Jalap

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Jalap (जालप) is a Jat clan found in Shahpur and in Jhelum, Pakistan.[1]

Origin

History

H.A. Rose [2] writes that in the Jhelum District they were classed by Thomson with the Lallas and Phaphras as a "semi-Jat tribe," while Brandreth referred to them as being, like the Khokhars, a "quasi-Rajput tribe," who helped to oust the Janjuas from the Pind Dadan Khan plain. They are the predominant tribe in the " Jalap ilaqa," the rich well tract between the river and the hills east of Pind Dadan Khan, and in position and influence are one of the principal tribes of that tahsil, though their numbers at e small and they actually own little more than 25 square miles of land : this is their only seat in Jhelum, and they are not known to hold land in any other district, except to some small extent on the opposite side of the river. They say that they were originally Khokhar Rajputs, who took the name of their eponym, Jalap, who became a famous Pir, and was buried at Ramdiani in the Shahpur district, where they then dwelt, and where they still go to do reverence at his tomb : they moved to their present location in the time of Sidharan, who was several generations in descent from Jalap, Another account states that in the time of the emperor Shah Jahan they were established on the banks of the Chenab, when one of their chiefs was asked by Shah Jahan to give him a daughter in marriage, as other Rajputs had done : the Jalap agreed, but the brotherhood disapproved of his action, and when he came home to fetch his daughter, set upon him and killed him. Shah Jahan sent an army to punish them, and being driven from their homes they crossed the Jhelum, and after many fights with the Janjuas established themselves where they are now found. A third version, given by the detractors of the tribe, is that in the time of the Janjua Rajas of Nandana, a fisherman was casting his net in the river, which was then close under the hills, and drew out a box containing; a small boy : the child was taken to the Raja, who called him Jalap, because he was found in a net (jal), and made over to him as his inheritance the lands along the river: according to this account the Jalaps are really Machhis.

These fables throw little light on their real origin. Their neighbours do not admit their claim to be considered Rajputs ; and in social standing they stand much below the tribes locally supposed to be of Rajput descent, though on the other hand they rank considerably above the Jats. There is no striking difference between them and the surrounding- tribes either in physique, appearance or manners : as agriculturists they are fair : of martial spirit they have shown but little in recent times, and very few of them are in the army, which may be as they say, because they mostly have large holdings, and can well afford to live at home ; and it is certain that without fighting qualities they could not have established and maintained themselves in the most valuable tract in the District, against the Janjuas and others: there is no bar to their enlistment and there are some signs that they may in future betake themselves to military service more freely than in the past. Their customs are those of the tract generally, but they maintain relations with Brahmans as parohits : and various common Hindu customs are observed by them at marriages. Their marriages are mostly inter se ; but they take girls from the Khiwa, Kallas and Bharat, to whom they do not however give their daughters: in marriages with the Janjuas and Khokhars on the contrary they give daughters but do not receive them. Widow remarriage is very rare amongst them.

Sub Divisions of Khokhar gotra

There are several sub-divisions of the Khokhar gotra , such as the Bandial, Bhachar, Dholka, Ganjial, Jalap, Majoka, Nissowana, Rawal, and Denaar (in muslim). According to H.A. Rose[3] Jat clans derived from Khokhar are: Bohla and Khokhar Haral, Ajra, Bhalu and Bhala are also the sub gotras of the Khokhar Jats (Hindu and Sikh).

Notable persons

External links

References


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