Brahmani (tribe)
Encyclopedia
Birhmani are a Baloch
tribe settled in Balochistan
, Sindh
& Punjab.
, Jampur
& Muzzaffargarh. Those of D.G.Khan live mostly in Choti Zareen
. Choti Zareen is the seat of the Leghari
tribal chief and the Birhmani tribe there has merged with the Leghari. Longworth Dames, in his book, "Baloch Tummans and Tribes", mentions the Birhmani as a Leghari sub-tribe.
In Sindh, Birhmani, numbering about 50 000, are scattered around Larkana
and along the shores of the Arabian Sea
. They also reside in the Hala
range, Hyderabad
. Some tribesmen, whose chief is Saleh Muhammad, occupy a hilly tract in the Kirthar Mountains
.
Birhmani migrated from Balochistan to Punjab in the late sixteenth century. The movement was the result of a quarrel between two brothers, Mohammad & Birahim. At the time of Meero (son of Muhammad), the dispute turned into hostility and consequently Adam (son of Birahim) left Balochistan
along with his family and some Doambki supporters. He settled in Dera Ghazi Khan
; back at home Meero became the chief of Doambkis. Thus the "Meeranis" (descendants of Meero) are still the chiefs of Doambkis. From D.G.Khan, a great many Birhmani migrated to Sindh.
Birhmani of Punjab are predominantly Shia Muslim
s while those of Sindh and Balochistan are Sunnis. The family of the late Ramzan Khalid Birhmania, scholar of Persian
and Urdu
, is the most notable among the Birhmanis of Punjab due to its presence in the political scene of D.G Khan and Rajanpur.
Other well-known Birhmanis include:
Politically, Birhmanis have supported the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP). Ramzan Khalid Birhmani was patronised by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and he contested against Farooq Khan Leghari in the districts of D.G.Khan and Rajanpur during the 1970s. During the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
ordered the village of PPP loyalists near Goth Leghari to be bulldozed.
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
tribe settled in Balochistan
Balochistan
Balochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
& Punjab.
Birhmani
The Birhmani of Punjab number around 20 000 and are settled in D.G Khan, RajanpurRajanpur
Rajanpur is a city and the headquarters of Rajanpur District in the far southwestern part of Punjab, Pakistan. The district lies entirely west of the Indus River. it is a narrow, to wide strip of land sandwiched between the Indus River on the east and the Sulaiman Mountains on the west. The...
, Jampur
Jampur
Jampur is a small city located at 29°38'32" N , 70°35'45"E in Rajanpur District, south of Dera Ghazi Khan, in the centre of Pakistan. It comprises an area of about 8-10 square kilometres and has a population of almost 1,20,000.-History:...
& Muzzaffargarh. Those of D.G.Khan live mostly in Choti Zareen
Choti zareen
Choti Zareen is the ancestral town of the Balochi Aliani clan of the well-known Leghari tribe. It is located in the Dera Ghazi Khan District of Southern Punjab, Pakistan....
. Choti Zareen is the seat of the Leghari
Leghari
The Leghari , or Laghari) are a Baloch tribe living in Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. The Leghari Baloch primarily speak the Seraiki, Sindhi, and Balochi language, and are largely Sunni Muslims....
tribal chief and the Birhmani tribe there has merged with the Leghari. Longworth Dames, in his book, "Baloch Tummans and Tribes", mentions the Birhmani as a Leghari sub-tribe.
In Sindh, Birhmani, numbering about 50 000, are scattered around Larkana
Larkana
Larkana or Larkano is the fourth largest city in the north-western part of Sindh Province, Pakistan, and is located within Larkana District.The old name of larkano is chandka which was changed in 1901. In August 2000 Larkana celebrated its hundred years of existence...
and along the shores of the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
. They also reside in the Hala
Hala
Hala can refer to:* Hala , an Arabic given name meaning "sweetness"* An informal salutation or greeting in the Arabic language* Hāla, an Indian king of the Satavahana dynasty* Hala , a clan of India and Pakistan...
range, Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Sindh
is the second largest city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the seventh largest city in the country. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot...
. Some tribesmen, whose chief is Saleh Muhammad, occupy a hilly tract in the Kirthar Mountains
Kirthar Mountains
Kirthar Mountains are a Mountain Range located in Balochistan and Sindh provinces of Pakistan. The Range extends southward for about 190 miles from the Mula River in east-central Balochistan to Cape Monze west of Karachi on the Arabian Sea.Kirthar National Park is one of the largest wildlife...
.
Birhmani migrated from Balochistan to Punjab in the late sixteenth century. The movement was the result of a quarrel between two brothers, Mohammad & Birahim. At the time of Meero (son of Muhammad), the dispute turned into hostility and consequently Adam (son of Birahim) left Balochistan
Balochistan
Balochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
along with his family and some Doambki supporters. He settled in Dera Ghazi Khan
Dera Ghazi Khan
Dera Ghazi Khan is a city located in Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab, Pakistan. Dera Ghazi Khan is one of the most populous cities in Southern Punjab, and it is the largest district in Punjab in terms of area, being approximately in extent....
; back at home Meero became the chief of Doambkis. Thus the "Meeranis" (descendants of Meero) are still the chiefs of Doambkis. From D.G.Khan, a great many Birhmani migrated to Sindh.
Birhmani of Punjab are predominantly Shia Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s while those of Sindh and Balochistan are Sunnis. The family of the late Ramzan Khalid Birhmania, scholar of Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, is the most notable among the Birhmanis of Punjab due to its presence in the political scene of D.G Khan and Rajanpur.
Other well-known Birhmanis include:
- Late Muhammad Bakhsh Birhmani
- Hakem Mehr Ali Birhmani
- Zafar-ul-ullah Birhmani
- Mehr Hussain Birhmani
- Ghulam Hussain Birhmani
- Haji Balo Khan Birhmani
- Haqnawaz Birhmani
- Dr.Ghulam Shabir
- Sadam Birhmani
- Sai dad Khan Birhmani
Politically, Birhmanis have supported the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP). Ramzan Khalid Birhmani was patronised by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and he contested against Farooq Khan Leghari in the districts of D.G.Khan and Rajanpur during the 1970s. During the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988...
ordered the village of PPP loyalists near Goth Leghari to be bulldozed.