Sultan Sarang

Sultan Sarang was a chief of the Gakhar tribe which resided in the Pothohar region in Northern Punjab, modern day Pakistan. He was born in Pharwala fort and his father was a Gakhar chief Tatar Khan.

Sarang's father Tatar Khan allied with Mughal Emperor Babur on his campaign of Hind. However, Hathi Gakhar had assasinated Tatar in a late night raid on his camp, capturing his possessions, his women and wealth. Whence Hathi Khan was defeated by Babur (who recruited the local Janjua Rajputs for this battle), he was later assasinated by an aged Sarang through poison. Sarang, now claimed leadership of the turbulent Gakhar tribe, inheriting also the title of Sultan from Mughal Babur. ["The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Lahore and Rawalpindi Divisions of the Panjab" by Lepel Henry Griffin, Charles Francis Massy, Publ. Civil and Military Gazette press, 1890, p356]

When Sher Shah Suri expelled Mughal Humayun the son of Babur, Sarang resisted Sher Shah on the notion of loyalty to the ousted Mughal.

Sultan Sarang was later captured by Emperor Sher Shah and flayed alive ["The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians: The Muhammadan Period" by Henry Miers Elliot, John Dowson - India - 1963, p278] . His daughter was handed to Mughal commander Khawas Khan in accordance with the Imperial order of revenge upon Sarang for his refractory rebellion against the Suri Empire. ["Tārīk̲h̲-i-Śēr Śāhī" by ʻAbbās Khān Sarvānī, Brahmadeva Prasad Ambashthya, Publ K.P.Jayaswal Research Institute, 1974 p556]

Sultan Sarang died in 1546CE and is buried in tomb in Rawat Fort. His brother Adam Khan assumed leadership of the tribe upon his demise.

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