Gokula
Veer Gokula | |
|---|---|
 Painting of the execution of Jat rebel leader Gokula by dismemberment | |
| Native name | गोकुल |
| Birth name | Ola Haga |
| Died | 1 January 1670 Agra, Mughal Empire |
| Known for |
|
| Relations | Madu Haga (father) |
Gokula (also known as Veer Gokula, or Gokal or Gokul Singh Jat or Gokula Singh, died on 1 January 1670) was a Jat zamindar of Tilpat, belonging to Haga (Agre/Agha) gotra,[1] in what is now the state of Haryana, India.[2] The second of four sons born to Madu, his birthname was Ola.[3] Gokula provided leadership to the Jats who challenged the power of the Mughal Empire.[4]
Battle of Tilpat
The Battle of Tilpat was fought between Jats and Mughal Empire|Mughal]] in 1669.[5] Mughal Subahdars were imposing heavy taxes on the farmers of this region due to bad financial conditions of the mughal empire resulting from the continuous military expansion in the southern regions of the subcontinent. Due to this dissatisfaction and anger among the local Zamindars arose and took the form of rebellion against Mughals. To suppress the rebellion Aurangzeb sent his able commanders Hasan Ali Khan and Brahmdev Sisodia with a big army contingent of rajput and mughal soldiers as a reinforcement to Sadabad cantonment commanded by Abdul Nabi. The Jat chief Gokula, son of Tilpat Zamindar Madu Singh Jat was leading this rebellion of farmers.[6] First confrontation of this rebellion continued for 4 days with the seizing of Tilpat and farmers' counterattacks.
Rebellion
Abdul Nabi had also committed some excesses on the Jat Hindus, which incited the rebellion.[7] Abdul Nabi established a cantonment near Gokul Singh and conducted all his operations from there. They fought at the village of Sahora where in May 1669 Abdul Nabi was killed while attempting to seize it. Gokula and his fellow farmers moved further, attacking and destroying the Sadabad cantonment. This inspired the Hindus to fight against the Mughal rulers, who were there to destroy all Hindu rebels in exchange of Gokula's land and territories.[8] The fighting continued for five months.[9][10] In the meantime, after Gokula's death, Churaman had strengthened the Jat fort of Sinsini near Bharatpur, and they sacked regions around Agra and Delhi. Akbar's tomb was looted and according to legends the grave of Akbar was dug up.[11]
Second Battle of Tilpat
| Second Battle of Tilpat | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mughal vs Jat Wars | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Gokula Singh's forces | Mughal Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Gokula Singh | Abdul Nabi (KIA), Hasan Ali, Amanulla | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 15,450 Jats | Reinforcements of 20,000 mughal soldiers , 10,000 musketeers, 5,000 rocketmen, and 250 artillery pieces | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 13,500 to 13,905 Jats | total (16,000 to 17,000) | ||||||||
In 1669, Gokula Singh with 20,000 followers faced the Mughals 20 miles from Tilpat. Abdul Nabi attacked them. At first he appeared to be gaining ground, but in the middle of the fighting he was killed on 12 May 1669 (21st Dhu al Hijja, 1079 A.H.).[12] [13] They retreated to Tilpat, where Hasan Ali followed and besieged them aided by reinforcements of 10,000 musketeers, 5,000 rocketmen, and 250 artillery pieces. Amanulla, the Faujdar of the environs of Agra was also sent to reinforce Hasan Ali.[14]
Aftermath
Gokula and his uncle Uday Singh Jat won the battle. But after that Aurangzeb sent a big army to catch them. The Mughals caught them and then killed them on 1 January 1670 near Agra Fort. Gokula Jat and supporters became martyrs.
Death
Gokula was killed brutally for treason on 1 January 1670.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ "समर वीर गोकुल जाट जी के बलिदान दिवस पर कोटि कोटि नमन - Surya Bulletin". 31 December 2019.
- ^ Habib, Irfan (2002). "Forms of Class Struggle in Mughal India". Essays in Indian History: Towards a Marxist Perception ; With, The Economic History of Medieval India: a Survey. Anthem Press. p. 251. ISBN 978-1-84331-025-9.
- ^ Narendra Singh Verma: Virvar Amar Jyoti Gokul Singh (Hindi), Sankalp Prakashan, Agra, 1986, p. 5
- ^ R. C. Majumdar, H.C. Raychaudhari, Kalikinkar Datta: An Advanced History of India, 2006, p.490
- ^ Jahan, Dr.Ishrat. Socio-Cultural life in Medieval History. Lulu.com. p. 52. ISBN 9780359222803.
- ^ Nagar, Ishwardas (1978). Tasneem Ahmad (ed.). Ishwardas Nagar's Futuhat-i-Alamgiri. Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli. p. 83.
- ^ Chandra, Satish. History of medieval India. Orient Blackswan.
- ^ Narendra Singh Verma: Virvar Amar Jyoti Gokul Singh (Hindi), Sankalp Prakashan, Agra, 1986, p. 34
- ^ Narendra Singh Verma: Virvar Amar Jyoti Gokul Singh (Hindi), Sankalp Prakashan, Agra, 1986, p. 35
- ^ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 188. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
- ^ Reddy, Krishna. Indian History. McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-132923-1.
- ^ Sarkar, Jadunath. "Maasir-i-Alamgiri A history of emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir". AhleSunnah Library. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ Ojha, Dhirendra Nath (1993). Aristocracy in medieval India. Orient Publications. p. 100. ISBN 9788185294056. Retrieved 28 August 2007.
- ^ Sharmaji, Gautama (1990). Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army. Allied Publishers. pp. 152–153. ISBN 9788170231400. Retrieved 19 November 2015.