Langah (clan)

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Langah
لنگاہ
Religions Star and Crescent.svg Islam
Languages Sindhi, Punjabi
CountryFlag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan
Region Punjab, Sindh
Feudal title Rai

Langah is a historical tribe and surname found in Balochistan (Lasbela), Sindh and south Punjab. [1] [2] They are considered as Jats [3] [4] [5] or Rajput. [6] [7]

Langahs are mostly known for establishing the Langah Sultanate, which ruled Multan and the surrounding regions in south Punjab from 1445 to 1540, before being overthrown by the Arghuns. [6] However this is disputed and other sources describe the Langah Sultanate as being formed by the Langah tribe of the Baloch. [8] [9] [10] [11]

The tribe continued to be an important power in the Multan region under their various chieftains. During Humayun's retreat, their chieftain Bakhshu Khan Langah controlled much of the forts around Multan. He provided 100 boats of grain to the retreating Mughal Army. [12] Later, Bakhshu led the Langah in rebellion against the Sur Empire establishing his independent rule over the Multan region. However, he was defeated by the Sur general, Haibat Khan. [13] During the reign of Akbar, a section of the Langah held the Pargana of Shor (Modern day Jhang district) [14] while Baskhshu Langah's son Sher Ali was the Shiqdar of Qasba Deesa. [15]

During British era, the Langah tribe still maintained a significant presence in the Multan district where they were considered a principal tribe, particularly at the confluence of the Chenab and Sutlej rivers. [16]

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References

  1. Siddiqui, Habibullah (1987). Education in Sind: Past and Present. Institute of Sindhology, University of Sind. p. 130. ISBN   978-969-405-009-6.
  2. Abdulla, Ahmed (1973). The Historical Background of Pakistan and Its People. Tanzeem Publishers. p. 96. Among others are the Bhuttos, Bhattis, Lakha, Sahetas, Lohanas, Mohano, Dahars, Indhar, Chachar, Dhareja, Rathors, Dakhan, Langah etc. The Mohano tribe is spread over Makran, Sind and southern Punjab. They are also identified with the "Mallah' of the Punjab and both have in common a sub-section called Manjari. All these old Sindhi tribes are known under the common nomenclature of Sammat.
  3. Bhatia, S. (1987). Social Change and Politics in Punjab, 1898-1910. Enkay Publishers. p. 24. ISBN   978-81-85148-13-7. The Jats were divided into several tribes. In the Western plain (i.e. west of Lahore) excluding the salt range, and sub-montane tracts were to be found the Tahim, Butta, Langah, Sumra, Sipra and Hans.
  4. Wagha, A. (1990). The Siraiki Language: Its Growth and Development. Dderawar Publications. p. 107. In the first quarter of the 16th century A.D. the Langah Jat rulers of Multan encouraged the Balochs to be settled in Derajat by granting Jageers in return for which they were to render as military service.
  5. "Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society". Pakistan Historical Society. 43: 167. 1995. ...Mahmūd-ul-Hasan Siddiqui has classified them as Jats.
  6. 1 2 Qanungo, Kalika Ranjan; Kānūnago, Kālikā Rañjana (1965). Sher Shah and His Times. Orient Longmans. p. 286. Under the shadow of Rajput Langah dynasty of Multan...
  7. Aquil, Raziuddin (12 July 2007). "The Political and the Sufic Wilayat". Sufism, Culture, and Politics. Oxford University Press: 177. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195685121.003.0006.
  8. Baloch, N. A.; Rafi, A. Q. (1998). History of civilizations of Central Asia, v. 4: THE REGIONS OF SIND, BALUCHISTAN, MULTAN AND KASHMIR: THE HISTORICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SETTING (PDF). Unesco. p. 305. ISBN   978-92-3-103467-1.
  9. Journal of Indian History. Department of Modern Indian History. 1962. p. 24. Multan did not re- main unaffected by the sharp decline in the authority of the Sultan, and in 1437 Budhan Khan Sindhi, leader of the Baloch tribe of Langahs, collected his followers at Uch and marched upon Multan.
  10. Balocu, Nabī Bak̲h̲shu K̲h̲ānu (1995). Lands of Pakistan: Perspectives, Historical and Cultural. el-Mashriqi Foundation. p. 110. ...Budhan Khan of Sindh, the chief of the Baloch tribe of the Langah, assembled his force at Uch and invaded Multan.
  11. Lari, Suhail Zaheer (1994). A History of Sindh. Oxford University Press. p. 108. ISBN   978-0-19-577501-3. Langahs, a Baloch tribe that had manoeuvred to become the overlords of Multan.
  12. Singh, Surinder (2022). Medieval Panjab in Transition. London: Routledge. p. 83. doi:10.4324/9781003302452. ISBN   978-1-003-30245-2. On his way to Bhakkar, he contacted Bakhshu Langah, who possessed numerous fortified places and a large number of boats. Humayun sent for him a banner, robe, horse and drum. Bakhshu Langah provided him a hundred boats loaded with grain, which was distributed among the Mughal soldiers.
  13. Srivastava, A.L. (1964). The Mughal Empire, 1526–1803 A.D. Shiva Lal Agarwala. p. 93.
  14. Ahmed, Iftikhar (1984). "TERRITORIAL DISTRIBUTION OF JATT CASTES IN PUNJAB c. 1595 – c. 1881". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 45. Indian History Congress: 432. ISSN   2249-1937. JSTOR   44140224.
  15. Khan, A.R. (1977). Chieftains in the Mughal Empire During the Reign of Akbar. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 71. ISBN   978-0-89684-376-9.
  16. Roseberry, J.R. (1988). Imperial Rule in Punjab: The Conquest and Administration of Multan, 1818–1881. Vanguard. p. 177. ISBN   978-0-913215-23-4.