Hazara upto Mughals.

Stories about legendary Hindu hero "RAJA RASALLU" of about the 2nd century A.D are still remembered by the elders of the 20th century. He, it is said was a son of Raja Salbahan of Sialkot and visited this area only for amusement.According to historians "RAJA SERI CUP" the ruler of this area was a gambler and lost his kingdom and also his daughter Rani Cokallan to Raja Rasallu in a game of chess. According to some local tales the gambling practices of Raja Seri Cup lost his life at the hand of Raja Rasallu at a point near the present Khanpur village.


Another story recorded in several books about Raja Rasallu  is also common. Theme of the story is that the Raja slew his wife who was in love with a giant. He also closed the mouth of the cave with boulders in which the giant had taken shelter. It is also given that before closing the cave the Raja drew a picture of his bow and arrow on the cave's inner side. seeing this the demon dared not attempt to issue forth and ever since he has remained inprisoned in the cave. emitting from time to time roars and groanings that sound like the rumbling of distant thunder. 

The Mughal emperor Jahangir in his autobiography, also writes a note about this voice, that " I heared from the people of this country that when it is not the rainy seasons and there is no sign of a cloud or lightning a noise like the rumbling of clouds from this hill, ( The Gandgar Hill, situated on the south western side of Haripur city. This noise is heard every year or at least every two years. I had repeatedly heard of this also when I was in attendance on the Late King.

The next account about the history of this area is from the pen of the famous Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang. He visited it in the 7th century A.D and described this land as the Kingdom of Wu-La-Shi , situated to the north west of kashmir.

According to another account of the history of this region, some historian are of the opinion that accouding to RAJA TARANGINI  written by Pandit Kalhana, KING SHAUKARAVARMAN and his army was attacked by the inhabitants in 902 A.D. when they were marching through this country. In the next century Kalahana describes Urasa as being occupied by a Kashmiri force under Kalashan (1063 to 1089 A.D) while from 1112 A.D to 1120 A.D this area remained under the direct sway of King Susala . Traces here and there of ancient villages and forts legends inscribed on walls one at Soha near Bir village in Tanawal area and another at Patan are evidences of Hindu domination.

The next that we hear of Hazara is in connection with the Great Timurlance, who on returning after his invasion of Delhi in 1399 A.D. made over the area to a number of Kurluke Turks By this time the Hindu rulers had been ousted and the authority of the Muslims had beem established over their places. After their settlement in this area they (The Turks) remained in power for more than four centuries. It may also be noted here that to this settlement of the Turks, the name Hazara is probably due.

Throught out its history upto March 1849  the date when the British formally amalgamated Hazara in their domain Hazara ramained under different chiefs as well as under different rulers. as well as under different  rulers at the same time. As during the Mughal period , the Governors of Kashmir while the North  eastern area of this country was controlled by the Governor of Kashmir while the Western side and Haripur plains were under the direct control of the Turk Chief as well as under the governors of Attock illaqa respectively.

This area from Haripur plains to the Kaghan glens via Pakhli was a vital link in the chain that connected Kashmir with the rest of India as well as with Afghanistan. The Mughals used it on several occasions. Akbar the Great, for instance used this route twice while in 1619-20 when Emperor Jahangir decided to spend his summer in the Kashmir valley he also used this route. During the journey he halted at several places and on the request of Sultan Hussain, the Turk chief of Pakhli went to his house. Emperor Akbar had also visited the Turk chief house on 23rd September 1589 and granted him the Pakhli area as a fief. During Jahangir's visit Sultan Hussain exchanged presents with the Emperor. Due to the Turk chief behaviour and attitude on that occasion, the Emperor promoted his mansab Rank to 600 sawars and 350 horses. The Emperor also conferred on him a robe of honour a jewelled dagger and an elephant.

Though during Akbar's  later days the Pakhli area saw a scene of a revolt initiated by a chief named Hindal, entitled Sultan Nasir, but it was crushed succesfully and Pakhli was restored to its legitimate owner.

During the later Mughal period changes of great importance took place in this area. These arose mainly from two causes, tha decadence of the vitality of the old families and the increasing inroads of the pathans and their allied races. One of the most notable of these events was the invasion of Pakhli by the Swaties. The Latest inroads of the Sawaties under the capable leadership of Saiyed Jalal was in 1703. The Turks ( dominant Tribe of the area) were ousted and the invaders established themselves on the  northern part of Pakhli and in the hilly country adjoining it to the west. It is also a fact that during the same period Tanawalies, Jadoons, Tareens, Utmanzaies and other Pathan tribes crossed the Indus and siezed some territory in this area.

For lack of any written records it is difficult , if not impossible to describe exactly the events taking place during the period . but as a matter of fact the changes were the natural result of the total absence of a strong controlling central authority and of a system in which might was the only right.