Genealogy and Origins
Ancestral Lineage: The Chibs trace their descent from the ancient Katoch Rajput dynasty of Kangra, in present-day Himachal Pradesh, India, who claim a Chandravanshi (lunar) lineage.
Founding of the Dynasty: Around AD 1400, a Katoch prince named Partab Chand left Kangra to carve out his own kingdom. He settled near Bhimber and, through a strategic marriage to the daughter of the local ruler, Raja Siripat Thakial, his eldest son, Chibh Chand, eventually inherited the state and established the Chib dynasty. The region they came to rule became known as Chibhal, meaning "land of the Chib".
Conversion to Islam: Originally Hindu, the ruling family and a majority of the clan converted to Islam at a later date. One key figure in this process was Raja Dharam Chand (seventh in the line from Chib Chand), who converted to Islam during the Mughal era and took the name Shadab Khan, also known as Hazrat Sheikh Baba Shadi Shaheed. He is a venerated saint, and his tomb near Bhimber is a place of pilgrimage where a traditional ceremony of cutting the scalp locks of male children is still practiced by Muslim Chibs.
The Princely States (Bhimber and Khari Khariyali) The Chib territory was primarily situated in the outer hills between the Chenab and Jhelum rivers. By the 17th century, the Chib state had split into two principalities: Bhimber: The seat of the elder branch of the family, known as the Ghanials. It was a powerful state, strategically located on the Mughal Road used by emperors traveling to Kashmir. Khari Khariyali: Ruled by the younger branch, with its capital at the Mangla Fort.
