Mir Chakar Rind is often glorified as the “King of Baluchistan”, and some modern accounts bestow upon him the epithet “the great.” However, a rigorous examination of history reveals a different picture. Far from a king, Chakar Rind appears to have been no more than a tribal chieftain, his stature inflated by legend and fiction. Even according to Baloch folklore, his power was limited to that of a tribal leader, as evidenced by his inability to defeat the Lashari tribe in a protracted thirty-year war. [1]
If Baloch legends and folklore are to be believed, Chakar Rind, at the head of forty thousand Rind warriors, joined forces with Humayun to secure the Delhi throne for the Mughal king. However, this claim lacks historical corroboration [2]. Eyewitness accounts penned by Gulbadan Begum, Bayazid Bayat, and Jauhar Aftabchi, all of whom accompanied Humayun, make no mention of Chakar Rind. This conspicuous absence suggests that Chakar Rind was of little consequence to Humayun’s endeavors.
According to Baloch ballads recorded by Longworth Dames, Mir Chakar and his men, accompanying Humayun, fought “Turks” at Delhi [3]. However, historical records indicate that Humayun conquered Delhi from the Afghans (Pashtuns) in 1555. In another Baloch ballad recorded by Longworth Dames, Chakar Rind is depicted as being at war with Mughal Emperor Humayun. [4]. These legends are not corroborated by Mughal sources.
Who was the historical Chakar Rind? According to the Tabaqat-i-Akbari by Khawaja Nizamuddin Ahmad (compiled in 1593-94), Mir Chakar Rind arrived in Multan from the vicinity of Siwi (Sibi) with his two sons, Mir Allahdad and Mir Shahdad, in the early sixteenth century. Chakar Rind sought to enter the service of Sultan Mahmud Langah of Multan but was thwarted by Malik Sohrab Dodai, a favored noble of the Langah Sultan. Subsequently, Chakar Rind departed from Multan and sought the protection of Jam Bayazid Sammah of Shortkot (in modern-day Jhang district, Punjab), a former wazir of the Langah Sultans who had pledged allegiance to Sultan Sikandar Lodi. Jam Bayazid granted him a jagir, likely Satgarah. The relevant passage in the Tabaqat-i-Akbari reads as follows:
“About this time Mir Chakar Rind came to Multan from the direction of Siwi (Sibi) with his two sons Mir Allahdad and Mir Shahdad. Mir Shahdad was the first man who promulgated the Shia religion in Multan. As Malik Suhrab Dudai was held in great honour by the Langahs, Mir Chakar Rind could not remain there; and sought an asylum with Jam Bayazid. As he was the head of a clan, Jam Bayazid received him with much honour, and bestowed on him and his sons a part of the territory which was in the Khalsa or crown land.” [5]
Thus, we learn that Mir Chakar Rind was merely a jagirdar serving Jam Bayazid during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodi. The author of the Tabaqat-i-Akbari characterizes him as a clan leader rather than a former king.
“When Sher Shah had laid siege to the fort of Raisin, he received a letter from Khawas Khan saying that he and Niazi had developed some differences between themselves. “The letter contained a request that Sher Shah should, therefore, summon one of the two. Having gone through the letters of Khawas , Sher Shah summoned Khawas Khan, Isa Khan Niazi and Habib khan. Then he conferred the country of Punjab on Haibat Khan Niazi and ordered him to rescue and rehabilitate Multan which had been usurped by the Balochs. He was also to chastise Fateh Khan Jat of Qabula, who had been, during the Mughal period, laying waste to the country up to Panipat. As soon as Haibat Khan received these orders, he summoned the representative of Chakar Rind – The hakim (حاکم) of Satgarah. The representative was told to go and inform Chakar Rind that Haibat khan Niazi was going to tour those areas. Chakar should be prepared to present his contingent for review. One who related the story that he had heard it from Wakil Fateh Khan Kanbo that when he went to Chakar Rind and disclosed to him what Haibat Khan Niazi has said, the former was thrown in panic, he had no time either to a reception or to put together the ‘lashkar’ as demanded. At this time Haibat Khan Niazi was merely two day’s distance away. Next morning the news came that Haibat Khan Niazi had already arrived. Hearing this, Chakar became nervous, although he did manage to get on his horse and to go out to receive the dignity.” [6]
The above passage from Tuhfa-i-Akbarshahi indicates that Chakar Rind was far from being an independent and powerful king of a vast realm. Instead, he was an ordinary subordinate of the Punjab governor, his estate limited to the pargana of Satgarha. Moreover, he was evidently not a contemporary hero, as he is depicted acting against other Balochs on behalf of the Afghans. Subsequently, Chakar Rind vanishes from the historical record; however, he continued to hold his jagir at Satghara, where he died and was buried.
References
1- “Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal”, Vol-49, Part 1, p-140
2- “Popular Poetry of the Baloches” (1907), by M.Longworth Dames, Vol-1, p-32
3- Ibid, p-33
4- “Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal” (1880), Vol-49, Part 1, p-142
5- Tabaqat-i-Akbari”, translated into English by Brajendranath De, Volume III, pp.804-804.
6- “Afghans of the Frontier Passes: A Study in the Historical Geography of Sibi and Dhader in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan” (1992), by A.Aziz Luni, Vol-1, p-86
