Gathwal

Gathwal (गठवाल) Kathwal (कठवाल) Kathia (कठिया) Katwar (कटवार) Gathwala (गठवाला) Gathwale (गठवाले) Gathoye (गठोये) Gathone (गठोने) Gathwal (गथवाल) Gathna (गथना) Gathval (गठवाल) is Lall Gathwala (लल्ल गठवाला) Gotra of Jats found in Haryana,Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in India. Kathia (कठिया) Jats live in Pakistan. Katwar (कटवार) clan is found in Afghanistan. Somwal Gathwala (सोमवाल गठवाला) is brotherly Gotra of Lall Gathwala (लल्ल गठवाला)

Origin

They have now switched over to the name Malik though in social functions,ceremonies and marriages etc. they still tell their gotra as Gathwal. Being good organizers they were called Gathwale. Origin of this gotra is word Organization (संगठन). It is a branch of Chauhan.

Gathwals are possibly the Gada (गद) of Mahabharata period or Gadavahara of the pre-Kushana and early Kushana period Gadavhara of Gadvar is simply changed into Gadval / Gathval by replacing the last “ R” with its sibilant interchangeable “L”

History

Ram Swarup Joon writes about Lalla, Saroha or Sirohi, Gathwala and Malik (branch of Madraka): Malak, Gathwala, Tank, Bura and Sagroha are the gotras of the same dynasty. According to the Bards of the Gathwala, the latter on being ousted from Ghazni, moved towards Multan and Satluj River. They were accompanied by their Bards, some of who became Doms and Barbers. The Malak and Gathwala (Kath) republics existed in the Punjab at the time of Alexander's invasion. They also lived in Jhang and Bahawalpur State later. They ruled over Dipalpur near Hansi. Kutubuddin Aibak defeated them and drove them out of their capital. Later on, they spread out to Rohtak and Muzaffarnagar districts. They continued to struggle against Panwar and Midhan Rajputs. They have 35 villages in Rohtak district. Chaudhary Bacha Ram is regarded the leader of a big Khap (republic) of 160 villages besides 10 villages in Jind State, in district Hissar, 2 in Meerut, 52 in Muzaffarnagar and some in Himachal Pradesh.

Buras and Sirohis are at present found in Rajasthan, Karmach, Burhakhera, Jind and Karnal, and 12 other villages like Khosra, Bhador, and Girana. In addition they have six villages in Patiala, one village Saidpur, and 8 other villages in Bulandshahr District of UP. Sagroha is a derivative of the word 'Saroha" and exists as a separate gotra.

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B S Dahiya writes: Gathval/Kathval/Kathia, an important clan of the Jats have now switched over to the name "Malik" though, social functions, marriages etc. they still say their gotra is Gathval.

The Greeks give two forms of the word, viz., Kathaian and Kathaioi; and as per Dr. Jolly, S. Vidyalankar and K.P. Jayaswal, the word "Kathala stands for their country and Kathaioi for the people. The letter '0' gives the sound for 'V' and it is certain that they were the Kathvals and modern Gathwals. They were fierce fighters and with a military strategy called Shakta Vyuha, they faced Alxander when at least 17000 of them became martyrs. Beaut was given the highest consideration even in matters of state offcials. They practiced sati. In the tribes and castes they are mentioned as Kathia or Ravi Jats and are considered the same people who fought against Alexander.

H.A. Rose writes that Gathwala (गठ्वाला) (from gatha, a burden). A Jat tribe, once carriers by trade. It holds 10 villages in tahsil Jind, whither they migrated from Hulana, a village in the Gohana tahsil of Rohtak. They have Bairagis as their jatheras.

Bhim Singh Dahiya writes that it is possible that these are two different clans and not one. About the Kathia clan, The tribes and castes says, “After much enquiry on the subject, I have come to the conclusion that the Kathias of the present day have a strong claim to be considered the descendants of the same “Kathaioi” who so gallantly resisted the Macedonian conqueror. Their own account of their origin is, of course far different. Like all Jats, they take a particular pride in tracing their descent from a Rajput prince about the time of their conversion to Islam under Emperor Akbar. But an examination of their alleged pedigree shows that, like many other popular tradition of this kind this account of their origin must be altogether fictitious.

ठाकुर देशराज लिखते हैं

ठाकुर देशराज लिखते हैं कि गठवाल जाटों के सम्बन्ध में डब्ल्यू क्रूक इस भांति लिखते हैं- इनका मुख्य स्थान गोहाना में धेर का ओलाना था. पडौसी राजपूतों के साथ इनके निरंतर युद्ध होते रहे. उसमें यह पूर्ण सफल रहे. इस लिए अन्य जाटों ने इनको प्रधान मान लिया. दिल्ली के बादशाह ने मंदहार राजपूतों को दबाने के लिए इनको सहायतार्थ बुलाया था. विजयी होने पर इन्हें मालिक की उपाधि दी थी. एक बार धोके से मंदहारों ने उन्हें धोखा कर बारूद से उदा दिया. बचे हुए लोग हांसी के पास देपाल चले गए और देपाल को अपनी राजधानी बनाया.

ठाकुर देशराज लिखते हैं कि हांसी के पास देपाल नामक स्थान पर गठवाला लोगों का गढ़ था. इन्होने एक लम्बे अरसे तक देपाल पर राज किया था. कुतुबुद्दीन के समय में हांसी के जाटों ने अपने को स्वतंत्र राजा होने की घोषणा करदी थी जिससे कुतुबुद्दीन से युद्ध करना पड़ा. गठ्वालों को राजपूतों से भी लड़ाइयां लड़नी पडीं. उन्होंने मन्दहार राजपूतों के कान तो भली प्रकार एंठ दिए थे. यही कारण था कि उन्होंने मलिक की उपाधी प्राप्त की. कल्लानूर राजपूतों को भी मलिक गठवालों ने हरा दिया था. फलस्वरूप राजपूतों ने गठवालों को निमंत्रित किया और उन्हें बारूद से उड़ा दिया. दंतकथा के अनुसार एक गठवाला स्त्री जो उपस्थित नहीं थी वह बच गयी और उसी की संतान ने देपाल पर अधिकार जमाया.

कुतुबुद्दीन ने सं० १२६७ वि० के आसपास दिपालपुर हांसी के पास गठवाले जाटों से युद्ध किया । बहुत घमासान युद्ध हुआ । बहुत थोड़े होने के कारण गठवाला वीर योद्धा हार गए । गठवाला जाट वान योद्धा वीरगति को प्राप्त हुआ । फिर गठवाला वीरों ने रोहतक मंडल में गोहाना के पास अपने पूर्वज हुलराम के स्थान पर हुलोणा ग्राम बसाया ।

Gathwala Khap

Gathwala (गठवाला) Khap has 52 villages in Uttar Pradesh, Muzaffarnagar district. Jat gotra is Gathwala Lall. Head village Lisadh (लिसाढ़), main villages are Fugana (फुगाना), Kurmali (कुरमाली), Barla (बरला). Mohammadpur Rai Singh (मौहम्मदपुर राय सिंह), Kurava(कुराव़ा)

Gathwala Bhat

• Gathwala Malik : Bhat - Hari Ram Bhat of Karwara Muzaffarnagar (Jatwan)

Distribution in Haryana

Villages in Sonipat district

Ahulana,

Villages in Rohtak district

Mokhara,

Distribution in Uttar Pradesh

Gathwala (गठवाला) Khap has 52 villages in Uttar Pradesh, Muzaffarnagar district.

Villages in Muzaffarnagar district

Lisadh, Fugana, Kurmali, Barla, Mohammadpur Rai Singh, Kurava,

Distribution in Madhya Pradesh

Kathiya (काठिया) Kathia (काठिया) Gotra of Jats are found in Ratlam district in Madhya Pradesh.

Villages in Ratlam district

Villages in Ratlam district with population of this gotra are:

Salakhedi 4,

Notable persons

• Jagjit Gathwala
• Chaudhary Bacha Ram - leader of Gathwala Khap, p.92 (Ram Sarup Joon:History of the Jats/Chapter V)

Distribution in Pakistan

Kathia - Originating from Parmara Rajputs, the Kathia are a unique Jat tribe. They are found in Pakistan's districts of Jhelum, Sahiwal, and Mandi Bahauddin. They have been present in these regions of Punjab since the time of Alexander the Great. They represent a small portion of the total Jat population.

See also

• Malik

References

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