Jats, Rajputs, Ahirs, Gujjars, Baloches and Pathans are the descendants of foreign nomadic tribes such as Scythians, Ahiras, Huns, Yueh-Ches, Kushans and Turks respectively who invaded India frequently from the 7th century B.C. These nomadic tribes were the inhabitants of Siberia, Eastern Europe and Western China. They entered India as invaders but ultimately, they assimilated into the Indian civilization, embraced its religions and settled peacefully in India.
Most of the anthropologists who have written about the dynastic histories of the people of Panjab have not included the accounts of scheduled castes—Dalits, Harijans, etc.—despite the fact that they are also the descendants of the invading hordes like the other people of India, and have the same characteristics of so-called privileged classes. After the achievement of India’s Independence they started enjoying equal rights in every sphere of life. Some of them have gone ahead of their fellows in various fields—politics, education, sports, judiciary, etc. and have produced famous personalities like Baba Saheb Ambedkar, K.R. Narayanan and many others.
Primarily endogamous communities, calling themselves as Jatt, Jat, Getae or Zutt, lived predominantly in large parts of northern and north-western India and in southern and eastern parts, now in Pakistan. They were either sedentic farmers or nomadic pastoralists.
The book brings forth various facets of origins and history of all these classes. References and text have been painstakingly collected from various authentic sources. It will be highly useful for students, teachers of history and sociology and researchers in those fields. Common readers interested in knowing about the origins and history of Jats and other nomadic tribes of India will also find it interesting and informative.
B.S. Nijjar, M.A.; Ph.D. (History); M.A. (Punjabi); M.A. MOL (Persian); Hons. (Persian, Urdu & Punjabi); is an erudite scholar and a historian of great repute. He retired as Director, Punjab State Archives & Archaeology, Patiala where he put in 21 years of distinguished service. He was also a member of Indian Historical Records Commission, and Curator, Historical Museum, North Platte, Nebraska, USA. Presently based in California, USA, he takes keen interest in historical research and writing on its various aspects.
