Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India, 900 B.C.--1947 A.D

by B.s. Nijjar

Preface. 1. Origin and history of Scythians and other allied nomadic tribes of India (Jats, Ahirs, Gujars, Rajputs, Baloches and Pathans). 2. The Jats (descendants of Scythians). 3. The Abhiras (ancestors of Ahirs). 4. The Ahirs (descendants of Abhiras). 5. The Gujjars (Gurjaras). 6. The Sakas (ancestors of Jats, Ahirs, Gujjars, Rajputs, Baloches and Pathans). 7. The Kushans (ancestors of Jats, Ahirs, Rajputs, Baloches and Pathans). 8. The Huns (ancestors of Jats, Rajputs, Baloches and Pathans). 9. The Rajputs. 10. The Baloches (descendants of Scythians). 11. The Pathans (descendants of Scythians and Huns). 

  "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 7 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 Punjab 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 these 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