Barha dynasty

The meaning of the name Barha is uncertain. While some contend that it comes from the word, "bahir", meaning "outsider" referring to the preference of members of the Barha dynasty to live outside Delhi, to avoid scandalised localities such as Mina Bazar which would be unsuited for their sacred natures. Others like the Emperor Jahangir, believed that it came from the Hindi word, "barha", meaning "twelve". In reference to the twelve townships that members of the dynasty had received as fiefs from Sultan Shibabdudin of Ghor when they first arrived in India.[7]

The dynasty descends in the male line from the fourth Rashidun Caliph, Ali, through his younger son Husayn.[8] In Arabia, the ancestor's of the dynasty took part in many rebellions against Abbasid authority. One ancestor, Isa bin Zayd, revolted against the Caliph Al Mahdi and was consequently poisoned by that caliph at the age of 45. Subsequently, the dynasty were heavily persecuted by the Abbasid government, and eventually the founder of the Barha dynasty, Abul Farah Al Wasiti, fled from Madina to Wasit and from there he fled to the Ghaznavid Empire. His four sons entered into the military service of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni and received twelve fiefs in Punjab, then a part of the Ghaznavid Empire, as reward for their service. Thus the dynasty became quickly established as Nobles of the Sword in ancient India, a status they held under several different empires. They held a particularly high status under the Sultanate of Delhi. When the Chief of the Barha, who was also the Diwan of the empire, was granted the fief of Saharanpur due to his relation with the imperial family.[9] They also enjoyed particularly prominent positions under the reign of the Sur, eventually defecting during the last days in the reign of Sikander Sur of the Sur Empire, to the Emperor Akbar of the Mughal Empire in the course of the siege of Mankot.[10][11]

The Barha dynasty maintains the unique status of having been the only dynasty to participate in all three Battles of Panipat, seminal battles which shaped Indian History. Under the Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat. In the Second Battle of Panipat they gained victory under Bairam Khan, and finally in the Third Battle Of Panipat, the sons of Nawab Ali Muhammad Khan Rohilla fought with Ahmed Shah Abidali against the Maratha.

By the time of the Emperor Aurangzeb, the dynasty was firmly regarded as "Old Nobility" and enjoyed the unique status of holding the premier realms of Ajmer and Dakhin. Realms usually reserved for the rule of members of the Imperial Family.[12]

The children of Abdullah Abul Farah al wasiti settled in various towns, each eventually forming its own branch.

• Sayyid Daud settled in Tihaanpur, giving rise to the Tihaanpuri branch.
• Sayyid Abul Fazl settled in Chhatbannur giving rise to the Chhaturai branch.
• Sayyid Najmudin Hussain settled in Jagner, giving rise to the Jagner branch.
• Sayyid Fazail settled in Kundli giving rise to the Lundliwal branch.[13]

All the branches eventually migrated to the Doab where the branches occupied the following towns:

• Kumhera and Dharsi by Tihaanpur
• Sambalhera by Chatrauris
• Jagneri by Bithauli
• Majhera by Kundliwal

The Tihanpuri Branch has the greatest claim to fame of all the branches of the dynasty. The branch began with Sayyid Jalal Khan Emir, 8th in descent from Abdullah al wasiti. Khan Emir left Tihanpur and settled in Dharsi located in the pargana of Jauli. He had four sons, of who the eldest Umar Shahid settled in Jansath, a second son Chaman settled in Chitaura and a third son Hassan settled in Bihari and a fourth Ahmad made his home in Kawal in the pargana of Jansath.[14]

They, lived near Sambelhera and changed their name from Chatbanauri to Chatrauri. One of the members of this branch, Sayyid Hasan Fakhrudin, lived during the reign of Emperor Akbar. He used his influence at court to help the Raja of Sambalhera to confirm his dignity in the male line to his son, Ram Chand. Later when Ram Chand died childless, he helped the widow of Ram Chand to inherit the state. Being so pleased with the service rendered to her, she passed on the entirety of her estate to Sayyid Hassan, who was later confirmed in its possession as the Nawab of Sambelhera.[18]

Sayyid Hassan had a child named Sayyid Hussain, who in turn had four children. Sayyid Sher Ali who died without issue, Sayyid Ahmad who was killed fighting Ratan Sen of Chitor and whose descendants settled in Kailawada and another descendant fought under the Emperor Muhammad Shah, Sayyid Tajudin whose son Sayyid Umar founded Kakrauli and colonised the local towns of Rauli Nagla and Bera and the last son Sayyid Salar Auliya who obtained Kaithora in a similar manner to his grandfather. He had two sons, Sayyid Haider Khan whose descendant Sayyid Shahamat Khan settled in Miranpur and founded the Haider Khan Family and Sayyid Muhammad Khan whose descendants remained in Kaithora and formed the Muhammad Khani family.

Of the Muhammad Khan family, Nusrat Yar Khan and Rukhan ad Daula gained prominence during the reign of Muhammad Shah. Gaining the governance of Agra, Gujarat and Patna. They additionally held a Jagir of twenty eight villages in Ahmedabad which they gained in return for their service in annihilating their Tihanpuri brethren and which they retained until 1850. The Chatrauris of Morna review land grants to the west of Kali near Charthawal. There is a still Mosque in Morna built in the name of the wife of Nawab Hassan Khan, bakshi of Muhammad Shah. Constructed in 1725 at the cost of 1900 rupees.[19]

They are descendants of Sayyid Najmudin Hussain, who first settled at Bidauli, and some generations later his descendant Sayyid Fakhrudin moved to Palri in the Jauli pargana. Where he purchased propriety rights in Palri, Chanduri, Chandura, Tulsipur and Khera. Members of this branch reached high positions during the reign of Akbar and subsequent Emperors, but none gained the prominence which characterised other branches of the dynasty. The Jagneri Branch were heavily affected by drought, resulting in less prosperous conditions. However the head of Bidauli family still served as Nazim to the Nawabs of Oudh while his nephew was a Chakladar.[20]

Members of this branch settled in Mujhera. Ain-i-Akbari makes mention of Sayyid Mahmud as being the first member of the Barha dynasty to enter into timurid service. Having formerly gained employment under the Sur Empire, he defected to the Mughals during the siege of Mankot during which he was with Sikander Sur but later sided with the Emperor Akbar. In the first year of Akbar's reign he fought in a campaign against Muhammad Shah whose forced were led by Raja Hemu. In 1557 he took part in the Ajmer campaign and in the year after he took part in the capture of the fort of Jitasaran, along with an expedition against the Bhaduriyas of Hatkanth in Agra. in 1561 he was granted a Jagir near Delhi and later took part in a campaign with the Amorha Sayyids against the Raja Madhukar of Orcha. He died in 1574 and was buried in Majhera where his fort still remains.[21]

In a famous incident, Sayyid mahmud was once asked how many generations back the Barha dynasty traced its sacred descent. Incidentally a fire was burning at a spot nearby and offended by the question, Sayyid Mahmud jumped into the fire exclaiming "If I am a Sayyid the fire will hurt me; if I am no Sayyid I shall get burnt". He stood for an hour in the fire and only left after the earnest request of a bystanders. His velvet slippers showed that indeed he had no sign of being burnt by the fire.[22]