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Hazara has a very old history in Sub-continent. Its geographical
boundaries had constantly been changed in the times of various
Rajas, Maharajas and Kings in the past. Alexander the Great,
after conquering the northern India, established his rule
over a large part of it. He handed over this area to Abisaras
the Raja of Poonch state. In those days this area was known
as "Arasa" and later on was named "Rash".
During the Mauryan dynasty,
Hazara remained a part of Taxila. The Great Ashoka was the
Governor of this area when he was a prince. After the death
of his father, Bindusra, Ashoka ascended the throne and
made this area along with Gandhara valley major seat of
his govt. The famous edicts of Ashoka inscribed on three
rocks near Bareri hill, beside Mansehra Town, are the evidence
of his rule here. These edicts prove that this area was
a famous religious centre. From ages, the devout Hindus
after climbing up the Bareri peak performed religious obligations
to "Sheva".
In the second century
AD, a mythical Hindu king, Raja Risalu, son of Raja Salbahan
of Sialkot, brought this area under his sway. The local
people consider him as their hero and even today parents
narrate to their children the stories of Raja Risalu and
his wife Rani Konklan in the winter nights.
When a Chinese pilgrim
Hieun-Tsang visited Indo Pakistan Sub-continent, this area
was under the control of Durlabhavaradhana, the ruler of
Kashmir. It is also said that Turkey Shahi and Hindu Shahi
dynasties ruled Hazara one after another. Among the rulers
of Hindu Shahi dynasty Raja Jaipala was the most prominent.
Mehmood of Ghazni defeated him during his first Indian campaign.
Mehmood paid no attention to Hazara for establishing a Muslim
rule over there except using it as his approach to Kashmir.
Again in the 11th century
A.D. after the fall of Hindu Shahi dynasty, the Kashmiris
occupied this area under the leadership of Kalashan. From
1112 to 1120 A.D. King Susala ruled this area. In the last
quarter of the 12th century A.D. Asalat Khan, a general
of Mohammad Ghauri, captured this area but soon after Ghauri's
death the Kashmiris, once again, occupied Hazara.
Thereafter, the history
of Hazara is obscure up to 1399 A.D., when the great Muslim
warrior Tamerlane, on his return to Kabul, left here some
soldiers for the protection of this important route between
Kabul and Kashmir. By this time, the Muslims ousted the
Hindus from power and established their authority. In the
beginning, Hazara remained under the direct control of Kabul.
But in 1472 A.D. Prince Shahab-ud-Din came from Kabul and
established his rule here. He founded the state namely Pakhli
Sarkar.
During the Moghul period
the local Turk chiefs acknowledged the authority of the
Moghuls. During the last days of Akbar, the Turk chief Sultan
Hussein revolted against the Moghuls. The Moghuls exiled
him after crushing this revolt but later on they pardoned
him and handed over his state back to him.
The first quarter of
the 18th century became miserable for Turks because their
rule came to an end due to the decay of their vitality,
and the increasing aggression of the Pakhtoons and their
allied forces. The most crucial attack was that of the Swatis
under the command of Syed Jalal Baba in 1703 A.D. They ousted
the Turks from upper Hazara (Mansehra) and captured it.
While Jadoon's and Tareen's captured lower Hazara i.e. Abbotabad
and Haripur; the Tanolis had already established their authority
over Tanol who later on founded a state namely Amb state.
When Ahmad Shah Durrani
extended his Kingdom to Punjab and Kashmir, Hazara also
came under the control of this new invader. The Durranis
controlled Hazara through the local Khans. In the beginning
of 19th century their power weakened which opened the way
of revolt against them. They sent many detachments of troops
to maintain law and order but rather their control decreased
day by day. When the Sikhs rose in power under Ranjeet Singh
(1777-1838) they asserted themselves independent of the
Durranis. Ranjeet Singh organized his army on modern lines
and then started to extend his regime over a vast area.
The Sikhs got hold of
Hazara in 1818. A.D. after a stiff resistance from its inhabitants.
Soon after the Sikh's annexation of Hazara to Punjab, Syed
Ahmad Shaheed along with the "Mujahideen" appeared
on the soil of Hazara. He fought many battles against the
Sikhs. But at last in 1831, along with a number of friends
the Sikhs martyred Syed Ahmad and strengthened their hold
in Hazara.
After the death of Ranjeet
Singh, disintegration of the Sikh state started due to which
the British annexed this state to their dominion. On 19th
March, 1846 an agreement was signed between the British
and Raja Gulab Singh according to which the latter took
Kashmir and Hazara from the former for rupees 75 Lacs. But
due to widespread civil disorder and resistance movement,
Raja asked the British govt to takeover Hazara in exchange
of the Jammu Jhelum belt. The British accepted this offer
and took over Hazara from him. They deputed James Abbot
to Hazara to restore peace. At first the British faced no
resistance here except that of Chuttar Singh, a Sikh general,
but after three years Zaman Shah of Kaghan turned against
British who deprived him of his estate and exiled to Pakhli
plain. After four years of British forgave him and he was
permitted to get back his lost estate.
Unlike the people of
the settled areas, the Pakhtoon tribes that lived on the
western outskirts of Hazara, remained a constant source
of trouble for the British for four decades (1852-92) The
British sent more than four expeditions against them and
ravaged Black Mountains many times. To maintain peace in
the area, the British also took preventive measures having
conferred titles on the leading persons.
After their advent,
the British declared Hazara as a district, divided into
three tehsils i.e. Mansehra, Abbotabad & Haripur, and
annexed it with the Punjab. In 1901 NWF Province was formed.
Hazara was separated from the Punjab and made a part of
NWFP.
During the British period,
Hazara remained in the forefront of various religio-political
movements in the Indo-Pakistan Sub-continent. The people
of this area joined the ranks of those Muslim freedom-fighters
who wanted to strengthen the cause of Islam. The people
of Hazara joined the Khilafat movement zealously. Consequently,
Hazara became quite unruly. The people refused to acknowledge
the British rule having selected their own functionaries
in different villages. The British took strict measures
to bring them under their control.
When the Muslim League
started its movement for a separate homeland, the local
people joined it and struggled for liberation from the alien
rulers under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam and got victory
against them, culminating in the creation of Pakistan, and
independent state for the Muslims of the Sub-continent.
During the elder Bhutto's
regime Hazara was upgraded to a division-level comprising
two districts namely; Mansehra and Abbottabad. Later on,
Haripur was also upgraded to the level of district of Hazara.
Still later, Batagram was also given the status of a district.
Today, Hazara is a place of scenic beauty. During the summer,
people come here for recreation from far, flung areas of
Pakistan as well as the rest of the world. They feel peace
and tranquillity here
Hazara Division
- ?????
The district of Hazara extends north-eastwards into the
outer Himalayan Range, tapering to a narrow point at the
head of the Kagan valley. The mountain chains which enclose
Kagan sweep southward into the broader portion of the district,
throwing off well-wooded spurs which break up the country
into numerous isolated glens. Approaching Rawalpindi district
the hills open out, and rich plain lands take the place
of the terraced hillsides and forests of the more northern
uplands. The Babusar Pass at the head of the Kagan valley
marks the most direct approach to Chilas and Gilgit from
the plains of India.
The region of Hazara is like a door to heaven, opening up
to visitors a world replete with natural beauty. It was
a favourite gateway from the plains into Kashmir during
Mughal, Durrani and Sikh rules. It is a large area some
10,000 sq. km. The world famous Karakoram Highway starts
from Havelian, a town in this region at a distance of 101
km from Islamabad. The mighty "Lion River" Indus
or Abasin flows through the entire length of Hazara. It
is strategically located between the Northern Areas, Azad
Kashmir, Punjab and the rest of the North West Frontier
Province. Hill stations collectively known as the Gallis
and the Kaghan valley are the best known parts of Hazara.
Pakistani and foreign tourists throng its cool and serene
valleys during sizzling summer.
Ancient Hazara
The ancient hazara
spaned over peshawar,kohat,bannu,charsaada and uptill attock
(as is clear from the name hind-ko meaning the language
of hindkush mountain range which spans over a wast realm)but
was taken over by pathans after being freed from slavery
by egypt as pathans are from hebrow cast which was slaved
by egyptions.But these pathans are the tribes of afghanistan
only speaking the heabrow language and not heabrow them
selves well thats another topic.
All the tribes of hazara are war like thats why they have
survived through all these ages dating back to ashoka's
time.(before christ)
The martial art of hazara is the gatka its also a folk dance
and is played in traditional hazara clothings.But now its
only played in villages.Its faught with a special sword
like stiff stick and a shield called (Gatka and Phumarh
in Hindko).Hazara has a mystic undefined relation with Sindh
as many of the name and cultures and tribes are the same.well
its a mystry
The clothing is shalwar kammez like all other indus clans
and a cap called pakool its also worn by swatis
ps you dont wanna mess with a guy who has a stick and knows
gatka
The hazaras are good at many folk instruments and the most
popular is flute and most of the folk songs are in flute
People of Hazara
Todays hazara consists
of manly Arabic and indian clans and tribes of people who
lived here since the hindu shahi and the turk shahi dynesties.The
major tribes and clans are
Tanolies (In tanawal) visit http://www.tanoli.net
Rajas (scattered in the east of hazara)(belonging to turk
shahi origin is traced back to yazid)
Syeds(Also came from Arabia)
Abbassis(somehow Rajas and abbassies are related)(belonging
to the same clan or origon)
Sardars (they are related to abbassis) the gujars are seperate
Awans (orgin from the indus plains)
Parachas (migrated from arabia belong to turk shahi)
Qureshis (belonging to turk shai)
Jadoons (Attacked hazara and settled here)(settled in ABt)
Tareens (some how related to jadoons)(settled in haripur)
Maliks (Originating from the low lands) and a few more.
Climate
Climate in Hazara region
is generally mild. Abbottabad is neither too hot in summer
nor too cold in winter. Nathiagali, Dungagali and Ayubia
are pleasantly cool with maximum temperature of 10'C and
minimum of 0'C in summer and very cold in winter with snowfall
in December, January and February. They are, however, accessible
throughout the year. Thandiani is sometimes closed to traffic
in January, February due to heavy snowfall. Kaghan valley
is open from mid-May to mid-October but Babusar Pass is
open only for six weeks in summer (July-August).
How to Get
There
Hazara region is easily
accessible from everywhere in Pakistan. At a distance of
8 km from Haripur lies Havelian which is a railhead and
links the region with rest of the country. Abbottabad is
only 15 km away and deluxe bus services operate between
this city and Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore. There are
paved roads from Abbottabad to Thandiani. Nathiagali, Ayubia,
Mansehra, Thakot and Kaghan village. Road up to Naran is
graveled but beyond Naran to all directions, there are only
jeep tracks.
What to Do
Fishing
Fishing is the main
activity in Kaghan valley. You can fish for brown trout,
rainbow trout or the Mahasheer in the crystal clear water
of the lakes of the valley and in the Kunhar river. Fishing
permit can be obtained from the Fisheries Department at
Naran, or the Trout Hatchery at Shinu. Mountain climbing,
trekking and pony riding are other favourite activities
one can indulge in.
What to Buy
Embroidered woollen
garments, carved furniture of walnut wood and Namda rugs
are the specialties of Hazara.
Regards,
Fahd Murtaza.
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