Preface to History of Jats by the Author

[DrRajpalSingh]

Friends,

A work of art is beauty forever and its significance and beauty keeps on increasing with the passage of time. This fact aptly applies to the History of Jats by Lt. Ram Sarup Joon which appeared several decades ago and continues to draw readers even today.

Therefore, we are presenting the Preface of the Book : History of Jats authored by Ram Sarup Joon fort he readers so that they could see for themselves how this classic of the Jats came into being; how much labour was required to bring out this book worth reading and that too in the form of a research monograph .

The worth and significance of this pioneering effort to reconstruct the history of the Jats by Lt. Ram Sarup Joon may be understandable if we look at the times when this exercise was undertaken by him at the time when there existed no worth-while work on the topic of his research and the availability of sources of history was not as easy as it is today when repositories and archives are at one click of key away for researchers nowadays.

Without adding further comments we proceed to present his preface to the book in his own words so that readers could draw their own conclusions on the issue.


Enjoy reading please.

[DrRajpalSingh]

​PREFACE

BY

RAM SARUP JOON

This book on the history of Jats is the product of my dedicated efforts of a life time.

In the early days of my Army Service, in the first decade of twentieth century, I frequently

heard disparaging remarks about the origin of the Jats, that they were not Kstrias, but Shudras:

that they were a low form of Rajputs born of low caste women or excommunicated due to indulging

in sacrilegious practices like widow marriage; that they were descendants of Huns and Scythians

who invaded India in about 200 B.C.




To be continued…./-

[DrRajpalSingh]

On one hand were these remarks and on the other the fact that Jats are a fine people

in all respects; they live in compact mass in the heart of India on the most fertile

Indo-Gangetic plain, that traditional abode of Aryans, they have typically Aryan features

and complexion; they produce the best soldiers and sports men of India. The two [views]

were incompatible. How could such a fine people be the third rate products of another

people who were physically inferior and ​content with living on the aridlands of Rajasthan

or the mere remnants of passing invaders.




To be continued…./-

[DrRajpalSingh]

I tried to find an answer to this dilemma in books on Indian History.

To my dismay, I found that the history of this valiant and ancient Aryan

race had been either destroyed or distorted beyond recognition and did not

exist in any worth-while book form. Only brief references to the Jats were

found in modern history books and encyclopedia, and these also denied to the

Jats any ancient Aryan heritage and described them as descendants of foreign invaders.

I was to learn later that these records were deliberate historical sabotage,first by Brahmin

historians of Rajput era because of antagonism and later by British historians because it was

their policy to sever Indian martial races from their proud past so that their self respect

did not make them resent subjugation.




To be continued…./-​

[urmiladuhan]

Dr Rajpal, I really liked the first line you wrote in this post : that appreciation of beauty increases with the age of the beauty. I find this is precisely why I like beautiful historical art objects. It is age that adds to their beauty, I think.

Regards,

Urmila.

Friends,

A work of art is beauty forever and its significance and beauty keeps on increasing with the passage of time. This fact aptly applies to the History of Jats by Lt. Ram Sarup Joon which appeared several decades ago and continues to draw readers even today.

Therefore, we are presenting the Preface of the Book : History of Jats authored by Ram Sarup Joon fort he readers so that they could see for themselves how this classic of the Jats came into being; how much labour was required to bring out this book worth reading and that too in the form of a research monograph .

The worth and significance of this pioneering effort to reconstruct the history of the Jats by Lt. Ram Sarup Joon may be understandable if we look at the times when this exercise was undertaken by him at the time when there existed no worth-while work on the topic of his research and the availability of sources of history was not as easy as it is today when repositories and archives are at one click of key away for researchers nowadays.

Without adding further comments we proceed to present his preface to the book in his own words so that readers could draw their own conclusions on the issue.


Enjoy reading please.

[DrRajpalSingh]

I tried to find an answer to this dilemma in books on Indian History. .................................................. .................................................. . did not make them resent subjugation.

To be continued…./-​

Contd from post 4 above/=

Some early historians like Herodotus, Arrian, Abul Gazi, Todd and Kanungo did in their

writings bring to light very important facts of the glorious past of the Jats. But these were

neglected or deliberatly discarded in the books ;rldjuced later under the patronage of our

English rulers and taught in our educational insstitutions.It is a matter of great regret that

modern Indian historians have been mostly content with convenient copying. Little effort has

been made by them towards research to lay bare these fallacies and rediscover the true past,

not only of the Jats but also the rest of the Indians. Jats have unfortunately produced no eminent

historian and few Jats have evinced interest in removing cobwebs of ignorance from their minds and

know their true past. Jats are awaiting moral regeneration.

To be Contd //----

[DrRajpalSingh]

I took a pledge to discover the true past of the Jats. In spite of my meagre education I embarked on the

difficult task of writing a book on the history of Jats. With missionary zal Icarried out extensive tour of Jat area,

interrogated thousands of people andstudied numerous books including Viahnu Puran, Matshya Puran, Maahabharat,

Majmul-ul-tawarikkh, Waqiate Panj Hazar Sala, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan by Col.James Todd, Tarikh Tibri

by Suleman Nadvi, History of the Jatsby Kalka Ranjan Kanungo, Sikhan Dian Bara Mislan, Angrez-wa-Sikhan dianLaraian,

Chief Gazetteer of Punjab, A hand book of the Jats by Bingley and the writings of Arrian, Herodots, Bilhan Kabisar,

Bana Kabisar, General Cunningham,Talvi, Doctor Kashi Prasad Jaiswal, Doctor Desraj, Sir Henry Elliot and Dowson

and Nagendra Nath Banner Jee.


To be contd......

[DrRajpalSingh]

After toiling for 9 years I wrote a book ‘Jat Kshatri’ in Urdu in 1937.

I continued my studies and in keeping with the times, produced a

revised edition in Hindi ‘Jat Itihas’ in 1965. This volume is translation

of the Hindi edition. Through this I hope my words will be conveyed

to the better educated persons who may get the incentive to carry

out more extensive research in this subject and make their contributions

towards the historical emancipation of a noble race.




To be continued/---

[DrRajpalSingh]

The most important factor in which I found the clue to,

and a starting point for thisbook is the system of ‘Gotra

[Sub Caste] in the Jat race. A Jat may change his religion

or domicile but he sticks to his ‘Gotra’ even when he ceases

to becalled a Jat. For example, one can find Maliks not only

amongst Jats but also Sikhs, Muslims and Christians in Europe

and Russia. Same is true lf numerousother Jat ‘Gotras’. In most

cases, inforeign countries, the pronunciation of ‘gotra’ has changed

beyond recognition.






To becontinued/---

[DrRajpalSingh]

In India and adjacent countries, however, the gotras have

survived in their original form in spite of changes in religion.

And these gotras of the present day Jatsfind a proud place

of mention in almost all the ancient Indian books and

scriptures. Scattered like pearls, these show a continuous

link as far back as the dawn of Indian history and civilization.


These pearls, I have tried to gather and string together in the form of this book.


To be continued/--

[DrRajpalSingh]

The above process of collation of facts has proved that Jats are the real

descendants of the Chandarvanshi branch of earliest Aryans. only among

Jats found eighteen basic gotras bearing the names of Aryan elders form

in the first twenty generations of Chandra Vaansh. These are Atre, Budhwar,

Yadu, Proz, Vir Bhadra, Pon Bhadra, Brahma Bhadra, Jakh Bhadra, Atisur Bhadra,

Kalhan Bhadra, Shavi, Takshak, Bachhak, Drehu, Dard and Anu [Olakh].



To be continued.../


[P.S. :
With the advancement of research after Lt. Joon's book appeared in 1967, perhaps, this assertion would not find acceptance of all the readers. But this is the accepted principle of research that tentative conclusions are so arrived at that stimulate further research either to prove or disprove them. And this Lt. Joon did, and did with success as is proved by the researches of later day historians on the Jats like Dahiya, Hukam Singh Pawar et all.]

[DrRajpalSingh]

The wordJat has its origin in ancient Ya-Yati. [P.6] Most of the Jat Gotras haveoriginated from the five tribesb of Yayati and seven descendants of Raja VirBhadra. In due course of time they extended into central [Beru ] Asia andEurope. Circumstances forced some of these to return to India.
Jats are therefore,the original inhabitants of India and a very large number of communities, whothough no longer call themselves Jats have originated from them. These includeall Ahirs, Gujars, and a large number of Rajputs, Pathans, Baluch, Iranians,Turks, Scandanvians, Germans, French, Italians, Greek and British who areoriginally Jats. This book mostly includes the history of Indian Jats and Imyself therefore, do not consider it a comprehensive history of the whole Jatrace.
A largepopulation of the Jats lived in India before the invasion of Huns andScythians. In fact Scythians themselveswere Jats who had migrated out of India earlier and on return to India mergedeasily with their kith and kin. Jats as a race are much elder than the Rajputs.The word Rajput finds no mention in Mahabharat and other books of preMahabharat era. The fiction that Jats are degraded products of Rajputs hastherefore no meaning. In their better days Jats have ruled extensive areas notonly in India but in most of Asia and Europe.
Numeroussubcastes eg. Sway, Takshak, Bachhak, Midh, Youdhia, Maurak, Mulch, Kath Malik,Jatrak Jatrana, Dahiya, Jakhar,Punia,Maan, Gill, Dhillon, Virk, Karskar, Bhatti,Sindhoo, Arh, Gandhar, Chieniema, Noohwal and Dard etc. find their mention asrulers in various parts of india in ancient times. These ‘gotras’ exist amongJats even today. Exploits of Midh Jattribe, five thousand years before the reign of Daryodhana, have been noted in ‘SindhMujmal-al-Tawarikh Waqiat-e-Panj Hazar sala.’ A thousand years before theMahabharat, in Shav[ Shiva], Bayu [Vayu] and Bhasane[Vishnu] Puranas, Raja Ushinir and Raja Vir Bhadra havebeen mentioned as Jats.

To becontinued/---

[DrRajpalSingh]

Eight major Jat gotras bear the names of the descendants ofRaja Vir Bhadra. During the Mahabhaarata period, Northern India was known asthe Jat country. In the Maahabhaaarat, Sabha Prab, Bhisham Prab, Daron Prab and Karan Prab, a large number of states governedby Jats have been enumerated in the order of battle. In Karan Prab Raja Karanhad addressed Raja Shil of Sialkot and twelve tribes as Jatika meaning Jat.Little historical record exists ofthe period upto 22 years after Mahabharat.The period from 1000 B.C. up to therule of Harash Vardhana and even up to the reign of Gupta has been mentioned asdark age in modern history books. Actually this was the golden age of Jat Ruleand an almost continuous record of historical events of this period isavailable. Fourteen generations of Dhillon Jats ruled Delhi from 800 B.C. Mauryawas Jat dynasty. Maha Raja Kanishka, the Uchi, was also a Jat whose forefathershad earlier migrated out of India. Seven tribes which gave battle in Punjab toAlexander, itself contained a large number of Dahiya Jats.

To be continued/---

[DrRajpalSingh]

Jats, in their whole existence have never believed in idol worship.

So, when Budhism came into being, it easily appealed to them

(a reason for most of the Jats being non meat eaters even now).

After the death of Raja Harsh Vardhana Jats lost power. Budhism

also declined and more and more people adopted Pauranic faith and

came under the influence of Brahmanism. Most of the Jats and their

Ahir and Gurjar branches, however, stuck to Budhism and refused to

accept Brahmanism. This was not favourable to the Brahmins. They

staged the farce of Agni Kund (Purification by fire) and created Agnikul

Rajputs amongst their believers.

To be continued/----

[DrRajpalSingh]

They called them the real Akshatryas and excommunicated all others

because, according to tehm the system of widow marriage practised

by Jats, Ahirs and Gujars was scriligious. Widow marriage, however, is

not only according to the dictates of teh Shastras but is a civilised and

humane custorm is proudly practised by the Jats till today. By no stretch

of imagination can it be called anti religious.A permanent rift was,

nevertheless, thus created between Jats and Rajputs. Rajputs came

into power and under their patronage, Brahmins, had a field day in

destroying and distorting teh history of the dissidents, Jats, Ahirs and Gujars.






To be continued/---

[DrRajpalSingh]

In this book, I have tried to provethat Aryans who inhabit not only in Northern India

but most of the countriesfrom Black Sea to the Baltic are of one blood and heritage.

In their longhistory, they have branched off in many directions. All groups, at different

times, gained and lost power, conquered and were conquered and often disintegrated,

adopted different religions, castes and professions, separated from and intermixed with

each other. Out of these, Jats of Yayati Stock, live in the largestsingle homogenous

mass round Delhi. Atleast 75 per cent of the non Jats likeChamars, Barbers and Jogis

who live in this area are in fact Jats who adopted various trades.Being in possession of

the best and most fertile lands from rivers Sindh and tothe Ganges, the Jats did not

feel the necessity of engaging themselves inwarfare against non Aryans and to spread

in the waste lands of Central andSouthern India, and have thus maintained their homogeneity.


To be continued/----

[DrRajpalSingh]

In addition to the Jats, the Ahirswho live in the contiguous areas

are purely of Yayati Stock. Bhardwaj, Kaushik,Mudgil, and Kiroyans

etc Brahmins are descebndants of Yayati Jat Kings who tookto

penance and became Rishis. Gupta, Singhal, Dad, Deopura, Anras,

Oswal,Katariya, Chochanis, etc, sub castes (P.9) found amongst

Baniyas are of YayatiVansa. A large number of Jat Gotras are found

amongst Rajputs, Chandel, Dahiya,Malhi, Jakhar, Bhatti, Karwansra,

Chhonkar, Johiy, Shyal, Tiwana, Janjoha,Dagur, Jhamat, Gondal, Ranjha,

Noon, Khokhar, etc, are Jats of not too distant past,who amalgamated

themselves into Rajputs and started calling themselves Rajputs.

This book therefore, is a historyof not only the Jats but all the

other communities I have mentioned. I hopethis book serves to

give all of them an insight into their past and leads tothe union of their hearts.

RAM SARUP JOON.


-------------Concluded--------

[lrburdak]

Good contribution to the Online Book by Ram Sarup Joon. Now kindly do the paging in other chapters.

[DrRajpalSingh]

Burdakji,

I am on the job and hope to finish it soon.

Thanks and regards

[DrRajpalSingh]

Kind attention; L R Burdak ji,

Paging and also insertion of left out matter done upto page 238 of the History of Jats by Ram Sarup Joon.

Thanks and regards