- The Kangs: The Kang Jats are also a clan of remote antiquity. They are mentioned as early as seventh century B.C. The Chinese mention them as, Kiang-nu. R. Sankrityayana says that the Kangs were branch of Massagetae. [SUP]214[/SUP] He traces the word Massagetae from Massaga which in turn is taken from Mahasaka. In the Ramayana
<small>214. MAKI, p. 75; also see Bergermann,
Les Scythes. </small>
[Page 76]: the
Mahi-
Sakas are mentioned with
Rishikas.[SUP]215[/SUP] Kasika on Panini says: ऋषिकेषु जात आर्षिक:, महिषिकेषु जात: महिषिक (
Arshikas are born of
Rishikas and
Mahi-
Sakas are born of
Mahishikas). This also establishes the connection of the
Massagetae, viz., the great
Jats with the
Sakas. About the
Kangs, R. Sankritayayana says that the founders of the canal system in
Central Asia were the ancestors of the
Kangs, viz.,
Massagetae.[SUP]216[/SUP] These canals of the
Jats in
Central Asia are now being excavated by the
Russians. The ancient canals are practically intact, only filled with sand of the nearby deserts. Numerous cities of the
Kangs are being uncovered. Coins, images, and even inscriptions of the
Kang language have been found in
Toprak Kala.[SUP]217
[/SUP]
These findings refute the theories of the barbaric nature and nomadic living habits of the
Jats in
Central Asia. Cities, languages, coins, images and canals, presuppose a well settled population in
seventh century B.C. Of course, as is well known, the
Jats had only two professions, viz., war or fighting and agriculture-cum-cattle breeding. That is why they had dug up a huge canal system for irrigation and that is why they had developed the
stepped well and the
Persian wheel well are mentioned by Agarwala.[SUP]218[/SUP] Of course, for grazing the cattle, the people used to cover extensive areas. This habit is still there and we find huge herds of cows, etc., coming to U.P., Haryana and Punjab areas from
Jodhpur,
Jaisalmer side almost every year during the dry seasons. Therefore, although a large portion of the population was definitely settled in villages and cities, a fairly large section were constantly on the move with their cows and horses and of course, their arms.
According to MAKI, the canals laboriously constructed by the
Messagetae were covered by sand in 5th century A.D. or later. These were constructed prior to Akhamenian Empire or Persia and the
Kangs refused to be defeated by
Cyrus the Great. These canals are now lying in the womb of the desert of
Kizilkun. [SUP]219[/SUP] The same author says that
Yue-che were linguistically
Sakas. Further, Wusun, Saiwang, Kang and Parthian (Pahlva) are dialects
<small> 215.
Kishkindha Kanda, 41.10. अब्रवंतीम् अवंतीम् च सर्वम् एव अनुपश्यत । विदर्भान् ऋष्टिकान् चैव रम्यान् माहिषकान् अपि ॥४-४१-१०॥ </small>
<small>216. op. cit. </small>
<small>217. ibid., p. 162, and Archaeology in USSR. </small>
<small>218. op. cit. </small>
<small>219. MAKI, p. 160. </small>
[Page-77]: of
Saka language.[SUP]220[/SUP] That is why the
Chinese traveller,
Changkian writes that from
Fargana to
Parthia, the same language was spoken.[SUP]221[/SUP]
Parthian was in fact a minor
Saka tribe and helped by the
Kangs and other clans, the
Parthians established their empire up to
Caspian sea.[SUP]222[/SUP] It was during this Parthian Empire that many
Sakas from the
Yue-che lands were established in Eastern
Iran and the area of their settlement was named after them as
Sakasthan, modern
Siestan. That is why the
Sakas and , the
Parthians, though bitterly fighting among themselves outside and inside India also, were treating each other as brothers during peace time. After the start of the Christian era, they gave many royal houses to India such as the
Sahravat, the
Kasvans, the
Dharan (
Guptas), etc. And it is not only to India that they gave such royal dynasties. At least three dynasties of
China were established by these people. As is well known, a number of
Chinese ladies were married by these people and for centuries this process was continued. It was due to the mixing of Chinese blood in this manner that these people acquired in the later periods of history some
Mongoloid features.
See -
Bhim Singh Dahiya :
Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study)/The Jats,p.75-77)