Gagrah

Gagrah (गागरह) is a Jat clan found in Multan, Pakistan. Gadwar (गदवार ) Jat clan is found in Multan.

Origin

• Gagga, governor of Lohara, of Rajatarangini may be Gagrah of Jat clan. (p.3-5)

History

Rajatarangini tells....This time the king Uchchala (b.1070,r.1101–1111) of Lohara family was in a great dilemma. His ministers and petty chieftains acted like highwaymen, his brother wished a civil war in the kingdom, and his treasury was empty. He honored his brother by bestowing on him the government of Lohara, and sent him to that province. His brother took with him elephants, arms, infantry, cavalry, treasures and ministers, and the king,

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[p.4]: fear fled to the north of the bathing place, and Bhimadeva with his arms ran after him in order to kill him. But the accountant of the house saw the affair from behind a pillar and cut Janakachandra by the sword into two in the middle. On his death, his two younger brothers, Gagga and Saḍḍ, ran to the spot and they too were wounded by the sword by the same man who still remained unseen. A fierce man, who kills a great enemy, like the thunderbolt that smites a tree, does not remain long. Thus on the 2nd of Bhadra of the same year and neither more nor less than three fortnights after the death of Harsha, Janakachandra was killed. He too wasted away in brooding over his sin of murdering his master who did him good. The king, though inwardly pleased, feigned anger and grief, and hence Bhimadeva fled. Gagga, however, trusted the king and was sent by him to Lohara to have his wounds healed, but the Damaras took flight, left their country and fled.

Thus order was slowly restored in the country which Uchchala had got by artifice and had cleared of oppressors. The king who thus obtained peace, felt a desire for conquest, and within a few days drove out the Damaras and their cavalry from Kramarajya. The king then went to Madva and having captured Kaliya and other Damaras who were against him, impaled them. The king with a strong army attacked within the city, the powerful Ilaraja who had gradually possessed himself of a part of the kingdom, and destroyed him.

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[p.5]: The king loved Gagga as his own son, probably because the king knew the heart of this man or probably it was owing to friendship which existed between them in their former birth. He was never angry with Gagga even when Gagga did wrong. The king loved his subjects but could not brook oven the name of an enemy. He remembered the two good advices which wise Bhimadeva had given him when he commenced to reign. Following the first advice, he used to set out in the morning and would wander through the streets to learn the views of the people. (Gagga → Gagrah)

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Rajataranginitells....Sussala's plan of usurpation: Sussala, though possessed of wealth of all kinds, planned the usurpation of the kingdom and meditated an attack on his brother. The king heard all of a sudden that his brother had crossed Varahavartta and had fallen on him with the speed of a hawk. The active king issued out for battle before his opponent could gain a firm footing, and 'ell on him with his large army and did him much harm. The younger brother fled towards his quarters, leaving his baggage behind. The king returned with success but heard that his brother had returned on the following day, bent on mischief. By his orders Gaggachandra marched out with a large army to crush the force of Sussala. The battle raged for a long time and innumerable hardy soldiers of Sussala departed to heaven, and assuaged the fatigue of the women in the garden of that place. In this battle Sahadeva and Yudhishthira, two Rajputs, paid with their lives the debt of favor they owed to their master. Gagga captured the fleeing horsemen of the enemy who rode on beautiful horses which excited the curiosity even of the king who had many horses. The king marched with his army, quickly pursued his brother towards Kramarajya by the way of Selyapura road. Thus pursued by his elder brother, Sussala with his handful followers entered the country of Darad. The king killed Loshtaka, the Damara inhabitant of Selyapura, because he gave passage to Sussala, and entered the city Selyapura. When Sussala had gone far away, the king though polluted with sins, did not try to possess the hills of Lohara out of love for his brother. Sussala was married to the pure Meghamanjari, daughter of Vijayapala. She had lost her father and had been affectionately brought up by her mother's father Kahla, king of Kalindara, as his own child. Such was the power of Sussala that though it was then winter yet his enemies at Lohara could not oppose him. (p.17-18)

Distribution in Punjab

Bhagpur Alias Gagrah is a village in Moga District of Punjab.

References

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