Manj 4548540 217760078 2008-06-07T15:16:08Z Closedmouth 372693 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/58.6.111.251|58.6.111.251]] to last version by Misaq Rabab ([[WP:HG|huggle]]) '''Manj''' (or '''Manjj''') is a [[Rajput]] clan of the [[Punjab region]] of [[Northern India]] and [[Pakistan]]. == Origin and History == The Manj are a sub-clan of the Rajputs and are descendants of Raja Salvahan (Salivahana), father of Raja Rasalu of [[Sialkot]]. Raja Salivahana, believed by some to be the twenty-sixth descendant of [[Sri Krishna]], some 3100 years after him, had eighty-four sons. Among them were Tavesar, ancestor of the Tanwars, Ras Tavas, ancestor of the Taonis of [[Ambala]], and Bisal, ancestor of the Bhattis. Rana Jundal, seventh in descent from Bisal, ruled Bhatner (present-day [[Hanumangarh]] in northern [[Rajasthan]]). His son, Achhal founded [[Jaisalmer]]. From him, are descended the Manj and Bhatti tribes. Manj Rajputs held large swaths of territory in [[Patti]] area of Amritsar district north of the [[Satluj]] river extending towards [[Kasur]]. They were displaced from this area during the conquest of Mohamed Ghauri. They then moved across the [[Beas]] east of [[Harike]] and held an extensive tract of territory in [[Nakodar]] and [[Nurmahal]] areas of [[Jalandhar]] district, and also to the south of here across the Satluj in what is now [[Ludhiana]] district. The [[Jalandhar]] traditions of the tribe state that Tulsi Das (Tulsi Ram), a Manj Rajput, was converted to [[Islam]] by Hazrat Makhdum Shah Jahaniya of [[Uch]]. Tulsi Ram assumed the name of Shaikh Chachu. Some six-hundred years ago, in the thirteenth century, Shaikh Chachu and another Manj Rajput, Shaikh Kilchi, are said to have settled at Hatur in the southwest of Ludhiana, from where their descendants spread into the surrounding areas. The traditions also refer to the conquest of the tract by the tribe to the time of [[Ala-ud-din Khilji]]. However, as Shaikh Chachu died in 1383 A.D., it would appear that if the tradition has any foundation, [[Ala-ud-din Sayyid]] must be meant. In the ''[[Akbarnama|Ain-i-Akbari]]'', the Manj are wrongly referred to as ''Main'', a title which is said to belong properly to the ''Ghorewaha'' of Ludhiana. After the dissolution of the [[Mughal Empire]], the Manj Rais of Talwandi and Raikot ruled over an extensive territory south of the [[Satluj]], till dispossessed of it by the [[Ahluwalia]] [[Sikh]]s and later by [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]. Even earlier than this, the Manj [[Nawab]]s of Kot Isa Khan had attained considerable importance under the Mughals. North of the [[Satluj]], the Manj never succeeded in establishing a principality; but they had a large tract of country in the southwest of the [[Jalandhar District|Jalandhar]] district, in areas such as Talwan, [[Nakodar]], and Malsian, and held much of it as ''[[Jagir]]s'' under the Mughals, but were dispossessed by Tara Singh Gheba and the Sindhanwalia Sikhs. The Manj in [[Nabha]] claim to be descendants of Banni Pal, a descendant of Tulsi Ram (Tulsi Das or Shaikh Chachu), who flourished under [[Aurangzeb]], and did much to allay the dissensions of the time. He earned many honors by military service and held charge of the Raikot State and a large part of the area later occupied by the [[Phulkian]] States (Nabha, Patiala, and [[Jind]]). == Geographical distribution == The Manj were the most widely distributed of all the sub-montane Rajputs. Pre-Partition, they were widely distributed across the Punjab region. But their strongholds were [[Ludhiana]] and its adjoining districts. They were found mostly in the southwestern portion of Jalandhar and the northwestern portion of Ludhiana. [[Rawalpindi]] also had Manj Rajputs, but whether or not they were of the same stock as the Manj of Ludhiana and Jalandhar was doubtful. After the Partition, many Muslim Manj families migrated to [[Punjab (Pakistan)]]. Among them, was the Manjj family of [[Halwara]], who were the landlords of Ludhiana. The land lords of Halwara migrated to Pakistan and are currently living in Faisalabad. In Pakistan Manj are currently in shaikhupura and faisalabad district. There are a few villages of Sikh Manj rajputs in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Fatehgarh sahib districts of [[Punjab (India)]] In recent years, many Manj Rajputs have migrated and settled in other countries, mostly in [[Hong Kong]]. == Religion == Today, the Manj Rajputs are mostly [[Muslim]]s, though many remained [[Hindu]]s after the time of Shaikh Chachu, and few are [[Sikh]]'s in Indian Punjab, they still disallow ''karewa''. Their genealogists live in [[Patiala]]. == Trivia == In the [[Kangri]] dialect of [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], the word ''Manj'' is said to mean 'In the middle'. == Prominent Manjjs == * [[Rai Muhammad Shafi Khan]], The Industrialist of [[Faisalabad]]. * [[Rai Faqir Mohammed Khan]], major in the British Army during [[World War II]]. * [[Rai Abdul Ghafoor Khan]], Ex-British Army major before the [[Partition of India]] in 1947. * [[Adeel Hassan Manjj]], Contact's ex-chief editor and owner of [[Faisalabad]]'s biggest social networking portal. * [[ Rana Shabbir Ahmed Khan]], Ex- Chairman Zarai Tarkiati Bank (formerly Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan) of 40 GB, Near Satiana Banglow == See also == Captain Abul Rahim Khan,fought in World War II in the British Indian Army * [[Muslim Rajput]] * [[Sardar Wali Mohammed Khan]] == References == * Excerpts from the 1883 and 1892 Census Reports by [[Denzil Ibbetson]] and [[Edward MacLagan]]. == External links == * [http://www.nankanasahib.com/Nankana%20History/The-Rajputs1.htm Information on the Bhatti Rajputs], with a specific section on the Manj * [http://www.namdar.net/ManjRajput1.htm Homie Khan's Namdar Page With Information On Manjj Rajputs] * [http://www.desitwist.com/archive/index.php/t-135.html The Casts In Pakistan] Information on the Manjj Rajputs. {{Ethnic groups, tribes and clans of the Punjab}} [[Category:Social groups of India]] [[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]] [[Category:Punjabi tribes]] [[Category:Rajput clans]] [[Category:Punjab]]