi), on the ex-ruling family's residence in Shergarh, Tehsil Oghi, District Mansehra, included ongoing debate as to whether they are of Barlas Mughal origin or Yousafzai roots but no mention of Janjua descendancy was made. However, considering the above points of the multi-tribe make up what is today a Tanoli, the Abbasid or Janjua link cannot be completely ruled out though this is unlikely to say the least. In fact there is some plausibility in the claim that a very small minority of Tanolis, or families residing in Tanawal, may have origin in the eastern edges of Hazara, perhaps in the Gallis, where some of the leading families belonging to certain tribes claim Abbasid ancestry.

In fact 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." . In earlier periods some of these tribes specifically, Jaduns, Swatis and Dilazaks were considered to be non-Pakhtuns by 'ethnographers' of British administration who started categorising the various groups in their newly acquired territories. They attempted to go against these these peoples' own history, written and folk, to look for other explanations. These 'constructed' histories were at best attempts to break these powerful communities from their knifolk on the west of the River Indus - to divide the opposition to the annexation of Pakhtun territory, and at worse to pacify warrior culture of these tribes who had given the Sikhs such a hard time previously. It must be noted that Hazara could not have been added to the British empire without the help and support of the powerful Khans of Hazara.

Wars and Famous Personalities

The Yousafzai tribe came to Swat in approximately 1450AD and began fighting with settled Pakhtun 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 fellow Afghan, and King of AfghnistanAhmed 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 two hundred and fifty thousand strong army of Marathas were famously defeated by just sixty thousand of Abdali's soldiers and allied Muslim tribes. His later grandson, Mir Nawab Khan saw the Durrani empire crumbling and defeated the Durranis, thus freeing 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 Pakhtun 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 besieged 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 governorship.

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 revered 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.

Nawab Sir Muhammad Akram Khan

The next chief of the Tanolis and son of Mir Jahandad Khan was Nawab Sir Akram Khan (1868 - 1907). He was a popular chief and it was during his tenure that the fort at Shergarh was constructed, along with Dogah and Thakot. His rule was a vpeaceful time for Tanawal with no major conflicts.

Nawab Khanizaman khan

Nawab Khanizaman Khan succeeded his father in taking over the reins of power in Tanawal in Amb. He helped the British in carrying out the Black Mountain (Kala Dhaka/Tur Ghar)expeditions.

Malik Nawab Khan Tanoli

Malik Nawab Khan was a great personality of Lower Tanawal. He had his own small state Jarna in Abbottabad. Major Abbot mentioned him as a "Brave man" in his book written on Abbottabad. Malik Nawab Khan was a learned man and an able soldier. He was a strong religious man. He was the last chief of Tanoli Jirga. Malik Nawab Khan was among the fellow tribesmen of famous Mir Jehandad Khan.

Tanolis Today

The majority of Tanolis reside in the former state of Amb in the Hazara division of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. A branch of the Tanoli tribe also resides in Kashmir mainly in Muzaffarabad. The famous ancestral forefather of this Kashmiri branch was Amir Mir-ullah. Tanolis have a big area of territory called Upper Tanawal and Lower Tanawal. Upper Tanawal is considered as backward area and has its quota in Govt of Pakistan. Tanolis have their majority throughout Hazara Division Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan. Tanolis are also living in some areas of Swabi, Nowshera, Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan and Sultanpur. A large number of Tanolis are also living in Karachi.

Their main language is Hindko. Tanolis living in Pashtun dominated areas speak Pushtu and those living in Punjab speak Punjabi and others living in others countries speak dominant language of those states e.g. English as this is a natural phenomenon.

Some Tanolis migrated to UK after the 2nd World War to help rebuild the war ravaged country.

Tanolis are rich in culture values and strongly follow the customs of their Pakhtun ancestorsTemplate:Gazetteer of Hazara District.

Famous Tanolis of Today

Some famous personalities of the Pakhtun Tanoli tribe in this modern era are:

• Ayub Khan Tanoli - He was a lawyer and well-known politician. He remained as Government Minister of Law and Education NWFP. He belonged to Sherwan in Abbottabad.

• Jamshed Khan Tanoli - Jamshed Khan Tanoli served as Secretary of Education NWFP. During his service he was famous for his honesty throughout the province.

• Younis Khan Tanoli - Younis Khan Tanoli is presently the Advocate General NWFP. He also belongs to Sherwan in Abbottabad.

• Nawabzadah Salahuddin Saeed He is grandson of Nawab Farid Khan, the last Nawab of Tanawal, and son of Muhammad Saeed Khan who passed away in 1974. The Nawabzadah has been elected to the National Assembley as an MNA for Mansehra NA15 from 1985 to 1999. He has held important posts in the federal government as a cabinet minister and chairman of standing committees and travelled abroad as a representative of Pakistan, including the GeneralAssembly of the United Nations.

References

• Chiefs and Families of Note in Punjab by Lepel H.Griffin (1910, ii, p254)
• Gazetteer of the North-Western Frontier Province p138. The said page here does not mention Janjuas in all of the text.
• Gazeteer of Hazara District (1883/4). This book confirms that the original language of the Tanolis is Pashto and that a great many have forgotten their original language (p.61)
• History of the Sikhs by J.D. Cunnigham, (1849).Captain Cunnigham mentions the tribes of upper Hazara, from Balakot to Abaseen(Indus), including Amb, Darband etc. as being the territories of Yusufzai Pathans.
• Panjab Castes by Denzil Ibbetson, Delhi, p93. Written by a British imperial militaryman, following others from his background, to further the 'divide and rule' agenda by alienating one Pakhtun tribe from another.
• The Jaduns by Sultan Khan Jadun (2001). A good reader for understanding the Afghan basis of Jadun origin and their relations with fellow Pakhtun tribes of Hazara especially Tanolis, Dilazaks and Swatis.
• Tarikh-ul-Afghan ka Tehqiqi Jahiza by Sultan Khan Jadun (1979). An overview of the Afghan nation as a whole.
• Tairikh-e-Hazara by Dr Sher Bahadur Khan Panni. This book includes a section by a Sikh named Mehtab Singh, who was in charge of administration of Hazara under Sikh rule at annexation. He was asked by Captain James Abbott to use all the resources at his disposal, including his contacts with the major ruling families to write a history of Hazara. * 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.

See also

• Pashtun
• Pashtun tribes
• State of Amb
• State of Phulra

External links

• [http://66Khalid pervez shaheenHe com off one of Tanawaol traibe called Bohall.He performed hi services as a chiarman Istiqlal youth league NWFP.He is an active social worker.He allso served as menber of emnisty International.now he is president Tanoli Ittehad Youth Wing Pakistan.
• Tanoliswww.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/a/amb.html|Rulers of Amb and their ancestry]