Thathaal

Thathaal (also referred to as Thothaal) is a Jat clan or gotra of the area between Salt Range and Kharian Pubbi. They are offshoots of legendary Raja Karan Singh.

Thathaals history

Some of the Thathaal tribe converted to Islam during period of Mehmood of Ghazna. During the first battle of Trawarri, Sardar Sahib Khan was martyred, and his son Qasim inherited Jagir from Ravi to Jhelum.

In 1525, Zaheeruddin Babur attacked India. Thathaal Sardar Safdar Murad sided with Babur. Doulat Khan Lodhi was defeated but the Thathaals did not regain their territories. A faction of the Thathaals remained with the Ghakhars but Murad Qaleech Khan left this territory and created the village of Qaleechpur, which is still inhabited by Thathaals.

In 1606, Prince Khusro revolted against Emperor Jahangir and sought protection in Rohtas Fort from Hasan Beg. The Thathaal sardar, Saifullah, defeated Khusro near the Chenab river and handed him over to the royal forces. Saifulla was granted titles, money and land for his deeds.

The relationship between Saifullah Murtaza Khan and the Moghal commander in chief Mohabat Khan were very cordial. Mohabat Khan revolted against Moghal empire and took the emperor, Moghal General Asif Khan and his son as hostage. Royal forces burnt the towns to ashes. The survivors fled into the Salt Range area.

Mohabat Khan was pardoned by the Emperor but Asif Khan did not relent. Thathaal forces joined the Aurangzeb forces in Badakhshan. Some of Thathaals fighters captured the eye of prince during battle at Gulbahar and Panjsheer On his return, prince appointed Thathaal sardar Hashmat Khan as Kiladar of Khambait in Kathiawar. Hashmat was a good leader. He was followed by Khamb riders, some forces of Chibb area of Jammu and some Mongol/Afghan tribes from Badakshan. When prince Aurangzeb left Ahmedabad, Hashmat returned home with his new followers. He built a village named Kahnpur and Khamb tribe was granted some land. The Mongol/Afghan tribe was ordered to the town of Khambi, along with some of the Khambs.

After the demise of the Moghal empire, Sikhs started invading the Thathaals area. Thathaal sardar Hafiz Murad established a village as military camp across the Kharian Pubbi to stop the invasion of Sikhs. Hafiz Murad tried to restore the pride of his ancestors, by hosting the Sahi’s from Sialkot, the Rajputs of Chibb area, the Awans from Pindi Gheb among others. During King Farrukh Seir's rule, Sikhs were routed and their leader Banda Bairagi was Killed. Although Thathaals sided with Moghals but soon after demise of Sikhs, Governor Lahore started thrashing Thathaals, Ghakhars and other upright tribes.

Essa Khan Mohmund revolted against the Moghals. Thathaals were scattered without any single leader, some hundred Thathaals raiders kept on tormenting the Moghals, till the Governor of Lahore concentrated to attack on Thathaal areas. Essa Khan fought hard, but was defeated and killed. The tribe was scattered in Pubbi Kharian and Salt Range with very meager resources to re-arrange the tribe.

Villages Of Thathaals

There are some villages in India and Pakistan with Thathaals concentration Like Mehmund Chuck, Kaleechpur, Hushairpur (India). Include some villages of Azad Kashmir and Potohar region include Chakwal, Rawat, Jaatli, and Tarlai Kalan.

Tarlai Kalan (quite a big town now a days, comes under the rural areas of Federal Capital Territory of Islamabad/Pakistan) is considered to be an origin of all those Thathaals who had moved to Azad Kashmir and other villages around the Potohar Plateau. The ancestor of Thathaals belonged from Tarlai Kalan was "Rai Dalia Singh". All Thathaals have been recorded in a family tree since the time of "Rai Dalia Singh" but the exact date is unknown. This family tree is still maintained and is up to date, where last 15 generations can be found.

Villages named on Thathaals

There are some villages on Thathaals name in Pakistan and India like Basti Lal Thathaal, Dhok Thathaal (Pakistan), Nangal Thathal (India).

Thathaals are Rajputs not Jats

Thathaals are Suraj Bansi Rajputs according to "A Glossary of the Tribe and casts of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Provinces" by E.D. Maclagan and H.A. Rose. Thathaals claim their kinship with a Suraj Bansi Rajput Raja Karan Singh through his son Raja Thathoo. Thathaals was the rulers of the valley from the Jhelum river to the Chinab river.Fact|date=March 2008.

Prominent Thathaals

*Barrister Sultan Mehmood Thathaal (Former PM Azad Kashmir)
*Vimal Thathaal (Leader of the Congress and BSP groups in the council, India)

Thathaals from Mirpur AJK

Thathaals are prominent Jats in Azad Kashmir, especially around the city of Mirpur. Other Jat clans of this area are the Nangyals, Ranyals, Bangyals, Kalyals and the Dhamyals.

References

*History of the Jat clans by H. S Duleh( Translation from original Punjabi work "Jattan da Itihas" by Gurjant singh.
*Jats the ancient rulers by Bhim singh Dahiya (Dahinam Publishers, sonepat, Haryana)
*A Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier provinces by E. D Maclegan and H. A Rose.