Before the advent of Islam, but
after the Aryan migrations, several invasions and mass migrations
of the Central Asian tribes named as the Sakas, Parthians, Kushans,
Huns and Gujjars took place in the Punjab (and other parts of
Pakistan). The last two tribes i.e. the Huns (White Huns/ Epthalites)
and Gujjars arrived
in the 5th century AD when Hinduism had revived under the Gupta
Empire but had not fully succeeded in crushing the influence
of Buddhism. As the Gupta Empire collapsed under the impact of
Hun invasions, it caused deep consternation among Brahmins in
view of their failure to eliminate Buddhism while the Gupta power
supporting them in this task had disappeared. Therefore, they
began to make overtures to the new arrivals who were valiant,
vigorous and warlike. They were offered the rank of Kshatryas
in the Hindu fold, a position only next to that of the Brahmins
and confers the responsiblity of rulership.
Todd assigns Scythian origin to
the Rajputs. Scythians came to be known as Sakas in South Asia,
and were absorbed in the Hindu fold as Kshatriyas. Sakas, Yavannas
(Greco-Bactrians), Pallavas (Parthians) ultimately became Kshatriyas.
The Huns are known to have been regarded as one of the 36 clans
of Rajputs.
Almost 60% of the population of
the Punjab comprises of Rajputs and Jats and the various branches
of their race such as Awans, Khokhars, Ghakkars, Khattars, Janjuas,
Arains, Gujjars, etc. though the Awans, Khokhars and Khattars
claim common ancestry from Qutb Shah who is said to have come
from Ghazni with Mahmud Ghaznavi, scholars hold the view that
they were most probably converted by Qutb Shah during Mahmud
Ghaznavi's reign and were not his descendents. This tendancy
of claiming foreign origin by some of the local tribes is not
uncommon. Even admittedly Rajput tribes of famous ancestry such
as the Khokhar, have begun to follow the example of claiming
connection with the Mughal conquerors of India or the Qureshi
cousins of the Prophet.
A branch of the Wattu Rajputs
of the Sutlej by an affection of peculiar sanctity, have in the
course of a few generations become Bodeas and now deny their
Rajput and claim Qureshi origin. There is a Kharral family lately
settled in Bahawalpur who have begun to affect peculiar holiness
and to marry only with each other and their next step will certainly
be to claim Arab descent.
Though Arains claim Iranian descent,
they too are generally considered of Rajput origin, but Rajputs
having Scythian-Kushan-Hun origins are indeed related to Iranians.
According to the Punjab Gazetteer, the Arains of sahiwal District
themselves pointed out that they are Surajbansi Rajputs originally
settled around Delhi. Arains of Ghaggar Valley say that they
were Rajputs living on the Panjnad near Multan. Mr. Pursr writes
that they are usually supposed to be Muslim Kambohs. the Jullander
Arains themselves say that they are descended from Rai Chajju
of Ujjain. Kambohs claim descent from Raja Keran who was related
to him.
Similarly, Ranghars and Meos are
described to be of Rajput/Jat origin who were converted to Islam
during the time of Qutbuddin Aibak. Kahutas are a mixed Mughal
and Rajput tribe.
Khokhars are sometimes returned
as Jats and sometimes as Rajputs. Col. Davis notes that many
of the social customs of the Khokhars of Shahpur denote Hindu
origin. Eastern Punjab Khokhars themselves claim Jat-Rajput origin.
Only some of the West Punjab Khokhars claim Arab origin.
In Pakistan, Rajput and Jat tribes
are so mixed up that it is difficult to distinguish one from
the other at many places and in several cases. Some of the Rajput
tribes are probably of Jat origin and vice versa. In southwest
Punjab the name Jat includes a most miscellaneous congries of
tribes of all sorts. Its significance tends to be occupational:
to denote a body of cultivators or agriculturists. Even tribes
which bear well-known Rajput names are often classified as Jats
in the Punjab. Anyway, the origin of both is the same as stated
earlier.
Gen. Cunningham and Maj. Todd
agree in considering the Jats of Indo-Scythian stock. Maj. Todd
classifies Jats as one of the great Rajput tribes. They belong
to one and thesame stock.... they have been, for many centuries,
so blended and so intermingled into one people that it is practically
impossible to distinguish them as separate wholes. At present
distinction is social rather ethnic. The same tribe Rajput in
one district and Jat in another according to the position in
local tribes... During census many of the Jats entered, as third
heading, the name of the Rajput tribe from which they claim to
have sprung.
The Jats in ancient times inhabited
the whole valley of the Indus down to Sind.... They now form
a most numerous as well as the most important section of the
agricultural population of Punjab.
The main (Muslim) Rajput tribes
of the Punjab are: Bhatti, Punwar, Chauhan, Minhas, Tiwana, Noon,
Ranghar, Khokhar, Ghakkar, Meo, Chib, Gheba, Jodhra, Janjua,
Sial and Wattu etc.
Punjab has had its periods of
prosperity and poverty in a regular cycle. Before the arrival
of Muslims, Punjab along with the other regions/provinces of
present day Pakistan was leading a separate existance from that
of India, and kingdoms based in its territories or in the NWFP
often ruled over most of northern India. Kushan, Saka, Bactrian
and Hun Kingdoms with their capitals at Peshawar, Taxila and
Sialkot respectively, ruled over large parts of northern India
for centuries.
Courtesy: Pak
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