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Balhara

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Balhara ( Hindi: बल्हारा ) is a gotra of Jats found in Haryana, Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan in India. The Balhara gotra is found among the Jats in Sikhs and Hindus. The name is also homonymous to the Bulgar Kingdom of Balhara, and in that regard the Balhara gotra of Jats could be descended from the Bulgars (if in fact they were the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Balhara like ancient sources suggest).

Origin

In Sanskrit, "Bal" means "strength" and "hara" means "the possessor". Thus, "Balhara" means "the possessor of strength". According to mythology, these people descended from Sardar RANJIT Singh of Punjab , who possessed a lot of strength.[1] The ethnonym Balhara is homonymous to the name of the ancient, Bulgar-inhabited [2][3] country situated north of Hindu Kush around the city of Balh/Balkh-thought to be their capital (also homonymous to the name Bulgar,Bulhar or Bulhi - Armenian for Bulgar).

About the origin of Balhara, the early Arab Geographers are unanimous in their spelling of the title "Balhará." The merchant Sulaimán says it is a title similar to the Chosroes of the Persians, and not a proper name. Ibn Khurdádba says that it signifies "King of Kings." According to Mas'údí it is a title borne by all the kings of the country, while Ibn Haukal states that it is a name derived from that of the country. Idrísí follows Ibn Khurdádba in giving to it the signification of "King of Kings," but, he adds, that the title was hereditary. Thus it seems clear that it was the general title of a dynasty, and that it must have borne some such signification as that assigned to it by Ibn Khurdádba.[4]

History

Balhara was the name of the first known state/kingdom of the ancient Bulgarians (Kingdom of Balhara)[5][6][7], which was apperently very prosperous and wealthy, but was conquered and destroyed by a number uncertain forces over the years - probably ancient China, Alexander the Great and various Iranic and Turkic tribes in the vicinity. Medievel sources testify to this being their early homeland: medieval Armenian sources - "Ashharatsuyts" by Anania Shirakatsi, the writings of ancient historians - Agathias of Myrina, Theophylact Simocatta, Michael the Syrian. Very little is known about this kingdom, probably very little information was left after its conquest/destruction, or the information was lost over the great length of time (it is said that it existed from about the 6th century B.C). After the conquest/destruction of the Kingdom of Balhara, the Bulgars (sometime in the 2nd/3rd century A.D) migrated west and in the process somehow co-opted into the Hunnic confederacy.

Balhara Jats were the rulers in Sindh from 8th to 10th century. This was the early period of Balhara Jat rulers in Sindh. Balharas ruled the area, which can be remembered as Bal Division. The area from Khambhat to Simari was under their rule and Manafir was their capital. Manafir was probably Mandore or Mandwagarh. It is likely that after Nagas it was ruled by Balharas. The rule transferred from Balharas to Mauryas to Pawars to Chauhans to Parihars to Rathores.[8]

Sir Henry Elliot has mentioned that after defeat of Jat Raja Sahasi Rai second, Raja Matta of Shivistan attacked Alore (the capital of Chach) with brother of Raja of Kannauj and his army. The Jat Raja Ranmal was the ruler of Kannauj at that time. He was famous as Rana. After that the other Jat rulers were eliminated except the Balharas. The Balharas were strong rulers from Khambhat to Sambhar. 'Koyala Patan' which is now known as 'Kolia', was a single city from Kolia to 'Kalindi Katkeri' spread over about 36 km in length. There used to be bricks of one cubit long and half cubit thick. There are seven tanks of Balharas, Banka tank in the name of Banka Balhara and Lalani tank in name of Lalaji. There is one village named Balhara in Sikar district of Rajasthan. The biggest village of Balhara jats is Baddi Bhau/ Bhaau Akbarpur in Rohtak district of Haryana which was established by Baahu Balhara in 12th century A.D. after he shifted from Neem Sarai of Balhara jats in South Delhi[8]. According to madan balara and lokesh:In those days four tanks situated in village moulasar distt.nagaur rajasthan their names are dhiraram-dhirana tank, buraram-burana tank, bankaram-bankana, lalaram-lalana tank and one is a small tank derived from the name of those people name is khemi devi balara-khemani.

In 900 CE a King of this gotra was a powerful ruler in the Western Punjab. He has been greatly praised by historian Sulaiman Nadwi, who came to India as a trader. According to him this ruler was one of the four big rulers of world at that time in 857 CE. He was a friend of the Arabs and his army had a large number of elephants and camels. His country was called Kokan (Kaikan) 'near river Herat.[9]

According to Ram Swarup Joon, a Jat author, the boundaries of this Kingdom extended from China to the Sea and his neighbors were the Takshak and Gujar kings. Their capital was Mankir.[9] The capital of the Balhará is stated by Mas'údí to be Mánkír (or Manákír) - "the great centre of India," and to be situated "eighty Sindí parasangs (640 miles) from the sea" . Istakhrí and Ibn Haukal say that Mánkír is the city in which the Balhará dwells.[10]

Notable Balharas

See also

Rajesh (Ajay) Balhara Vill.Rattakhera (Sirsa) Hry.

References

  1. ^ Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudi, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Adhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998
  2. ^ http://sitemaker.umich.edu/mladjov/files/bulgarian_rulers.pdf
  3. ^ http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3236.htm
  4. ^ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period, Sir H. M. Elliot, Edited by John Dowson London Trubner Company, 1867-1877
  5. ^ http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3236.htm
  6. ^ http://sitemaker.umich.edu/mladjov/files/bulgarian_rulers.pdf
  7. ^ http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/8511032
  8. ^ a b Kishori Lal Faujdar: Rajasthan ke Madhyakalin Jatvans, Jat Samaj, Agra, June 2001
  9. ^ a b Ram Swaroop Joon: History of Jats, India
  10. ^ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period, Sir H. M. Elliot, Edited by John Dowson London Trubner Company,1867-1877
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