Sudhan

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Typical Sudhan Tribal Member

Background

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Sudhun tribe members are found in Poonch District of Azad Kashmir, Poonch area in Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Rajouri, Dera Ghazi Khan and Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province, Quetta in the Baluchistan Province, Lahore and Rawalpindi in the Punjab and in Karachi in Sindh Province of Pakistan. Capital of the Sudhan tribe is in the City of Rawalakot.

Due to lack of employment oppurtunities for Sudhans in Azad Kashmir or Pakistan, Sudhans have moved abroad in search of jobs. Internationally Sudhuns have a large community in New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Utah in the United States, Toronto and Calgary in Canada, and London and Manchester in Great Britain. Sudhuns settlers moved to the various cities from Poonch in search of jobs. Sudhan means perfect people in Sanskrit

A very small minority of Muslim Sudhuns claim to be descended from the Sadozai tribe of Afghanistan, however, there is no evidence to support this claim. Sadozais are found near Dera Ghazi Khan and Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan. In Afghanistan they are found near Kabul and Ghazni.

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Rawalakot Valley home of the Sudhans

Education

Sudhuns are a tightly knit community. Sudhuns have the highest literacy rate of any region or tribe in Kashmir or Pakistan, with over 90% of the population being literate. (United Nations Statistics). Literacy rate among Hindu and Sikh Sudhans in Jammu and Poonch is close to 95%. Sudhans in Azad Kashmir have politically split, thereby losing their clout in the Government of Azad Kashmir.

During the elections held during 2006, Sudhans were not able to win more than a few seats in the legislative assembly.

Majority of Sudhans believe that Pakistan Military stuffed ballot boxes and elected their own stooges. General Anwar former President of Azad Kashmir confirmed on Geo Television that GHQ of Pakistan had violated the rights of the people of Azad Kashmir.

Languange

Sudhuns speak Pahari languange, a dialect of Dogri (which maybe a dialect of Punjabi) and closely resembles Pothohari & Hindko.

Traditions

Sudhun's believed in Massan (evil spirits), Churrail (Femail evil spirits) & Bhoot (Ghosts). These are the same beliefs as with Hindu inhabitants of the area. (Hindu mythology). Sudhuns language and customs are similar or indentical to those of Kashmiri Brahmins.

Tribal Members

Some of the members of the tribe are:

The founder and First President of (Free) Azad Kashmir, Sardar Ibrahim Khan is a member of the Sudhun tribe.

Col Sher Ahmad Khan,

Maj General M. Hayat Khan former President of Azad Kashmir

General Anwar Khan former President of Azad Kashmir

General Muhammad Aziz Khan the former Chief of Pakistan Army.

General (Retd) M. Rahim Khan, the former Chief of Pakistan Army in East Pakistan, Chairman Pakistan International Airlines, former chairman Pakistan Chrome Mines Ltd and Secretary General Ministry of Defense.

M. Rashid Khan Chairman Pakistan Banking Council. Financial Consultant

Uprising against Maharajah of Kashmir

Sudhun's contributed greatly in the uprsing against the Maharajah of Kashmir during 1947-1948 and created the administrative area known as Azad Kashmir. Sudhuns are an independently minded people, where every individual considers himself as the leader as such Sudhans do not have a Tribal or a hereditary leader, rather, as a democratic society, every individual has a right to lead and voice his or her independent opinion.

Sudhan Rebellion against Pakistan Army

After World War II, the returning Sudhan soldiers kept their weapons. After partition the Pakistan Army, decided that this trained group of men with weapons was an unacceptable situation and sent a Brigade to Poonch during 1957 to disarm the Sudhan's. However, to the surprise of Pakistan Army, Sudhan soldiers surrounded the Pakistan Army Brigade and disarmed the Army. Pakistan Army has never again ventured to disarm the Sudhans. Eversince the rebellion, Sudhan's have been supressed by the Government of Pakistan. This suppression was such that citizens of Azad Kashmir were not allowed in regular course of Pakistan Military Academy. Sudhans did not get security clearance in Pakistan Army until 1972.

Religion

Sudhuns are Sunni Muslims of the Hannafi brand of Islam. However, Wahabihism has found some converts in the Sudhun tribe as Sudhans having worked in Saudi Arabia have brought Wahabism back to Kashmir.

Majority of the Sudhun tribe due to oral traditions claim to belong to the Bani Israel but this has yet to be ascertained by historical or genealogical evidence.

The Sudhan tribe also consist of Hindu Brahmins and Sikhs who lived in Poonch but migrated to Jammu and Rajouri during the unrest in 1947. Despite Religious differences Sudhans on both sides of the border are firecely proud of their heritage and view themselves as one community.

Employment

Poonch district having few natural resources, resulted in Sudhuns joining the military, initially joining the British Indian Army during the First World War and later during the Second World War. After the Second World War the veterans of the war revolted against the Maharajah of Kashmir which resulted in the formation of Azad Kashmir. Due to lack of employment oppurtunities for Sudhans in Azad Kashmir or Pakistan, Sudhans have moved abroad in search of jobs.

References

Under the main heading of Brahmas of Khatris, Sudhan is shown as one of the 12 tribes in Hazara during the Vedic age. Sodhan is described as a Rajput tribe. Sud race is settled in East Punjab.

A Glossary of the Tribes & Castes of Punjab & North West Frontier Province by Ebbetson.

Sudhan are a tribe of Sud Brahmans converted to Islam by Aurangzab.

Reigning Family of Lahore by Carmichael Smyth.

Sud were orignally 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).

Political & Social Movements in Ancient Punjab by Buddha Prakash

Sogdiana (Summarkand & Bokara) and Sogdae (Thar), Sogda (Rohri). The resemblance of names of the places shows that the Sogdian people lived in Sind.

Alexander the Great by Hammond

Sogdiana was Iranian province. Iranian tribes were present in Punjab & Summerkand.

Alexander the Great by Robin Lane

Darius conquered Sogdiana (521 BC), Punjab & Sind (512 BC)

History of Persia by Percy Sykes.

Chibhal. An important and high caste is Sudhan

Jammu & Kashmir. Territories by Frederic

Migrated from Ghazni to the present location in 14th century.

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) s/o Bawa Muna (chief of Katas Tirath) migrated from Katas to Poonch in 11th century. One of his descendants Sudh Sain/Pal is the patriach of Sudhan. Sudhan Chander Bansi dynasty ruled from the capital of Sudhnuti. Sudhan are Muslims as well as Hindus

Rajgan J&K and Rajputan Punjab by Tahakar Kahan Singh.

Mohammedan Rajas of Poonch losely resemble Khakhas.

Ancient Geography of Kashmir by Cunnigham.

Sulikas were present in North & Northwest of India in Vedic age.

Alberunis' India by Sachu.

History of Sudhuns. by:

Colonel Retired Dr. Muhammad Khalil 10-C St 1, New Lalazar Rawalpindi Cantt. Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

External links

Official

• Azad Jammu & Kashmir rawalakot
• Official website of the Government of Azad Kashmir
• [http://www.tourism.gov.pk/d_kashmir.html Official Azad Kashmir tourism site

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Typical Sudhan Family

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