Manj

For places in Iran, see Manj, Iran.

Manj (or Munj) are Rajput Clan/subclan from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.

Primary Language: Punjabi, Western Major Religion: Islam Population in country: 128,000 Locality: Along Soan River in Rawalpindi Tehsil and along Ravi river. Villages: Kamalia, Chak no 40(fsd),Sihal, Chakri, Pind Malhu, Jhandhu, Dhalwali Mohra, Adwal, Chak Beli Khan, Dhullial, Sangral, Khiliri, Malkaal, Parial, Raika Maira, Hakimal, Kolian Goru, Dhok Gujri, Lamaran, Tatral, Jaswal, Dheri, Mohra, Gangainwala, Kolian Hameed, Chak Majeed, Gangal, Jada, Dhok Chach, Habtal.

Origin and History

The Manj are a sub-clan of the Rajputs. Raja Salivahana had eighty-four sons. Among them were Tavesar, 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 north Rajisthan). His son, Achhal founded the city of Jaisalmer, and his descendants are the Manj and Bhatti tribes. One of the descendant of Manj in the 9th generation from Achhal was Mokhal, who founded Athur.

Manj Rajputs held large swaths of territory in Patti area of Amritsar district north of the Sutlej 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 Sutlej in what is now Ludhiana district.

The Ludhiana and Jalandhar traditions of the tribe state Tulsi Das (Tulsi Ram), a Manj Rajput, was converted to Islam by Pir Hazrat Makhdum Shah Jahaniya Jahangasht of Uch in 1323 AD. Tulsi Ram assumed the name of Shaikh Sirajuddin alias Shaikh Chachu. He established his independent state (District Ludhiana) given to him by emperor Allauddin Khilji and died in 1383 AD.

In The early fourteenth 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. “Rai Kalha III, who appears to have been a ruler of very great ability, extended his power up to Ludhiana (1705 AD). He established independent power over the whole Jagraon (the place of the Rais) and the greater part of Ludhiana Tahsils, and also a large portion of the Ferozepur District.”Ref : Ludhiana District Gazetteers 1888 – 1904 , Rajas of Punjab 1870 by Sir Lepel Griffen, chiefs of Punjab 1890, 1909, 1940.

After the dissolution of the Mughal Empire, the Manj Rais of Talwandi and Raikot ruled over an extensive territory south of the Sutlej, till dispossessed of it by the Ahluwalia Sikhs and later by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

In the Kangri dialect of Punjabi, the word Manj is said to mean ‘In the middle’.

Religion

The Manj Rajputs are mostly Muslims though many remained Hindus after the time of Shaikh Chachu and few are of the Sikh faith in Indian Punjab; they still disallow Karewa. Last descendant of the Muslim Rais is "Rai Muhammad Hamza Manj" Son of Rai Hussain Nawaz Khan grand son of Rai Nasir Khan from Raikot.