History of the Jats:Dr Kanungo
From Jatland Wiki
This book on Jats in English was written by Professor K.R. Qanungo in 1925. This work doubtlessly enjoys the stature of a pioneering work on Jat History. Post-qanungo works on the subject do not diminish the importance of this work as later writers suscribe to his views on many points and quote him with respect.
The book is composed of 205 pages and contains the following chapters and appendices:
• Chapter 1: Origin and Early History
• Chapter 2: Jat History in Aurangzip's (Moghal emperor of India) Reign
• Chapter 3: Expansion of the Jat Power
• Chapter 4: Rajah (king Suraj Mal, an Ally of Nawab Safdar Jang
• Chapter 5: Suraj Mal's Struggles with the Marathas (a Hindu people from Bombay Area)
• Chapter 6: Ahmad Shah Durrani's campaign (Afghan invader of India) Against the Jats
• Chapter 7: Suraj Mal's Great Disappointment
• Chapter 8: Reign of Suraj Mal
• Chapter 9: Legacy of Suraj Mal
• Chapter 10: Maharaja (Great King) Sawai Jawahir Singh Bharatendra
• Chapter 11: Reign of Rajah (king) Jawahir Singh
• Chapter 12: Civil War
• Chapter 13: Regency of Nawal Singh
• Chapter 14: Decline of the House of Bharatpur
• Chapter 15: Reign of Rajah (King) Ranjit Singh
• Appendix (Chapter 8): Details of the Death of Suraj Mal
• Appendix A: The Theory of the Indo-Scythians Origin of the Jats
• Appendix B: The legend About the Yadu Tribe
• Appendix C: The Jat Risings During Aurangzib's (Mughal Emperor of India) Reign
Reprint 1982
With the establishment of Surajmal Memorial Education Society, the book was reprinted in 1982 under the supervision of Dr P.S. Dabas.
Revision of 2003
While maintaining the improvements in the 1982 edition of the book, more changes have been incorporated in this edition.
- History of the Jats - Prof Kalika Ranjan Qanungo, 2003.
- Edited and annotated by Dr Vir Singh
- Publisher - M/S Originals (an imprint of low priced publications), A-6, Nimri commercial Centre, Near Ashok Vihar, Phase-IV, Delhi-110052. e-mail: lpp@nde.vsnl.net.in, url: http://www.lppindia.com, © Surajmal Memorial Education Society
- ISBN 81-7536-299-5 (H.B.) Price Rs 240/-& ISBN 81-7536-107-7 (P.B.) Price Rs 150/-
History of the Jats : Contribution to the History of Northern India (Upto the Death of Mirza Najaf Khan, 1782)/Kalika Ranjan Qanungo. Edited and annotated by Vir Singh. Delhi, Originals, 2003, xiv, 226 p., $13. ISBN 81-7536-299-5.
Contents:
- Foreword/Jadunath Sarkar.
- 1. Origin and early history.
- 2. Jat history in Aurangzeb’s reign.
- 3. Expansion of the Jat power.
- 4. Raja Suraj Mal, an ally of Nawab Safdar Jang.
- 5. Suraj Mal’s struggle with the Marathas.
- 6. Ahmad Shah Durrani’s campaign against the Jats.
- 7. Suraj Mal’s great disappointment.
- 8. Reign of Suraj Mal. 9. Legacy of Suraj Mal.
- 10. Maharaja Sawai Jawahar Singh Bharatendra (1764-1768).
- 11. Reign of Raja Jawahar Singh.
- 12. Civil war.
- 13. Regency of Nawal Singh.
- 14. Decline of the house of Bharatpur.
- 15. Reign of Raja Ranjit Singh Jat (1775-1805).
Appendices:
- 1. The theory of the Indo-Scythian origin of the Jats.
- 2. The legend about the Yadu Tribe.
- 3. The Jat risings during Aurangzeb’s reign.
- 4. Details of the death of Suraj Mal.
- Bibliography.
- Index.
- "The Jats are one of the most important races among the Indian population today, as during the Muslim period, and their traditions go back to dim antiquity. A critical study of the past history of such a race on the basis of all the available material cannot fail to be a subject of deep interest and instruction to all Indians. Such a study is presented in this book History of the Jats by Professor Kalika R. Qanungo all known sources, printed and manuscript, Persian, Marathi, French and English, have been utilised here, and this history of the Jats represents a synthesis never attempted before. In his History of the Jats, Prof. Qanungo has not been content to be a closet student of written records. He has lived and worked among the Jat boys of his former college at Delhi, he has won their love and confidence and has visited their historic places and tribal gatherings and talked with old Jats whose memories are richly stored with the past. The information he has thus gathered by a personal quest spread over a wide field is concentrated in this book and gives it a unique value.
- "He has here sifted the evidence impartially and reviewed events and characters from the broad point of view of India as a whole, instead of narrowing his vision to a single tribe. This wider outlook, this philosophical detachment from the particular dynasty or community dealt with, is specially necessary in any history of India in the 18 century that deserves to live as a true history. For, the Jats were only one out of the many threads that made up the tangled web of North Indian history during the decline of the Mughal Empire. The Jats, Ruhelas, Sikhs, Marathas, Rajputs, Oudh Nawabs, English Company, French adventurers, besides the Delhi Emperors and their semi-independent nobles – all entered into the criss-cross of Indian politics during that one century which saw the rise, maturity and downfall of the Jats as the makers of Indian history; and, therefore, Professor Qanungo has done wisely in studying the contemporary history and interplay of all of these powers. Here is a first-rate contribution to the critical study of the fall of the Mughal Empire.
- "The Jats are fortunate to have Prof. Qanungo as their historian, as the Rajputs had Col. Tod, the Marathas Grant-Duff, and the Sikhs Cunningham. In this edition annotations based on recent findings describing and clarifying certain facts have been added to update this pioneering work. We honestly hope that this updated work will provide a clean mirror of the Jat history to the readers." (jacket)
Back to Books on Jat History

