Sud Dulhan: Tale of Robbery, murder and self-sacrifice by a young bride Legend of Jatheri at Gagret
324Sud Dulhan: Tale of Robbery, murder and self-sacrifice by a young bride Legend of Jatheri at Gagret
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Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781468576702 |
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Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
Publication date: | 04/12/2012 |
Pages: | 324 |
Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.73(d) |
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SUD DULHAN
Tale of Robbery, Murder and Self-Sacrifice by a Young Bride - Legend of Jatheri at GagretBy Hari K. Sud
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Hari K. SudAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-7670-2
Chapter One
Exodus & Dispersal of Suds to the HillsChubb/Mariya Sud/Sood saga after Sirhind
Prelude to Exodus
Aurangzeb the tyrant Empror of India died in 1707. His throne and with it its central authority remained contested amongst his sons and heirs for the next 30 years. As per Muslim/Mogul traditions incompetent rulers were execute. In thirty years since his death, the throne changed hand four times.
Aurangzeb's death was a signal to all powers on India's borders to begin exerting influence. Afghans in the North West and Persians in the West had an eye on the rich Gangetic plains of India for loot and plunder. The Persian immigrants had been in India for three centuries prior. They had provided culture and civility to very rough and rugged Turks—the Moguls. The Hindus, the main inhabitants of India were barred from military service unless they accepted Islam as religion. Most rejected it hence remained barred from either military service or bearing arms. Only Rajputs of Rajasthan remained Hindus and served in the Mughal service. Their battlefield bravery was unmatched, hence, the Moguls wished to keep them on their side even if they did not convert.
Punjab has been the first land the conqueror from the western landmass encountered. It bore the burnt of all invasions. Its western parts became mostly Muslim by about 1300 AD. Lahore, the midway point between Delhi and Indus River stayed 50:50 Muslim & Hindu. The lands beyond Lahore were mostly Hindu, later partly Sikhs with a tiny minority of Muslims. The ruler in Delhi since 1192 AD had been a Muslim. They ruled from Delhi or Agra. After Aurangzeb's death, power equation changed several times in Punjab also. It was either Afghan rule or Turkish rule. The invaders after collecting their plunder left, leaving Mogul over-lordship at Delhi intact. Majority Hindus bore the burnt of all these atrocities. They were powerless to eject the Muslim rule.
A Faujdar or governor governed the area beyond Lahore to Delhi, who was stationed at Sirhind. Greater trouble in Punjab began when Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, the 9th Guru was executed on the Aurangzeb's order in 1675 in Delhi. It was a crime against the majority Hindus. His son, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru concluded that a fight against tyranny is necessary hence it should commence immediately. When he had enough military confidence, the Guru picked up the sword and began his fight. In next twenty years Guru won some battles and lost some. In 1699 he founded the Sikh Khalsa, the warrior class in Punjab. The forgoing redeemed its lost identity but only partially. Muslim was too powerful to be dislodged from power.
Guru Gobind Singh appealed to the Emperor Aurangzeb who was camping in Aurangabad, Deccan to withdraw his tyrant governor from Sirhind in 1707. The governor had previously executed Guru's two infant sons. Aurangzeb ignored Guru's plea. Instead he asked the Guru to leave Punjab for Deccan. Two trained assassins sent by Governor of Sirhind, attacked the Guru on the banks of river Narbadha. The assassins did not succeed but they did manage to injure the Guru. The Guru knew that the end is near; hence he commissioned a Rajput turned saint into a warrior and asked him to return to Punjab and deal a final blow to the governor of Sirhind. Banda Bahadur was the new commander of a small band of thirty warriors who returned to Punjab at Guru's behest. On way to Punjab, Banda Bahadur gathered a force of 10,000 soldiers and reached Sirhind on May 12, 1710 and defeated and killed the tyrant governor Wazir Khan of Sirhind. The Sikh Army sacked the town. Banda stayed a virtual ruler of the town for 8 years. The Muslim plotted to grab power back and hence turmoil around Sirhind increased.
Muslim finally overpowered Banda Bahadur and executed him in 1718. His whole army became hunted subjects. More turmoil followed.
Concurrently by mid 1730s, the Persian ruler Nadir Shah of Persia saw his chance for loot & plunder and invaded Punjab and then Delhi. He carried away a huge booty, which allowed him to remit taxes in Persia for five years. Within five years of his last raid, he was dead. His general, Ahmad Shah Abdali of Afghan origin started where Nadir Shah had left. He began his own loot and plunder campaign as soon he had gathered enough Afghan soldiers. Every time Abdali came to Punjab he ransack Sirhind and surrounding areas first. The Mogul emperor in Delhi was powerless and divided. They had lost all influence over provinces following the death of Auranzeb.
Exodus
In this background the exodus of Suds/Soods to the hills began. All Suds/Soods did not leave Sirhind for hills. Some are still around in Sirhind. Others relocated away from the seat of power to areas in Jullandhar Doab. Hence, there are large Sud/Sood communities in NurMahal, Nawan Shahar, Draha, Phillor etc.
(Various authors including famous Suds like Justice Tek Chand & Jai Lal in their honest wisdom believe that Suds originally came from Rajasthan from a place called Amarkote. They rely on cultural evidence, much less on physical facts of migration from Amarkote. They even go as far back as Rig Ved era. Not disputing these claims, the author wishes only to begin at Sirhind and migration from there to the hills.
(Origin theory of Suds as Parmar Rajputs has its beginning in Shimla at the close of nineteenth century. Suds were master merchants in Shimla and were spreading their influence fast into the hill kingdoms of Shimla. Prior to this, Suds held strings of the purse in Kangra hills. Resistance to their presence was great. They were being regarded as inferior in origin and caste hence could not receive the many community services including water-drawing rights from a well or a spring. Also right of service at the temples or other religious places or right to take the wedding party thru the main roads was denied to them.
Here is how Denzil Ibbertson; in his census report of 1883 described Suds as he heard from the locals. These are unflattering remarks, hence to be taken with a grain of salt.
Reference: Glossary of Tribes and Castes of Punjab and North West Frontier—1883.
"Suds are entirely confined to lower hills and district west of Amritsar ... They are wholly mercantile ... though occasionally taking service as clerks and occupy a social position markedly inferior to Bania & Khatai ... The tribe is an ancient one but no definite proof as to the origin is obtainable ... One tradition is that Rishi Surat espoused the daughter of Chhatari Raja and founded the caste.
"Sir Denzil's attempts to make enquiry from some leading Suds of the time resulted in the assembling of a Panchayat at Lahore. It resulted in ransacking the Sanskrit classics for a proof of Kashatriya origin. It resulted in heated discussion as described in the journal of the Anjumana-I-Punjab."
By 1880 Suds were wealthy and could buy influence. With British blessings the services of Rajguru of Jubbal state in Shimla Hills were requested from the king. He readily agreed, as he was one of the many clients of wealthy Shimla Suds. Rajguru's job was to set the record straight and convince the local landowners and Brahmins to relent on their pursuit of treating Suds as inferior. Rajguru drummed up a theory whether correctly or incorrectly that Suds were Rajputs. He created a Sud Vanshavali from the Vedic times. This link is a bit tenuous but turned out to be a blessing for local Suds. A court suit followed, which allowed the Rajguru's version as official Sud genealogy. Sud's rights to draw water or request religious services at the temple were restored. Mr. Justice Sir Jai Lal used that court judgment as his reference when he wrote the Sud history. He ignored a few facts that the King of Jubbal was a Sud client and Suds paid for Rajguru's Vanshavali creation. In addition there are obvious clues, which tell us that the Rajguru's version may be a long shot e.g. there are distinct "Gotras" in Sud community, some of which are "Bania" and others are "Khatari" Gotras, hence the Rajput theory is a bit of a drag. "Pandas—Pundits" in Haridwar who maintain family Vanshavali for the last three or four centuries, confirm the forgoing that "Gotra" ultimately determines whether the person is a Rajput, Vaishaya or Brahmin. All Sud and Khatri "Gotras" are Vaishaya Gotras. Hence it becomes difficult to subscribe to the Rajput theory. The author duly apologizes for this difference in opinion with eminent Sir Jai Lal.
Suds/Soods in Sirhind
History records a small township just outside Sirhind—Sudpura, where most of the Suds/Soods lived. This bunch is businessmen of Khatari and Baniya clan and had made this place as their home. Suds/Soods carried out the traditional grain business as well as had been village moneylenders for generations. Sirhind had been a seat of power and Suds/Soods had become influential both in the government and business.
The following is what Patiala Gazetteer records in its 1992 edition which is a revision of a century old Imperial Gazetteer of 1892.
It is said that the town of Sirhind was once named as Sudpura and the Suds ruled here. They lost their rule as a result of the Muslim conquest. According to Nasir Sirhindi, a contemporary historian of Akbar's times, the Suds formed the bulk of the population and were concentrated in the twenty mohallas which were situated north-west to the chowk-khas, in front of the mint and the royal stable. Their population was increasing so rapidly that the old city wall had to be dismantled in order to accommodate them. They were a very rich community and their material prosperity was clearly reflected in the way their 22 Chaudhris would go about in Palkis. Palkil Nashini was a mark of status and the Suds were evidently men of status. It is very surprising to note that inspite of their acknowledged financial superiority; they observed very simple marriage customs. All such rites were so silently and simply observed that even the next-door neighbour would not know as to what was happening in the neighbourhood. Nasir Sirhindi considers this as one of the causes responsible for their material prosperity.
The following is what the Sikh history records about the events in Sirhind 1762-648
A more decisive battle took place on 14 January 1764 when Dal Khalsa, under Jassa Singh Ahluvalia, made another assault upon Sirhind. Zain Khan the Faujdar of Sirhind was killed in action and Sirhind was occupied and subjected to plunder and destruction. The booty was donated for the repair and reconstruction of the sacred shrines at Amritsar, demolished by Ahmad Shah in his earlier raid.
The territories of the Sirhind sarkar were divided among the leaders of the Dal Khalsa, but no one was willing to take the town of Sirhind where Guru Gobin Singh's younger sons were subjected to a cruel fate. By a unanimous will it was made over to Budha Singh, descendant of Bhai Bhagatu, who soon after (2 August 1764) transferred possession to Sardar Ala Singh, founder of the Patiala royal family. Sirhind thereafter remained part of the Patiala territory until the state lapsed in 1948.
Suds and Gotras & Clans
Sud habitation at Sirhind or its nearby locality of Sudpura has been fully established. It is the surviving local revenue records, which help the case. The Imperial Gazetteer of India of Patiala region records some details. The British based their compiling of the "Gazetteer" thru revenue records, oral information and actual stay of the respective civil officer in the area hence these accounts are fairly authentic.
So far we have established that Suds lived in Sirhind during the Mogul era. We have yet to figure out who the Suds were.
If you turn to the ancient texts and customs then there are references of "Bania" community and sub offshoot of ancient Vedic Varna of "Vaishya" community. Banias were trade and money managers of empires dating back to 3000BC. This profession they still carry out with delight in India today. They are called Banias in the north, Vani in Marathi, in Tamil they are called "Chettiars", in Telugu they are called "Komati" etc. Specific to Punjab, people who deal with money lending activities were referred to as "Suds/Soods". In Kangra these moneylenders are sometimes referred to as "Karrars". The latter is not an exalted reference but a despised profession of people collecting interest.
Then there are text references of "Khatri" community with similar leanings. The latter could be a Punjabi references to a bunch of grain traders in Punjab. Khatri community may be connected to Kashatriya Varna (of Vedas), but this linkage is also tenuous. It could be an offshoot or mixed ethnicity as a result of inter-marriage with other clans. A Rajput or Dogra or Jat as a direct descendant of Kashatriyas will find it hard to accept Khatri as an equal. This fusion probably occurred over several millenniums ago hence it is difficult to establish their direct connection. Within the realms of last 400 years, Khatris had a major contribution as grain traders in undivided Punjab. Most are Hindus, a substantial number as Sikhs and a few Muslim Khatris also exist. Khatris are as numerous as Banias are. To tell one from the other is harder until you turn to the Gotra or bloodline.
Banias are divided into several castes and Gotras, so are the Khatris. Gotra represents genealogy. This can be traced back to ancient times. People in each Gotra follow the Hindu Dharma as an overall religion and its own local customs, wherever they live. A person can be identified as member of Sud (money lender) community, but within it has a specific Gotra or bloodline. The author's Gotra is Goel or Goyal.
It is an ancient practice to prohibit inter marriage within one bloodline or genealogy i.e. Gotra. Hence Gotra has become an important instrument of identity.
Chubb of Pirsaluhi & Mariya Suds/Soods of Pragpur have same Gotra i.e. bloodline i.e. Goel. They never intermarry. Similar principle is applicable to other Sud Gotras who earlier had inhabited the Sirhind surroundings and later migrated to Kangra hills and to other cities and towns of Punjab. Two Sud families of different Gotra will intermarry, but never within the Gotra. An additional precaution to avoid marrying too closely is followed e.g. marrying in mother's Gotra is also disallowed.
It is the author's educated opinion that residents of eighteenth century Sirhind-Sudpura, were both Khatris as well as Banias. They both dealt in grain trading, merchant retail and money lending. Surprisingly in modern India, Khatris and Banias mix well and do business together as they did a millennium or two back. Suds were more in money lending and Khatris in grain trade. It is this success of theirs that invited Muslim invaders to their midst.
Suds & Khatris had the financial muscle to lend money, underwrite trade instruments and influence the court of the local lord, hence Sudpura as a locality in Sirhind came into existence. Both these communities, during extreme atrocities of Afghan invaders post Guru Gobind Singh era, were nervous about their self and planned escape to the hills. Finally the destruction of Sirhind by Jassa Singh Ahluvalia, in 1764 as vengeance of earlier Afghan atrocities at Golden Temple, Amritsar, forced all Suds (remnant after ealier migration) to abandon Sirhind.
In this background Chubb Suds and Mariya Suds arrived at Gagret, in Jaswan from in about 1764-65 timeframe and made a temporary homestead there. It was a tragedy at Gagret that forced them away from Gagret, deeper into the hills.
Temporary Chubb Sud Settlements in and around Chintpurni
Author is unable to definitely establish where the Chubbs and Mariyas resided near Chintpurni/Gagret. There are no revenue records to indicate their presence there. Most of the revenue records were destroyed during British punishing raid of the "Town of Amb/Rajpura" in 1848, where the Jaswan King had his residence. Rest of the records was transferred to Kangra administration as the British saw it fit that all traces of Jaswan rebellion be permanently wiped out. Only a few clues remain. They point to the Chubb/Mariya residence near Chintpuri/Gagret.
Clue—1
Chubb as well Mariya's hereditary priests—Purohit-Brahmins had left Sirhind concurrent with the Sud migration. Purohit always follow their client, because client is the source of their cash income. Purohit is the ritual priest who presides over all religious functions including weddings, Yagya, and other religious activities. It is a hereditary appointment. Chubb/Mariya Purohits have been resident of a small village of Dalwarhi about two miles from Chintpurni Temple. They have been there since the middle of eighteenth century. To-date they still reside there. The only reason for the Purohits to be at Dalwarhi is that their clients Chubbs/Mariyas resided nearby.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from SUD DULHAN by Hari K. Sud Copyright © 2012 by Hari K. Sud. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Chapter 1 Exodus & Dispersal of Suds to the Hills....................3Chapter 2 First phase of journey—Departure from Sirhind....................14
Chapter 3 Sud/Sood Arrival in the Hills....................55
Chapter 4 Settling Down at Camp Gagret....................84
Chapter 5 Kangra & other Hill States Economy Since the Medieval Times....................117
Chapter 6 Dispersal From Gagret....................125
Chapter 7 Chubb/Mariyas stay at Gagret....................151
Chapter 8 Kartaro's Family Moves to Ambota....................165
Chapter 9 Kartaro Grows up into a Lovely Maiden....................185
Chapter 10 Kartaro catches the Eye of the Boys....................211
Chapter 11 Kartaro's Wedding set for the Month Asoj....................245
Chapter 12 Kartaro's Wedding Bells Ring—Asoj, 24....................258
Chapter 13 The Trail of Tears—The return of the Baraat....................280
Epilogue Descendants of Chubb/Mariya Suds/Soods today....................307