Jat- The Label and The People

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Dr. S. S. Rana; born in 1936 in village Saidpur in Haryana; B.A. (Hons.), Punjab; M.A. (Sanskrit), Ph.D, Delhi; taught at different colleges of the University; elected to the Academic Council (1975-76); Head of Sanskrit Department (1975); Principal Shivaji College (1976-88); Dean of Colleges (1988- 2000); was member of (i) Board of Secondary Education), (ii) State Naming Authority, Delhi, (iii) Academic Council and Executive Council of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, (iv) Board of Governors and Board of Management of the Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar, (v) Team for Final Review of 20-Volume Encyclopaedia of Hinduism (vi) Chancellor's Nominee in the Court of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal; additional charge as (1) NCC Officer in Shivaji College (1963- 72), (ii) Staff Advisor, Delhi University Students' Union (1983-85), (iii) OSD (Principal) Ramjas College, Delhi (1982), (iii) OSD (Controller) Examinations, Delhi University (1985); three books and several papers published; Sanskrit Sahitya Seva Samman by the Sanskrit Sahitya Academy of NCT, Delhi (2000); Shashi Bhanu Award for Education (2012); mentored 12 M.Phil and 11 Ph.D students; visited-Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Singapore, Hungary, Japan and USA; served as Secretary (1998-2001) and Vice-President (2001- 2007) of Surajmal Memorial Education Society, New Delhi.

The people who today call themselves or are called Jat are true exemplary of the indigenous settlers of the Saptasindhu tract, the Vedic Aryans as can be gleaned from literary, anthropological, linguistic traces available in their customs, traditions, beliefs and ways of life. But they are, nowhere in ancient Sanskrit literature, known by the term Jat. Professional historians have found it discreet not to speculate on the question. At the same time, many amateur writers have not hesitated to claim having discovered the use of the term Jat meaning a caste in several ancient texts of Sanskrit.

This book, to begin with, again from an amateur pen though, critically examines these claims, marshalling authentic evidence and attempts to argue against their acceptability. It proposes that the term was authored by the Arabs on their first hostile contacts with the Indians of north-west. Further, the book in short pieces tries to piece together the life and ways of these people continuing to march ahead unmindful of the pejorative connotation of the term used by the aliens first, and then by their own compatriots to describe them. The book pleads for making distinction between the Label and the People.

The decade bisected by the culmination of the last and the inauguration of the new century landed me into an active role involving myself with the seminars on the themes of Jat history and life organized by the Research and Publication Centre of the Surajmal Memorial Education Society under the inspiration of the Late Shri Ram Niwas Mirdha. Living a retired life I found the involvement not only engaging but also challenging. Apart from giving full attention to the presentations made at the almost annual seminars I cast my net wide for accessing material on Jat history and identity. I Myself being a Sanskrit student throughout my career I do not recall having noticed the term Jat used as a caste name anywhere in the ancient Sanskrit literature. But when proceeding further to understand the issue I was confronted with a chorus of claims on the origin of the term 'Jat' based on the faulty interpretation of some texts of the celebrated Sanskrit grammarian, Panini of about the fifth century B.C. and some other Sanskrit text. On a deeper examination I found these claims quite unacceptable. Some of these propositions turned out to be trivial and a few quite laughable.

The outcome of my research on the subject was a comprehensive and rather longish article which I wanted to share with all those who may be interested in the issue of the identity of the term 'Jat' and how it came to be used in the sense of a caste and also how the term acquired a pejorative connotation. During the same period 1 also happened to contribute short (for constraints of space) essays on Jat Life and Ways for publication in the Society's Bulletin 'Suraj Sujan' and 'Jat Vshwa Gaurav'an organ of the Vishwa Jat Aryan Foundation. From the communications that I received from some readers from time to time I felt encouraged to continue the course. As an interim step I thought of publishing my research article dealing with the issue, along with some short essays at one place in book form for the benefit of those who may like to go. Through my submissions at leisure without losing track.

Some of the essays included in this volume might, at places, contain matters partly dealt with in others. I thought it better not to edit such spots as that would be retrospective writing. In stand-alone essays the repeats did not show up. The indulgent readers would, I hope, construe accordingly.

I am fully conscious of the asymmetry of the contents of the book. But in the given circumstances I could not present it the way I had desired most.

**Contents and Sample Pages**