History of Hazara Gujran

 ### History of Hazara Gujjars

**Hazara Gujjars:**

*(Research and Compilation by Muhammad Amjad Chaudhry)*

During the Mughal era, the region of Hazara (which now comprises 7 districts) was known as Hazara Gujran. This is mentioned by Allama Abu'l Fazl in Akbarnama. According to Major Wace, the first settlement officer during British rule, the Gujars owned lands stretching from the River Indus in the south (Tarbela) to the southern boundary of the district (Taxila). He writes that the Gujars of Hazara are ancient and constitute a majority tribe. Their population in the district exceeds all other tribes, with Gujars making up 15.84% of the total.

According to the Bondobast Report of 1872, the total population of Hazara at that time was recorded at 343,505.

**Distribution of Gujars:**

- **Khatri:** 12,320 (3.50%)

- **Others:** 4,311 (1.50%)

- **Syed:** 11,700 (3.34%)

- **Jadoon:** 15,711 (4.57%)

- **Swati:** 21,334 (6.21%)

- **Tanoli:** 21,732 (6.32%)

- **Others:** 16,748 (4.87%)

- **Dhond:** 14,412 (4.19%)

- **Karlal:** 10,734 (3.12%)

- **Awan:** 50,564 (14.72%)

- **Gujar:** 54,420 (15.84%)

- **Others:** 109,519 (31.88%)

  *(Including smaller tribes and those with fewer numbers)*

Gujars constitute the largest majority population in the district of Hazara. The report mentions that these Gujars reside in various locations across different villages. The villages where their settlements are recorded include Chhokar, Khatanah, Kasana, Kals, Gorsy, Cheechi, Dheedar, Puswal, Soha, Thekriah, Monan, Bhomla, Almaan, Banth, Banyan, Bagri, Bhand, Baharwal, Bokan, Bhadana, Baswia, Phalra, Thekriah, Cheechi, Chohan, Dhinday, Douei, Doge, Jubilee (Jabri), Jagal, Saradhanah, Seer, Khari, Milo, Mote, Monan, Paswal, Riana, Bajjar, and Rajuwa, among others.

After the Bondobast, there have been significant migrations and settlements of tribes, especially during the division, with many Gujars relocating to Hazara from Jammu and Kashmir.

In Hazara Gujran, the settlements of Gujars and their villages are detailed as follows:

- Almaan, Banth, Banyan, Batgram, Banyan Manshera, Bagriyan, Bajriyan, Bhand, Baharwal, Bokan, Bhadana, Baswia, Phalra, Thekriah, Cheechiyan, Chohan, Dheedar, Dhinde, Douei (Abe), Douei (Dry), Doge, Kals, Gujra, Gujar Havelian, Gujri Baiyan, Gujjar Valley, Gujri Qalandarabad, Gujjar Mohra, Gujjar Nala, Jabli (Jabri), Jagal, Soha, Saradhanah, Seer East, Seer West, Khooley, Khariyan, Milim, Motiyan, Monan, Pandgujran, Paswal, Paswal Mian, Paswal Kothiala, Riana, Rajuwa, and several other villages not yet recorded.

It's clear that after Gujarat District in Punjab, Hazara is an area where the population of Gujars is the highest. Major Wace writes that while Gujars are spread throughout Hazara, they are particularly concentrated as landowners in the tehsil of Haripur, where a tract of land is known as Gujar Patti.

The era of anarchy in Hazara lasted for almost two hundred years, and today, the area that was once owned by Gujars without any dispute is now part of Gujar Patti in the form of one-fourth. The above facts are not invented from these books.

(Sources)

- *Tawarikh-e-Hazara* by Mehtab Singh

- *Tawarikh-e-Hazara* by Muhammad Azam Beg

- *Hazara Ki Tareekh* by Dr. Sher Bahadur Pani

- *Hazara Gazetteer District 1883-84*

- *Hazara Gazetteer 1907*

- *Hazara Bondobast Report 1874*

- *Punjab Castes* by Denzil Ibbetson

- *Under the Mughals in Punjab* by Muhammad Akbar

- *Akbarnama* by Allama Abu'l Fazl