________________
JULY, 1908.]
Gang (took possession of Khorasan)
I
his son
A BALLAD OF THE HAKLAS OF GUJRAT IN THE PANJAB.
The Haklas, who claim to be Punwar Rajputs by origin, give the following legendary table of their descent:Alexander the Great
1 his son
1
Raja Jagdeo of Mathrå
Godam
Raja Bhagwana
BAJA Sang&na
Raja Hik or Raja Hikdev
his descendant Raja Bara
MISCELLANEA.
his descendants for 14 generations ruled Mathrå, among them being: Raja Nand P&l
Mása
his son 1
MISCELLANEA.
Dhor
Dhôl
(Dhabal)
grandson-dethroned by Shahâbu'ddin Ghori.
They say that Bhagwana was the most powerful Punwar ruler of his time and that his son Sangana ruled over Mathrå and Narwarkot, with an army so numerous that it required a lakh of tents to
shelter it. Hik or Hikdev is said to have been king of Rajputâna, and to have conquered all India. Later, a descendant of Sangâna (? not of Hik), called Raja Bård, founded Barnålt in the Kharian tahsil of the Gujrat District and ruled over the Jetch Doâb, as well as Mathrå - which in his time was plundered and burnt by Mahmud of Ghazni. Bârû himself was also taken prisoner, but restored to his dominions in the Jetch Doâb. Barnali, the chief village of the Haklas, was founded in 1009 A. D., and Bârû's son and grandson ruled the Doâb till deprived of it for helping Khusrau Malik against Muhammad of Ghor, who left them only a few villages. Yet Hakla chiefs accompanied the Ghori when he conquered Herât.
The Haklas claim to be Greeks who married Rajputs, and are called Punwår from the ancestor of that name (sic). They say Alexander's son cared for nothing but religion and renounced his kingdom, but his son Gang wished to reign and as he could find no kingdom in Greece he came to Khorasan, was there hailed as king, and founded Herit. Forming alliances with Indian kings and by intermarriage, Jagdeo, his grandson, became ruler of Mathr&, where fourteen of his descendants reigned after him.
209
The Haklas are now Muhammadans. In 1797 from the Jhelam river the guns of Zaman Shah their chief, Chaudhri Ahmad Khân, recovered Abdalf and received as his reward Barnali and Bhago in jagfr-worth Rs. 25,000 a year. His son, Ala Din, also held the jáger, and his grandson Mihr Din aided the British at Chiliânwâlâ in 1848.
The following ballads are attributed to Mir Jamal, Panjurâna, a mírási or bard, apparently.
I.
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim.
Haq thhin hoya Haklá záti nám (dá) Pawar, Godam, te Masás, Dhor, Dhabal char bete Baja Nand Pál.
Wadión wadda Raja Bhagwânâ,
Mathrânagri, te Narwarkot, kahe gawâlia, milk Raja Sanghaná.
Lakh pakhrin, te lakh baghrat nagdná, Charhíd Rájá Hag Dev, dhar heth zin palánâ. Cháre kútan sadhidn, kahe Mir Panjúránán. II. Qudrat kardi sachche mihrbán Rab ne wel phúlás.
Rája Bárú ne Barnali ras karát, Rájá Bere Pone Herát kurchh páî. Gare chaudhri takht bhaunan badshahi, Hukm Allâh de bajar jîôn chir-lát. Barchhi Kahal ki kahal liye wadiaî, Wich Barnal-garh tâzân dain qaláí.
(Mir Jamal nún.)
Translation. From Haq (in truth) are the Haklâ, who are by caste Punwar.
Godam, and Masão, Dhor (and) Dhabal, the four sons of Raja Nand Pål.
Raja Bhagwânâ was the strongest of the strong. Mathra-nagri and Narwarkot, singeth the bard, were the realm of Rajâ Sanghânâ,1
A hundred thousand quarters and as many tents were needed for his army. When Raja Haq Dev got into the saddle and rode forth,
He subdued the four corners, saith Mir Panjúrânâ.
Under (an auspicious) Destiny, a Just and Merciful God made the creeper to blossom, Raja Bârd founded Barnali,
Rajas Berà and Ponâ over-ran the Heråt. Their brave chiefs have subverted thrones and kingdoms.
[No translation of his line can be had. ] Kahal was made famous by Kahal's spear: In Barnalgarh' their chargers used to prance. (Composed by Mir Jamal.)
1 Singwaul, son of Bhagwand.
Haq Dev: Dev or Deo is the, was the, usual affix of ruler's name among the Rajputs of the Jamma Hills. I. q., Barnált.