Kalu Ram
Chaudhary Kalu Ram (d.1258 AD) was ancestor of Burdaks and the Jagirdar of Sarnau in Sikar, Rajasthan. Chaudhary Kalu Ram had two sons Kunwar Padam Singh and Kunwar Jag Singh. They were Jagirdars from Burdak clan. There were 84 villages in this Jagir. In 1258 AD all Burdaks were killed in war with Dhakas.
History
Chaudhari Balan Singh Burdak (765) or Balansi, in the ancestry of Burdak (Chauhan), came from Sambhar and founded village Balrasar in samvat 821 (765 AD) on magh sudi basant panchami. He constructed a pakka well 85 hath deep and 4-3/4 hath wide. he also dug a pond named it Balanu after him in north of the village. Left 525 bigha land under it. He constructed a Shiva temple here named Seo Badrinarayan.
Chaudhari Mal Singh Burdak moved from village Balrasar to Kari and founded it on chaitra sudi ram navami samvat 825 (768 AD). He constructed a pakka well 90 hath deep and 4-3/4 hath wide facing north. He also constructed Gopinath temple and granted 51 bigha land for the temple. A land of 225 bigha was left in west of Karanga Bara village during the rule of Virabhan Chauhan of Hansi in Samvat 835 (778 AD).
Bhim Deo’s son Jeen Deo and Mahi Deo founded Sarnau village and fort and constructed boundary wall around 12 villages.
Chaudhary Malu Ram, Dharani Jakhar, Kunwar Alan Singh and Veer Bhan came from Kari village and founded Sarnau-Kot and constructed Sarnau fort with gate in eastern side. They constructed Janana and Mardana Mahals, Bara Dari and boundary wall around Sarnau village and Sarnau fort. A separate front gate was constructed for safety. A ditch was dug around the fort and it was further protected by a sand-barrier-wall dhulakot.
In samvat 1032 (975 AD) the Delhi ruler Raja Mahi Pal Tanwar gave Jagir of 84 villages to Burdaks with capital at Sarnau. Halani Baori was constructed at Sarnau after Chaudhary Halu Ram. A baori was constructed after Jeenmata with 104 steps. A garden was developed. The constructed plinth of the fort was 1515 yards. Three temples were constructed at Sarnau namely, Shivabadri Kedarnath temple, Ashapuri Mata temple and Hanuman temple. Pooja was performed by Rughraj Brahman. 152 bigha of land was gifted for maintenance of the temples on paush badi 7 samvat 1033 (977 AD).
On falgun badi fularia dooj samvat 1035 (979 AD) two pakka wells were constructed, one at Sarnau Fort and other at Sarnau village.
Chaudhari Malu Ram, Dharani Jakhar, Alan Singh and Veer Bhan went to Haridwar, Kedarnath, Dwaraka, Gangasagar, Kumbh pilgrims and returned after three years. On return they got performed Panchakundiya Yagya by Pandit Girdhar Gopal of Kari village. This was done in regime of Chaudhary Halu Ram at Sarnau and Raja Mahi Pal Tanwar at Delhi in samvat 1042 (985 AD).
Chaudhari Malu Ram, Dharani Jakhar, Alan Singh and Veer Bhan got recorded Sarnau village, Sarnau Kot and Sarnau Baori etc with Bard Jag Roop.
Thus Sarnau was made Jagirdari of Burdaks under Raja Mahi Pal Tanwar of Delhi in samvat 1032. Burdaks ruled at Sarnau Fort from samvat 1032 to samvat 1315 (975 AD - 1258 AD).
In samvat 1315 (1258 AD) Sarnau falls to Delhi Badashah Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (1246–1266) son of Iltutmish (1211–1236) of Slave dynasty. At that time Chaudhary Kalu Ram, Kunwar Padam Singh and Kunwar Jag Singh were Jagirdars from Burdak clan. There were 84 villages in this Jagir.
The wars of Dhakas and Burdaks
Sarnau Fort falls to Delhi Badashah Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (1246–1266) in samvat 1315 (1258 AD). Nasir-ud-din Mahmud had appointed Mom Raj Dhaka of Ganora village as mansabdar.
There was tension between Dhakas and Burdaks. There seem apparently two reasons regarding this tension.
- Firstly as par bard records Sukhi Devi, the Wife of Dhaka Momraj, uttered bad words for Kunwar Padam Singh Burdak while he was passing through village Ganora. Offended Kunwar Padam Singh Burdak took Sukhi Devi to the Sarnau Fort.
- Secondly as per local tradition some Dhaka woman came for water on well of Burdaks and Dhakas took it otherwise.
As per records of Bards there were 6 wars between Burdaks and Dhakas as under:
First war – Mom Raj Dhaka attacked Sarnau Fort on Chaitra Badi 9 samvat 1308 (1251 AD) with an army of 10000 soldiers. Mom Raj Dhaka was defeated with a loss of 1500 people. Padam Singh Burdak lost 500 people. Total loss 2000 people.
Second war – Mom Raj Dhaka attacked Sarnau Fort second time on Kartik Sudi 13 samvat 1309 (1252 AD) with an army of 15000 soldiers. Mom Raj Dhaka was defeated with a loss of 600 people. Burdaks lost 200 people. Total loss 800 people. The chief of Burdak army was Ridmal Jakhar of Riri-Bigga.
Third war – Mom Raj Dhaka attacked Sarnau Fort third time on Falgun Badi 5 samvat 1310 (1254 AD) with an army of 20000 soldiers. War continued for three days (Falgun Badi 5-8). Mom Raj Dhaka was defeated with a loss of 2000 people. Burdaks lost 500 people. Total loss 2500 people. The chief of Burdak army was Kunwar Jag Singh Burdak.
Fourth war – Mom Raj Dhaka attacked Sarnau Fort fourth time on Chaitra Badi 9 samvat 1311 (1254 AD) with an army of 20000 soldiers. War continued for five days (Chaitra Badi 9-13). Mom Raj Dhaka was defeated. The total loss was 13515 people. The chief of Burdak army was Kunwar Jag Singh Burdak.
Fifth war – Mom Raj Dhaka attacked Sarnau Fort fifth time on Jeshtha Badi 2 samvat 1313 (1256 AD) with an army of 25000 soldiers. War continued for Seven days (Jeshtha Badi 2-9). Mom Raj Dhaka was defeated with a loss of 5000 people and injury to 2000 people. The Dhaka Army was badly defeated as they did not get drinking water. The chief of Burdak army was Kunwar Padam Singh Burdak.
Sixth war – Mom Raj Dhaka attacked Sarnau Fort sixth time on Paush Badi 5 samvat 1313 (1257 AD). War continued for nine days (Paush Badi 5-13). Mom Raj Dhaka was defeated. The chief of Burdak army was Kunwar Padam Singh Burdak.
Mom Raj Dhaka conspires
Thus Mom Raj Dhaka could not defeat Burdaks in six direct wars. He started conspiracy how to defeat Burdaks. He got the secret information about Burdaks that they all gather and take bath unarmed at Halani Baori at Sarnau on the amavashya tithi of Ashwin month for performing the annual shradha of their ancestors. On such occasion on amavashya tithi of Ashwin month of samvat 1315 (1258 AD) when all Burdaks gathered to take bath unarmed at Halani Baori at Sarnau, Mom Raj Dhaka attacked them with an army of 25000. All Burdaks were killed. The village and Fort of Sarnau was reduced to ashes.
Revival of Burdaks from Nanak Ji
It so happened that Rambha of gotra Kharra, the wife of Kunwar Padam Singh Burdak, was not in the Sarnau fort at that time. She was away with his in-laws at village ‘Kharra-Ka-Gothra’ and hence was saved. She had a pregnancy of three months at that time. She gave birth to a child in nanihal village ‘Kharra-Ka-Gothra’ at ‘Dungar ki Ghati’ on chaitra Sudi Navami Samvat 1316 as per blessings of Gusainji. He was named Nanak. He was married to Kushalji Tetarwal’s daughter Mankauri.
Burdaks in Rajasthan are descendant of this sole child. The sole survivor woman Rambha was a devotee of god Gusainji. Burdaks consider Gusainji as their kuladevata and pay homage to the deity at place called Junjala near Nagaur city.
Genealogy of Burdaks
Genealogy of Burdaks up to the Author: Laxman Burdak
- Raja Ratansena → • Biramrao → • Sabalsi → • Alansi (922 AD) →
- Rao Burdakdeo (b. - d.1000 AD) (m. Tejal Sekwal) → * Samudrapala (b. - d.1010 AD) + (+Narapala) → • Udaisi → •Rajpala → • Bhimadeva → • Jinadeva + Mahideva →
- Chaudhary Kalu Ram (d.1258 AD) (v.Sarnau) →
- Kunwar Padam Singh (d.1258 AD) (m. Rambha Kharra of Kharra-ka-Gothra) (+Kunwar Jag Singh Burdak) (d.1258 AD) →
- Nanakji (1259-1319 AD) (Sole survivor) (Nanakji → Kunwar Sahraj + Dhanraj + Karma Ram)
- 1.Nanakji (m.Ranaji’s daughter Karma Haratwal) (v. Gothra Tagalan) →
- 2. Sahraj (m. Vira Jewlya) →
- 3. Jokha (m. Sabira Bugalia) →
- 4. Sanwal (m. Mori Jakhar) →
- 5. Shakata (m. Bhuri Sheshma) →
- 6. Jaita (m. Jivu Kularia) →
- 7. Adimal (m. Gyani Dhaka) →
- 8. Viru Ram (m. Hira Mangloda) → * 9. Suraja (m. Tulachhi Gena) →
- 10. Ruda (m. Para Bajya) →
- 11. Kisana (m. Devu Ghasal) →
- 12. Rupa Ram (m. Udi Mahla) →
- 13. Khinwraj (m. Nani Mehria) (v. Gothra Tagalan) →
- 14. Jagu (m. Kushali Nehra) (v. moved to Mandeta) →
- 15. Balu (m. Jivu Bajya) →
- 16. Chimana (m. Tulachhi Baradwal) →
- 17. Mohana (m. Lachhi Palsania) (v.Sutot) →
- 18. Khumana (m. Bhuri Khichar) (moved: Mandeta - Sutot – Ratangarh – Thathawata) (d.V.2001) →
- 19. Bhima (m. Rukma Pachar of Sabalpura) (d.V.2001) →
- 20. Bega (m. Barji Mandiwal of Sewa) (1921- 2012) →
- 21. Laxman (m. Gomati Nehra of Harsawa) (b.1954)
- Note 1 - Here m= married with, b=born, d=death, v=village
- Note 2 - Death records of Burdaks of Thathawata are maintained by Pandit Hans Raj Hari Ram and Surendra Kumar, Mob:09927715627, 09837132092. Address: Atithi Niwas, Opposite Manasa Devi Footpath, Ramprasad Gali, Punjabi Beda Haridwar.
See also
References
The information is based on records of Bard (traditional record keeper) Rao Bhawani Singh (Mob:09785459386) of village Maheshwas, tahsil Phulera, district Jaipur, Rajasthan.
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