Murad Fatyana
Chieftain who avenged Ahmad Khan Kharal by killing Lord Berkeley.
Murad Fatyana (Jangli: مراد فتیاݨہ) was a Muslim freedom fighter and the chieftain of the Fatyana sub-tribe of the Sials. He played a key part in the Gugera Rebellion alongside Ahmad Khan Kharal, with whom he and Sarang Kharal raised a sizable force against the East India Company. After the British sent about ten detachments to hunt down Kharal, both Ahmad Khan Kharal and Sarang Kharal were killed in a skirmish. In response, the Bar tribes, led by Fatyana, swore to exact revenge on Lord Berkeley. Fatyana succeeded in a direct attack, killing Berkeley and fifty British-Indian soldiers. A ballad describes the encounter: Fatyana tells his mare Savi that he has fed and served her well, asking her to carry him to Berkeley so he can destroy his cart. The mare replies that she will fly for him. Fatyana charges forward, is shot in the left arm, but continues like a lion. He declares he is avenging Ahmad Khan, strikes Berkeley with a pike, and Berkeley falls from his horse. Fatyana then says that fate will take its course, but Berkeley will never hold court in Gugera again.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Ghazi / Mehar / Sardar
- Birth Place
- Garh Fatyana
- Death Date
- 1869
- Spouse
- <!-- or
- House
- Fatyana
- Dynasty
- Sial
- Religion
- Sunni Islam
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Murad Fatyana was a close associate of Ahmad Khan Kharal during the Gugera Rebellion. Along with Ahmad Khan Kharal and Sarang Kharal, he helped organize a force to battle the East India Company. After British forces killed Ahmad Khan Kharal and Sarang Kharal in a skirmish, the Bar tribes sought revenge.
Led by Fatyana, the Bar tribes vowed to do the same to Lord Berkeley. In a successful attack, Fatyana killed Lord Berkeley and 50 other British-Indian troops. The encounter is depicted in a ballad, which recounts Murad Fatyana's attack on Berkeley, including his dialogue with his mare Savi and his strike with a pike.
Reader's Guide
Murad Fatyana's significance lies in his role as a leader of the Bar tribes during the Gugera Rebellion, a resistance against the East India Company. His successful attack on Lord Berkeley, killing him and 50 troops, demonstrated the determination of local chieftains to avenge fallen comrades. The ballad recounting the event preserves his legacy as a folk hero, emphasizing themes of loyalty, revenge, and defiance. His actions highlight the broader struggle of tribal leaders against colonial expansion in the region.
Did You Know?
- Murad Fatyana was a chieftain of the Fatyana sub-tribe of Sials.
- He led the Bar tribes in a revenge attack that killed Lord Berkeley.
- A folk ballad describes the encounter, including a dramatic dialogue with his mare Savi.
- The ballad claims he struck Berkeley with a pike, causing him to fall from his horse.
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