TRIBAL SETTLEMENT IN PUNJAB AND THEIR RELATIONS WITH THE SULTANS OF DELHI

Abstract

The region of Punjab and its people played an important role in the history of the subcontinent. Because of its strategic position, it served as a battleground for warlords fighting for control of larger swaths of land. Many of the invading armies assaulted the Indian subcontinent via Punjab and Sindh. So the control of this proximate region was not only essential for the defence of the Delhi Sultanate from external invasions but also to ensure the maintenance of trade links with Central Asian regions, as trade routes pass through this region. Thus, the region has historically served as the gateway to the Indian subcontinent, and control over it could only be possible by maintaining congenial relations with the local population. The population of the principal doorway region consisted of different tribes and castes, which were well-organized and warlike by necessity. Among the notable and prominent tribes of Punjab were Khokhars, Jats, Bhattis, Janjuhas Ma’inas, Mundahars, etc. In this paper, an attempt is made to shed some light on the prominent tribes of Punjab, their diplomatic activities, and relations with the centre (state) during the Delhi Sultanate period.