Sociology Research Paper on Jats Essay Example

Sociology Research Paper on Jats Paper The  Jat people  are a historical  Aryan-Scythian tribal group native to the Punjab, Kashmir, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Balochistan, Haryana,  Himachal Pradesh,  Uttar Pradesh  and  Rajasthan. The total population of the Jats is 33 million. The regions with significant populations are India and Pakistan. The main languages spoken by the Jats are Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Haryanvi and Gujrati. Jats follow three main religions; Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. Their related ethnic groups are other Indo-Aryan people. On  demographics, the  Encyclopedia Brittanica  states that: In the early 21st century the Jat constituted about 20 percent of the population of  Punjab, nearly 10 percent of the population of  Balochistan, Rajasthan, and Delhi, and from 2 to 5 percent of the populations of Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and  Uttar Pradesh. The four million Jats of Pakistan  are mainly  Muslim  by faith; the nearly six million Jats of India are mostly divided into two large castes of about equal strength: one  Sikh, concentrated in Punjab, the other  Hindu. The name  Jat  has frequently been connected to the names of the  Getae  and  Massagetae, beginning with  James Tod  in 1829. This suggests that the ultimate origin of the Jat tribal group was in the  Indo-Scythian period of about 200 BC to AD 400. G. C. Dwivedi writes in his book ‘The Jats, their role in the Mughal Emprie’, that the Persian  Mojmal al-tawarikh  mentions Jats and  Meds  as the descendants of Ham (son of Noah), living in  Sind  on the banks of the river  Bahar. Origins: The Jats have apparently formed during the centuries following the collapse of the  Kushan Empire, during the early medieval period. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology Research Paper on Jats specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology Research Paper on Jats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology Research Paper on Jats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They are said to be the product of an admixture of  Indo-Scythian  elements to local  Indo-Aryan  groups. An international collaboration led by Manir Ali of the  Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, first identified the ‘Jat’  mutation  in one of four  Pakistani  families. Further study amongst  Roma  populations in  Europe  showed that the same  mutation  accounted for nearly half of all cases of PCG [Primary congenital glaucoma] in that community. Manir Ali’s research also confirms the widely accepted view that the  Roma  originated from the Jat clan of  Northern India  and  Pakistan  and not from  Eastern Europe  as previously believed. There is some evidence connecting the Jats and the  Romani people, the descendants of Indo-Aryan groups which emigrated from India towards Central Asia during the medieval period. There are serological similarities shared with several populations that linked the two people in a 1992 study. History There are very few records concerning Jats prior to the 17th century. There are records of  Jat states in Rajasthan  (the north Rajasthan region, then known as  Jangladesh). It is not known when Jat people established themselves in the Indian desert. By the 4th century they had spread to the  Punjab. After this, foreign invaders had to encounter with the Jats of this region. The whole of the region was composed of seven cantons namely  Punia,  Sihag,  Godara,  Saran,  Beniwal,  Johiya  and  Kaswan. Besides these cantons there were several clans of Jats, simultaneously wrested from Rajput proprietors for instance Bagor, Kharipatta, Mohila or Mehila, K. R. Qanungo writes that when  Muhammad bin Qasim  invaded  Sindh, the  Kaikan  region in  Sindh  was an independent possession of the Jat people. In addition to frequent interaction with Jats (who for them represented Indians), the first Arab invasions of  Persia  and  Sindh  were met by the Jat people. According to  Thakur Deshraj  and Cunningham, Jat people of the  Panwhar  clan ruled  Umerkot  in  Sindhprior to Mughal ruler  Humayun. The Susthan region in Sindh was ruled by Chandra Ram, a Jat of  Hala clan. Chandra Ram lost his kingdom (known as Halakhandi) to the Muslim invaders sent by  Muhammad bin Qasim. There is no information of any important Jat state during the two centuries following  Kushan  rule. However, in the beginning of the fifth century, there is evidence of the Jat ruler  Maharaja Shalinder  ruling from Shalpur (the present-day  Sialkot); his territory extended from  Punjab  to  Malwa  and  Rajasthan. This is indicated by the Pali inscription obtained by  James Tod  from village  Kanswa in  Kota  state in year 1820 AD. Jat uprising and aftermath In 1699, the Jat people of the  Gokula  region around  Mathura  rebelled against the powerful  Mughal  rulers. The rebellion resulted from political provocation aggravated by the economic discontent, and further aggravated by the religious persecution and discrimination. In the disorder following  Aurangzebs death in 1707, the Jat resistance resumed, organized under the leadership of Churaman (1695–1721). Churamans nephew,  Badan Singh  (1722–1756), established a kingdom centered at  Deeg, from which he extended his rule over  Agra  and Mathura. Badan Singhs eldest son and successor,  Maharaja Suraj Mal  (1707–1763), extended his kingdom to include Agra,Mathura,  Dholpur,  Mainpuri,  Hathras,  Aligarh,  Etawah,  Meerut,  Rohtak  (including  Bhiwani), Farrukhnagar,  Mewat,  Rewari  and  Gurgaon. He has been described as one of the greatest Jat rulers. Suraj Mal moved the capital from Deeg to  Bharatpur  in 1733. Rustam, a Jat king of the Sogariya clan, had previously laid the foundation of the modern city of Bharatpur. During the British Raj, the princely state of Bharatpur covered an area of 5,123  km2, and its rulers enjoyed a salute of 17 guns. The state acceded to the  dominion of India  in 1947. Jat states of the 18th century The city of  Gohad  was founded in 1505 by the Jats of Bamraulia village, who had been forced to leave Bamraulia by a  satrap  of  Firuz Shah Tughluq. Gohad developed into an important Jat state, and was later captured by the  Marathas. The Jat people of Gohad signed a treaty with the British and helped them capture  Gwalior  and Gohad from the  Marathas. The British kept  Gwalior  and handed control of Gohad to Jat people in 1804. Gohad was handed over to the Marathas under a revised treaty dated 22 November 1805 between the Marathas and the British. As a compensation for Gohad, the Jat ruler Rana  Kirat Singh  was given  Dhaulpur, Badi and Rajakheda; Kirat Singh moved to Dhaulpur in December 1805. In the 10th century, the Jat people took control of Dholpur, which had earlier been ruled by the  Rajputs and the  Yadavs. Dholpur was taken by  Sikandar Lodhi  in 1501, who transferred it to a  Muslim  governor in 1504. In 1527, the Dholpur fort fell to  Babur  and continued to be ruled by the  Mughals  until 1707. After the death of the Mughal emperor  Aurangzeb, Raja Kalyan Singh Bhadauria obtained possession of Dholpur, and his family retained it until 1761. After that, Dholpur was taken successively by the Jat ruler Maharaja Suraj Mal  of Bharatpur; by Mirza Najaf Khan in 1775; by the  Scindia  ruler of Gwalior in 1782; and finally, by the  British East India Company  in 1803. It was restored by the British to the Scindias under the Treaty of Sarji Anjangaon, but in consequence of new arrangements, was again occupied by the British. In 1806, Dholpur again came under the Jat rulers, when it was handed over to Kirat Singh of Gohad. Dholpur thus became a  princely state, a vassal of the British during the Raj. Ballabhgarh  was another important princely state established by the Jat people of the  Tewatia  clan, who had come from Janauli village. Balram Singh, the brother-in-law of  Maharaja Suraj Mal  was the first powerful ruler of Ballabhgarh. Raja Nahar Singh  (1823–1858) was another notable king of this princely state. Other Jat states of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries included  Kuchesar  (ruled by the  Dalal  Jat clan of Mandoti, Haryana), and the  Mursan  state (the present-day Hathras district in  Uttar Pradesh) ruled by the  Thenua  Jats. The Jat people also briefly ruled at  Gwalior  and  Agra. The Jat rulers  Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana  (1707–1756) and  Maharaja Chhatar Singh Rana  (1757–1782) occupied the Gwalior fort twice, Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana from 1740 to 1756, and Maharaja Chhatra Singh Rana from 1780 to 1783. Maharaja Suraj Mal captured Agra Fort on 12 June 1761 and it remained in the possession of Bharatpur rulers till 1774. After Maharaja Suraj Mal,  Maharaja Jawahar Singh,  Maharaja Ratan Singh  and  Maharaja Kehri Singh  (minor) under resident ship of  Maharaja Nawal Singh  ruled over  Agra Fort. Sikh States Patiala  and  Nabha  were two important Sikh  states in  Punjab, ruled by the Jat-Sikh  people of the  Siddhu  clan. The  Jind  state in present-day Haryana was founded by the descendants of Phul Jat of  Siddhu  ancestry. These states were formed with the Military assistance of the 6th Sikh Guru, known as Guru Har Gobind. The rulers of  Faridkot  were  Brar  Jat Sikhs. The princely state of Kalsia was ruled by  Sandhu  Jat Sikhs. Maharaja Ranjit Singh  (1780–1839) of the  Sandhawalia Jat clan (other historians assert a Sansi Caste lineage to Maharaja Ranjit Singh though it is dubitable given that his mother can definitely be traced to coming from a Jat family) of Punjab became the  Sikh  emperor  of the  sovereign  country of Punjab  and the  Sikh Empire. He united the Sikh factions into one state, and conquered vast tracts of territory on all sides of his kingdom. From the capture of  Lahore  in 1799, he rapidly annexed the rest of the Punjab. To secure his empire, he invaded  North-West Frontier Province  (NWFP) (which was then part of  Afghanistan), and defeated the  Pathan  militias and tribes. Ranjit Singh took the title of Maharaja on April 12, 1801 (to coincide with  Baisakhi  day). Lahore served as his capital from 1799. In 1802 he took the city of  Amritsar. In the year 1818, Ranjit Singh successfully invaded  Kashmir. Conversion of the Jats to Islam The earliest mention of Jats can be found in the Arabic book  Chach Nama  also known as the Fateh nama Sindh and Tarekh-e-Hind wa Sindh. During the Arab invasion of Sind by  Muhammad bin Qasim  the Jats belonged to the Buddhist faith and were suffering severe hardships under the Brahman ruler Chach. It is recorded that the Jats at first fought against  Muhammad bin Qasim  but later joined his forces against the then ruler  Dahir (Raja)  and this also lead to the conversion of the Jats to the Islamic faith. But most of the Punjabi Muslim Jats trace their conversion to Islam at the hands of Sufi saints like Baba  Fariduddin Ganjshakar  in the 12th century. The total Muslim Jat population as per statistics is 32,705,000. The common languages spoken by Muslim Jats are Punjabi, Siraiki, Urdu, Sindhi and English. Muslim Jat Folklore Muslim Jats gave birth to romances such as  Heer Ranjha  and  Mirza Sahiba  which are sung by all Jats and have been immortalised in  Waris Shahs  poetry book Heer that tells the story of the love of Heer and her lover Ranjha. Distribution Historically, Muslim Jat clans predominated in western  Punjab, in areas which now are found in  Pakistan. Traditionally, the districts of: Gujranwala,  Shaikhupura,  Lahore,  Sialkot,  Jhang,  Bahawalpur,  Multan,  Muzaffargarh,  Sahiwal,  Sargodha, and  Gujrat  were seen as strongholds of the Jats. Major Jat clans predominated in this region, including the  Bajwa,  Basra,  Malhi,  Goraya,  Heer, Chahal Jats,  Cheema,Chatha,  Dudhra,  Sandhu,  Gill,  Janjua,  Ghuman,  Khera,  Kahloon,  Dhillon,  Dawana,  Dhudhi,  Bhangu,  Virk,  Lodhra,  Gondal,  Sidhu,  Sulehria,Hundet,  Sial,  Randhawa,  Nanda,  Daha,  Noon,  Khar,  Manes,  Naich,  Pansota,  Waraich, and  Jajja. The  Ghuman  Daha  and the  Noon  would sometimes call themselves Rajputs, sometimes Jat. The  Pothohar  region is home to many tribes with multiple identities. For example,  Dhamial,  Janjua,Langrial,  Chhina  and  Bangial  would in some instances call themselves  Rajputs, and other instances call themselves Jats. In Jhelum District, Jat identity was fairly strong, and these tribes tend to consider themselves  Jats. In the Bar regions, i. e. , the plains between  Ravi  and  Chenab  rivers (the  Sandal Bar,  Kirana Bar  and  Neeli Bar), the term Jat referred to any nomadic pastoralist, and the  Kharal,  Wattu,  Manes,  Sials,  Kathia  and  Johiya  would sometimes call themselves Rajputs, sometimes Jat. TheWaseer,  Dhami  and  Wahiniwal  clans were the only ones who only called themselves Jats. In the 19th century, the British settled several Jats from central Punjab, including many from  Amritsar,  Gurdaspur  and  Jalandhar, into the Bar region, creating the modern canal colony districts of Faisalabad and Sahiwal. In the south of Punjab, there were several  Saraiki-speaking  Jat  clans, such as the  Jakhar,  Khar,  Daha,  Dhandla,  Makwal,  Bohar,  Ghallu,Kanju,  Samtia  and  Sandhila. Eastern Punjab (Indian Punjab) was also home to a number of Muslim Jat clans, and almost all the major clans (such as the  Sandhu,  Sidhu,Heer,  Maan,  Dhami,  Dhillon,  Gill  and had Muslim branches, although these clans were predominantly  Sikh. After independence of  Pakistan  in 1947, nearly all Jat Muslims of  East Punjab,  Haryana  and other parts of  northern India  migrated from India and settled in Pakistan. The  Muley Jat, who originate from  Haryana  also form a distinct group. Districts of Punjab Most of the Jat clans are concentrated in particular districts, with the exception of the Jat clans that came as refugees after independence of Pakistan in 1947. Major Jat clans Below are brief descriptions of the main Jat clans in Punjab. * Aheer * Ahlawat * Arar * Arnyal * Assoun * Athru * Atwal * Aulakh * Bachal * Badhan * Baghar * Baidwan * Bains Bajwa * Bal * Bandecha * Bangial * Baryar * Basra * Batth * Bhachar * Bhadiar * Bhagwal * Bhalli * Bhangu * Bhidwal * Bhinder * Bhukar * Bhullar * Bhutta * Bohar * Boparai * Buttar * Chadhar * Chahal * Chatha * Chattar * Chohan * Cheema * Chhachhar * Chhajra * Chhina * Dab * Daha * Dahba * Daher * Dandiwal * Dawana * Deo * Dhaliwal * Dhamial * Dhandla * Dhandu * Dhanoa * Dharni * Dhoot * Dhotar * Dhudhi * Dosanjh * Duggal * Ghallu * Ghuman * Gill * Godara * Gondal * Goraya * Grewal * Gujjral * Hal * Hamooka * Hanjra * Hans * Heer * Hundal * Hunjan * Jai * Jajja * Jakhar * Jandral * Jandran * Jhammat Jhawari * Jhujh * Johal * Juta * Kadher * Kahlon * Kallu * Kalhora * Kalyal * Kalyar * Kang * Kanyal * Kathia * Khaira * Khar * Khatarmal * Khatri * Khingar * Khoti * Kianth * Kohja * Korotaneh * Lak * Lalli * Langrial * Lehal (also spelled Lehel, Lahal, Lehl, Lel or Lahil) * Lidhar * Lodhra * Lodike * Lohanch * Lurka * Makhdoom * Maan * Mahil * Mahra * Maitla * Majoka * Makwal * Mallana * Malhi * Malik * Mamyal * Manda * Mangat * Manjotha * Marath * Marhal * Marral * Marrar * Matharu * Mathyal * Mekan * Nanda * Nagra * Nagyal * Naich * Nain * Narwa/Narma * Naswana  or Nissowana * Nathyal * Natt Naul * Nonari * Noon * Padda * Pannun * Pansota * Parhar * Phogat * Randhawa * Ranjha * Ranu * Ranyal * Sagla * Sahi * Sahotra * Samra * Samtia * Sandhal * Sandhila * Sandhu * Sangha * Sarai * Saroya * Sial * Sidhu * Sikhana * Sipra * Sohal * Soomra * Takhar * Talokar/Thalokar * Tatlah * Tatri * Thaheem * Thathal * Tiwana * Toor * Tulla * Uppal * Uttera * Utra * Ves Jats * Virk * Wahiniwal * Waiha * Wahla * Waraich * Waseer Jat Culture and Society The life and culture of Jats is full of  diversity  and approaches most closely to that ascribed to the traditional Central Asian  colonists of South Asia. The Jat lifestyle was designed to foster a  martial  spirit. Whenever they lost their kingdoms, Jat people retired to the country-side and became landed barons and the landlords with their swords girded round their waists. They would draw the sword out of the scabbard at the command of their  panchayat  to fight with the invaders. Jat people have a history of being brave and ready fighters. They are fiercely independent in character and value their self respect more than anything, which is why they offered heavy resistance against any foreign force that treated them unjustly. They are known for their pride, bravery and readiness to sacrifice their lives in battle for their people and kinsmen. In the government of their villages, they appear much more democratic. They have less reverence for hereditary right and a preference for elected headmen. Jat OBC demand Hindu Jats have been given Other Backward Class in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttrakhand and Delhi. But had been excluded from the list in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana. Jats especially from Haryana wants OBS status given to them as they feel that they are lagging behind other castes like Yadavs. Jat Marriages The Jat people are required to marry within their community. The  joint family  system was popular amongst the Jats and large families use to share the same house and  hearth. With the advancement of modern civilization, as people are becoming less dependent upon and less tolerant toward each other, the joint family system is going out of vogue. It was still prevalent in the less advanced areas in the 1930s. Jat marriage ceremonies are traditionally conducted in according with Vedic rituals. Widow marriage is not only permitted and practiced, it is also a social obligation. Historical records show from 1000 AD, when the population of Jats was small, marrying within ones own gotra was not encouraged. However, from about 1650 AD onward marrying within same gotra became more common. Scholars have reasoned this had to do with the size of the Jat population becoming much bigger and the chances of being related to someone in the same gotra became very small. Jat people who are Hindu Jat people who are Hindu differ in two traditions from  Rajput  community. First, they do not wear the sacred thread  janeu. Second, Jats permit the remarriage of  widows. Famous Jat Rulers over the years: Maharaja  Swarup Singh of Jind * Maharaja  Kharak Singh, Maharaja of  Punjab * Maharaja  Nau Nihal Singh, Maharaja of  Punjab * Nawab Kapur Singh  Virk, leader of Singhpur Misl. * Hari Singh Dhillon, leader of the Bhangi misl, Ruler of  Lahore  ;  Amritsar. Famous Jat Religious Scholars: * Dhanna Bhagat  (Dhaliwal Jat) a Hindu  Bhakti  saint and disciple  Ramananda, worshiper of  Rama, whose poems are in the  Guru Granth Sahib * Imam  Abu Hanifa  an-Numan ibn tabit Founder of most important of the sunni schools, was a jat from sind. His forefathers shifted to Iraq before his birth. * Pror. Dr. Tahir ul Qadri   founder of Minhaj ul Quran international Lahore, he is Jatt Sial of Jhang Pakistan. Jat Folklores: * Jagga Jat  (Jagga Daku) famous Dacoit of British India known as The Robin Hood of Punjab * Jyani Jat/Mor- One of the most famous, popular and widely sung folklores Hero in Haryana and Punjab * Heer Ranjha   One of the four popular tragic romances of the Punjab, Heer was of the Sial Jat clan and Ranjha was of the Ranjha Jat clan * Mirza Sahiba   One of the four popular tragic romances of the Punjab, Mirza was born in the Kharral Jat clan and Sahiba was born in the Sial Jat clan. Judiciary: * Muhammad Javed Buttar   Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. * Justice Mahavir Singh   Former Justice. Cinema: * Arjan Bajwa * Dara Singh * Simi Garewal * Dharmendra * Sunny Deol * Bobby Deol * Arjun Rampal * Esha Deol * Poonam Dhillon * Randeep Hooda * Sushant Singh * Minissha Lamba * Mahek Chahal * Mangal Dhillon * Himanshu Malik * Mallika Sherawat * Neeru Bajwa * Abhay Deol * Parvin Dabas * Jimmy Shergill * Kirron Kher * Gurdas Mann * Mahima Chaudhry * Vindu Dara Singh * Pravesh Rana * Rajat Tokas * Kulraj Randhawa Shafqat Cheema  Punjabi Films Villon * Hema Malini * Raja Chaudhary Sports: * Virender Sehwag   cricketer * Saina Nehwal   badminton player * Yuvraj Singh   cricketer, Boparai Jatt. * Sushil Kumar Solanki   Wrestler, World Wrestling Champion. * Vijender Singh Beniwal   boxer, Olympic bronze medalist * Dara Singh   wrestler * Navjot Sidhu   cricketer * Rakshit Dalal   cricketer * Aaqib Javed   cricketer * Wahab Riaz   Pa kistani cricketer * Shahid nazir bajwa   Pakistani cricketer * Rizwan Cheema   cricketer * Ashish Nehra cricketer Sanjay Bangar   cricketer * Vijay Dahiya   cricketer * Sunny Soha   cricketer * Krishna Poonia   Discus thrower * Balwinder Sandhu   cricketer * Manpreet Gony  (Manpreet Singh Grewal) cricketer * Pradeep Sangwan   cricketer * Ravi Bopara   cricketer * Jyoti Randhawa   golfer * Arjun Atwal   golfer * Gaganjeet Bhullar   golfer * Rajiv Tomar   wrestler * Gadowar Singh Sahota   wrestler * Geetika Jakhar   wrestler * Sqn Ldr S. P. Singh   kabaddi, Asian Games gold medalist * Seema Antil   athlete * Krishna Poonia   athlete Devendra Jhajharia   Gold Medalist  Paralympics  2004 * Bajranglal Takhar  Ã‚   silver medalist in rowing, at Doha * Balbir Singh Dosanjh   hockey player * Baljit Singh Dhillon   hockey player * Ramavtar Singh Jakhar   volleyball player * Ravi Shankar Godara   memorizer * Mamta Kharb   hockey player * Usman Gondal   football player * Paramjeet Samota- Famous Indian Boxer- * Waqar Younis- World outclass fast Bowler- (Cricket) * Asif Bajwa- Ex-Pakistani Hockey Player Politicians: * Chaudhry Naseer Ahmad Malhi   Leading member of the Muslim League during  Pakistan  movement. Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi   Prominent leader of PML. * Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi   former Chief Minister of Punjab * Ch. Moonis Elahi   MPA OF PML, grandson of Ch. Zahoor Elahi and son of Ch Pervaiz Elahi. * Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain   MNA of PML, Known as Commander of Gujrat. * Chaudhry Shafaat Hussain   Former Nazim of Gujrat district and younger brother of former PM Ch. Shujaat Hussain. * Chaudhry  Muhammad Zafarullah Khan   Former speaker of the Punjab Assembly from 2002-2008. * Sardar Fraz Wahlah   President  Pakistan Peoples Party  Youth, Punjab. Zulfiqar Ahmad Dhillon, former Minster of Education for Punjab and Member of the  National Assembly of Pakistan. * Aitzaz Ahsan   Ex- P resident Supreme Court Bar and Ex- Minister. * Hamid Nasir Chattha   Former Speaker of the National Assembly. * Ch. Imtiaz Safdar Warriach   federal minister of communication. * Chaudhry  Muhammad Zafarullah Khan   Pakistans first Foreign Minister. * Ch. Nazar Muhammad Gondal   federal minister of food and agriculture. * Dr. Khalid Ranjha   Former Senator * Sardar Muhammad Arif Nakai   Former CM of Punjab. * Sardar Muhammad Asif Nakai   MPA from Punjab Assembly, and son of Sardar