The Gandapur (Pashto: ګنډہ پور Urdu: گنڈہ پور) also called Gandapore is a Pashtun tribe, which is based in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They took their name from the Indo-Parthians king Gondophernes of house of Suren.[1]
It is a Pashtun tribe that lives in the Damaan Valley of Dera Ismail Khan District and some parts of the District Tank of Pakistan. The majority of Gandapurs live in Kulachi Tehsil including Kulachi city and its surrounding villages like Luni, Rori, Takwara, Maddi, Kot Zafar Baladasti, etc., and in some of the villages of District Tank like Bara Khel, Gara Baloch etc. The tribe descended from the Afghan highlands to the plains of Damaan during the 17th century. The center of their winter quarters developed into a town in the 19th century, probably because of the trading activities of the tribesmen between Khurasan and India.
Origin of the caste lies in the fact that Storai khan had 5 sons namely Shakhai, Tarrai Marerai, Amar Khel and Hamarh. Hamarh's progeny is still known after his father's caste i.e. Storai or Storyani while the rest of the 4 brothers' progeny is known as Gandapur, due to Tari Khan alias Gandapur's father famous sayings: May your prosper among 12 castes.
The Afghan King Ahmed Shah Abdali named Gandapurs as Afghanpurs. The Gandapur tribe took part in Pashtun tribal wars during the 18th century. They also fought against the Sikh Empire (1799-1849). A part of the tribe also lives in Sur Kalay (سور کلے) in Ghazni Province of Afghanistan.[2]
Main subcastes of the Gandapur tribe are as follows:
Bara Khel, Bahadar Khel, Ali Zai, Ibrahim Zai, Yaqoob Zai, Kamal Khel, Isa Khel, Ikhtiar Khel, Qadam Khel, Husain Zai, Khadar Khel, Mosa Zai, Shakhi, Marerai, Malang Khel, Bazeed Khel, Payi Khel, Pati Khel, Zarni Khel, Kamal Khel, Zohag Zai, Allahdad Khel, Mehtar Khel, Shah Khel, Nasar Khel, Suleman Khel, Khuwaja Khel, and Yahya Khel.