Pachhada

The Pachhada are a Muslim ethnic group found in the Pakistani Punjab. They are also known as Rath and Pachhada Rajput.^[1]

Origin

Their ancestral homeland was the Ghagar River Valley and the semi-desert territory that now forms part of the Hissar and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana, and the Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. They were a nomadic and pastoral community and are closely related to the Rath community of Rajasthan. Most reared the local Rathi cattle breed and would migrate with flocks to the rivers Sutlej and Ravi, and as such were also known as Rathi. In neighbouring Rajasthan, Muslim pastoral nomads of Bikaner and Ganganagar are still known as Rathi. The word Pachhada is a corruption of the Punjabi word paschim da or "westerner", as the Pacchada were said to be immigrants from the Neeli Bar and Sandal Bar regions of what is now Pakistan. However, most of their tribal traditions point to a Rajasthan origin, with almost all Pacchadas bearing the Hinjraon claim to be Rajputs of Rajasthan. This was also seen by the fact that none of the Pacchada spoke Punjabo. Instead, they all spoke dialects of Haryana. The Pachhada were of among a number of Rajput pastoralist groups found the Ghaghar valley and north Rajasthan, and were often closely identified with the Ranghar and Bhatti communities, who have similar customs and traditions.^[2]

With the establishment of British rule in the early 19th Century, the new authorities took the view that all pastoral nomads in the Ghaghar valley were a threat to their newly established control, and took stringent measures against all the nomad groups of the region such as the Ranghar, Johiya and Bhatti. Land was allocated to peasant settlers, and an attempt was made to forcibly settle the Pachhada. As a result of these policies, the Pacchada played an important role in the attack on Sirsa in the 1857 Indian War of Independence.^[3]

After the reestablishment of British colonial authority, the Pacchada were severely punished by British. There were considerable confiscations of land, and the Pachhada were forcibly settled.^[4] By the early 20th Century, the Pachhada were settled agriculturists, although animal husbandry remained an important subsidiary occupation. At the time of the partition of India in 1947, the Hissar District fell within the territory of India, and all the Pachhada immigrated to Pakistan.

Social organization

The Pachhada are further divided into four sub-tribes, the Sahu, Sukhera, Hinjraon and Chotia or Bhaneka. Each of these sub-tribes have their own distinct origin myth. All claim descent from well known Rajput clans. Marriages take place within the sub-tribe, and only occasionally with other Pacchada clans. In their new homeland in Pakistani Punjab, mainly in Okara, Sahiwal, Muzaffargarh and Layyah districts, the Pacchada maintain their distinct identity. Many still speak the Haryanvi language. The Pacchada are entirely Sunni, and their customs are similar to other Haryana Muslims settled in Pakistan such as the Ranghar and Meo.^[5]

Sub-tribes

Sahu

The Sahu claim to be by origin Chauhan Rajput, and their villages were found near the town of Bhirana. There are two separate traditions about their origin. According to one of the traditions, the Sahu descend from a Rana Jatu, who left Rawalpindi and settled in Rania and then finally Bhirana. Although he returned to Rawalpindi, he left his son Lal who is the ancestor of the Sahu tribe. While according to other traditions, their ancestor left Jilopatan near Jaipur in Rajasthan, settling initially in Delhi and moved to the Ghaghar valley. The Sahu and Dandiwal Jat are said to have a common origin.^[6]

Sukhera

The Sukhera claim to be by origin Tonwar Rajputs. Their ancestor was a Thirpal, a Tanwar Rajput of Fatehabad who by marrying a Jat resulted in his outcasting by his family. His son Sukhera was the ancestor of the tribe, and initially settled in Abohar. The tribe was driven out by Abohar by the Sidhu Jats and settled in Basti Bhiman near Sirsa.^[7]

Hinjraon

The Hinjraon claim descent from the Siroha Rajputs, and according to their traditions migrated from the banks of the Ravi. Their principal village was Hinjraon near Fatehabad. The Hinjraon and the Hanjra Jats of Punjab have a common ancestry, both claiming descent from Hinhraon the Saraoha Rajput.^[8]

Chotia or Bhaneke

The Chotia also claim Chauhan Rajput ancestry, and were a branch of the Dandiwal Jats who converted to Islam. According to their tribal traditions, their ancestor Chotia left Jaisalmer in Rajasthan some five centuries ago.^[9]

Other clans

In addition to these four clans, the Mahaar, Johiya, Wattu and Kharal clans lived in close proximity to the Pacchada and there was occasional intermarriage. However, most of these clans were generally referred to as Ranghar, although the Mahaar were sometimes also considered as Pacchada.^[10]

See also

• Ranghar
• Rath

References