History of Origin of Some Clans in India/Jat From Jutland/Jat Against Muslim Invaders
History of Origin of Some Clans in India
(with special Reference to Jats)
By Mangal Sen Jindal (1992)
Publisher - Sarup & Sons, 4378/4B, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-110002, ISBN 81-85431-08-6
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Chapter 1: Jat From Jutland
Contents
Jat Against Muslim Invaders
Jats had struggle with Muslim invaders, both in India and Uzbekistan as also in Spain and elsewhere.
Mahmud Ghazni and Moghnl emperors of India were tired of the Jats,
Timur Lung had to struggle very hard to subdue Jats of Samarkand, Tashkant, Khiva and other strongholds.
In fact to save their liberty, the Jats fought bravely with Muslim invaders every-where in Eurasia whenever needed. In modern times, the Jats of West Punjab and Sindh (now Pakistan) in 1947 bad to combat with Muslims. They also made war against Greek invaders in Persia and North-West India. The authorities quoted below will corroborate my viewpoint.
"It is not till after the Greek invasion that we come across coins with the names of kings clearly engraved on them. Excepting, perhaps, a few coins of the time of Alexander, the most important series of such coins were those issued by the Greek rulers of Bactria who ultimately conquered the Punjab and North/Western Frontier.....That it is from these coins alone that we know of nearly 30 Greek kings and Queens who ruled in India ....for nearly two centuries"....Indian People, vet. I, page 57.
"The coinage of the Greeks were initiated by the Scythian and Parthian invaders who followed in their footsteps....One branch of the Scythian invaders who settled permanently in Gujarat and the Kathiawar peninsula" ..... Indian People, Vol. I, page 57.
"The Kushans who followed them likewise issued a large number of coins, but the history of this dynasty is also known from other sources." ..... Indian People, Vol. 1, page 58.
"During the Caliphat of Ali, a great expedition was sent against India in A.D. 660. The Muslim Army advanced up to Kikan or Kikanan. Kikan was a state in the hilly region
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around Bolan Pass and is referred by the Hiuan Tsang as a Kingdom whose people had a pastoral lives amid the great mountains and valleys in separate clans without any ruling chief." History & Culture of Indian People, Vol. Ill, page 169.
Muhammad-bin-Qasim
"Muhammad-bin-Qasim, the Commander on behalf of Hajjaj (near about 708 A.D.) was re-inforced by two thousand select horse sent by Hajjaj and 4000 warlike Jats from Siwistan (Sehwan) in India .... after conquering a few more stronghold, he besieged Multan" History & Culture of Indian People Vol. III, page 172.
Between 724 to 738 A.D., "It would thus appear that the Arabs advanced through Rajasthan and proceeded as far as Malwa in the East and Broach in the South." ..... History & Culture of Indian People, Vol. Ill, page 172.
There was four routs to enter India from West viz.,
- (l) by sea,
- (2) Khybar Pass,
- (3) Bolan Pass,
- (4) Makran Coast.
"The Khybar Pass was guarded by Kabul and Zahull while the Bolan Pass was protected by the brave 'Jats' of Kikan or Kikanan." History & Culture of Indian People, Vol. III, page 174.
(In A.D. 786-809), "The Muslim army from Caliph Al-Mahdi, had also to fight with the hardy 'Jaths' of Kikanan who are known to have resisted the Arabs as back as A.D. 662." History & Culture of Indian People. Vol. IV. page 127.
Mahmud of Ghazni
In A.D. 1025 Mahmud of Ghazni, "On his way thitherto he was greatly troubled by the 'Jats', His long and perilous journey ended in A.D. 1026 ..... in A.D. 1027 Mahmud again came to India to punish the Jats who gave him so much trouble on his return journey from Somnath." .... History and Culture of Indian People, Vol. V, page 21.
"The Jats also made great preparations to meet the invader (Mahmood of Ghazni). They sent their women and children to the islands for safety, and themselves boldly came forward
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with 4000 boats, each filled with valiant fighters. The battle between the two armies began with terrible intensity. Almost all the boats of the Jats were broken into pieces as they dashed against those of the Sultan. A large number of Jats were drowned in the river and those who survived were killed by the Muslim archers. The Sultan next plundered the islands where the families of the Jats were kept with their valuables and then returned to Ghazni." .... History & Culture of Indian People, Vol. V, page 22.
"Masud (son of Mahmood of Ghazni, the Sultan) appointed Ahmad Niyaltigin, Governor of the Punjab .... The Sultan sent a force under the command of Hindu named Tilak against him (Niyaltigin). Tilak reached Lahore and defeated Niyaltigin in a severe engagement. Niyaltigin fled away but was killed by the Jats while Tilak returned to the Royal Court after settling the affairs of the country.
In A.D. 1036 Masud sent his second son Majdud as Governor of Punjab who invested the fort of Hansi in Hissar District." History & Culture of Indian People, Vol. V, page 93.
First expedition of Mahmud Ghazni to India was in 1000 A.D. or 390 A.H History of Ghazni, page 8.
"It was to have been expected that Mahmud, after establishing himself on the throne of Ghazni, would have embraced the
first opportunity of invading India; for while yet a prince, he had seen how easily the hardy warriors of Zabulistan had overcome the more effeminate sons of India." ..... History of Ghazni, page 8.
"I prefer, as on former occasions, the former, the river of Waihind, or the Indus, being a more probable place of action then Peshawar, which was then within the Mohammedan border. The Gakkhers have performed the part assigned to them is probable enough, whether the action was fought at one place or the other; but that the Gakkhars are the ancestors of the modern 'Jats' as Dr. Berd asserts, is altogether a mistake, and likely to read to serious errors." History of Ghazni, page 20.
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"Mahmud, after the capture of Thanesar, was desirous of
proceeding to reduce Delhi...He resolved, therefore, for the
present, to proceed no further, till he bad accomplished these objects. Anandpal, however, conducted himself with so much policy and hospitability towards Mahmud that the Sultan returned peaceably to Ghazni. On this occasion. the
Muhammaden army brought to Ghazni 200,000 captives, so
that the capital appeared like an Indian city, for every soldier of the army had several slaves and slave girls." Firishta- History of Ghazni, page 32 (year 402 A.H.).
"There (Somnath) hung in this temple a golden chain which weighed 200 Indian Mans. Mahmud returned back to Ghazni through the deserts." History of Ghazni, page 54.
Mahmud's father had also invaded India as far as Sodra on the Chinab, where he demolished idols in celebration of Mahmud's birth ..... History of Ghazni, page 8.
During the first invasion. Mahmud Ghazni visited Lamghan Valley of Valley of Jalalabad i.e., Valley to the South and North of Kabul river. In this expedition the Sultan had battle with Jaipal .
In 2nd invasion, Peshawar, Bihand and took Jaipal as prisoner. Bihand was 15 miles above Attock on banks of Indus. Now its name is Hund.
In 3rd, he visited Bhera on left bank of Jhelum under the Salt Range. Old name of Bhera seems to be Bhatia established by Bhatti Rajputs.
In IVth, he crossed Multan and fought with Anandpal Sukhpal was taken prisoner.
In 5th he came to Peshawar only.
In 6th Indus river was taken in Mohemmedan borber. Here he had to fight with Gakkhars. Dr. Berd asserts that were ancestors of modern 'Jats' but Mr. Elliot says it is altogether a mistake and likely to lead to serious errors. History of Ghazni, page 20.
He also visited Nagarkot. He visited Sodra on river Chinab.
In 7th he came to Anhalwara, the capital of Gujarat.
In 8th, after conquest of Ghor, he had practically nothing.
In 9th, he proceeded to hill of Balnat and thereafter into Kashmir to which place Pur-Jaipal had fled. Mahmud converted people of Kashmir into Islam.
10th was to Thanesar which was held in
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the same veneration by Hindus as Macca by the Muslims. On this occasion, Anandpal (Raja of Multan) prepared an entertainment for the reception of the king and issued orders to supply the Muslim camp with every necessity of life. He (Mahmud Ghazni) sent the idol of Jagsom of the Thanesar to Ghazni to be trodden under foot in the street. He took 200,000 captives to Ghazni.
In 11th he went to Lohkot on way to Kashmir.
In 12th he reached Kanauj and then Baren (old name of Bulandshahar) and Mirat (Meerut), Mathura.
"In 13th expedition- Jats of Jud -417 A.H.-It is probable that, on the dissolution of the kingdom of Lahore the Jats of the Jud hills acquired considerable power and by predatory incursions were able to horry their neighbours. Their advance so far from their own country to attack the Muhammedans Army, and the strength of the force with which they opposed it, show that they possessed no inconsiderable power. From a passage quoted by M. Reivard from Kamilut Tawarikh (416 A. H.) it appears that they had invaded the principality of Mansura and had forced the Musalman Amir to abjure his religion. It does not quite appear which particular portion of the hilly country is here meant, but most probably the salt range, on the part nearest to Multan. The Jats have now moved further to the north and east, but some of their clans points to the Salt Range as their original seat." ..... History of Ghazni, page 60.
"The following account is taken from Nizamuddin Ahmad. -"In the same year (417 A.H.), the Sultan, with a view to punish the Jats, who had molested his army on his return from Somnath, led a large force towards Multan, and when he arrived there, he ordered 1400 boats to be built, each of which was armed with three firm iron spikes, projecting one from the prow and two from the sides, so that anything which came in contact with them would infallibly be destroyed. In each boat were 20 archers, with bows and arrows, grenades, and nuptha ; and in this way they proceeded to attack the Jats; who having intelligence of armaments, sent their families into the islands and prepared themselves for the conflict. They launched, according to some, four, and according to others, eight thousand
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boats, manned and armed, ready to engage the Muhammadans. Both fleets met, and a desparate conflict ensued. Every boat of the Jats that approached the Muslim fleet, when it received the shock of the projecting spikes was broken and
overturned. Thus most of the Jats were drowned, and those who were not destroyed were put to the sword. The Sultan's army proceeded to the places where their families were concealed and took them all prisoner. The Sultan then returned victorious to Ghazni." History of Ghazni, page 61.
"On the distribution of rank into Zat and Suwar was founded a classification into first, second and third class Mansabs, by which the scale of Zat pay was reduced proportionately. From this classification were exempted officers about 5000 Zat, these were all of one class. From 5000 downwards, an officer was first class, if his rank in Zat and Suwar were equal; second class, if his Suwar was half the Zat rank; third class, if the Suwar were less than half the Zat, or there were no Suwar at all (Dastur-Ul-Insha 222). I think that here Blochmann (Ain. 1283, Lines 5 and f. 11) obscures the subject by using 'contingent' as the equivalent of Suwar, instead of learning the untranslated original word to express a technical meaning." ... The Army of the Indian Moghal, page 6.
"The grant of Suwar in addition of Zat rank was an honour." .... The Army of Indian Moghals, page 9.
Almagir and Bahadur Shah
"There are also several instances of heads being sent in during the reigns of Almagir and Bahadur Shah. For example, Denisamand Khan tells us, entry of 18th Ramzan 1119 H., 12th Dec. 1707, that an Imperial Officer, after taking the Jat force of Sansani, near Mathura, sent in 1000 heads in ten carts, along with the weapons taken," The Army of Indian Moghals, page 243.
"When the Jat Rajah of Bharatpur besieged his Station at Wer, about 30 to 40 miles south of Bharatpur, his biggest cannon, a 48 pounder, was sent from his capital. It was a piece that Suraj Mal had taken from the Mahrattas, and they had carried away from Dehli;" The Army of Indian Moghals, page 120.
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"Chura Man Jat, who was hovering near the army on the west, cut off many followers and penetrated into the camp. But the above named Rajah (Jaisingh) drove him out again. Next the Jats attacked on the South. whence they carried off some goods and part of the imperial property. Zafar Khan, Muzaffar Khan and Muhammad Khan, Bangash, once more repelled them. They then made a further attempt on the East side. Here Mir Mushrif and Alwi Khan, Tarin of Lakhnau, met and defeated them. But the uproar was very great, and the followers and traders were so frightened, that they jumped into the Jamnah and tried to swim across it, many losing their lives in the attempt. By three O'clock the baggage camp was moved to a safer place, and the confusion continuing, it was again moved still farther off." The Army of the Indian Moghuls by William Irvine. page 247.
"Across to the river side (Jumna) was blocked by the Jats who plundered impartially friend and foe." ... The Army of Indian Moghals, page 250.
"Churaman Jat followed suit, and plundering both sides with strict impartiality, made off with his booty to his own country" (Thungarh near Bharatpur)....The Army of Indian Moghals, page 254.
"Thus (Thungarh near Bharatpur) was a fort built by the ancestors of the Jat rajaha of Bharatpur, and it was their chief place of strength before they removed to Bharatput. It was situated somewhere between Dig (Dig) and Gobardhan, to the west of Mathura." The Army of Indian Moghals, page 285.
"Then, when Najag Khan took Agrah from the fats in 1773, the messenger carrying the news to Dilhi carried with him the boys of the fort to be laid at his Majesty's feet.".....The Army of Indian Moghals, page 288.
" Mughis-ud-din wholeheartedly justified Ala-ud-din's rigorous policy towards the Hindus and pointed out that Islamic law sanctioned sterner principle, so much so that "if the revenue collector spits into a Hindu's mouth, the Hindu must
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open his mouth to receive it without hesitation." .... The Delhi Sultanate, Vol. VI, page 25.
"Alauddin Khilji ordered that the Hindus will not be allowed to possess more than what is required for a bare subsistence"....Delhi Sultanate. Vol. VI, page 25.
"Farishta states, as a result of his enquiry at Lahore, that although there was no authentic account in my book it was generally believed that Malik Tughluq, a Turkish slave of Sultan Balben, married a woman of the Jat tribe, and their son was Ghazi Malik who later became Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq ..... The story of the Jat marriage is in a way indirectly supported by 'Afif' who says that Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq, when Governor of Dipalpur gave his brother in marriage to the daughter of a Hindu nobleman of the province who was extremely unwilling but was coerced by threat to accept the proposal. It may be added that the issue of this marriage was the future Sultan Firoz Tughluq. But if we accept the view of 'Afif' that Ghazi Malik himself came to India from Khurasan (Persia) during the reign of Allauddin Khilji, he can hardly be the son of a Jat mother." (A.D. 1320).... Delhi Sultanate" Vol. VI, pages 52 and 53.
"He (Mohammad Bin Tughluq) was soon faced with popular outbreaks in Sannam, Samana, Kaithal and Kuhran. The Jat and Rajput tribes in the regions in East Punjab formed Mandals (strongholds), withheld the tribute and created disturbances." Delhi Sultanate, Vol. VI, page 78.
"Timur was born in the year A.D. 1336 at the town called Kech or Shahr-i-sabz (Green town) to the south of Samarkand in Transoxiana, in the territory between the river Oxus and Jaxartes." Delhi Sultanate, Vol. VI, page 116.
"Timur then proceeded against the Jats. Although they fled into the jungles, Timur pursued them there. He killed 2000 Jats, captured their wives and children and plundered their cattle and property." (the place was after Dipalpur, [[Bhatner], city of Sarsuti to Delhi (Punjab) .... Delhi Sultanate, Vol. VI, page 118.
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"It was in A.H. 99 (A.D. 718) (Samvat 774) that Mohd. Bin Kasim vanquished and slew Dahir prince of Sinde, after numerous conflicts. Amongst the spoils of victory sent to the Caliph on this occasion were the daughters of subjugated monarch, who were the cause of Kasim's destruction when he was on the eve of carrying the war against Raja Har Chund of Kanauj. The two young princesses, in order to revenge the death of their father, represented falsely to the Khalif that Mohammed Kasim to be sewed up in a raw hide, and sent in that condition to court. When the Mandate arrived at Tatta, Kasim was prepared to carry an expedition against Har Chund, monarch of Kanouj, when he arrived at court the Khalif showed him to the daughters of Dahir, who expressed their joy upon beholding their father's murderer in such a condition." (Ayeen Akbery, Vol. H, page 119). Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan Vol. I, pages 198-199.
"The Jats are a branch of the great Getic race, of which enough has been said in various parts of this work. Though reduced from the rank they once had amongst the 'Thirty six royal races', they appear never to have renounced the love of independence, which they contested with Cyrus in their original haunts in Sogdiana. The name of the cincinnatus of the Jats, who abandoned his plaugh to led his countrymen against their tyrants, was Chooraman. Taking advantage of the Sanguinary civil wars amongst the successors of Aurngzeb, they erected potty castles in the villages (whose lands they cultivated) of Thoon and Sinsini and soon Obtained the distinction of Kuzzaks or robbers, a title which they were not slow to merit, by their inroads as far as the royal abode of Ferochsar. The Syeds, then in power, commanded Jai Singh of Amber to attack them in their strongholds and Thoon and Sinsini were simultaneously invested. But the Jats even in the very infancy of their power, evinced the same obstinate skill in defending mud walls, which in later times gained them so much celebrity. The royal astronomer of Amber was foiled, and after twelve months of toil, was ingloriously compelled to raise both seiges." ... Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Vol.II, page 299.
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"That the Jits continued as a powerful community on the
East bank of the Indus and in the Punjab, fully five centuries
after the period of our inscription and their annals illustrate,
we have the most interesting records in the history of
Mahmood, the conqueror of India, whose progress they checked in a manner unprecedented in the annals of continental warfare. It was in 416 of the Hegira (A.D. 1026) that Mahmood marched an army against the Jits who had harassed and insulted him on the return of his last expedition against Saurashtra.
The interest of the account authorises its being given from the
original.
The Jits inhabited the country on borders of Moolthan, along the river that runs by the mountains of Jod. When Mahmood reached Moolthan, finding the Jit country defended by great rivers, he built fifteen hundred boats, around each with six iron spikes projecting from their prows, to prevent their being boarded by the enemy, expert in this kind of warfare. In each boat he placed twenty arches and some with fire balls of Naptha to burn the Jit fleet. The monarch having determined on their extirpation, awaited the result at Moolthan. The Jits sent their wives, children and effects of Sind Sagur and launched 4000 or as others say 8000 boats well armed to meet the Gujnians, A terrible conflict ensued, but the projecting spikes sunk the Jit boats while others were set on fire, Few escaped from this scene of terror and those did met with the more severe fate of captivity. Many doubts less, did escape and it is most probable that the Jit communities, on whose overthrow the State of Bikaner was founded, were remnants of this very warfare. Not long after this event, the original empire of 'the Gate was overturned, when many fugitives found a refuge in India." ...Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan. Vol. I,. page 90.
"The Jats had the audacity to attack the army of Mahmud of Ghazni on his return from Somnath. His seventeenth expendition was undertaken for chastising them. He had to fight a great naval battle in which his genius shone no less splendidly than on land. He led a large force towards Multan,
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and when he arrived there he ordered fourteen hundred boats to be built each of which was armed with three firm iron spikes, projecting one from the prow and two from the sides. so that anything which came in contact with them would infallibly be destroyed. In each boat were twenty archers, with bows and arrows, grenades, and naphtha; and in this way he proceeded to attack the Jats, who having intelligence of the armament, sent their families into the islands and prepared themselves for the conflict. They launched, according to some four, and according to others eight thousand boats, manned and armed, ready to engage the Muhammadans, both fleets met, and a desperate conflict ensued. Every boat of the Jats that approached the Muslim fleet when it received the shock of the projecting pikes was broken and overturned. Thus most of the Jats were drowned and those who were not so destroyed were put to the sword. The Sultan's army proceeded to the places where their families were concealed and took them all prisoners." (Tabakat-i-Akbari, quoted in Elliot. ii, 478) History of the Jats by Qanungo, pages 30 to 32.
"Babur found the Jats living amongst the mountains of Nilab and Bhera, where they acknowledged the ascendancy of the Gakkar chiefs (Memoirs of Babur, A.S. Beveridge, page 387). They still retained their old turbulent and predatory habits. He says: "If one go into Hindustan the Jats and Gujars always pour down in countless hordes from hill and plain for loot in bullock and buffalo. These ill-omened peoples are just senseless oppressors....When we reached Sialkot, they tell in tumult on poor and needy folks who were coming out of the town to our camp, and stripped them bare. I had the silly thieves sought for, and ordered two or three of them cut to pieces." (Ibid., page 454) ... History of Jats by Qanungo, page 33.
"After the defeat of Prithviraj in 1192 A.D., the Jats of Haryana raised the standard of tribal revolt and under a capable chief, named Jatwan, besieged the Muslim commander at Hansi. On receiving this news Qutb-ud-din marched twelve farsakhs i.e., about 40 miles during one night. Jatwan raised the siege of Hansi and prepared for an obstinate conflict. "The armies attacked each other" says the author of Taj-ul-Masir
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"like two hills of steel, and the field of battle (on the borders of the Bager country) became tulip-dyed with the blood of warrious ..... Jatwan had his standards of God-plurality and ensigns of perdition lowered by the hand of power" (Elliot, ii. 218).
About 1530, the Jats formed mandals round Sunam and Samana with the Bhattis, Mina and kindred tribes withheld tribute and plundered the roads. Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq marched against them, destroyed their mandals, and they were torn from their old lands and scattered (Tarikh-i-Firozshah-I, Elliot iii. 245).
Timur dwells with considerable satisfaction on his suppression of the Jats, whom he describes as a robust race, demon-like in appearance and as numerous as ants and locusts, a veritable plague to the merchants and wayfarers." (Malfuzat-i-Timur, Elliot iii. 429.) [[History of Jats by Qanungo]] on, pages 32 to 33.
"In 1669, another sturdy race, the Jats living almost under the very shadow of the imperial rose in revolt. This was but one flare of the mighty conflagration, kindled throughout India, by the missionary zeal of the Emperor. The Jat peasants of the Mathura and Agra districts had long been the victims of oppression and misrule. Their religious susceptibilities were shocked by the destruction of the Hindu temples of Mathura, whose lofty spires seemed to mock the edifices of Agra. They saw their field devastated and their wives and daughters carried off to gratify Muslim lust. One faujdar of Mathura, Murshid Quli Khan used to take raids upon the villages to procure beautiful women. Another infamous practice of his was this: at the time of Hindu fairs and festivals, "the Khan, painting his forehead and wearing a dhoti like a Hindu used to walk up and down in the crowd. Whenever he saw a woman whose beauty filled even the moon with envy, he snatched her away like a wolf, pouncing upon a flock, and placing her in the boat which his men kept ready on the bank (of the Jamuna) he sped to Agra." History of the Jats by Qanungo, pp. 37-38.