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brar
July 25th, 2003, 09:17 PM
Hi folks,

I've recently come to know that there are Jats among the Sikhs also. I've been told that Sikhism is just a religion which was adopted by most of the castes in Punjab i.e. United Punjab.

I've across a few gotras which are common between Hindu and Sikh Jats, for e.g.
Gill, Sindhu/Sandhu, Mann, Grewal, Sidhu, Brar, Chahal, Punia, Cheema, Dhillon, Dhull, Antal, Atwal, Dhaliwal, Sangra, Tiwana, Bains, Pannu, Balyan etc..

I am actually convinced that since the Jats of Haryana and Punjab share the same agrarian culture, they are one and the same. The Jats of Punjab also inter-marry into Jat Sikhs only and have thereby retained their identity. In fact in a census of the Jat community carried out by the Britishers somewhere in the 1930s, the minimum number of Jats were in the Hindu religion and their counterparts in the Sikh and Muslim faith far outnumbered them.

This interesting bit of information is often overlooked out of sheer ignorance or design. It is logical as well because Punjab and Haryana are neighbouring states divided on lingual lines and not ethnic ones. Ethnic similarities between the people is nothing but natural.

It is the Jat element in Sikhism which has given it a militant colour. It is well documented in Sikh history that following mass conversions by the Jats of the Malwa region of Punjab, Sikhism began to take on increasingly militant overtones and it was the Jats who having accepted the Sikh faith, turned it into a formidable force. In fact the Jat Sikhs were referred to as "the flower of the Khalsa Army during Maharaja Ranjit Singh's reign. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was also a Jat.

Jats have always powered Sikh politics. It is mandatory for the chief minister of Punjab to be a Jat Sikh because of the fact that Jat Sikhs are the most powerful and influential community in Punjab. Even the present chief minister Amarinder Singh is a Jat belonging to the Sidhu clan. The previous chief minister Parkash Singh Badal is a Dhillon with Badal being the name of his village.

Jat Sikhs share the same rural background as their Hindu Jat brethren of Haryana. People who are interested in treating the two as separate are only propagating ignorance.

BRAR

shekhar_nehra
July 25th, 2003, 11:05 PM
Bikram Ji,
Welcome to Jatland.

I knew there were Jat-sikh but was unaware of their political influence. It is intresting to note this fact.

brar
July 26th, 2003, 01:02 PM
Nehra Ji,

Ram Ram

I'm glad that you liked my article on Jat Sikhs. Another interesting piece I'd like to share with the members of this site is the presence of Jat Sikhs in the Indian Army which I'm sure people on this site might not be well acquainted with. Here is an extract from a book authored in 1911 by G.F. MacMunn titled "THE ARMIES OF INDIA" -

Here are extracts from a book "THE ARMIES OF INDIA" by G.F. MacMunn which was first published in 1911.

...The Jat Sikh forming bulk of the (Sikh) fraternity are those who have served us (the British) the most, and who probably make the best soldiers. The Jat is a peasant farmer before anything else, however. In spite of the military tenets of his faith, his sayings are all of the plough, and a plough is the first toy of the Sikh's son.

The Jat race, from whom so many Sikhs were made, is described farther on under Jat and Gujar, but must be referred to here. There is much discussion as to their origin, but it seems probable that are in reality of a Scythian race, with whom some identify the Jatii (Getae) of history and the Magyars and gypsies of Esatern Europe. To what extent and when they mingled with the Aryan race and to what extent the distinction between them and the Aryans is social, it is impossible to tell.The Scythian tribes undoubtedly adopted Buddhism soon after their arrival, and later Hinduism. All Jats are cultivators, and the name has become almost the name of an occupation. The inhabitants of the Indus Valley when the river leaves the mountains are largely Muhammadan Jats.

The military services of the Sikhs in our service are well known. The Sikh regiments, whether those raised just before the Mutiny, such as the 14th or 15th Sikhs, the regiments of Ferozepore and Ludhiana, or the 35th and 45th, are equally famous, as are those regiments that enlist class squadrons and companies of Sikhs, and the regiments of Pioneers. Their military reputation, so far as our (the British) service is concerned largely dates from the Mutiny, when the Sikhs flocked to our (the British) standards. Since those days, the Punjabi in general, especially the Sikh, has become a world wide adventurer.

In appearance they are well known: tall, well-knit men, with their long hair pulled up under their head-dress, their beards and moustaches neatly curled up close to the face, and their miltary bearing all stamp the man, even to those with only a bowing acquaintance with Hindustan. As a fighting man, his slow wit and dogged courage give him many of the characteristics of the British soldier at his best.

We should be proud that our Jat brothers amongst the Sikhs have also carved a place for themselves in the annals of the Indian Army. In fact the SIKH REGIMENT which is composed almost entirely of Jat Sikhs is documented as being the most decorated regiment of the Indian Army with 1 SIKH being the most decorated battalion of the commonwealth.

It goes to prove the fact that Jats, in whichever religion they are, are simply the best.

BRAR

shekhar_nehra
July 27th, 2003, 01:28 AM
Bikram ji,

Even more interesting to note the military influence.

jagmohan
September 11th, 2003, 03:09 PM
Dear All,

JAT SIKHS and JATS are the same, from the same stock and are brothers. Let me give you a brief insight into history.

Guru Govind Singh Ji asked for five people whom he wanted to sacrifice for the 'Panth'. The five who came forward were: one Khatriya, one JAT, a Calico Painter, one Water Carrier (Bhisti) and one Barber. These five later came to be known as Panch Pyara's.

Legend has it that when Guru Teg Bahadur Ji was beheaded by the Muslim rulers in Chandni Chowk (Sis Ganj Gurudwara stand there today), the Sikhs took his head and ran on horseback towards North ie towards Anandpur Sahib. The horses need to take rest and water, so they stopped at a village called 'Badkhalsa' (Now situated near Delhi - Haryana border). A JAT villager understood that these brave SIKHS would not be able to out run the Muslim horsemen and did something which should make us all, JATS and SIKHS, proud. He asked the villagers to behead him and hand over his head to the chasing horsemen. (The JAT had resemblence with Guru Teg Bahadur. He was similar in built). He was beheaded, the SIKHS were able to take the head of their Guru to Anandpur Sahib and the Muslims returned to Delhi with the head of this humble JAT from a small village. The village was then given its present name 'BADA KHALSA' by the next SIKH Guru. With times this has now become Badkhalsa.

It is a well known fact that JAT SIKHS and JATS are one. The 'Tilak', 'Tarazu' and 'Talwar' (Brahmin, Bania and Thakur) nexus never wanted the common man to know this, and that is why extortions of our history by these.

Keep searching and you would find many such examples.

Lt Col JS Malik (Retd)
JAT BALWAN, JAI BHAGWAN

ravichaudhary
September 13th, 2003, 03:22 AM
[quote]BIKRAM (Jul 25, 2003 11:57 a.m.):
Hi folks,

I've recently come to know that there are Jats among the Sikhs also. I've been told that Sikhism is just a religion which was adopted by most of the castes in Punjab i.e. United Punjab.

I've across a few gotras which are common between Hindu and Sikh Jats, for e.g.


*********

May I also encourage you and others to go through the archives of this site, and also of the Yahoo Jathistory site URL below.


You will find much of interest

Do join the group as well. We can use all the support.

Ravi

vikrantsiwag
September 19th, 2003, 06:46 PM
Dear Bikram ji.

this is true that sikh jats and hindu jats are same.adding to the list provided by u ,Siwag(Sehwag,Suhag,Siwal,Siwach) which all are actually single gotra are also common in both.

Vikrant.