Mahla

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Mahla (महला) Mahala (महला) Mahalawat (महलावत) Mahlan (महलान) Mahlania (महलानिया) Mall (मल्ल)Malli (मल्ली) Mahalwar(महलवार) Mehla (मेहला) Mela (मेला) ia a Gotra of Jats found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

Contents

History

Megasthenes has described them as Malli on Ganges along with the Mandei (Manda), the Gangarides (Ghangas), the Calingae (Kalinga), the Prasii (Magadha), the Modogalingae (See - Jat clans as described by Megasthenes)

They are perhaps the same as are described by the Greeks as Malloi, They were in fourth century B.C. on the west bank of Ravi and the south of Chenab-Jhelum confluence. They are described as extraordinarily strong and brave. They had along-with the Oxydra-kai, about one lac men under arms. The Greeks were terrified of them and it was with great difficulty that Alexander Persuaded them to fight these Mallis. Alexander had a narrow escape in that battle. As expected the “Malavas“ were enemies of their neighbour-Oxydra-Kai (Not identified , so far) and to face Alexander, they made peace and each unmarred Malava boy and girl was married to Oxydra-kai girls and boys. Though the Greeks said that they won, but the scene of the treaty negotiations, does not reflect the ‘defeated’ Mallovai. From the Punjab ‘Malwa’ they went to Rajasthan and finally to Central Indian and named it as ‘Malwa’ They had a republican form of government and their coins have the legends ‘Malavanam Jaya’, ‘Malavaganasya Jaya’, etc. The Present Mall Jats are their descendants. Incidentally the Saubhuti (or-Sophytes of the Greeks) are the modern Sobhati (Punjabis) and Agiri or Agri is a caste in some Rohtak Villages. It is significant that Niti Prakashika calls them “devoid of religion” Megasthenes says that they settled in the Punjab at the time of Dionysius (Denavesa ? ) [1] Panini and Chandra say that they were neither Brahmans nor Kshatriyas. They buried their dead and mounds were raised over their dead. (Mal/ Malli/Mahlavat [2] seem to be the same. Mālavata as such are mentioned by Patanjali) [3]

Mahil was the name of the King- after his name Mahla gotra is known. According to the book "JAT GOTRA SHABDAWALI" by Dr. Mahendra Singh Arya, Mahla gotra has been derived from Mahilwati.

Another theory is that there was a king in Haryana who had three sons. One was Khichar , another was Mahla & third one was Kulhari. These sons came to Rajasthan. Mahlas settled in a place called Bhalaria in Jhunjhunu. From there they migrated to other places in Rajathan. As a matter of fact Mahla & Khichars are considered brothers & don’t marry in their gotras.

Bhim Singh Dahiya gives detailed information about Malli/Mallhi as under: [4]

These people are mentioned as Mall, Malaya, Mala and Malloi. Their equation with Malavas of history and literature has been accepted by all.19 It is considered the Mallavas are non-existent today and have been absorbed in the Rajputs of today. [5] This is not correct and indicates only the pathetic plight of modern historians who never see beyond the Rajputs. This state of affairs is indicated by DHNI, which says that Mauryas are a sub-division of the Paramaras [6] and further that the Paramaras are descendants from Rastrakutas, through Akālavarsha, Krissnaraja (888 A.D.) of south Gujarat. [7] It is unthinkable that the ancient Mauryas were a clan of the 9th-10th century A.D. Paramaras. The hollowness of this claim is self-evident and need not be discussed further and such attempts are the result of the pathetic tendency mentioned above.

Now Malla or Malli/Mallh are still an existing clan among the Jats and on all tests of historicity they are proved to be the ancient Malavas or Mallas. Sanskrit grammarians and Chanakya mention the fact that these people were their own sacrificers. They did not employ the Brahmanas for priestly duties. Further Megasthenes in his Fragments mentions a special point about the Mallavas when he says that these people used to worship the grave mounds of their ancestors.

Now both these traditions are still maintained. The grave of the ancestors are in the form of a mound of earth on which a brick platform is raised. These platforms worshipped on important days like the birth of a son or marriage, etc., are called Jaṭher. Most of the Jat clans have such Jathers which are considered sacred. On the important fares held on these jathers, a person from a particular Jat clan officiates as priest and the offerings are taken away by the said 'priest' or by the clan as a whole. We now quote from the Tribes and Castes to prove our point. The Chahals, Gills, Sindhus, Dhillons, etc., all have their sacred Jathers. Particularly the Mallhi Jats of Ludhiana have the Jather of Mari Lachhman at village Pabbian in Ludhiana district. The people belong to the Mallhi clan and the offerings at the fare are taken by the Mallhi Jats collectively. Another such fare is held annually at Mari village in Moga district, Ferozepore. "At the temple of Lachhman Sidh at Mari viIlage in Moga Tehsil a fare is held annually on the 14th Chet. Lachhman was a Mallhi Jat. The temple contains no image. Only a round platform which is kept covered with a sheet. A lamp is lit every evening by a Mallhi Jat of Mari. No Pujari is employed, but one from the tribe is chosen to officiate at the fare and he takes away the offerings".[8]

The Gill Jats hold a fare of Raja, who was a Jat, in village Rajiana, Tehsil Moga in Ferozepore. The temple "contains no image, only a platform of burnt bricks. Its administration is carried on by the Gill Jats, its votaries. They bring a Gill Jat Chela to officiate at the fare and he takes away the offerings".

Both these instances prove conclusively the correctness of the observations of Megasthenes and others. The Mallavas are still offering worship at the grave mounds of their ancestors and no special priest is employed. They are their own sacrificers. V.A. Smith was correct when he said that the Mallaoi were foreigners in India. [9]

Malli Jats and Alexander's invasion

After reducing Aornos, Alexander crossed the Indus and fought and is believed to have won an epic battle against a local ruler Porus (original Indian name Raja Puru), who ruled a region in the Punjab, in the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BC.

After the battle, Alexander was greatly impressed by Porus for his bravery in battle, and therefore made an alliance with him and appointed him as satrap of his own kingdom, even adding some land he did not own before. Alexander then named one of the two new cities that he founded, Bucephala, in honor of the horse who had brought him to India, who had died during the Battle of Hydaspes. Alexander continued on to conquer all the headwaters of the Indus River.

East of Porus' kingdom, near the Ganges River (original Indian name Ganga), was the powerful empire of Magadha ruled by the Nanda dynasty. Fearing the prospects of facing another powerful Indian army and exhausted by years of campaigning, his army mutinied at the Hyphasis River (the modern Beas River) refusing to march further east. This river thus marks the easternmost extent of Alexander's conquests:

As for the Macedonians, however, their struggle with Porus blunted their courage and stayed their further advance into India. For having had all they could do to repulse an enemy who mustered only twenty thousand infantry and two thousand horse, they violently opposed Alexander when he insisted on crossing the river Ganges also, the width of which, as they learned, was thirty-two furlongs, its depth a hundred fathoms, while its banks on the further side were covered with multitudes of men-at-arms and horsemen and elephants. For they were told that the kings of the Ganderites and Praesii were awaiting them with eighty thousand horsemen, two hundred thousand footmen, eight thousand chariots, and six thousand fighting elephants.

[10]


Alexander, after the meeting with his officer Coenus, was convinced that it was better to return. Alexander was forced to turn south. Along the way his army ran into the Malli clans (in modern day Multan). The Malli were the most warlike clans in South Asia during that period. Alexander's army challenged the Malli, and the ensuing battle led them to the Malli citadel. During the assault, Alexander himself was wounded seriously by a Mallian arrow.[11].[12] His forces, believing their king dead, took the citadel and unleashed their fury on the Malli who had taken refuge within it,perpetrating a massacre,sparing neither man,woman nor child.[13] Following this, the surviving Malli surrendered to Alexander's forces, and his beleaguered army moved on.He sent much of his army to Carmania (modern southern Iran) with his general Craterus, and commissioned a fleet to explore the Persian Gulf shore under his admiral Nearchus, while he led the rest of his forces back to Persia by the southern route through the Gedrosian Desert (now part of southern Iran and Makran now part of Pakistan).

Alexander left forces in India however. In the territory of the Indus, he nominated his officer Peithon as a satrap, a position he would hold for the next ten years until 316 BC, and in the Punjab he left Eudemus in charge of the army, at the side of the satrap Porus and Taxiles. Eudemus became ruler of a part of the Punjab after their death. Both rulers returned to the West in 316 BC with their armies. In 321 BCE, Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire in India and overthrew the Greek satraps.

Presently they are known mainly as Mahla. Here is the distribution of Mahla clan in various states:

Distribution in Haryana

There are Mahla Gotra Jat in village Ghasola near Charkhi Dadri in Bhiwani district.

Villages in Bhiwani district

Ghasola,mirchpur,premnagar

Villages in Sirsa district

Chautala, Jasania (जसनिया),

Villages in Yamunanagar District

Sudhail and sudhul

Villages in Jhajjar district

Subana, Babepur, Gudha

Villages in Rewari district

Bawal,

Villages in Palwal district

Likhi, Dakora

Distribution in Rajasthan

Locations in Jaipur city

Adarsh Nagar, AG Colony, Ambabari, Bajaj Nagar, Banipark, Bapu Nagar, Brahmpuri, C-Scheme, Khatipura, Maharani Farm, Mansarowar Colony, Murlipura Scheme, Queens Road, Sethi Colony, Shastri Nagar, Vidyut Nagar,

Villages in Sikar district

Abhawas, Alafsar, Badhadar, Banthod, Bhainrupura, Bhauji ki Dhani, Bhilunda, Chhota Pana ki dhani, Dadia (Rampura), Dedi Dhani (Ramgarh), Deewan ji ka Bas, Dhani Berawali(Dadi Rampura), Disnau, Hamirpura, Jajod, Karanpura (Khud), Kerpura, Khinwasar, Khudi Bari, Palsana, Pura ki Dhani, Sadinpura, Shivsinghpura, Sikar, Srimadhopur, Swarupnagar, Swarupsar, Tidwa, Udansar,

Villages in Jhunjhunu district

Ajari Kalan, Angasar, Ardawata (अरड़ावता), Badalwas, Bajawa, Bhapar, Bhatiwar, Bhorki, Bhurasar Ka Bas, Bugala, Jalimpura, Kari, Khajpur Naya, Kodesar, Mahla Ki Dhani (Bhorki), Nar Singhani, Posana, Seethal, Seja Ki Dhani, Shobha ka bas, Sonasar, Tamkor, Warispura Bara,

Villages in Churu district

Barjangsar, Dudhwa khara, Kadia, Raghunathpura,

Villages in Alwar District

Behror, Jat Behror, Tikla,

Villages in Jaipur districct

Dhanota,

Villages in Bhilwara District

Bhilwara,

Villages in Hanumangarh District

Bhagwansar, Nukera, Ratanpura, Pakka Sarna, Phephana, Sangariya,

Villages in Nagaur district

Kushalpura,

Distribution in Punjab

Villages in Firozpur district

Dighawali, Paniwala Mahla,

Villages in Fatehgarh Sahib district

Mahla Heri,

Villages in Moga district

Villages in Nawanshahr district

Villages in Patiala district

Mahlan village is in Dera Bassi tahsil in Patiala district, Punjab.

Villages in Rupnagar district

Villages in Sangrur district

Distribution in Madhya Pradesh

Villages in Ratlam district

Villages in Ratlam district with population of this gotra are: Mehla: Ratlam 1, Mela: Banjali 2, Barbodana 1, Bardiya goyal 1, Kalmoda 3, Kotdi 2, Malakheda 1,

Notable persons of this gotra

  • Sant Ram Mahla - Retd Deputy Collector ,Jind ,Haryana .He was from Israna ,panipat.
  • Major Partap Singh Mahalawat was in London from Jatwada Delhi.
  • Hawaldar Mani Ram Mahla - Martyr of Kargil War
  • Ch. Khazan Singh Mahalwar - Pradhan of village Dabathala(Meerut), U.P. was highly esteemed.
  • Ved Sharan Mahalwar was a principal at Meerut and was highly revered among his disciples spread all over the world.
  • Yashpal Singh Mahalwar was a leading revenue lawyer and remained President of Meerut Bar for long.
  • Capt. Uday Singh Mahalwar - Former secretary of dist. soldier board, helped a large number of persons in getting opportunity to serve the armed forces of India.
  • Dr. Dhanveer Singh Mahalwar - a great scientist at Aligarh and contributed to the chemistry world.
  • Dr.Tej Pal Singh Mahalwar - an eminent scientist.
  • Ch. Sheoraj Singh Mahalwar rendered yeoman service as Principal at Simbhawali.
  • [[SWR VIDYA DHAR MAHLA]] - Armoured Corps, OP CACTUS LILY 06-12-1971, Home state Rajasthan
  • Nemi Chand Mahla - Martyr of Kargil war
  • Late Col. Gokul Ram Mahlawat - He was famous for his brevery from Jat Behror , Rajasthan .
  • Late Shobha Ram Arya - He was famous for his services at Gramothan Vidyapeeth Sangaria with Swami Keshvanand.
  • Col. Phool Singh Mahala - Director, Rajasthan Soldier Welfare Board (2009)
  • Suresh Singh Mahlawat - Mining Contractor of Rajasthan & Haryana.
  • Sunil Mahla - IAS (2010), from Seja Ki Dhani (सेजा की ढाणी) village Ajari Kalan in Jhunjhunu tahsil & district in Rajasthan.

External Links

References

  1. ↑ Fragments, XLVI,7
  2. ↑ Fragments, XXXVII, 7
  3. ↑ Bhim Singh Dahiya, Jats the Ancient Rulers ( A clan study), 1980, Sterling Publishers New Delhi
  4. ↑ Bhim Singh Dahiya, Jats the Ancient Rulers ( A clan study), 1980, Sterling Publishers New Delhi , p.339-340
  5. ↑ S.B. Chaudhari, The Mallavas, p. 179.
  6. ↑ DHNI, p. 1154.
  7. ↑ ibid., p. 842.
  8. ↑ Vol. I, p. 282.
  9. ↑ CCIM, Vol. 1. p. 174-76.
  10. ↑ Plutarch,Vita Alexandri,62
  11. ↑ Plutarch, Alexander 63.5
  12. ↑ The Baldwin Project: The Story of Greece by Mary Macgregor
  13. ↑ History of Ancient India by Rama Shankar Tripathi[1]

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