Sudhan

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Typical Sudhan Tribal Member

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Sudhan Annual meeting NE Chapter USA

New Jersey, Sudhans

Sudhun tribe members live in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, primarily in the Poonch District of Azad Kashmir, the Poonch area in Jammu and Kashmir, Dera Ismail Khan, Swabi, Swat, Hazara, Dera Ghazi Khan, Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province, Quetta in the Baluchistan Province, Lahore, Multan, Kahuta, Murree, Kotli Sattian and Rawalpindi in the Punjab and Karachi in Sindh Province. Sudhans capital is the city of Rawalakot.

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. Sudhun settlers moved to the various cities from Poonch in search of jobs.

A majority of the Sudhun tribe members claim to be of Afghan origin claiming to be part of the lost tribes of the Jewish Diaspora, but this has yet to be ascertained by historical or genealogical proof. The only credence given to this theory is through oral traditions.

Some members of the Sudhun tribe claim again using oral history to be descended from Afghan tribes, this is due to the fact that Ahmed Shah Durrani's empire consisted of what is now Kashmir and the Sudhuns a by-product of the subsequent invasions - a mix of Indian (the original inhabitants of the area) and Afghan (the invaders) blood.

A lot of Sudhans are proud to be decendants of Hindu Brahmins. As there are both Hindu and Sikh Sudhans as well.

A research project comprising DNA lineage study has been commenced to determine the ancestry of the Sudhans.

Sudhan means "perfect people" in Sanskrit.

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Rawalakot Valley home of the Sudhans

Education

Sudhuns are a tightly knit community. Sudhuns have the literacy rate with over 90% being literate. (United Nations Statistics). Female education is very high in Sudhan areas, however the first Sudhan woman, Maqbool Hamidullah Khan received a Masters Degree in English from Punjab University recently in 1992. She retired as a professor of English from Government College for Women in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Both of her sons are Phsysicians in the United States. She recently published her autobiography "Budhi Budhay say Shakespeare Tak" capture the struggle of a woman for higher education.

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. Their leadership is weak and lacks charisma. Their brightest moved to work overseas and left a great vacuum back home.

Language

Sudhan residents of Azad Kashmir generally speak the Pahari language, a variant of the Punjabi language. Those in Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore districts of Punjab speak the Punjabi language, those that settled in NWFP province speak the Pushtu. Sudhans living in Karachi and other elite classes have become accustomed to using English and Urdu. While Sudhan communities in foreign lands generally speak the local language.

Traditions

The Sudhans have the same beliefs and traditions as the Hindu inhabitants of the area (Hindu mythology). Sudhuns language and customs are similar or indentical to those of Kashmiri Brahmins[the upper cast]. As they live in the Pir Panjal area they still hold onto their their past belief's of PANJPIR (Five Saints) and they are greatly influenced by the teachings of Sufi Saint's in particular Mian Mohammad Buksh commonly known as Saifulmuluk.

Sudans use Naswar, commonly known as chewing tobacco. Some Sudhans had tradition of bridal money known as "Rum". Their dress is the same as others in Pakistan; Shalwar Kameez, known to the Sudhans as Suthan.

One of their forefathers was Nawab Jassi Khan who settle in Tehsil Rawalakot area in around 1760. They used to live in smaller domains in the villages of Sudhnoti, Rawalakot and Bagh before they were crushed and dominated by the Punjabi forces of Ranjit Singh in 1832.

There was a time in the 18th century when they use to live in their lands with self-styled government called AAp Raji, but this didn't last long due to the invasion by Ranjit Singh and later the British Raj. During the time of Colonialism they were taken into various lower class jobs like subedars, bearers, guards, footsoldiers, and as mercenaries in the British Raj.

Tribal Members

Some of the members of the tribe are:

Captain Hussain Khan Shaheed a former British Army Officer.

Khan Mohammad Khan of Palandri a political leader and reformer.

Sardar Ibrahim Khan Founder and First President of (Free) Azad Kashmir.

Colonel Sher Ahmad Khan.

Major General M. Hayat Khan former President of Azad Kashmir.

General Anwar Khan former President of Azad Kashmir.

General Muhammad Aziz Khan former chief of general staff Pakistan Army. He was instrumental in the coup that brought dictatorship and led to the appointment of Pervez Musharaff as President of Pakistan.

General (Retd) M. Rahim Khan, the former Division Commander 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

Lt. Col. Tassadaq Hussain Khan former Chief of the Military of the Sultanate of Oman

Uprising against Maharajah of Kashmir

Sudhun's contributed greatly in the uprsing against the Maharajah of Kashmir during 1947-1948 and were instrumental in the creation of Azad Kashmir. Prior to the creation of Azad Kashmir they were suppressed by the Maharaja of Kashmir. In 1832 the Sudhan tribe was crushed by the army of Ranjit Singh, a lot of women were taken as captives and twelve Tribal Leaders were hanged and skined for their rebellion at Tararkhel. (Skined alive)

Later during the British Raj Sudhan being considered a warrior race by the British were taken in recruited in the British Indian Army. Few Sudhans allied with [[Maharaja of Kashmir], Most of the officers in support of the Maharaja of Kashmir rebelled during 1949, one such notable person was Captain Hussain Khan and his followers, who were instrumental in overthrowing the government of the Maharajah in Poonch.

During 1947, Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan was the political and tribal elder of the Sudhans in 1947 and was the first President of Azad Kashmir.

Sudhuns are fiercely independent people, where every individual considers himself as the leader, as such Sudhans do not have a hereditary chief, but in the past they used to have tribal elders like Khan Mohammad Khan of Palandri and Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan who was respected as an elder of the Sudhan tribe for over 50 years. In Sudhan society, being a democratic society, every individual has a right to lead and voice his or her independent opinion.

Religion

Sudhuns are Sunni Muslims of the Hannafi branch of Islam. There are different sects like Deobandis, Brelvis, Ahle-adith, Jammat e Islami, Tauheedis and Seculars. There is lately, Wahabi influence, that has crept into Sudhans which they brought from outside. They have been a very God conscious and spiritual people by tradition who revere and respect Holy Men and Saints.

Employment

Poonch District Area (850 km²) [1000persons/sqkm].

Area of Sudhnuti is 550 square kilometers.

Current population figures are approximately half a million sudhan tribe

Having a 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.

Greatest resources of the Sudhans being their intellect.

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. The history of POONCH tribes written by Mohammad din fok: 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 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).

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 patriarch 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
• Official Azad Kashmir tourism site
• Rawalakot

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Sudhan's around the world

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