Jatts are a group of Independent Tribes found in Northwest India and Pakistan who maintain one of the oldest surviving tribal identities in the World and are distinctively identified by mankind's oldest profession - Agriculture. These Independent Tribes are called Clans (or Gots) and each of these Clans are bonded together by either a Common Ancestor or a Common Founder. Most of these Clans that are found in Punjab are ascribed a Scythian Origin. The Punjabi Jatts are strong Individualists, Hardworking by nature and are distinctively known for their Life Affirmative Celebrating and simpleminded personality. The Jatts gave rise to several Great Spiritual Mystics, Warriors, Intellectuals, Statesmen and are among the most dominant Tribes of Indian North and West Punjab, Pakistan.
| File:Ethnic Group-Jat People.jpg | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
•  India •  Pakistan | |
| Languages | |
| Punjabi • Hindi • Urdu | |
| Religion | |
| Islam • Sikhism • Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Indo-Aryan peoples |
Origin of the Jatts
Perhaps no question connected with the ethnology of the Punjab peoples has been so much discussed as the origin of the so-called Jatt race. Suffice it to say that both Sir Alexander Cunningham and Colonel Tod agreed in considering the Jatts to be of Indo-Scythian stock. The former identified them with the Zante of Strabo and the Jatti of Pliny and Ptolemy; and held that they probably entered the Punjab from their home on the Oxus very shortly after the Meds or Mands, who all were Indo- Scythians, and had moved into the Punjab about a century before Christ, The Jatts seem to have first occupied the Indus valley as far down as Sind, whither the Meds followed them about the beginning of the present era. But before the earliest Muslim invasion the Jatts had spread into the Punjab Proper, where they were firmly established in the beginning of the 11th century. Tod classed the Jatts as one of the great Rajput tribes, and extended his identification with the Getae to both races ; but here Cunningham differed from him, holding the Rajputs to belong to the original Aryan stock, and the Jatts to a later wave of immigrants from the north-west, probably of Scythian race.
Sir Denzil Ibbetson was of the view that the original Rajput and the original Jatt entered India at different periods in its history, though to my mind the term Rajput is an occupational rather than an ethnological expression. But if they do originally represent two separate waves of immigration, it is at least exceedingly probable both from their almost identical physique and facial character and from the close communion which has always existed between them, that they belong to one and the same ethnic stock; while, whether this be so or not, it is almost certain that they have been for many centuries and still are so intermingled and so blended into one people, that it is practically impossible to distinguish them as separate wholes. It is indeed more than probable that the process of fusion has not ended here, and that the people who thus in the main resulted from the blending of the Jatt and the Rajput, if these two ever were distinct, is by no means free from foreign elements.
Are the Jatts and Rajputs distinct?
But continued Sir Denzil, whether Jatts and Rajputs were or were not originally distinct, and whatever aboriginal elements may have been affiliated to their society, I think that the two now form a common stock, the distinction between Jatt and Rajput being social rather than ethnic, I believe that those families of that common stock whom the tide of fortune has raised to political importance have become Rajputs almost by mere virtue of their rise and that their descendants have retained the title and its privileges on the tradition, strictly enforced, of observing the rules by which the higher are distinguished from the lower castes in the Hindu scale of precedence; of preserving their purity of blood by refusing to marry with families of inferior social rank, of rigidly abstaining from widow marriage, and of refraining from degrading occupations. Those who transgressed these rules have fallen from their high position and ceased to be Rajputs while such families as, attaining a dominant position in their territory, began to affect social exclusiveness and to observe the rules have become not only Rajas, but also Rajputs or " sons of Raja."
Jatts and Sikhism
Under the Sikhs the Rajput was over- shadowed by the Jatt, who resented his assumption of superiority and his refusal to join him on equal terms in the ranks of the Khalsa, deliberately persecuted him wherever and whenever he had the power, and preferred his title of Jatt Sikh to that of the proudest Rajput.
As stated in the Sikh tract the Jatt is content to be a Jatt, and has never since the rise of Sikh power wished to be anything else. In the Western Plains the freedom of marriage allowed by Islam has superseded caste restrictions, and social rank is measured by the tribe rather than by the larger unit of caste. But even there, families who were a few generations ago reputed Jatts have now risen by social exclusiveness to be recognised as Rajputs and families who were lately known as Rajputs have sunk till they are now classed with Jatts ; while the great tribes, the Sial, the Gondal, the Tiwana are commonly spoken of as Rajputs, and their smaller brethren as Jatts. The same tribe even is Rajput in one district and Jatt in another according to its position among the local tribes.
Jatts as Zamindar Landlords
In agriculture the Jatt is pre-eminent. The market-gardening castes, the Arain, the Mali(gardener), the Saini, are perhaps more skilful cultivators on a small scale but they cannot rival the Jatt as landowners and yeoman cultivators. The Jatt is called a Zamindar(Landlord) as much as he is called Jatt. On approaching a village, and asking what people live in it, if any other race but Jatts live in it the name of the race will be given in reply. But if the population are Jatts, the reply will be Zamindars live here in fact the word Zamindar here is only applied to the Jatts. This last remark, Sir Donald Friell McLeod noted, applied equally almost throughout the Punjab, even where the Jatts have been converted to Islam.
Jatt Characteristics.
The Jatt is of all the Punjab races the most impatient of tribal or communal control, and the one which asserts the freedom of the individual most strongly. In tracts where, as in Rohtak, the Jatt tribes have the field to themselves, and are compelled, in default of rival castes as enemies, to fall back upon each other for somebody to quarrel with, the tribal ties are strong. But as a rule a Jatt is a man who does what seems right in his own eyes and sometimes what seems wrong also, and will not be said nay by any man. I do not mean however that he is turbulent as a rule he is very far from being so. He is independent and he is self-willed; but he is reasonable, and peaceably inclined if left alone. Amongst the widow-marrying castes the Jatt stands first. The Bania with his sacred thread, his strict Hinduism, and his twice-born standing, looks down on the Jatt as a Sudra. But the Jatt looks down upon the Bania as a cowardly spiritless money-grabber, and society in general agrees with the Jatt.
The Position of the Jatt in the Punjab
The Jatt is in every respect is the most important of the Punjab peoples. In point of numbers he surpasses the Rajput, who comes next to him, in the proportion of nearly three to one. Politically he ruled the Punjab till the Khalsa yielded to our arms. Ethnologically he is the peculiar and most prominent product of the plains of the five rivers. And from an economical and administrative point of view he is the husbandman, the revenue-payer par excellence of the Province. His manners do not bear the impress of generations of wild freedom which marks the races of our NW frontier mountains. But he is more honest, more industrious, more sturdy, and no less manly than they. Sturdy independence indeed and patient vigorous labour are his strongest characteristics.
The Jatt Elements
The traditions of some of the more important Jatt tribes as to their origin are summed up below, but it must be confessed that these traditions are not only hazy but often inconsistent and not infrequently contradicted by legends current among the same tribe in another locality.
Afghan origin is asserted by the Langah. Arab origin is claimed by the Tahim and Lilla. Brahman descent is alleged by the Golia and Langrial who say they were 'Brahman Charans'. Jatt descent is admitted by the Bhullar, Her, and Maan; by the Sipra (Gils by origin), the Bhangu, who say they came from Nepal, by the Waraich and apparently the Nol. Rajput origin is vaguely alleged by the Bal, Chandbar Dhindisa (Saroha), Ghatwal (Saroha), Hijra (Saroha), Mahal and Sumra/Soomro.
Other Jatt tribes have more specific claims to Rajput ancestry. Thus Solar Rajput origin is claimed by the Aulakh, Bains, Janjua, Bhutta, Buttar, Chahal(Tanwar), Deo, Dhotar, Ithwal, Kang, Lodika, Punnun, Sahi, Sindhu aud Tarar ; Lunar Rajput by the Dhillon (Saroha), Ghumman, Goraya (Saroha), Kahlon.
And in many cases the Jatt tribe can point to the Rajput tribe from which it sprang. For example, Bhatti Rajput descent is claimed by the Dhaliwal, Randhawa, Sarai and Sidhu ; Chauhan Rajput descent by the Ahlawat, Bajwa, Chatha, Cheema, Dehia, Jakhar, Marral, Sargwan, and Sohal: Manhas Rajput blood by the Virk : Panwar Rajput descent by the Kharal, Harral and Sarai : Raghobansi Rajput origin by the Gil : Tanwar, by the Dhankar, Rathi and Sahrawat : and Rathor by the Dalal and Deswal.
Similarly, in Gujrat the Muslim Jatt tribes claim very diverse origins. Thus Mughal origin is claimed by the Bhaddar, Malana, Marrar and Narwa, who claim to be Barlas ; and by the Bahlam, Chaughatta/Chughtai, Phaphra, Mander and Babal, who claim to be Chaughatta/Chughtai. Awan origin is claimed by the Bhagwal, while the Hir claim to be descendents of Qutb-ud-din Aibak, like the Awans and Khokhar. Quraishi descent is claimed by the Jam.
Khokhar Rajput descent is asserted by the Jali ; Panwar Rajput ancestry is claimed by the Jakkhar and Sial; Sombansi descent and Rajput ancestry, i. c, a last status as Rajputs are claimed by the Janjua Jats, Chauhan Jatts, Dhul, Sohial, Kalyal, Goraya, Langarbal, Maral, and Mangat; Janjua Rajput origin is claimed by the Bhakrel, Tatla, Dahb, Kanjial/Ganjial aud Ghumman; Gakkhar origin is asserted by the Kotharmal; Bhatti Rajput origin is claimed by the Bhatti, Dhariwal Paroi, Tora, Dhamal. Dhali, Randhawa, Sahotra, Soya, Surai, Kalwal, Kaher, kawar, Korantana, Guhlo Gudho, Gujral, Liddar, Mehar, Mahota, Multani, Nijjhar, Hunjar and Hatian; Punnu (Surajbansi) origin is claimed by the Dudhrai/dhudhi Poti, Gil, Thathal, Mathi, Nat ; Raghbansi by the Rahang Chauhan ; Rajput origin is claimed by the Thanel, Gohi and Kaler; Tur Rajput descent is claimed by the Takkhar ; Langah Rajputs gave birth to the Chach, and Manhas to the Raihsi, Katwar Lohdra, Mahe, Mair, Nangial and Virk ; Gondal Jatt extraction is admitted by the Tola, Jaspal, Sandrana, and Ghug; Waraich by the Suggar; Dhariwal by the Sidh, and Ranjha by the Khamb, Gudgor.
Social distinctions among the Jatts
Among the Jatts the only social distinctions are the well-known 'Akbari' or Darbari Makans 35 in number according to the usual account. But in Amritsar the Akbari is only the highest of a series of four grades, the Aurangzebi (or those admitted to this rank in the time of Aurangzeb), Khalsi (or those admitted in Sikh times) and Angrezi (or those admitted since British rule began) being the other three, and no less than 150 villages, all generally speaking in the Manjha, now claim Darbari status. There is also a Shahjahani grade, the Sansi Jatts, of Raja Sansi, having been admitted in the reign of Shah Jahan. The origin of the Akbari group is thus described. When the emperor Akbar took in marriage the daugliter of Mihr Mitha, a Jatt, of the Manjha 35 of the principal Jatt, and 36 of the leading Rajput families countenanced the marriage and sent representatives to Delhi. Three of those Jatt families are still found in Hoshiarpur, and are called the Dhaighar Akbari, as they comprise the Bains Jatts of Mahilpur, the Lahotas of Garhdiwala and the Khungas of Budhipind, which latter is styled the 'half family, so that the three families are called the 2 1/2 dhaighar. The Akbari Jatts follow some of the higher castes in not allowing remarriage of widows, and in practising darbara, which is a custom of giving vails at weddings to the marasis of other Akbari families. Their parohits also place the janeo on them at their marriages, removing it a few days afterwards. Below the Akbari (according to the Hoshiarpur account) is the Darbari grade, descendants of those who gave daughters to the emperor Jahangir. Thus some of the Mann Jatts are Darbaris, and they will only marry with Darbaris as a rule. But they will accept brides from Jatts of grades below the Darbari provided the dower dahej is sufficiently large.
The Jatts in History
Fragmentary notices of the Jatts occur in the Muslim historians of India, as will be seen from the following excerpts from Elliot's History of India.
Ibn Khurdadba, writing ante 912 A. D., gives the distance from the frontier of Kirman to Mansura as 80 parasangs and adds :— " This route passes through the country of the Zatts (Jatts) who keep watch over it."
According to the author of the Mujmal-ut-Tawarikh the Jatt and Meds were reputed descendants of Ham. They both dwelt in Sind and on (the banks of) the Bahar river, and the Jatts were subject to the Meds whose oppression drove them across the Pahan river. The Jatts were, however, accustomed to the use of boats and were thus able to cross the river and raid the Meds, who were owners of sheep. Eventually the Jatts reduced the Med power and ravaged their country. A Jatt chief, however, induced both tribes to lay aside their differences and send a deputation of chiefs to wait on King Dajushan (Duryodhaua), son of Dahrat (Dhritarashtra), and beg him to nominate a king, whom both tribes would obey. Accordingly the emperor Dajushan appointed Dassal (Duhsala), his sister, and wife of the powerful king Jandrat (Jayadratha), to rule over the Jatts and Meds. As the country possessed no Brahmans, she wrote to her brother for aid, and he sent her 30,000 from Hindustan. Her capital was Askaland. A small portion of the country she made over to the Jatts under their chief, Judrat.[2]