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sandeepbalyan
July 26th, 2002, 02:21 PM
So what a is Hindu JAT , i mean what caste is he? since JAT is more of
a
race than a caste.What is massa Gatae , didn't get any hits on the
search
engines. Interestingly my grandfather's name was Massa Singh
Sandhu.Below
i'll post some information i found on JATs,

The Jats are not a homogeneous ethnic group living in a particular
area and
speaking a single language. Rather, they are a people who live
scattered
around the world among several ethnic groups, yet retain their own
identity.
This distinction is often based on occupation and heritage.

The Jats are primarily located in northwestern India and southern
Pakistan,
although there are also significant communities in Maldives, Russia,
and
Ukraine. However, their origin, history, and current dispersion are
spread
much wider. History proves that they reached Egypt with the Muslim
conquerors, lived in Afghanistan before the Muslims, and invaded China
with
the Mongol army. They also proved to be a threat to Tamarlane in
Persia and
Uzbekistan.

There are different opinions as to the origin of the Jats, but most
seem to
recognize them to be of Indo-Aryan descent. There is also a theory
suggesting that they may be the predecessors of Gypsies. Whatever
their
origin, in the eighteenth century, the Jats became a force that could
not be
ignored.

What are their lives like?
Overall, the Jats have a very good self image. "Men may come and men
may go,
but I go on forever," is a well known Jat proverb. They are brave,
hardworking people who possess both the desire and ability to rule. It
has
been said that no Jat wants to be ruled. Rather, he desires to have
power
over a group, if not over an area.

Known for their military prowess, many Jats were recruited into the
British-India army during World War I. Before that, they served as
fighters
in the Persian army. In times past, a Jat who did not have a horse was
looked down upon by his peers. Today, the Jats are well read, and some
occupy high positions in academic and technical arenas.

In India and Pakistan, the Jats are usually either farmers or nomadic
herdsmen. Sometimes they are even forced to do both. Different tribes
of
nomads breed different types of animals. Because they value
thriftiness and
diligence, the Jats are often regarded as miserly. The settled Jat
farmers
grow cereals such as wheat, maize, and millet. They also raise
sugarcane as
a cash crop. Fruits, vegetables, and rice are grown in certain areas.
Only
the men work in the fields, while the women are responsible for
maintaining
the household. The basic diet of peasant Jats consists of unleavened
bread
and curry, seasonal vegetables, ghee (a type of butter), and milk.

sandeepbalyan
July 26th, 2002, 02:21 PM
<continue>...............

Most of the Jats live in rural areas. Depending on whether they are
settled
farmers or nomadic herdsmen, they may live in permanent villages or
temporary camps. Most Jat villages are compact. They consist of small
homes,
cattle sheds, a village square, and a well or pond. The houses
generally
have flat roofs and are made of baked or unbaked bricks. Nomadic Jats
live
in portable huts that are usually made of reed mats and wood.

Conservative by nature, the Jats rarely marry people from other ethnic
groups. Great pride is placed in their ancestry. In fact, all the Jats
in a
particular village consider themselves to be the descendants of the
man whom
they believe founded it by the power of the sword. Physically, the
Jats are
taller and heavier than most of their neighbors. Because of their
larger
build, their reputation for violence, and the fact that they control
much of
the land and village income, they are generally feared.

What are their beliefs?
Most Jats are either Muslims, Hindus, or Sikhs. (Sikhism is a
monotheistic
religion that combines elements of Hinduism and Islam.) The Jats
living in
Pakistan, Russia, and Ukraine are primarily Muslim; while 80% of the
Jats in
India are Hindu.

The Muslim Jats are Sunnis of the Hanafi school, but are known to have
a
strong tradition of worshipping many local saints. The Hindu Jats
adhere to
the traditional practices, as well as a wide variety of additional
beliefs
and practices. Until recent times, the Sikh Jats seemed to be the
least
meticulous in their observance of Sikh traditions, leaning more
towards
Hinduism. Regardless of their religious affiliation, all Jats observe
many
ceremonies, especially rites of passage such as circumcision and
initiation
into adulthood.

kharb
July 26th, 2002, 03:31 PM
Hi,

You might want to correct the last sentence in your response. As for the gypsies having Jats as their ancestors, there is some proof in terms of language and features. They are believed to be jats who were taken by the afghan invanders from India and from there dispered around esp in Asia and Eastern Europe.