Dhaniya

Dhaniya (धानिया) Dhania (धानिया) Dhanian (धानियां) Dhanya (धान्या) is a Jat gotra found in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Mention by Panini

Dhanya (धान्य) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.

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Dhanya-gava (धान्य-गव) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.

History

H.A. Rose writes that The Jats of the south-east Punjab have two other divisions, 1. Shibgotra and 2. Kashib-gotra. The former are also called asl or real Jats and confess that their progenitor sprang from Shiva's matted hair and was so called jat bhadra. They have 12 gots, which are descended from the 12 sons of Barh, who conquered a large part of Bikaner. His descendants are chiefly sprung from Punia and they held the country round Jhansal. These 12 Gotras are: 1. Punia. 2. Dhanian. 3. Chhacharik. 4. Bali. 5. Barbra. 6. Solahan. 7- Chiria. 8. Chandia. 9. Khokha. 10. Dhanaj. 11. Letar. 12. Kakar.

Dhanya in Rajatarangini

Rajatarangini tells us that when Sussala became king of Kashmir second time in 1121 AD he had to face defeat but continued the renewal of war. .... Although the king Sussala's army was destroyed, yet with twenty or thirty men of the royal blood and of his own country, Sussala faced the enemies.

Udaya and Dhanyaka, Kshatriyas, born of Ichchhita family, and Udayabrahma and Jajjala, lords of Champa and Vallapura; Tejahsalhana, the chief of the Hamsa family, who lived at Harihaḍa, and Savyaraja and others of Kshatrikabhinjika ; Nila and others, sons of Viḍāla, born of the family of Bhāvuka ; Ramapala of Sahaja and his young son ; — these and other warriors of renowned

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[p.93]: families were eager for the well contested battle, and opposed on all sides the enemies who besieged the city.

Rilhana who was, as if he was the king's son, first advanced in battle accompanied by Vijaya and other horse men. As an iron mail defended his arm, so the energetic king protected Sujji and Prajji who were well versed in battle. The king who had shared his kingdom with them was now, in this time of peril, able by their help, to sustain the weight of his misfortunes. Bhagika, Sharadbhasi, Mummuni, Mungata, Kalasha and other men of the king's party harassed the enemies. Kamalaya, son of Lavaraja king of Takka, took the king's side in this war. (VIII,p.92-93)

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Rajatarangini tells that in 1127 AD Bhikshu was at Vanagrama, and at that place Dhanya left his army and went to seek protection of Simhadeva. When the soldiers of Bhikshu heard that the king had treated Dhanya well, they were eager to come to the capital. (p.123)

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Rajatarangini The first minister, the Pratihara, unable to bear the pride of Sujji, began to find some pretext against him. Now at this time, the elder brother of Dhanya had purified himself by bathing in the Ganges, and returned to this country, and came to the king when he was walking alone. (p.138)

Now Sujji with the view of preserving the [reigning] dynasty, and after deliberating what should be done, thought of crowning Parmaḍi, son of queen Shrigunalekha, who was then a little under five

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[p.139]: years old. He consulted with Garga's son, the maternal uncle of the boy.

The Pratihara got hold of this pretext against Sujji and thus told the king : — " Now that you are in this condition, Sujji with his son, is today constantly holding council with Panchachandra and others with the purpose of rising against you."

Dhanya and others also spoke to the king to the same effect, and the king too believed it. (p.139)

The king then judged that if he deposed Sujji from his posts, his followers would become broken-hearted and would desert him, and he bestowed Sujji's posts on others without delay. He gave the government of Rajasthana (palace ) to Dhanya, Kampana to Udaya and the office at Kheri to Rilhana. (p.140)

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Rajatarangini tells us that ...Rilhana discarded the friendship of Udaya and Dhanya for the benefit of his master and behaved as their enemy. (175)

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Rajatarangini mentions about rewards to the king's favourites : The king served Sanjapala by making him lord of Kampana, and Kularaja, superintendent of the capital Dhanya and Udaya. (p.195)

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Rajatarangini tells.... At this time Koshtaka took Mallarjjuna with him, and with a view to create a commotion in the kingdom, arrived at Giridurga which was well defended with trees. As men are oppressed with dullness at the sudden appearance of a cloud, so the people soon became disheartened at the presence of the enemy's army. Koshtaka who had come traversing many a mile, surrounded the woods and villages with his attendants and completely blockaded, Tarudurga (Giridurga). But when Sanjapala arrived in the camp with his fleet cavalry, the enemies became motionless, like the still trees in a windless place. Dhanyaka whose army was supplied with graineries filled with corn, sat like a lion who cannot bear the smell of elephants, his foes. Rilhana was, by the king's orders, encamped at Govasa with his force. He moved about in the wood and harassed the enemies, as the sun-light does vermins. [VIII(i),pp.201-202]

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Rajatarangini tells....The Brahmana village and the edifices built by Dhanya did not fulfill the purpose for which they were raised. How can fame be obtained, without virtue ? In the like manner, the religious edifices built by Udaya lord of Kampana, in the villages of the Brahamanas, and named after him, served no useful purpose except that they went by his name. (p,216)

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Rajatarangini tells....When, in course of time, the ministers established peace, the people thought that the whole land of Madava was lost. Unable to find any remedy when the enemy gained strength, the king, as advised, sent Dhanya [to quell the commotion.] [VIII (ii),p.224]

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Rajatarangini tells....Dhanya too, when Panchachandra died, raised his younger brother Shashthachanra on the king's seat, [at Madava ?], and set about to begin his work. Divāhuka and other principal dependants of the king and the outsiders also followed Dhanya with bards and singers.

When Dhanya and his party took shelter of Tilagrama on the banks of the Kotisindhu, the lord of Dvara who was in the town went out leaving the road behind. He also left behind Hevaka, the cause of the war, though unfit for battle, and reduced the enemy, and behaved with patience and gravity. By the help of many architects with their building instruments, Dhanya caused rows of temples to be built on the banks of the Madhumati; and the temples emulated [the beauty of a] town. [VIII (ii),p.225]

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Rajatarangini tells....When Shashtha died and the lord of Dvara was laid up with illness, Dhanya, employed by tile king, went to Taramulaka. [VIII (ii), p.271]

Death of Dhanya— His character

Rajatarangini tells that.... It was Dhanya who was the main stay of the king's party from the time of Bhikshu's destruction to the time when Bhoja was won over, that is, during the period of the king's trouble. He took an unusual interest in the performance of the king's work, and by treacherous murders, reduced and annihilated the enemies. He also devoted, like a son, his dear life to the service of that grateful king who should be saved at the sacrifice of the world's life, and who, though sunk in danger at every step, was steady in his purpose to protect his subjects. The king mixed with those who were near Dhanya wishing his welfare ; and he remained sleepless and did not move from the side of Dhanya who was ill, in his last moments. The death of this dear subject and minister,

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[p.309]: for a time, gave new life to the people. They had grieved at the death of Mandhata and other kings, but they now rejoiced. At the time when the kingdom of the new king was harassed by civil wars, it was his ministry which overcame all reverses and became irresistible. At the time when Sujji was killed and he became the superintendent of the capital, he put down the disorders in the kingdom which were of long growth.

The use of Dinnara, in the making of purchases, had been prohibited by law, but he repealed the law, and Dinnara has now a wide currency without any fall in its price. When the character of a married woman was lost, the master of the house used to inflict punishment ; but this practice was prohibited by him after deliberation. Thus on obtaining the superintendentship of the capital, he had become useful to men. But even he oppressed the people in conducting his affairs. He inflicted violent punishments on many dissipated men who, it was reported, had been living in houses full of immured women and dancing girls. What will you gain by thinking about the leaders of soldiers who wore ever ready to fly like husks ? Yet there was none so devoid of rebellious feelings and of avarice as he was. Even when he heard of Bhikshu and Mallarjjuna, he did not forsake the good of his master according to the prevalent custom of the time. In the time of prosperity, he never forgot his disinterestedness, and at the time of his death, he had not acquired much wealth, either-

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[p.310]: honestly or dishonestly. The king divided the whole of Dhanya's wealth among his dependents, even as he would have done if Dhanya had been alive. How could he have expressed his gratitude to Dhanya more adequately than by this conduct ? Dhanya had commenced building a Vihara named Vijja, after the name of his beloved wife Vijja who had gone to the next world. But after Dhanya had gone to the other worrld, the king spent some money from the remnant of Dhanya's estate to finish the Vihara.

Distribution in Haryana

Villages in Rohtak district

Dobh,

Distribution in Rajasthan

Villages in Nagaur district

Gemaliyawas,

Villages in Pali district

Dhundhala,

Distribution in Madhya Pradesh

Villages in Dhar district

Jabada

Villages in Ratlam district

Villages in Ratlam district with population of this gotra are:

Dhania (धानिया) in Kalmoda 1,

Dhanya (धान्या) in Banjali 7,

Distribution in Chhattisgarh

Villages in Bilaspur district

Dhaniya is village in Masturi tahsil in Bilaspur district in Chhattisgarh.

Notable persons

• Nitin Dhania (Major), Shaurya Chakra, is from village Dobh He performed surgical strike against militants in south Kashmir on 13.12.2021 in Jammu and Kashmir and killed one hardcore militant. Unit: 2 Parachute Regiment.

References

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