Thursday 2 April 2015

Gujjars in Muslim Era

Gujjars in the Muslim era have made huge sacrifices for protecting their territory mostly the northern region of the country from foreign invaders.

Nearly complete northern parts of India were invaded by foreigners within a short period after 1192 CE. Throughout this long period, Gujjars in the Muslim era made a lot of sacrifices to free the country from the foreigners. A majority of foreigners settled through out India, to keep the local population in subjection. The local warrior clans like it Pathans, Somera, Sama, Chib, Gakad, Gurjars, Jats, Ahirs, Dogras, etc. completely ousted from the cities, towns and big villages. There places and houses were occupied by foreigners. Thus, local martial races became illiterate and nomad during the foreigner rule of slave kings (1200 CE-1290 CE). 

Gujjars in Gujarat 
In 1193 CE, the Gurjars gathered under the commands of a Chauhan leader to rescue Delhi from the foreigners. The rescuing army occupied Sirsa in Punjab, ousted the foreign army from Hansi and besieged Delhi. Qutbuddin hastened from Kanauj and a stubborn fight took place at Delhi where the Gurjars were Defeated. In the west Punjab, the Gurjars under the command of their chief Surka Khokhar raised like storm from Multan, ousted the foreigners from Lahore and dispossessed the fresh intruders of their horses, block the road of intrusion from Ghazana to Delhi. In 1206 CE, Mohammad Ghori himself marched from Ghazna to uproot the freedom fighters but he was killed by a Khokhar Gurjar. So in turn, many Gurjars were assassinated. 

At the time of Firozshah Tuglaq 1351 CE to 1388 CE, Gurjars looted the intruders who were coming from Central Asia through Punjab. Firozshah came to Punjab, cleared the roadways and on further march massacred the people of Nagarkot. Sukha Gurjar took possession of Lahore. He did not hand over the charge of Lahore to the foreign forces and thus he was ultimately captured. In 1399 CE, Dasrath established himself at Jalandhar and ruled the territory round about it. Sultan Adam Gurjar was the chief of Gujarat when Humayun took Kabul. Akbar adopted the policy of peace with local people and acknowledged the ownership of land of local people. The Jats became proprietors at this time in Punjab. Akbar also accepted the chieftainship of the local chiefs thus Adam Gurjar was an acknowledged chief of Gujarat. After the death of Alamgir, son of Sultan Adam, Gurjars could not select a chief and divided their possession. 

Gurjars in Delhi Region 
At the time of Naseeruddin 1246 CE-1266CE, the Gurjars revolted in the area between the rivers Vyas and Ganga River. Naseeruddin himself with a formidable army entered the region between Ganga and Yamuna River, and after a stubborn fight took position of the Meerut fort, in there way the commanders subjugated the people of Vyas area and put a garrison there. The garrison dishonoured the local people, so one day Gurjars of Kaithal and Gahraon collectively attacked the garrison and killed the commander Raziul Mulk. To take the revenge the Sultan devastated the villages. 

At the time of Balban 1266 CE-1290 CE, there was a general rising of the people through out the subcontinent throughout the foreign invasion, particularly the Gujjars of Delhi revolted, so severely that they blocked the roads, the foreigners were attacked and Delhi was sacked. Balban ordered removable of the forest round about Delhi. These foreign people marched near, far from surrounding districts of Delhi. Giyasuddin Tughlak defeated Khusro Shah of Delhi. Mohammad Tughlak 1325 CE - 1351 CE impounded revenue in the doab of Ganges and Yamuna. Sher Shah Suri had to face the Gurjars in the regions of Ganges and Yamuna. The Reve Gurjars migrated from Ranthambhore in Rajasthan and occupied Junagarh fort in 1314 CE in Kathiawad. The whole area from Satluj up to Narmada divided into several principalities, which were being governed by feudal lords before 1300CE. These feudal lords and their families formed in a group the name of which is Rajput. The Gurjars joined hands whenever the Rajputs stood against as a resistance to the Muslims. The Rajputs and the Gurjars fought jointly against Sher Shah Suri and the Muslim forces who invaded their territory. 
http://www.indianetzone.com/45/gujjars_muslim_era.htm

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