Gumbat
Gumbat, also known as Seni Gumbat, (Urdu: گمبٹ ) is one of the largest towns in Kohat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.[1] It is situated in a valley on both side of the Kohat-Rawalpindi Road and is 25 km the district capital - Kohat. The population of the town is about 30,000 most of whom are Pashtuns. They often refer to themselves as Afghan.
History
Gumbat means dome in Pashto. As Buddhist remnants are common in Pashtun areas, in most probability there must have been a dome in the form of a stupa in this area. Like several Pashtun hamlets, this village was also called Gumbat (Gumbaat, in the Khattak dialect). Other spellings are Goombaad, Goombaat or Gunbat. Khushal Khan Khattak has mentioned Gumbat in his prose. Under the Teri Chiefs, Gumbat was the main village of the Sini Tappa; which changed to Seni, the name of the clan of Khattaks who live here. The British first called it Gambat. It is now called Seni Gumbat. Till 1956, in Teri State, the Naib used to be from Gumbat. In this way, Gumbat held immense importance in Teri State. The Naib of Gumbat used to be the second most important person, the first being the Nawab of Teri himself.
Gumbat, Tulanj (Toolaanj), Ghorizi (Ghorizai), Tilkan (Triknra) and surrounding villages were under the Khani of Gumbat (the Akor Khel Khans who are from Bazaar Tappa: descendents of Naibs of Gumbat).
Geography
There are four major areas of Seni Gumbat called Mohallahs these are:
- Hassan Khel
- Awan
- Bazaar(Adda)
- Dartapi
- Khader Khel
Bazaar and Khader Khel are the largest "mohallahs" in terms of area and population. The pioneers of Seni Gumbat are Hassan Khels currently limited to a little area (mohallah) within Dartapi Mohallah. The main bazaar of Gumbat is called "Adda" (Station). Gumbat possess the largest police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Gumbat has a hospital, a Higher Secondary School for Boys, a Higher Secondary School for Girls, 5 Private Schools and also a Post Office. Pashto and Hindko are the major languages spoken in Seni Gumbat.
Gumbat is one of the important Khattak villages along with Lachi and Teri. In Lachi now the Khan family is known as Jan Khan son of Zakariya Khan Family in Pass Kalay Lachi, they are actually Akori Khattaks in Lachi. Gumbat includes Tulanj (Toolaanj) and Ghurizi (Ghorizi) in its Union Council. It is the biggest village in the Patiala, (Khushalgarh and Chorlakki), Zira, Nilab (Amir), Khwarra (Manduri) tappas and in Nizampur area of the Khattak region.
Gumbat is a large valley situated on the northern side of the Gargalot mountain range. This mountain is locally called 'Beray Ghzoon'. It is the 'Swairay' Ghaar. The other mountain is the 'Pitaao' Ghaar. There is the Algaada (stream) which flows through the country. Most of the country is flat and vegetation is scarce.
Khaddar Khels live on the hill. This is a very large Tappa (satrapy). Near them reside the Hassan Khels (the original inhabitants of Gumbat). There are settlement of Awans clan. The Awans speak Hindko.
Then comes the Bazaar Tappa. It was called so, because of the presence of the old Bazaar. This was also called the 'Panj-mel' meaning 'The 5 millats/mohallas/neighbourhoods'. It is here in this Tappa, where the Akor Khel Khans reside. It is the most important Tappa of the country. The new market-'Adda'(literally meaning a bus-stop) is situated here. The Police Station, Hospital, High School, Railway Station and Telephone Exchange are few of the important places situated in the Bazaar Tappa.
Khans of Gumbat
Khan is used for a man who is well respected, well known and who is capable of taking big decisions about the village and about the conflicts of the people. During British Raj the Khans owned large pieces of land and property.
References
Khanzada [British rule]