Minhas
 Native Region of Minhas Rajputs | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
•  India (Punjab, Jammu, Himachal)•  Pakistan (Punjab, Azad Kashmir) | |
| Languages | |
| • Pahari • Dogri • Punjabi • Hindi • English | |
| Religion | |
•  Hinduism •  Islam •  Sikhism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Indo-Aryan people • Rajputs • Muslim Rajputs • Sikh Rajputs • Punjabi Rajputs • Pahari Rajput |
Minhas or Manhas or Minhas-Dogra (Punjabi: मिन्हास (Devanagari), ਮਿਨਹਾਸ (Gurmukhi), مِنہاس (Shahmukhi)) is a Suryavanshi Rajput clan from the Punjab region and Jammu & Kashmir in India and Pakistan. It is an off-shoot of Jamwal-Dogra Rajputs, the founders of the city and state of Jammu and its rulers from ancient times to 1948 C.E. In antiquity of rule, which is generally considered a benchmark of royalty, they are second to none, but the great Katoch Rajputs of Trigarta and Kangra. Paying tribute to the antiquity of their royal lineage, Sir Lepel Griffin says, “These royal dynasties may have been already ancient when Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, and the Greeks were steering their swift ships to Troy.”
Minhas Rajputs are spread throughout Punjab Region and Jammu & Kashmir in India and Pakistan. Hindu Minhas Rajputs reside in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Indian Punjab, Sikh Minhas Rajputs, mainly inhabit Punjab (India) and Muslim Minhas Rajputs reside in Pakistani Punjab and Pakistan controlled Kashmir.
Origins
Minhas Rajputs are Suryavanshis and claim descent from Rama a legendary king of Ayodhya. In Rajputana, their closest cousins are the Kachwaha and Raghav (Raghuvanshi) Rajputs of Jaipur.
They trace their ancestry to the Suryavansha dynasty of Northern India (The same clan in which Lord Rama was born. He, therefore is the 'kuldevta' (family deity) of the Hindu Minhas Rajputs). Specifically, they claim descent from Kusha younger of the twin sons of Ram who belongs to Raghav (Raghuvanshi) clan of Suryavansha, hero of the Ramayana.
A Raghuvanshi descendant of Raja Kusha, 'Agnigarba' who was living as a recluse, came to Nagarkote (Kangra, Himachal Pradesh), in the Shivalik hills. When the Raja of Kangra came to know about this person's ancestry, he offered him the hand of his daughter and a part of kingdom. The river Ravi was then the boundary of Nagarkote. Agnigarba crossed it and captured some villages in the Kathua area and declared himself as sovereign king. After his death, his son Bayusharva (1500-1530 B.C.E) married the princess of Parole (Kathua). The princess was known as Erwan and she died young.
The Raja founded a city after her which is still found near Parole, though now a small village and at the 'Samadhi' of the queen, a `Mela' (fair) is held at every `Baisakhi' (13th or 14 April) every year. Bayusharva extended the boundaries up to the river Ujh. Bayusharva's great grandson, Bahulochan was enthroned after his death. He migrated from Erwan and built his fort on the banks of river Tawi.
Raja Bahulochan died in a bloody battle with Chadaras, Raja of Sialkot (Shayalkot) and his younger brother Jambulochan (1290-1320 B.C.E) ascended the throne. In those days the area beyond Tawi (the present city of Jammu) was used for hunting. Tradition has it that one day Jambulochan came to this area and while he was sitting behind a bush to ambush some bird or animal, he saw a lion ( a tiger in some accounts ) and a goat drinking water from the same pond. This peaceful coexistence encouraged him to found the city of Jammu, which some say is named after him.
One of his descendants, Raja Shaktikaran (1177-1200 B.C.E) introduced the Dogri Script for the first time. Another of his descendants, Jasdev founded the city of Jasrota on the bank of river Ujh, and another Raja, Karan Dev built a fort on the banks of the river Basantar. In the early centuries of the first millennium the area came under the sway of the Indo-Greeks, with their capital at Sakala (Sialkot).
His later descendants, the Dogras ruled over the state for hundreds of years till 1948 C.E, when the state of Jammu and Kashmir officially acceded to India. Maharaja Hari Singh Dogra was the last in the long list of the Dogra rulers of Jammu. The Dogras also ruled over the Kashmir Valley for three brief terms, twice for short periods around 1000 C.E and one last time when Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra became the Maharaja of Kashmir after the fall of the Sikh Kingdom of Punjab following the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 C.E.
Minhas History
The Minhas and Bhatti Rajput clans were extremely powerful during the time of the Hindu Shahi dynasty of Kabul and ruled over many small kingdoms extending from eastern Afghanistan through the Jammu/Sialkot areas of West Punjab and up to the Jalandhar/Kangra area of eastern Punjab. According to Farishta, during the second battle of Tarain between Prithviraj Chauhan and Mohammad Ghori in 1192, Chauhan's left flank consisted of Hindu Pathan cavalry. It is said that this Hindu Pathan cavalry was led by a minhas raja from the northwest.
A famous Manhas/Minhas in history was Baba Chamliyal also called Duleep Singh Minhas, a warrior saint, whose Samādhi (place of cremation) is still visited by hundreds and thousands of Pakistanis and Indians each year in the month of June. The Mela (fair) which is held in honour of Baba Chamliyal, was celebrated for the 317th time on Thursday, June 22, 2006 as the man-made boundary between India and Pakistan lost its importance momentarily and people from both sides participated in the mela with vigour.
Banda Bahadur, the famous disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru and the founder of the Khalsa Brotherhood was born into a Minhas Rajput family in Rajouri in the Jammu region. Banda Bahadur was an accomplished warrior-general, who almost destroyed Mughal presence in eastern Punjab and arguably created the first Sikh State.
Etymology
Manhas and Jamwal Rajputs
All the descendants of Raja Jambu Lochan were called Jamwal Rajputs, until according to tradition, Raja Malan Hans Dev(while on a hunting trip)was tricked by his brother to help a poor old farmer working under hot sun with ploughing. In those days the stigma of touching a plough was so great for Rajputs, that Raja Malan had to immediately give up the kingship and take up agriculture as a profession and his throne passed to his cunning younger brother, Raja Suraj Hans Dev. Rajputs in general and those in the Punjab hills in particular have had a strong prejudice against taking up agriculture as a profession and therefore Raja Malan Hans and his descendants were styled Minhas.
Malan Hans ===> Manhans===> Manhas and later Manhas
Since that time anyone in the Jamwal clan who took up agriculture or converted to Islam was called Minhas whereas the name Jamwal has been confined to the royal branch including the Maharajas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Alternate View Point: Greek Origin
It is likely that because the ancient Indo-Greek/Bactrian Kingdoms overlapped with Minhas territory Bactria, Gandhara the name originates from Minas or Minos the Greek god, son of Zeus and Europa who was king of Crete and many of the Aegean islands. Many of the Minas line may have travelled into Bactria & Gandhara with Alexander the Great and remained behind and inter-married with the local populations.
Additionally there are also large numbers of Minas in Armenia, Turkey, Persia, Russia and other Central Asian states. Often the Armenians and Turks use the name as Minasian ("of the Minas family") or Minasyan.
Manhas could also possibly mean son of Man as "Manu", "Manushya", "Manav" and "Manas" are Sanskrit terms for "Man" while Manasi means "Woman" .
Royal Titles used by the Minhas Rajputs
- Maharaja: This title was adopted by Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu after he annexed Kashmir and Ladakh and became the ruler of the state of Jammu & Kashmir. He was also accepted as the chief by all the Jamwal and Minhas Rajputs.
- Raja: Most members of the Minhas tribe including Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs use the title 'Raja' as this title was used by most of the Rajput rulers from ancient times.
- Rana: Rana is a princely title of Royalty. Muslim Minhas Rajputs in Pakistan mainly in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala and Sialkot use the title of Rana.
- Khan: Mulsim Mair Minhas Rajput use the title of Khan. Raja Bhagir Dev was named Muhammed Mair after conversion to Islam and his descendants as Mair-Minhas Rajputs. Most of Muslim Mair Minhas use the title of Khan.
- Mian: This title was conferred upon the 'Punjab Hill Chiefs' by the Mughal King, Jhangir and was used by most of the Rajput tribes in the Punjab Hills for many centuries. The elder brother was called Raja, whereas his younger brothers were called Mian. Lately, the Rajputs have decided to use 'Thakur' instead of this Mughal title.
- Thakur: Hindu Minhas Rajputs in eastern Punjab hills used this Rajput title also. A joint assembly of all the hill Rajputs also approved a resolution in 1936 and decided to use the title Thakur instead of Mian.
- Kunwar: This title is used by the younger Hindu Minhas Rajputs to signify that their father Thakur the senior head of the household is still alive.
- Chaudhry: This title was conferred upon the Muslim Minhas Rajputs by the Mughal King, Zaheerudin Babur. However, during Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's era, the title lost its exclusivity as the Maharaja gave this title to all the village-heads around Punjab.
- Sardar: This title is manily used by the Sikh Minhas Rajputs. However, lately some Muslim Minhas Rajput clans in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab Sialkot & Chakwal have also started using this title due to various reasons.
- Rai: There is also a considerable population of Minhas families in Sialkot in the districts of Rangpura and Heerawalapura. They are descendants of Rai Luckoo Minhas.
- Singh: The title Singh used by the Hindu and Sikh Minhas Rajputs while Muslim Minhas Rajputs use Khan.
- Malik : This title is used mostly by the Muslim Minhas living in district Kotli and surrounding areas of Azad Kashmir. Malik Muhammad Nawaz, the senior minister and acting prim minister of Azad Kashmir is also belonged to Minhas Rajputs.
Muslim Minhas Rajputs[discuss]
Muslim Minhas Rajputs mainly reside in Pakistani Punjab and azad Kashmir. Prior to partition, the districts of Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur were home to a large number of Muslim Minhas. In what became Pakistani territory, they were and are found in numbers in Sialkot, Gujrat, Jhelum and Rawalpindi districts, which all bordered Jammu and Kashmir. The Mair Minhas, are found in Chakwal District, Nagyal are found in Daultala, Gujar Khan and the Manes and Lodhra branches were found in south Punjab. In Sialkot and East Punjab Minhas used Mian as a title, and so do the Manes and Lodhra in South Punjab while many Minhas in Lahore, Sialkot and Shekhupura use Rana as a title. The Mair Minhas use Chaudhary and Khan as a title, while the Gujrat and Potohar Minhas use Raja as a title. Minhas Rajput clans in Azad Jammu & Kashmir use Sardar as a title.
Muslim Minhas Rajputs are recognised in history as the warrior aristocracy. They were designated by the British as a Martial Race and recruited into the Imperial Army. Muslim Minhas are naturally engaged in the Pakistani military in strong numbers. They have been referred to as the most Valiant Warriors of Punjab. Their warlike nature and dominant rule of their territories against other tribes earned them a powerful reputation in upper Punjab and the Valley of Kashmir. The city of Chakwal is named after a Minhas chief, Chaudhry Chaku Khan and his decedents remained the Taluqdars of Dhanni(present day Tehsil Chakwal) till Punjab was annexed by the British after the Second Anglo Sikh War in 1849.
The detailed biography of Abdul Rashid Minhas (from Sialkot) reads that in the early 18th century there were a large number of Minhas engaged in logging activities in Jammu - Kashmir, managing the estates of the Dogra rulers of Jammu. An influential logger was Rai Luckoo Minhas (b. 1690) who took it upon himself to migrate down-river to the garrison town of Sialkot. At that time Sialkot was a town populated by a mix of Hindu, Sikh and Muslims. His aim was to support his family up-river by establishing a sawing and distribution facility at Sialkot for the family timber floated downstream. The logs were collected from the Chenab river and carried overland in bullock carts the 6 miles south to Sialkot. Here in Sialkot, they were sawn in the newly-created timber mills and loaded again onto bullock carts for distribution around the Punjab. These descendants of Rai Luckoo still live in and around the Rungpura and Heerawalapura districts of Sialkot. Abdul Rashid Minhas emigrated to Glasgow, Scotland in the 1950s. More information can be found on this Minhas branch from Sialkot on www.abdulrashidminhas.com.
Mair-Minhas of Chakwal
In Chakwal, the Minhas Rajputs are called Mair-Minhas (also spelt Maair) after their ancestor, Raja Mair, a Jamwal prince who converted to Islam in 1190 C.E. According to the legend, Raja Mair (whose name before conversion was Raja Bhagir Dev) was son of the Raja of Jammu and had come to the Dhanni area (present day Chakwal) for hunting. He fell in love with a local Muslim Gujjar woman, converted to Islam and married her.
According to the census of 1931, their male population was 7800. The 'Chaudhrials' or the Talukdars reside in Kot Sarfraz Khan, [[Kot Choudrain|,Behkri, Dhudial, Badsahan, Bhoun,Mohra Kudlathi, Murid, Punjain Shariff, Sarkal-Mair, Udhwal, Chakral, Oudherwal,Dab]],Mohra Sheikhan, Mohra Korechisham, Kotha Abdal, Chatal, Sutwal, Karhan, Chak Malook, Chak Norang and Bhagwal.
The city of Chakwal is named after their Chief, Chaku Khan whose father, Raja Sidhar ruled the area at the time of Mughal King Babar's invasion. The Mughal emperor Zaheerudin Babur conferred upon Raja Sidhar, the title of Chaudhry and made him the Taluqdar (area administrator) over 84 villages of the Dhani country, which since then has been known as Dhan 84. The Mair-Minhas tribe rose to further prominence during the short rule of Sher Shah Suri who handed them the control over the adjoining territories, as far as Swan River in Potohar and Kahoon in the South.
However, after the Mughal King Humayun returned to India with the help of the Persians, he handed over the entire Potohar including Dhani to the Gakhars, who had helped him escape from India during Sher Shah's revolt.
As written in the History of the Gakhars, "Kaigor Nama", the Mair-Minhas tribe proved to be notorious subjects for the Gakhars and almost never paid their revenue, killed the Ghakkar 'kardars' repeatedly and escaped in the mountains whenever military operations were launched against them. Sir Denzil Ibbetson in his Punjab census report of 1881 describes them as " ever masterful and always retaining their independence in a singular degree."
The Mair-Minhas tribe again rose to power after King Aurangzeb's death. They had supported his son Moazzam in his quest for power and in return he re-appointed their chief Gadabeg Khan as the Taluqdar and Chaudhry of 'Dhan Chaurasi'. Their rule over Dhani continued during the Sikh era as one of their chiefs Chaudhry Ghulam Mehdi had invited Sardar Maha Singh to this side of river Jhellum. Also, their Dogra cousins Raja Gulab Singh and Dhian Singh were very powerful in the Lahore Durbar, so the influence of Chakwal Chaudhrials during the Sikh era was considerable and they were considered one of the biggest Muslim land holders of the era.
It was during that era that the Dhani breed of horses became very popular and even Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's personal horses were kept in the stables of the 'Chakwal Chaudhials'.
In the Second Anglo-Sikh War at Chaillianwala in 1849, the Chakwal Chaudhrials were among the very few Muslim feudal families who supported the Sikhs. Consequently, after the defeat of the Sikhs all Jagirs and titles of the 'Chakwal Chaudhrials' were confiscated. As a result they lost proprietary rights over 170,000 acres (690 km2) of cultivated land which they had colonised and owned for many centuries.
Due to their general good conduct in the mutiny of 1857, some of their rights were restored and small Jagirs were granted to their chiefs in Chakwal. Chief of the tribe Jehan Khan and later his son Aurangzeb Khan were conferred an 'inam' of Rs.312/- per annum and the title of "Raja Sahib" as a mark of hereditary distinction. The Chaudhrials of Kot Chaudhrian were able to get more concessions with the aid of Maharaja Gulab Singh and almost half of their original lands were regranted.
Other Minhas Clans
The Mair-Minhas tribe is almost entirely confined to the Chakwal District. However, besides Chakwal, there are a quite a few other Minhas (other than Mair-Minhas) villages scattered all over the province including the famous villages of Sagri, Shohwa (known in area as Karkan Shohwa) near Rawalpindi, Sihala in Islamabad, Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Sargodha and Faisalabad.
Martial Traditions and Top Military Awards
The Mair Minhas tribe has a long martial tradition which has continued into modern times. Muslim Minhas Rajputs, being recognised in history as the warrior aristocracy, prior to this they were designated by the British Empire as a Martial Race and recruited into the Imperial Army.
Some of the most respected officers of the Pakistan Army including its first General, PA 1, Muhammed Akbar Khan(Order of the British Empire), PA 2 General Muhammad Iftikhar Khan(designated to become the first C-in-C, but died in an aircrash), PA 12 Brig.General Muhammed Zafar(first Indian to become Commander of Cavalary) and PA 48 General Muhammad Anwar Khan (Pakistan's first E-in-C) all hail from this clan. General Anwar is considered the father of Pakistan's Corps of Engineers, and also served as Chairman OGDC.
Members of Muslim Minhas tribe have the honour of receiving top military awards both in British India and in Pakistan. Subaidar Khudadad Khan was awarded Victoria Cross, the first native Indian to receive this honour and Rashid Minhas was awarded Pakistan's top military honour, the Nishan-E-Haider. He was also the youngest man and the only member of the Pakistan Air Force to win this coveted award. The Pakistan Air Force base at Kamra has been renamed in his honour.
Rashid Minhas was posthumously awarded Pakistan's top military honour, the Nishan-E-Haider, and became the youngest man and the only member of the Pakistan Air Force to win the award. He also became a national hero. The Pakistan Air Force base at Kamra has been renamed in his honour. In Karachi he was honored by naming main street, Rashid Minhas Road
Politics and Civil-Public Services
Khan Bahadur Raja Sahib, Chaudhry Aurangzeb Khan of Chakwal was a famous Minhas Rajput during the British era. In 1892 C.E he was given the title of Khan Bahadur for his services in establishing the town of Lyallpur (now Faisalabad). He was also conferred upon the title of 'Raja Sahib' as a mark of hereditary distinction by Qaiser-e-Hind, His Majesty, King George V. His son, Raja Muhammed Sarfraz Khan (MLA 1929-58) played an important role in the local politics during Pakistan Movement. He was also instrumental in the educational progress of the region, and gave generous donations to set up schools and the Government College, Chakwal in 1949.
Another notable and one of the most prominent families in Rawalpindi, having very strong political, bureaucratic and military background is from Gujar Khan District Rawalpindi. This family has seen many shining names like Khan Sahab Bahadur Subaidar Raja Muhammad Nazar Khan (Viceroy Commissioned Officer and a strong landlord), Col. Raja Muhammad Ashraf Khan (Chairman District Board Rawalpindi, Member National Assembly & Member Provincial Assembly), Major General Retd. Raja Muhammad Aslam (Late) and Raja Pervez Ashraf (Member National Assembly and General Secretary Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarian - Present). Raja Pervaiz Ashraf is currently the federal Minister for Water and Power.
In the education field, we cannot forget the well known educationist Raja Abdul Rauf Minhas (1933–1998) who retired as a Deputy Director in Federal Government Educational Institutions (Cantt-Garrison) in 1993. Belonging to the Village Taraiya of the Pakhral Rajput family of Rawalpindi, Raja Abdul Rauf Minhas was a Gold-Medalist in mathematics from The University of Southampton, United Kingdom as well as a top position holder in the University of Punjab, Pakistan. He had the distinction of being the first learned person of his village and among the very few well educated person of Minhas family in his era. Raja Abdul Rauf served as a Principal in F.G. Schools in Murree, Okara, Attock, Rawalpindi, Kharian etc. He also served as a Professor of Mathematics in the renowned Lawrence College Ghora Gali, Murree in the sixties, where he was a teacher to known personalities like Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Aftab Sherpao, CGCSC General Shamim Alam Khan etc. During his tenure as a principal, He was awarded the "BEST PRINCIPAL" award twice by Prime Ministers of Pakistan. He has a younger brother, Raja Abdul Latif Minhas, who retired as a senior Doctor of Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi. It is also pertinent to mention that the famous "Misrial Road" of Rawalpindi, which ascends to their Village Taraiya, is actually named after one of the forefathers of this family.
During the 1950s Raja Allahdad Khan of village Jaund emerged as a powerful bureaucrat and served as the Commissioner of Lahore and Chief Secretary of the North West Frontier Province. Later on, his younger brother Raja Ahmad Khan also served as Chief Secretary of Baluchistan.
Raja Hukamdad Khan (1950s V.Chairman District Board Rawalpindi) from village Sagri was a prominent figure of pothohar region.Who gave generous donations to built schools and for the welfare of a common man.
In the 1960s Chaudhry Khizar Hayat Khan from the village of Kot Chaudhrian became member of the national assembly and remained so for the rest of the decade. Later on, he became a Senator in 1985. In 1970 Chaudhry Ameer Khan, belonging to the 'Zamindar' faction of the tribe from village Bhagwal was elected Member of National Assembly. His son Ayaz Amir is now a world famous Journalist and is also Member of the National Assembly from Chakwal.
During 1980s and 1990s the Mair-Minhas tribe produced many parliamentarians like Sardar Ghulam Abbas (Provincial Minister), Chaudhry Ayaz Amir (Member of Provincial Assembly, MPA), Major Sajjad Akbar (MPA 1985-90), Chaudhry Liaqat Ali Khan (MPA 1985-1999), Raja Riaz Ahmad Khan (MPA 1993–Present). Raja Riaz Ahemad is currently the senior minister of Punjab and a minister for irrigation and mining. Chaudhry Sher Ali Khan(M.P.A Attock) also hails from a notable family of the tribe. Begum Iffat Liaqaat Ali Khan became the first woman of the Minhas tribe to be elected as M.P.A on a general seat from Chakwal.
Sikh Minhas Rajputs
Minhas Villages in Punjab (India)
Anshupal & Baba Mati Dev, both grandsons of Biram Dev Minhas, a commander with first Mughal emperor, Babar established the Minhas clan villages of Daroli Kalan, Droli Khurd, Damunda, Padhiana & Paldi in East Punjab around the year 1530. Almost all these villages are located approximately seven kilometres from the town of Adampur except the village of Paldi and Dughe, which is in the Garhshankar Teshil in the Hoshiarpur District. The villages of Manko and Rajowal adjacent to Droli Kalan are inhabited by the Dhillon, Nijjar and Sandhu Jat clans. The villages of Dughe and areas of the Hoshiarpur District were settled by the Minhas-Dogras that trace their ancestry to Kaliash in the late 16th century.
The village of Haripur which is just 2.5 kilometres from Adampur, also initially belonged to Haria Singh Minhas of the village of Damunda (the birthplace of world famous economist Professor Bagicha Singh Minhas recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 2003). This village was however surrendered, because of the criminal charges brought up against Haria Singh of molesting labourer women, on the direction of Lehna Singh Majithia, the in charge of Droli Kalan during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Today, although the owners of lands in these villages are mostly Jats because of the enforcement of new Land Laws by the British in the year 1920, the land revenue record even today stands in the name of the Minhas Rajputs of Droli, Padhiana & Damunda.
Minhas Rajputs in Sikh History
The first Doaba Rajput to join the army of Guru Gobind Singh was Sangat Singh Minhas of Padhiana in the Jalandhar district, who joined the Guru’s forces with his two brothers and many other Rajput chiefs. A few months later, the Subedar(Governor) of Lahore sent a small group of armed men to collect tax dues from the Rajput Hill Chiefs in whose territory, Anandpur was located under the command of Alaf Khan. The chiefs asked Guru Gobind for help.Guru Gobind Singh agreed to send a small band under the command of Sangat Singh Minhas. Sangat Singh defeated Alaf Khan’s army. After this, the Lahore governor, sent his own son with a force to solve the matter once and for all. First of all, he defeated Raja Bhim Singh of Kahlur and collected the taxes. After that, he attacked Raja Vikram Singh Walia of the Guler State. Raja Vikram Singh turned to Guru Gobind Singh for help.Again, Guru Gobind sent another jatha under the command of Sangat Singh Minhas to help Vikram Singh. Vikram Singh and Sangat Singh fought together against the Mughal forces and defeated them again but Sangat Singh got fatally wounded and died.
This war happened in Vikrami Samvat, 1748. After this, there was peace for the next eight years. During this period, Guru Gobind Singh kept on training his army to ward off any attack by the Mughals. Meanwhile, Bhai Bachittar Singh Minhas of Padhiana in the Jalandhar district joined the army along with a large group of Doaba Rajputs.
Anandpur and the state of Kahlur were neighbouring states. Raja Bhim Chand of Kahlur got fearful because of the growing power of Guru Gobind Singh and his forces. He called upon all Hill Rajput chiefs to wage a war against the Guru. As a result of this meeting, the chiefs walked to Anandpur and gave a notice to Guru Gobind Singh to leave the town because they are feeling insecure due to his presence in the area. They told him that if he would leave Anandpur Sahib, they would help him. Guru Gobind refused to leave Anandpur Sahib at any cost.
The Hill Chiefs had army of almost 20,000 men and on top of this, Mughal forces from Lahore and Sirhind joined them. Guru Gobind Singh had only 2000 men under the command of Bhai Bachittar Singh Minhas. The battle between the Guru's forces and those of the hill chiefs started and soon, the stocks of food in Anandpur ran out.
The chiefs attacked the fort of Anandgarh and tried to break its main gate. Bhai Bachittar Singh managed to prevent them from entering the fort. Guru Gobind's army was nearly decimated. Due to this great loss, the Guru was commanded by the "Panj Piyaras" (the Five Beloved) to leave Anandpur Sahib, so as to carry forward the larger cause of fight against the oppressive Mughal regime. From here, the Guru went towards the Nabha and Jind states during Vikrami Samvat 1763.
Bhai Bachittar Singh and another Doaba Rajput, Kharak Singh Minhas assisted Guru Gobind Singh in many of his future campaigns. After Guru Gobind Singh’s death, Banda Bahadur took over the torch of the Khalsa to fight against Mughal oppression.
Banda reorganised the Khalsa Army and declared a war against the Mughal administration. From the Doaba region, he got help from Sikh Rajputs including:
- Budh Singh Parmar
- Dasaundha Singh Parmar
- Dharam Singh Minhas
- Gursahai Singh Bhatti
- Hargopal Singh Chauhan
- Jiwan Singh Parmar
- Diwar Singh Khurmi
- Kanwar Singh Parmar
- Jodha Singh Khurmi
- Khan Singh Parmar
- Krishan Singh Minhas
- Mehboob Singh Jaswal
- Punjab Singh Parmar
- Ram Singh Manj
- Karam Singh Saroya
Banda won almost half of the province and he offered Jagirs to his army commanders including the Rajputs, whose heirs are still holding their forts in the villages Chukhiara, Bhungarni, Dihana and Bohan.
Minhas as Jatt Gotra
Virk, Malnhans, Kangeyal, Pakhral, Rehsi, Lodhra, Mahe, Mair, & Katwar are also sub-branches of the Minhas.
Before 1932, in all census, most Virks mention themselves as Virk Minhas. They claim origin from Malnhans. The headquarter of the Virks appears to be Gujranwala and Lahore districts, especially, the former in which they own 132 villages. They claim origin from a Minhas Rajput called Virk, who left Jammu and setteld at Ghuchli in Amritsar, and in Gujranwala. Nearly a third of them have returned themselves as Rajputs, but they marry freely with the neighboring Jat tribes. They say that their ancestor, Virk, had descended from Malnhans, the founder of the Manhas or Minhas tribe of Rajputs and was connected with the Rajas of Jammu. Leaving Paragowal in Jammu, he settled in Amritsar and married a Gill Jat girl. His descedent, shortly afterwards, moved westward into Gujranwala. There are three main sections of the tribe, the Jopur, Vachra, and Jan. The tribes rose to some political importance about the end of the last century, ruling a considerable tract in Gujranwala and Lahore, till subdued by Ranjit Singh. One branch of Minhas Rajputs is known as Pakhral, mostly settled in the suburbs of Rawalpindi and different parts of Kashmir. Minhas Jats also reside in the villages of Mair, Chotala, Nagayal and suburbs of Jhelum. There are many other villages of Minhas Jats in the Pothohar region. They are proud to be known as Jats. Pakhrals are also setteled in Suiyan Sharif Sehnsa Kotli (Azad) Kashmir. Mair Minhas, Ratiyal, Lodhra, Dolchial, etc. are also sub-castes of Pakhral.
Prominent Minhas Personalities
- Banda Singh Bahadur - Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716) (Lachhman Dev) was born in a Minhas Rajput family. He is considered one of the greatest and most hallowed warriors and martyrs of the Sikhs. He become a Sikh warrior known for his struggle against the Mughal Empire in the early 18th century after meeting with Sri Guru Gobind Singh. He became a warrior against the Mughal Empire and Guru Gobind Singh gave him the new name of Banda Singh Bahadur.
- Sangat Singh Minhas - the first Doaba Sikh Rajput to join the army of Guru Gobind Singh with his two brothers and many other Rajput chiefs.
- Bhai Bachittar Singh - a Sikh Rajput hero, a warrior under Guru Gobind Singh.
- Sardar Surjit Singh Minhas Former Speaker, Punjab Legislative Assembly
- Chaudhry Chaku Khan - the founder of Chakwal and the chief of the Mair-Minhas Rajput tribe from Jammu, who founded Chakwal in 1525 C.E during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur.
- Chaudhry Aurangzeb Khan - Khan Bahadur, Raja Sahib, Chaudhry Aurangzeb Khan of Chakwal was a famous Minhas Rajput during the British era. In 1892 C.E he was given the title of Khan Bahadur for his services in establishing the town of Lyallpur (now Faislabad). He was also conferred upon the title of 'Raja sahib' as a mark of hereditary distinction by Qaiser-e-Hind, His Majesty, King George V.
- Khudadad Khan - the first native South Asian to get the Victoria Cross. On 31 October 1914, at Hollebeke, Belgium, 26-year-old Khan performed an act of bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross during the First World War.
- Rashid Minhas - posthumously awarded Pakistan's top military honour, the Nishan-E-Haider, and became the youngest man and the only member of the Pakistan Air Force to win the award.
- Muhammed Akbar Khan - The first South Asian to be commissioned and become a General in the British Indian Army was General Muhammed Akbar Khan.
- Iftikhar Khan - The first designated C-in-C of the Pakistan army was General Iftikhar Khan.
- Muhammad Anwar Khan - The first Muslim to be an officer in the Indian Corps of Engineers and the first Engineer-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army.
- Muhammed Zafar Khan - the first South Asian Commander in the Cavalry.
- Raja Muhammed Sarfraz Khan - Raja Mohammed Sarfraz (1905-1968 C.E.) was a famous philanthropist, politician and a member of Pakistan Movement.
- Raja Allahdad Khan - During the 1950s Raja Allahdad Khan of village Jaund emerged as a powerful bureaucrat and served as the Commissioner of Lahore and Chief Secretary of the North West Frontier Province.
- Chaudhry Ameer Khan - Chaudhry Ameer Khan, belonging to the 'Zamindar' faction of the Mair-Minhas tribe from village Bhagwal was elected Member of National Assembly.
- Raja Riaz Ahemad Khan - Raja Riaz Ahemad Khan (MPA 1993–Present). Raja Riaz Ahemad is currently the senior minister of Punjab and a minister for irrigation and mining.
- Begum Iffat Liaqaat Ali Khan - Begum Iffat Liaqaat Ali Khan became the first woman of the Minhas tribe to be elected as M.P.A on a general seat from Chakwal.
- Raja Pervez Ashraf - Raja Pervez Ashraf is the current Minister for Water and Power of Pakistan.
- Raja Muhammad Abbas-Advocate and A Political and Social Worker In Rawalpindi as well as Ex-Ticket Holder for MPA Punjab Assemby from Pakistan Peoples Party.
- Bagicha Singh Minhas - He was an eminent Indian economist (1929–2005).
- Manjit Singh Minhas - Manjit was a Petroleum Engineer student before becoming an entrepreneur in the alcoholic beverages market called MINHAS Brewery.
- Chaudhry Afrasiab Khan - Chaudhry Afrasiab Khan is a famous lawyer practising as a Senior Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan. He was born to a Minhas Rajput family of village Dhaab Kalaan of district Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan. He was raised by his second father Choudhry Iftikhar Khan, so he changed his name. Then his third father re-named him. He has served as Deputy Attorney General Pakistan, President Rawalpindi High Court Bar Association, and Member Punjab Bar Council.
CH. Nasir Abbas Minhas. Mr. Ch. Nasir Abbas Minhas was born in the historic village of Mureed, District Chakwal, a famous lawyer practicing in Islamabad has actively participated in the Historic Restoration of independant Judiciary movement, also a social and political worker and presiding a NGO namely Hur Foundation, Pakistan working for the welfare of child, Prisons and women.
Raja Arif Sultan Minhas - He is a prominent leader of Jamaat-e-Islami karachi X candidate for M.N.A, N.A 250 Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Dist South. Belong to Dist Chakwal.
See also
{{Ethnic and s
Heading text
ocial groups of the Punjab}}