Ratial

The Ratial are Rajput tribe, found in the Pothohar region of Punjab, Pakistan.

Contents

History and origin

There are two traditions as to the origin of the Ratial tribe.

According to a tradition, the tribe are descended from Khattar Khan, the ancestor of the Khattar tribe. Khattar Khan had six sons, Jand Khan,Isa Khan, Sarwar Khan, Firoz Khan, Sehra Khan and Pehru Khan. About three generations after his death, the tribe lost Nilab but they took possession of the open country between Rawalpindi and the Indus which became known by thename of Khattar. The descendents of Jand Khan took possession of the district called after them Jandal between Khushhalghar and Nara. From Feroz Khan has the Drek family descended. His great- grandson was Ratnah from whom have descended the clan known as Ratial.[1]

Another tradition makes Ratnah out to be a Katoch Rajput, who left Kangra in the 15th Century and settled in Potohar region, and converted to Islam. His descendents are known the Ratial.[1]

The Ratial were for sometime overlords of a large part of the present Rawalpindi District known as Ratala. They were displaced from Ratala by a Janjua chief Raja Abdullah Khan , being himself displaced by the upheaval of the Sikh conquest of Garjaak and Darapur[2] took his remaining army and conquered the region of Ratyal from a Ratial chief who was loyal to the Sikh empire. His domain was over seven large villages consisting of Mughal Kayanis, Jatts and Gakhars. He defeated the Ratial Chief and renamed it Ratala. The Ratial are still make up the bulk of the population of this part of what is now the Gujar Khan Tehsil of Rawalpindi District.

Villages

Their principle villages are Ratial and Darapur in Jhelum District, and Ratial, Bher Ratial and Jairo Ratial, in the Gujar Khan Tehsil of Rawalpindi District.Banoti Niar Chak Beli Khan, There are also number of Ratial villages in Attock District.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b A Glossary of the tribes & castes of Punjab by H. A Rose
  2. ^ Punjab Chiefs Sir Lepel H.Griffin KCSI, 1909 Lahore, p216