Ranial Rajputs

The Ranial Rajputs of Rawalpindi are a branch of the Janjua Rajput clan. The Janjua Rajput (Punjabi ਜਨ੍ਜੁਅ, Urdu: جنجوعہ) (also spelt Janjuha, Janjuah) is a royal warrior clan of Northern India and Pakistan. They are known as the most Valiant Kshatriyas (Warriors) of Punjab. Their warlike nature and dominant rule of their kingdoms against other tribes earned them a powerful reputation in Western Punjab, the Jhelum Valley of Kashmir.The Janjua is a dominant warlike clan of the Punjab and has played a key role throughout Punjabi history - from becoming one of the first Rajput clans to convert to Islam to being the first to begin salt mining in the Salt Range of Western Punjab plains. They aided the Mughal conqueror Babur conquest of India, as well as today providing many soldiers and highly decorated generals to the Pakistani Army.

Contents

1 British records 2 History 3 The Janjua conquest 4 Family tree 5 References

British records

Under the British Raj of India, they were designated as a martial race and provided strong numbers to the British Imperial Army and fought in both World Wars. The Gazetteer of the Rawalpindi District records, "They (Janjua) are very proud of their ancestry, make good soldiers...they are usually addressed as "Rája", and stand very high in social rank." (Sang-e-Meel, 2001, Lahore, p105). Panjab Castes also confirms, "Dominant tribe of proud position, such as the Janjúa, have retained their pride of lineage and their Rájpút title...and always addressed as Rája." (Denzil Ibbetson, Delhi, 2002, p. 132, p. 149, p. 154).

History

The Punjab in the pre-Mughal era was one of much civil wars between many kingdoms and new dynasties began to spread their dominions over other crumbling dynastic houses. In the early thirteenth century, the Janjua chieftain, Raja Mal Khan rose to prominence. He increased his dominion over Hazara (later renamed Amb through his son Raja Tanoli, Jhelum through his son Raja Jodh, parts of Kashmir through Raja Khakha, Rajghar (later renamed Malot) Chakwal through his eldest Raja Bhir and what is today known as the Kahuta district through Raja Kala Khan. Tarikh-e-Alfi of the Ghorids makes a mention of the rise to power of Raja Mal. According to Lepel H. Griffin, in Chiefs and Families of note in the Punjab (Lahore, 1910, ii, p254),: "On the death of their father, they determined to divide the country called, from Raja Mal, the Maloki Dhan between them. Jodh took the Salt Range near about the Makrach, and captured the town of Makshala from a colony of Brahmins (Mohyals)...He changed its name to Makhiala and built a fort there and two tanks for rain water..... Wir Khan (also spelt Bhir), took the possession of Khura (also spelt Khewra) near modern Pind Dadan Khan." The descendants of Raja Jodh continued to rule this region through various interruptions until the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Raja Bhir meanwhile took over the Malot (Rajghar) state from his father. It was in this tradition that Raja Bhir's later descendant, Raja Malu Khan, allying his cousin Raja Mubarak Khan who was the descendant of Raja Jodh Khan, gained control of the region of Dhamial and Ranial.

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