Yaudheya

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Coin of the Yaudheyas with depiction of Kartikeya

Yaudheya (यौधेय) Yaudhey (यौधेय) or Yaudheya Gana is gotra of Jats. Ushinara was ruler of Punjab who gave birth to son Nrig (नृग) from Rani Nriga (नृगा). Yaudheya was son of Nrig (नृग) who gave the name to this gotra. ^[1] Yaudheyas had an ancient tribal confederation who lived in the area between the Indus river and the Ganges river. They find mention in Panini's Ashtadhyayi and Ganapatha. There are other references to them namely in Mahabharata, Mahamayuri, Brihatsamhita, Puranas, Chandrasekhar's and Kashika. As references are spanned from writings of early period to the medieval period, the chronology of Yaudheyas perhaps spans from as early as 500 BCE till 1200 CE. They were in zenith of their power from about 200 BCE to 400 CE.

History

Puranas (e.g. Brahmanda, Vayu, Brahma and Harivamsha) described Yaudheyas as the descendants of Ushinara and Nrigu^[2].

We find earliest mention of Yaudheyas in Ashtadhyayi (V.3.116-17 and IV.1.178) of Panini (c.500 BCE) where Yaudheyas are mentioned amongst Ayudhajivin Sanghas.

Later, the Junagadh rock inscription (c. 150 CE) of Rudradaman I^[3] acknowledged the military might of the Yaudheyas "who would not submit because they were proud of their title "heroes among the Kshatriyas"", although the inscription explains that they were ultimately vanquished by Rudradaman.^[4][5]

"Rudradaman (...) who by force destroyed the Yaudheyas who were loath to submit, rendered proud as they were by having manifested their' title of' heroes among all Kshatriyas."|Junagadh rock inscription ^[6]

The Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta^[7] also mentioned about the Yaudheyas. Varahamihira in his Brihatsamhita (XIV.28 and XVI.22) placed them in the northern division of India.

Their territory included on the west – Sutlej, Depalpur, Satgarha, Ajundhan, Kahror, Multan, on the east - Bhatner, Abhor, Sirsa, Hansi, Panipat and Sonipat and on the north - Kangra. These were listed based on the assumptions of coin finds. Even Haryana and Panjab were included in the territory they might have ruled.

There isn’t much known about ancient tribes which are mentioned in ancient literature and inscriptions but the existence of a powerful clan known as Yaudheyas has come to light mainly from their coins and coin-moulds found in large number in this area. A large number of their coins depicted the god Brahmanyadeva or Karttikeya^[8].

Yaudheyas were Jats

They are identified with the Jats clan Joiyas or Johiya^[9] of Bahawalpur and Multan Divisions (Pakistan) and Bikaner, Rajasthan (India). Yaudheyas were the rulers of South-Eastern Punjab and Rajasthan. Even today these areas are inhabited by the Johiyas.

Alexander had heard about a very powerful people beyond the river Beas. Arrian describes them as gallant fighters, good agriculturists and having constitutional government. [Ibid.] Though they have not been specifically named, there is little doubt in their being Yaudheyas. ^[10], ^[11] It is said in the Adi Parva of Mahabharata that Yaudheya was son of Yudhishthira by his Shivi wife. ^[12] They find mention in the Sabhaparva of the Mahabharata under different name-Mattamayura. It is said that starting from Khandavapratha Nakul marched towards west and reached Rohitika-beautiful, prosperous and rich in cattle and horses and dear to Kartikeya. He also captured Marubhumi and Bahudhanya. Because these three places had been the chief centres of Yaudheyas and also because Kartikeya finds depiction on the Yaudheya coins, Mattamayura is merely another name for the Yaudheyas. This ancient name is preserved in Jat gotra as Mori, Maur, Mor. ^[13]

It appears that the political power of the Yaudheyas was eclipsed under the Mauryas. But after their decline the Yaudheyas again became politically dominant and had their heydays up to the rise of the Guptas. ^[14]

During the glorious period of the Yaudheyas their neighbours in Rajasthan were Malavas (Jaipur, Tonk, Ajmer), Shivis (Chittor), Matsya (Alwar) and Maukharis (Kota). The Yaudheyas probably formed a confederacy with these and others and, as Atlekar suggests, gave a final blow to the tottering Kushan Kingdom.^[15] The Yaudheya chiefs who bore the titles Maharaja Senapati appear to have been chosen for this purpose by Yaudheya gana. During this period they might have developed some contacts with the Vakatakas, Bharashivas and other Naga families, under the subjugation of the Guptas, they must have developed closure toes with the Guptas. It is probably during these centuries that they absorbed some elements of their neighbours. The Jat Gotra names Malava, Mokhar, Makhar, Machchar, Bharshiv, Nag, Dharan may be understood against this back ground. ^[16]

The Trigartas

Very closely associated with the Yaudheyas were the Trigartas. We are told that in the Mahabharata that having defeated Mattamayuras, Nakula proceeded towards Shibis, Trigartas, Ambashthas and Malavas. ^[17] Trigartas are said to have gone to the sabha of Yudhishthira to pay tributes at the time of his Rajasuya. ^[18]In the connection they are mentioned in compound with Sibis and Yaudheyas. Others who joined them are Rajanya, Madra, Kekaya, Ambashtha etc. Later the Trigartas joined the side of the Kauravas. In the Dronaparva the Trigarta army has been described as including Mavellaka, Lalittha and Madraka which may be recognized in such Jat gotra names as Mavata, Mall, Mavalya, Littha, Lathar, Madra and Maderna. ^[19]

Colonel Minchin, a British historian says that “the extreme north-eastern portion of the state Bahawalpur and a portion of Bikaner, was inhabited by a race called the Yaudheyas to whom General Cunningham, another historian, attributes the foundation of the town of Ajudhan or Ayodhaunne, the battle field, which is evidently connected with their own name of yaudheya or Ajudhiya inscription of Samudara Gupta and at a still early date by Panini in the Junagarh inscription of Rudra Dama. Now as the great grammarian was certainly anterior to Chandra Gupta Maurya, his mention of the Yaudhas proves that they must have been a recognized clan before the time of Alexander. General Cunningham identifies them with the existing tribes of Joiyas, which is included by colonel Tod amongst the 24-ruling race of Rajputana. He sated that this race possessed the same haunts as the Dahia or Dahers, are now extinct, but in fact both these tribes are still found in the Bahawalpur state, and they were converted to the Muhammadan Faith by the well known saint Hazrat Baba Fareed Shaker Gunj, whose shrine is in Ajudhan, and from whom the place derives its modern name of Pakpattan (District in Punjab, Pakistan), meaning 'the ferry of the pure ones'.”

Geographic distribution

The Joiyas are at present found in the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in India. And in Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Multan and Sahiwal in Punjab and in Sindh province of Pakistan. Joiyas are considered a Punjabi tribe in Pakistan. Joiyas are known as Joyo in the province of Sindh in Pakistan.

Religion

Yaudheya or Joiya are Hindus and Muslims.

Joiya Septs

The Joiyas septs are very numurous, 46 being enumerated as principal septs alone. Of these the more important are the Lakhweras, Bhaderas, Daultanas, Nihalkas, Ghazi Khananas and Jalwanas, their ancestor having been designated Naik-o-Kar Bhai or the Virtous Brothers, by Abdullah Jahanian, a muslim saint. Most of the Joiya septs are eponymous, their names ending in -ka and sometimes in -era.

The other principal septs are Akoke, Bhalana, Bhatti, Firozke, Hassanke, Jamlera, Jhagdeke, Jugeke, Lakhuke, Langahke, Laleke, Mihruke, Mummunke, Panjera, Ranuke, Sabuke, Sanatheke, Shahbake, Sahuka and Saldera.

References

1. ↑ Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudee, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998, p. 277
2. ↑ Pargiter, F.E. Ancient Indian Historical Tradition Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi, 1972 pp.109
3. ↑ [http://projectsouthasia.sdstate.edu/Docs/HISTORY/PRIMARYDOCS/EPIGRAPHY/JunagadhRockInscription.htm Junagadh Rock Inscription of Rudradaman I, accessed on 23 March 2007.
4. ↑ Rosenfield, "The dynastic art of the Kushans", p132
5. ↑ Rapson, "A catalogue of the Indian coins in the British Museum", p.lx
6. ↑ Source
7. ↑ Allahabad Posthumous Stone Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta, accessed on 23 Marah, 2007.
8. ↑ Allan, John A Catalogue of the Indian Coins in the British Museum (Ancient India), London, 1936, Pl. XXXIX.22
9. ↑ Cunningham , A. Coins of Ancient India, London, 1891,pp. 75-76
10. ↑ Brahma Purana, Ch. 13
11. ↑ Harivansha, Ch. 32
12. ↑ Mahabharata ch. 95, 76
13. ↑ Maheswari Prasad, “Jats in Ancient India”:The Jats, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Vol.I, p. 23
14. ↑ Maheswari Prasad, “Jats in Ancient India”:The Jats, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Vol.I, p. 23
15. ↑ A.S. Atlekar and R.C. Majumdar, The Vakataka Gupta Age, p.27
16. ↑ Maheswari Prasad, “Jats in Ancient India”:The Jats, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Vol.I, p. 25
17. ↑ Mahabharata, Crit.ed. II, 296
18. ↑ Mahabharata, Crit.ed. II. 48.13cd., 14ab
19. ↑ Maheswari Prasad, “Jats in Ancient India”:The Jats, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Vol.I, p. 25

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