Agreya

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Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

Agreya (आग्रेय) was an ancient Janapada in Punjab when Alexander attacked India.

Variants

Origin

Jat clans

History

Sandhya Jain[3] writes.... 29. Bhadra (भद्र) - Associated with Rohitaka and Agreya in Karna's conquest (III. 241.67). They had many branches and fought on both sides in the war (Pandavas VI.52.9 and Kauravas VI.47.9).

Sandhya Jain[4] mentions Tribes With unclear Position in Kurukshetra War: 10. Agreya (अग्रेय) - A janapada conquered by Karna (III. 241.67). Possibly in Hisar region or near Agra. The Mahabharata Tribe - Agreya (अग्रेय) may be identified with Jat Gotra - Agre (अग्रे)

Buddha Prakash[5] mentions ....To the south-east of the Sibis, in the region below the confluence of the Jhelum and the Chenab, were the Agalassians or the Agreyas. They were formidable warriors and could muster an army of 40,000 foot and 3,000 horse against Alexander. They had also gone there from East Panjab and Hariyana where their seat is still known as Agroha. Their modern descendants are the Agravalas.

Buddha Prakash[6] mentions ....About the same time the Agreya or Agravalas of Agrodaka, modern Agroha in Hariyana, also issued their coins the obverse of which shows a tree in railing and the reverse a bull or a lion. The legend on them reads as agodakā agāca janapadasa which refers to the Agreya community of Agroha. It is noteworthy that up to the sixteenth century the Agreyas or Agravalas were counted among the martial classes as a reference in the Padmāvat of Jayasi (42, 503, 3-4 ed. V.S. Agrawala) shows. (Khatri o pancabān baghele. Agarwal chauhan chandele, Gahanvar parihar so kuri. Milan hansa thakurai juri)

The Agreya Ganarajya

The followed section is taken from article 'Heng-Nu Jats' written by Ch. Reyansh Singh.

It was an ancient Ganarajya(tribal kingdom) during the region of Mahabharata period. This Ancient Gana(rajya) (or Janapada) was established by Samrat Agrasena, who was a descend from Lord Rama. Their coinage mentions, 'Agodaka Agācha janapada"[7] we had already discussed that Agach is an another name to denote Agre Jats in Indian subcontinent (mainly in Mathura side). I had wrote an article regarding this study in details (in Hindi), you could see here - Article "Shri Agrasen Ji Maharaja".

Agrasen Maharaj's Queen namely Madhavidevi was a princess of Nagavansha(descend from Naga people), we might remember that Nag or Naga is an another term to denotes Jat tribe (here, Jat community).[8] And Naga is itself a Jat gotra too.[9][10]

The modern city of Agra was established by Shri Agrasen Ji Maharaj[11] But we might remember that, 'it was named after the Agre clan of Jats'.[12] A question arises that why should Agrasen Ji Maharaj named the city of modern Agra after the Agre clan of Jats? Now, what does this mean? What does it depicts?

Clans were designated with an suffix '-ya (य)' or '-ka (क)' in Puranic Literature(in Panini's literature too).[13] Remember, the name 'Agreya' comes mentioning in Mahabharata, a Purana(epic) of Hinduism.
If we excludes this suffix will get 'Agre' or 'Agre-a' which is a Jat clan, we might also remember that a Gana(rajya)s' name is named after their Kul(ah) (e.i. Clan).[14] and In early India, Janapada names can be commonly interchangeable with the tribal name.[15] As from this view Agre was their Kula-name (Gotra or Clan), which is a Jat clan also known as 'Henga' (already discussed!)

Their coinage mentions (in Brahmalipi) "Agodaka Agācha janapada"[16] which means that, the coins belongs to the Janapada namely, 'Agāch'[17]

Now, note that Agach is the name of the Janapada on the coinage, and it is also recognized as 'Agreya' Janapada in Sanskrit literature.

Points to be noted - Agach is a Jat clan which a.k.a. Agre, by adding the suffix '-ya' it becomes Agreya. Both names are found a (same) Jat clan's name, and also the name of their Janapada. While remembering that Gana's or Janapad's name is named after the Kula(h) or clan.[14][15]
Now, what does these three statements indicate (above). Of course, that the Agreya or Agach Janpada is named after Agre or Agach clan, and in Jats the both names were referred to a same clan.

Regarding the term 'Agreya' writer Damodar Mahto says that it itself originated from the term Agre.[18]

And what about Agrasen?
Maharaja was later named as Agrasen but before of it he was recognized as 'Raja Agra'[19] i.e. Agrasen is not a name but a title.
Now what it actually means? Just similarly as Agravana means 'Vana (i.e. forest) of Agre people', existed during Mahabharata period(further discuss), contemporary of Agrasen Maharaj. And Agrapala meant by Pala (i.e. Khap) of Agre clan of Jats, still existing.[20] Similarly Agrasena would mean Sen(a) of Agre people. In Sanskrit(or Hindi), the term 'Sen' is generally used to abbreviatedly denotes 'Senapti' which means by a 'Commander' i.e. Agrasen means, "commander/Sen(apti) of Agre people".

Shri Agrasen Ji Maharaja was a descend from Lord Rama.[21] We might remember that Rama was himself a Jat of Kak Vansha.[22]

We might also note that the people recognized themselves as belonging to 'Agach' clan as mentioned in their coinage, What about Agreya? It's Puranic Form of Agre and hence, it contains a Kullik suffix (Kullik → tribal; 'of Clan'). It is the reason that the Janapada is mentions as 'Agreya' in Puranic Literature only. And the native people calls themselves as belonging to Agach clan.

Author Harit Khan mentions "Gana Pravarti was proposed by the Jats, the Yaudheyas were Yodha/Jaudha(or Johiya) Malwi Gana was governed by Mallav Jats, The Bhadras were Bhadoo Jats of present day, Arjunayanas are Khuntele(or Kuntala Tomar) Jats and just likely the same the Agreya Gana was under the possession of Agre or Agr Jats of present day."[23]

While, Author Mangal Sen Jindal in his book namely, "History of Origin of Some Clans in India (With special references to the Jats)" dedicated five chapters to this discussion namely 'Vaish' (ch.2, p.109) and 'Agroha, Capital of "Agarya Ganrajya" Up to its Destruction' (ch.3, p.115) and 'Vaish Agarwal' (ch.4 p.137) and 'Vaish Agarwal Gindodia' (ch.5, p.123) and 'Vaish Agarwal Rajbanshi' (ch.6, p.127).

आग्रेय

आग्रेय (AS, p.61) गणराज्य अलक्षेंद्र के समय में पंजाब में स्थित था। संभव है आग्रेय अग्राहा का ही पाठांतर हो। [24]

In Mahabharata

Agreya (आग्रेय) Mahabharata (III. 241.67)

Agreya (अग्रेय) was a janapada conquered by Karna (III. 241.67).

Also see,

References

  1. ↑ Buddha Prakash:Evolution of Heroic Tradition in Ancient Panjab, VIII. The Resistance to the Macedonian Invasion, p.74
  2. ↑ Buddha Prakash:Evolution of Heroic Tradition in Ancient Panjab, VIII. The Resistance to the Macedonian Invasion, p.74
  3. ↑ Sandhya Jain: Adi Deo Arya Devata - A Panoramic View of Tribal-Hindu Cultural Interface, Rupa & Co, 7/16, Ansari Road Daryaganj, New Delhi, 2004, p. 119
  4. ↑ Sandhya Jain: Adi Deo Arya Devata - A Panoramic View of Tribal-Hindu Cultural Interface, Rupa & Co, 7/16, Ansari Road Daryaganj, New Delhi, 2004, p.128
  5. ↑ Buddha Prakash:Evolution of Heroic Tradition in Ancient Panjab, VIII. The Resistance to the Macedonian Invasion, p.74
  6. ↑ Buddha Prakash:Evolution of Heroic Tradition in Ancient Panjab, VIII. The Resistance to the Macedonian Invasion, p.110
  7. ↑ Dr Naval Viyogi: Nagas – The Ancient Rulers of India, p.378
  8. ↑ K C Dahiya's 'Bharat me Genhu, Jau ki Kheti ke saath bhasha aur Sanskriti ka aagman (Hindi); p.7-8
  9. ↑ Jat Viro Ka Itihas, Appendix-1 (Hindi), by D S Ahlawat; s.n. न-3
  10. ↑ O.S.Tugania:Jat Samuday ke Pramukh Adhar Bindu, p.47, s.n.1387
  11. ↑ Chintamani Shukla, "Mathura Janapada ka Rajnetik Itihas" (Hindi) p.14
  12. ↑ Ch. Harit Khan(Deswal)'s book, "Zato Qaa Itihas"(Urdu, 1988) p.43
  13. ↑ B S Dahiya's Jats the Ancient Rulers p.230
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 K C Dahiya's 'Jaton Ki Prashasanik Vyavastha Aur Khap' (Hindi) in it's section, "Gana Aur Sangha" by referencing 'Vasudeva Sharan Agrawal' p.432
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 The Making of Early Medieval India by Brajadulal Chattopadhyaya, p.64
  16. ↑ Dr Naval Viyogi: Nagas – The Ancient Rulers of India, p.378
  17. ↑ Niranjal Lal Gautam; Agrotakanvaya, p.21
  18. ↑ Writer Damodar Mahto, "Vaidiki Prakriya Alochnatmak Vistrit Hindi Vyakhya" p.75
  19. ↑ Dr Naval Viyogi: Nagas – The Ancient Rulers of India, p.378
  20. ↑ O S Tugania's Jat Samuday ke Pramukh Adhar Bindu (Hindi) p.23
  21. ↑ Bhartendu Harishchandra's "Agrawalon ki utpatti" (Hindi)
  22. ↑ D S Ahlawat's Jat Viro ka Itihas (Hindi) pp.229-231
  23. ↑ Harit Khan Sahib Deswal's book, "Zato Qaa Itihaas" (Urdu, 1988) p.38
  24. ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.61
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