History of Origin of Some Clans in India/Jat From Jutland/Ruling Character
History of Origin of Some Clans in India
(with special Reference to Jats)
By Mangal Sen Jindal (1992)
Publisher - Sarup & Sons, 4378/4B, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-110002, ISBN 81-85431-08-6
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Chapter 1: Jat From Jutland
Ruling Character
Practically all Jats are of ruling nature. They are difficult to be ruled by a member of another tribe or caste. They consider themselves to be superior. A Jat sitting in his cot with Hooka (smoking pipe) in his hands, expects every passerby to pay respects to him. If the passerby is his own villager and did not pay his respect, he will be taught a lesson later on. A Bania or Mahajan (shop-keeper) of his village is bound to sell him his requirements on credit it need be. A Mahajan, if has to remind him of his debt, he should adopt such tactics that the Chowdhry may not feel annoyed. The lower caste people are considered by him as his Rayyat (the Ruled) and they must behave properly. A labourer even though has not been paid his last month's wages, must not grudge to work diligently for the Jat, the next month, if he has to live in the village. Now the situation is not so. The Independence of India has changed the position to a great extent. This ruling nature in them is hereditary because the Jats entered India as conquerers and on settlement in villages became land owners and were respected as rulers by the other people. The difference between the conquerer and conquered has not diminished altogether even after thousands of years.
Jat is a pleasant host but a dreadful foe. He is not a good paymaster, because of his ruling nature.
Jatia is a different caste and are among Harijans. They should not be mistaken for Jats.
About the ruling nature of a Jat the following para from an article by Shri G.S. Sandhu be referred to :
"No Jat wants to be ruled. He desires power over a group if not, over an area. Only once in the past (except during British rule) has a large part of the undivided Punjab been
History of Origin of Some Clans in India:End of p.72
controlled by one man- Ranjit Singh. Among themselves however the Jats do not recognise any superior. Even (Raja) Ranjit Singh was conscious of their will to defy-he never gave them any position of power. Their desire for power stems from the long periods of insecurity they have endured.
The social status of a Jat is determined by the size of his holding and one way of keeping it large is to have a smaller number of heirs by limiting the number of childbearing woman. This explains the practice of sharing the wife of an elder brother prevalent in certain areas.
As cultivable land rose in value with the passage of time, the Jat concept of honour came to be associated with one's ability to spend. A Jat's status was determined by his credit worthiness with a money-lender; no salvation without a Guru and no honour without a money lender. The Jats started mortgaging their lands with the money-lender. It is said that once a God-fearing Jat was not allowed to enter Heaven be- cause God-feared he might mortgage Heaven too." ... Pride and Pragmatism - Jat Valu of Life by Shri Gulzar Singh Sandhu.