Gumbat

Gumbat, also known as Seni Gumbat, (Urdu: گمبٹ ) is one of the largest towns in Kohat District, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. It is situated in a valley on either side of the Kohat-Rawalpindi Road and is 25km the district capital - Kohat. The population of the town is about 30,000 most of whom are Pushtuns and are Pashto speakers. They often refer to themselves as Afghan.

History

Years ago, there was shrine of a pious saint here in this village which had a dome (Goombaad, Goombaat or Gunbat) on it. Due to this reason,the place was called Gumbat (Gumbaat, in the Khattak dialect). Khushal Khan Khattak has mentioned Gumbat in his prose. Under the Teri Chiefs, Gumbat was the main village of the Cheeni Tappa; which changed to Tsini and finally to Seni, the name of the clan of Khattaks who live here. The British first called it Gambat. It is now called Seni Gumbat. Under the Nawab of Teri, Gumbat had the second most important position in Teri State.

Gumbat, Toolaanj, Ghorizai and other villages were under the Khani of Gumbat (the Akorkhel Khans who are from Bazaar Tappa). The Khani of Gumbat no longer exists, the Akorkhel Khans today are the "Masharan" or elders of the village and no more.

The current nazim (mayor) of Gumbat is Shakeel Haider who is also the nephew of the (Late) Lt. Col Sikandar Khan and (Late) Taj Muhammad Khan (Assistant Director) Local Govt and Rural Development. Col Sikander started his career in the British Army (before independence) serving in India and pre-partition Pakistan. He went on to serve as the first Commandant in Murree, as the Commandant in charge of famous Karnafuli Paper Mills in East Pakistan and then as the administrator of Paper Mills in Charsadda, Pakistan. In Gumbat Col. Sikandar became famous for his social work for the people of this city including striving for the first grid (power) station, first high school (where he also served as Head Master), post office, telephone exchange and the list goes on and on. He was one of the pioneers in the efforts for the now completed Kohat Tunnel which provides much required relief to commuters on Kohat Peshawar highway. Although Col. Sikandar died in 1997, his memory and the respect for his name still exists.

Geography

There are four major areas of Seni Gumbat called Mohallahs these are:

* Awan
* Bazaar
* Dartapi
* Khader Khel

Bazaar and Khader Khel are the largest "mohallahs" in terms of area and population. The pioneers of Seni Gumbat are Hassan Khels currently limited to a little area (mohallah) within Dartapi Mohallah. The main bazaar of Gumbat is called "Adda" (Station). Gumbat possess the largest police station in the North-West Frontier Province. Gumbat has a hospital, a Higher Secondary School for Boys, a Higher Secondary School for Girls, 5 Private Schools and also a Post Office. Pashto and Hindko are the major languages spoken in Seni Gumbat.

Gumbat is one of the important Seni Khattak villages along with Lachi and Teri. Gumbat includes Toolaanj and Ghorizai in its Union Council. It is the biggest village in the Patiala, (Khoshalgarh and Chorlakki), Zira, Nilab (Amir), Khwarra (Mandoori) tappas and in Nizampur area of the Khattak region.

Gumbat is a large valley situated on the northern side of the Gargalot range. This mountain is locally called 'Beray Ghzoon'. It is the 'Swairay' Ghaar. The other mountain is the 'Pitaao' Ghaar. There is the Algaada (stream) which flows through the country. Most of the country is flat and vegetation is scarce.

Khaddar Khels live on the hill. This is a very large Tappa (Satrapy). Near them reside the Hassan Khels (the original inhabitants of Gumbat). There are settlement of Awans clan. The Awans are also Pakhtuns but they also speak Hindko in some areas.

Then comes the Bazaar Tappa. It was called so, because of the presence of the old Bazaar. This was also called the 'Panj-mel' meaning 'The 5 millats/mohallas/neighbourhoods'. It is here in this Tappa, where the Akorkhel Khans reside. It is the most mportant Tappa of the country. The new market or famously called 'Adda'(litterally meaning a bus-stop) is situated here. The Police Station, Hospital, High School, Railway Station and Telephone Exchange are few of the important places situated in the Bazaar Tappa. The so called khans of gumbat no more exist...and they are no more elders or masharaan of the village.

Khans of Gumbat

The Pakhtuns use Khan as a second name but in this village the name Khan is used for a man who is well respected, well known and who is capable of taking big decisions about the village and about the conflicts of the people. During British rule the Khans had large pieces of land and property during. As time passed the Khans sold most of their properties and with the economic growth of the village - no Khan is as much important as he was a couple of decades ago.

See also

* Khanzada

External links

* [http://www.gumbat.com Gumbat]