Kotwan

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Kotvan Fort, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

Kotwan( कोटवान ) is a village in tahsil Chhata in Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh. It was a Jat Fort. Nawal Singh, third son of Maharaja Surajmal, was married to daughter of Raja Sitaram Deede Chieftain of Kotban.

Variants of name

• Kotban (कोटबान) = Kotman (कोटमान) (जिला मथुरा, उ.प्र.) (AS, p.230)

Jat Gotras

• Chauhan

History

Nawal Singh, third son of Surajmal, succeeded his brother by right as regent. But his younger brother, Ranjit Singh, ambitious to rule, threw himself into the arms of Mirza Najaf Khan, then wielding the supreme power of the Mogul, and invited him to espouse his cause. The Mirza did so, and took possession of Agra. But called away immediately afterwards into Rohilkhand, Namal Singh, taking heart, determined to carry the war into the enemy's country. He therefore marched on Delhi and occupied Sikunderabad. Attacked, and repulsed thence, he retired, only however to make a second onward movement, reinforced by the trained mercenaries of Samru. They had reached Hodal, a town sixty miles south of Delhi, when they were attacked and dislodged by Mirza Najaf Khan, who had returned for the purpose, accompanied by Ranjit Singh. Nawal Singh and Samru then retired, first on Kotban and ultimately on the fortress of Dig, followed by the Mirza. The latter, finding Dig extremely strong, enticed the Jats to Barsana, where he attacked and completely defeated them. Dig resisted for a twelvemonth before it was captured.

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Jwala Sahai writes....In 1773 Najaf Khan reduced the Agra fort and in 1774, while meditating a campaign against Bharatpur was urgently summoned to Ruhelkhand. Encouraged by his absence Nawal Singh advanced upon Delhi and occupied Sikandrabad with 10,000 horse. The force at Delhi was insufficient to resist

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[p.30]: but detecting conspiracy among his own followers Nawal Singh was obliged to make a retreat.

Reinforced by regulars and guns under Sumru, Nawal Singh again marched upon Delhi shortly after, but by this time Najaf Khan had returned from Ruhelkhand. Accompanied by Ranjit Singh, Hira Singh, Raja of Ballabhgarh and Najaf Kuli Khan, Najaf Khan advanced to oppose him after the reigns of 1774. Dislodged from Hodal Nawal Singh took up a position in the fortified village of Kotban where the Mirza endeavoured to blockade him. After amusing him with skirmishes for a fortnight Nawal Singh again fell back on Dig which was besieged by the Mirza. In the meantime a pitched battle was fought at Barsana where the Jats charged desperately and a momentary confusion was caused by the Mirza himself being wounded; but at last the imperialists overcame and the resistance of Sumru's disciplined troops served only to cover Nawal Singh's retreat with a show of order. Such was, however,the strength and resolution of the Jats that strictest blockade proved fruitless for 14 months to March 1776 at the end of which the fort Was reduced and the garrison escaped to the neighboring castle of Kumher. The Mirza took possession of the fort with vast quantity of ammunition and stores, a train of artillery, silver plates, stately equipage and ornaments and chests containing Rs. 6,00,000 cash. He built a Masjid adjoining Lachmanji's temple in Jawaharganj and his troops committed all sorts of violence on the helpless inhabitants including, the demolition of their temples and idols therein.

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Kanungo describing the Battle of Barsana writes....Nawal Singh had fled from Barsana towards Deeg. Abdul Ahad Khan and the Emperor heard the news of thegreat victory at Barsan with misgiving and apprehension. [p.154]: They sent letters to Nawal Singh encouraging him to fight the Amir-ul-umra. Some of these letters were captured by Najaf Khan's soldiers. Najaf Khan gave several days rest to his army at Barsana. He sent Rahim Dad to besiege the fort of Kotman,²¹ held by Sitaram, the father-in-law of Nawal Singh. After defending his fort for several days (18 days as local tradition says) Sitaram one night escaped with the garrison.

Dr Vir Singh in History of the Jats:Dr Kanungo adds at f.n.21..... Kotman (in the Mathura district) is also known as Kotban. It lies on the Delhi-Agra Trunk Road a furlong or two beyond the boundary line of the Gurgaon district. I have visited this ruined fort in the course of my historical tour. Only the mahal (harem), and Kachhari (Court-room) which is now the Choupad or village Common-hall, stand intact. These lie within the brick-built inner fort of which only the big gate, about 50 yards away from the Kachhari still remains. There is also a large pucca tank outside the gate. The descendants of Sitaram still live there as humble peasants. I met some of them; I was told that the fort had an outer wall of mud 18 cubits high and 16 cubits broad, with a ditch around. One Giribar Prasad, a tall, fair and blue-eyed peasant nearing 50 told me the story he had heard from his grandfather, how the Jats were surprised by the troops of Najaf Khan when they were preparing roti, how they came to Kotman and next went to Barsana, where they fought a battle for 18 days; in short a tradition exactly coinciding with written history. Harcharan says that Kotman was defended for nineteen days by the Jats.

Danshahi Singh Deede Jat

Danshahi Singh Deede Jat of Kotban

Danshahi was born in the ruling Deede Jat Family. Danshahi was the older son of Raja Sitaram Deede of Kotban. His sister Acchan Kaur was married to Maharaja Nawal Singh son of Maharaja Suraj Mal. He proved himself as a capable leader in many campaign against Afghans, Mughals and Marathas.

After the sudden deaths of Maharaja Jawahar Singh and Maharaja Ratan Singh in 1768 and 1769 respectively, Danshahi became the Prime Minister and regent to infant Maharaja Kehri Singh on 12 April 1769. He became most powerful person in the Bharatpur State and led the Jats in the Civil War and defeated Ranjit Singh (who later became the King) And Marathas. He also led Jats against Mughal Empire (Mirza Nazaf Khan). He received severe wound at the Battle of Dankaur, 1773 against Mughal Army, led by Najaf Quli and died because of those wound. After his death the Bharatpur Kingdom collapsed.

Source - Jat Kshatriya Culture

कोटबान-कोटमान

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...कोटबान = कोटमान (AS, p.230), जिला मथुरा, उ.प्र. में दिल्ली-आगरा सड़क पर स्थित है. 18 वीं सदी में जाटों का एक मुख्य दुर्ग था. इस दुर्ग की बाहरी दीवार मिट्टी की थी और मुख्य किला ईटों का बना था. अब यह खंडहर हो गया है और भीतरी संरचना का केवल एक द्वार ही अवशिष्ट है. भरतपुर के प्रसिद्ध जाट राजा सूरजमल ने कोटमान के एक जाट सरदार सीता राम की पुत्री के साथ अपने पुत्र नवल सिंह का विवाह किया था. सीता राम ने सूरजमल की कई युद्धों में सहायता की.

Notable persons

• Raja Sitaram Deede: जाट सरदार सीता राम - भरतपुर के प्रसिद्ध जाट राजा सूरजमल ने कोटमान के एक जाट सरदार सीता राम की पुत्री के साथ अपने पुत्र नवल सिंह का विवाह किया था. सीता राम ने सूरजमल की कई युद्धों में सहायता की.
• Danshahi Singh Deede was a Jat warrior born in the ruling Deede Jat Family of Kotban, Mathura. Danshahi was the elder son of Raja Sitaram Deede of Kotban. His sister Acchan Kaur was married to Maharaja Nawal Singh son of Maharaja Suraj Mal.

Gallery

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  कोटवन राजस्थान

References

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