Home > Society > Religion in India > Gujjars in Muslim Era
Gujjars in Muslim Era
Gujjars in the Muslim era have made huge sacrifices for protecting their territory mostly the northern region of the country from foreign invaders.

Share this Article:

Nearly complete northern parts of India were invaded by foreigners within a short period after 1192 CE. Throughout this long period, Gujjars in the Muslim era made a lot of sacrifices to free the country from the foreigners. A majority of foreigners settled through out India, to keep the local population in subjection. The local warrior clans like it Pathans, Somera, Sama, Chib, Gakad, Gurjars, Jats, Ahirs, Dogras, etc. completely ousted from the cities, towns and big villages. There places and houses were occupied by foreigners. Thus, local martial races became illiterate and nomad during the foreigner rule of slave kings (1200 CE-1290 CE).

Gujjars in Gujarat
In 1193 CE, the Gurjars gathered under the commands of a Chauhan leader to rescue Delhi from the foreigners. The rescuing army occupied Sirsa in Punjab, ousted the foreign army from Hansi and besieged Delhi. Qutbuddin hastened from Kanauj and a stubborn fight took place at Delhi where the Gurjars were Defeated. In the west Punjab, the Gurjars under the command of their chief Surka Khokhar raised like storm from Multan, ousted the foreigners from Lahore and dispossessed the fresh intruders of their horses, block the road of intrusion from Ghazana to Delhi. In 1206 CE, Mohammad Ghori himself marched from Ghazna to uproot the freedom fighters but he was killed by a Khokhar Gurjar. So in turn, many Gurjars were assassinated.

At the time of Firozshah Tuglaq 1351 CE to 1388 CE, Gurjars looted the intruders who were coming from Central Asia through Punjab. Firozshah came to Punjab, cleared the roadways and on further march massacred the people of Nagarkot. Sukha Gurjar took possession of Lahore. He did not hand over the charge of Lahore to the foreign forces and thus he was ultimately captured. In 1399 CE, Dasrath established himself at Jalandhar and ruled the territory round about it. Sultan Adam Gurjar was the chief of Gujarat when Humayun took Kabul. Akbar adopted the policy of peace with local people and acknowledged the ownership of land of local people. The Jats became proprietors at this time in Punjab. Akbar also accepted the chieftainship of the local chiefs thus Adam Gurjar was an acknowledged chief of Gujarat. After the death of Alamgir, son of Sultan Adam, Gurjars could not select a chief and divided their possession.

Gurjars in Delhi Region
At the time of Naseeruddin 1246 CE-1266CE, the Gurjars revolted in the area between the rivers Vyas and Ganga River. Naseeruddin himself with a formidable army entered the region between Ganga and Yamuna River, and after a stubborn fight took position of the Meerut fort, in there way the commanders subjugated the people of Vyas area and put a garrison there. The garrison dishonoured the local people, so one day Gurjars of Kaithal and Gahraon collectively attacked the garrison and killed the commander Raziul Mulk. To take the revenge the Sultan devastated the villages.

At the time of Balban 1266 CE-1290 CE, there was a general rising of the people through out the subcontinent throughout the foreign invasion, particularly the Gujjars of Delhi revolted, so severely that they blocked the roads, the foreigners were attacked and Delhi was sacked. Balban ordered removable of the forest round about Delhi. These foreign people marched near, far from surrounding districts of Delhi. Giyasuddin Tughlak defeated Khusro Shah of Delhi. Mohammad Tughlak 1325 CE - 1351 CE impounded revenue in the doab of Ganges and Yamuna. Sher Shah Suri had to face the Gurjars in the regions of Ganges and Yamuna. The Reve Gurjars migrated from Ranthambhore in Rajasthan and occupied Junagarh fort in 1314 CE in Kathiawad. The whole area from Satluj up to Narmada divided into several principalities, which were being governed by feudal lords before 1300CE. These feudal lords and their families formed in a group the name of which is Rajput. The Gurjars joined hands whenever the Rajputs stood against as a resistance to the Muslims. The Rajputs and the Gurjars fought jointly against Sher Shah Suri and the Muslim forces who invaded their territory.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Religion in India


Religion in Indus Valley Civilization
Religion in Indus Valley Civilisation included Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Details about the religion in Indus Valley Civilization have been gathered from archaeological artefacts.
Shaivism Religion
Shaivism is the second largest “religious community” in modern India with its roots deeply seated in the Hindu Vedic belief.
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is among the more popular denominations of Hinduism, with its own distinctive ideas about spirituality and morality. Vaishnavism concentrates on worshipping god Vishnu and of his incarnations.
Hinduism Religion
Hinduism is more of a philosophy which is a way of living according to the understanding of the principles of Vedas and Upanishads.
Islam
Islam is a religion that beliefs in Allah as the one and only God and creator of the Universe. Islamic law or Sharia is characterised by the five pillars of Islam which comprise the essential duties of every Muslim.
Christianity
Christianity is a religion based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ and it is the largest religion in the world.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and a philosophy that encompasses a wide variety of beliefs, practices and traditions that are chiefly based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha and its later disciples.
Jainism
Jainism chronologically preceded the religion of Buddhism. It is considered as one of the oldest religions of India. Jainism in India shared with Hinduism and Buddhism. It is an integral part of South Asian religious belief and practice, but it is not a Hindu sect and not a Buddhist heresy, as earlier scholars believed.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism, closely related to Judaism, Christianity and Islam was founded by Zoroaster.
Sikhism
Sikhism is a religion started by Guru Nanak in land of Punjab in 15th century A.D.
Iyer Brahmin
Iyer Brahmins are originally from Tamil Nadu of South India. The Iyers have always taken an interest in preserving the arts and sciences.
Barai Caste
Barai Caste is the professional cultivator caste of betel leaf. Tamboli and Pansari are the terms used indifferently for Barai Caste. The diversity of names of the sub-divisions of Barai Caste discloses the mixed elements that formed the caste.
Dangi Caste
Dangi Caste is largely distributed in the high land regions, and the word Dangi is said to have originated from the geographical features of their territory. Main occupation of the members of Dangi Caste is cultivation.
Nadar Caste
One of the most renowned castes of Tamil Nadu is the Nadar caste. The Nadar community is a mixture of sub-castes and classes of different origins, which came under one banner of Nadar caste gradually.
Kumbhakar Caste
Kumbhakar is the potter caste who manufactures all kinds of earthen vessels.
Gujjars in Maharashtra
Gujjars in Maharashtra have several sub-castes. Here, in this state the Gurjars are listed as a separate caste. They are included in the Maharashtra OBC list.
Awasthi Brahmin
Awasthi is a surname or a family name of a particular sub-caste of Brahmins in the Indian continent.
Bhoyar Caste
Bhoyar Caste is largely found in the Central Provinces of the country. Traditional occupation of Bhoyars is agriculture. They are good cultivators and mostly grow sugarcane.
Gujjars in Mughal Era
Gujjars in the Mughal era enjoyed great power. Further their power increased with the decline of Aurangzeb, Mughal emperor.
Origin of Vaishnavism
Origin of Vaishnavism shares its attributes to many sources and religious evolution, dating back to pre-Vedic epoch.