The Khanzadah
This article is an extract from PANJAB CASTES SIR DENZIL CHARLES JELF IBBETSON, K.C. S.I. Being a reprint of the chapter on Lahore : Printed by the Superintendent, Government Printing, Punjab, 1916. |
Caste No. 123
The Khanzadahs are practically confined to Gurgaon so far as the Panjab is concerned. Captain Powlett describes them thus : —
They are the Mewati Chiefs of the Persian historians, who were probably the representatives of the ancient Lords of Mewat. Those Mewatis are called Khanzadahs, a race which, though Musalman like the Meo was and is socially far superior to the Meos, and has no love for Them ; but who in times past have united with them in the raids and insurrections for which Mewat .vas so famous, and which made it a thorn in the side of the Dehli Emperors. In fact, the expression Mewati usually refers to the ruling class, while Meo designates the lower orders. The latter term is evidently not of modern origin, though it is not, I believe, met with in history ; and the former is, I think, now unusual, Khanzadah having taken its place.
The Khanzadahs are numerically insignificant, and they cannot now be reckoned among the anstocracy. In social rank they are far above the Meos, and though probably of more recent Hindu extraction, they are better Musalmans. They observe no Hindu festivals, and will not acknowledge that they pay any respect to Hindu shrines. Rut Brahmins take part in their marriage contracts, and they observe some Hindu marriage ceremonies. Though generally as poor and ignorant as the Meos, they unlike the latter say their prayers, and do not let their women work in the fields.
They are not first rate agriculturists, the seclusion of their women giving them a disadvan tage beside most other castes. Some have emigrated and taken to trade in the Gangetic cities, but these have no connection now with the original Khanzadah country. Those who have not abandoned the traditions of their clan are often glad of military service, and about fifty are in British regiments. In the service of the Ulwar State there are many. There are 26 Khanzadah villages in the State, in most of which the [iroprietors themselves work in the field and follow the plough.
The term Khanzadah is probably derived from Khanazad, for it appears that Bahadur Nahar the first of the race mentioned in the Pei-siau histories, associated himself with the turbulent
- ' slaves of Firoz Shah after the death of the latter, and, being a pervert, would contemptuously
receive the name of Khanazad (slave) from bis brethren. The Khanzadahs themselves indig nantly repudiate this derivation, and say the word is Khan Jadu(or Lord .jadu), and was intend ed to render still nobler the name of the princely Rajput race from which they came. Con verted Jadus were called by the old Musalman historians Mewatis, a term Chand applies to a Mewat chief of the Lunar race, of which race the Jadu Maharaja of Karauli Calls himself the head.
To this Mr. Channing adds : — Khanzadas are a race who were fovmorly of much more importance than at present ; they claim to have been formerly Jadu Rajputs, and that their ancestors Lakhan Pal and Sumitr Pal, who dwelt at Tahangarh in Bharatpur, were converted to Islam in the reign of Firoz Shah (A.D. 1351 to 138S), who gave Lakhan Pal the name of Xahir Khan and Sumitr Pal the name of Bahadur Khan, and in recognition of their high descent called them Khanzadahs and made them bear rule in Mewat. At first they are said to have lived at Sarahta near Tijara, and afterwards according to tradition, they possessed 1,484 village,-. However this m;iy be, there is no doubt that they were the ruling race in Mewat duwn to the time of Rahnr ; since then they have gradually declined in importance, and now in this district own only a few villages near Nnh and to the north of Firozpur. Trace> of their former importance exist at Sahna, Bund-i, and Kotila. Kotila was one of their chief fortresses ; the village is situated in a small valley, wholly surrounded by the hill, except where a small funnel-like pass give entrance to it.
In front of this pass is the Kotila jhil, and when this is filled with water the only road to the pass lies along a narrow strip of land between the lake and the hill. The remains of a breastwork along the face of the hill and across the mouth of the pass still exists while on the hill above the village is a small ruined fort. The village now belongs to Meos. Some of the buildings bear witness to its former greater importance. I have a suspicion that they are more intimately connected than they acknowledge with the Meos, whom they seem to me to resemble in personal appearance. They do not ordinarily intermarry with Meos, but the Meo inhabitants of five villages in.the Firozpur tahsil professs to have been formerly Khanzadals, and to have become Meos by intermarriage. Their traditions also, which point to Sarahta as their ancient home, agree, I think it will be found, with those of more than one clan of Mcos. If my supposition that the Meos are converted Minas is correct, I am inclined to suspect that the Khanzadas are the repre sentatives of the noble class among the aboriginal population. Tod mentions an Asil or un mixed class among the Minas known as Mainas.
The Khanzadahs of Gurgaou have returned themselves as Jadubansi in the column for clan, and they commonly say that this is their only got. Khanzadah, or the son of a Khan is precisely the Musalman equivalent to the Hindu Rajput or son of a Raja ; and there can be little doubt that the Khanzadahs are to the Meos what the Rajputs are to the Jats.
