Raja Ram Jat
Encyclopedia
Raja Ram (1670–1688) was a Jat
leader and organizer of rebellion for freedom against Aurangzeb
. He was chieftain of Sinsini
in princely state of Bharatpur
in India. Raja Ram was son of Bhajja Singh of Sinsini. Details about the early life of Raja Ram are not available. After the death of Gokula
on 1 January 1670, Raja Ram kept alive the rebellion against the Mughals
.
and Kuntal gotra jats. Raja Ram organized Jat groups of different clans and united them under him.
Sogaria was a powerful Janpad of Bharatpur and its chieftain was Ramki Chahar. Sogaria Jats already had a castle at Sogar (4 miles south-east of Bharatpur). He took Ramki Chahar with him. He fraternized with the Jats of Sidgiri region (Bayana
, Rupbasaia). He also befriended the Jats of Ranthambhor against the Amber
ruler Ram Singh. On the basis of the contemporary dispatches it can unmistakably be deduced that Raja Ram proved a great rallying point and a great number of the Jats were united under his leadership. This way he completed an important work of bringing together the scattered and unorganized Jat power.
Next, he began to organize his followers from the military
point of view. He gave those military training and equipped them with firearms. He trained them in horse riding and weapons. He collected guns and other weapons.
He organized them into regiments placed under different captains. Simultaneously, he impressed upon Jats, the necessity of remaining disciplined and obeying their captains. Thus he imparted to them the semblance of a regular army
.
s and surrounded them with mud ramparts.
The forest
-infested environs and the mud walls rendered them stronger than was the chief stronghold of Gokula. These forts served as bases for operations and refuge as also places for dumping the booty. As is apparent from his tactics, Raja Ram stuck to the traditional mode of the Jat warfare, popularly known as “Dhar” (guerrilla
) system. All through he avoided positional warfare with the Mughals and confined himself to sudden and intrepid attacks. This ensured him maximum benefit with minimum loss. These changes proved beneficial and gradually contributed to the success of the Jat rebellion.
. The Jats hovered on the roads and plundered the caravans and the travelers. The Subadar of Agra, Safi Khan, was virtually besieged in the Agra fort. Along with the other rebels the Narukas, the Panwars, the Gujar
s and the Mev
s - they practically closed the roads for normal traffic between Dholpur
and Delhi
, and Agra and Ajmer
via Hindaun
and Bayana. How deep was the consternation created by the insurgents would be clear by one instance that in an important place like Mathura no place except Jama Mosque was deemed safe. Raja Ram also tried to ransack Akbar’s mausoleum at Sikandara. But his attempt was foiled by the local faujdar, Mir Abul Fazl. He confronted the rebels at a place, 10 miles from Sikandara. The faujdar succeeded in repulsing them, though in the process he was seriously wounded and a number of his troops also perished. Raja Ram also suffered heavy casualties. Aurangzeb rewarded the faujdar with the title of Iltitifat Khan, increasing his Mansab by 200 sawars. Unsuccessful at Sikandara Raja Ram then fell upon Shikarpur and grabbed rich booty from the place. There from, he retired towards Ratanpur.
. On 3 May 1686 he appointed Khan-i-Jahan Bahadur Zafarjang Kokaltash in order to punish the rebels. Despite his strenuous efforts, however, Khan-i-Jahan failed to capture any of the Jat strongholds or to punish the people. Therefore, he ordered his son, Muhammad Azam to proceed against the Jats. But he had only reached Burhanpur
(July, 1687) when more pressing needs of Golconda
compelled Aurangzeb to recall the Prince. Thereafter Bidar Bakht was sent (December, 1687) to assume supreme command in the Jat war, while Khan-i-Jahan was to act as his deputy.
to Bijapur
when the Jats attacked him near Dholpur
and fled away capturing many bullocks, carts, horses and women. The general gave them a hot chase but was killed in the ensuing skirmish along with his son-in-law and 80 other men. Two hundred Jats were killed in the action. The psychological gain from this audacious act was much more than the material one. Their success in killing and routing the reputed suppressor of the frontier Afghans
must have whetted the audacity of the Jats. They carried their depredations further.
Early in 1688, Raja Ram attacked Mahabat Khan. who on his way to Lahore
was encamped near Sikandara. A fierce fight ensued in which Raja Ram was finally repulsed after losing 400 men. The casualties on the other side included 150 dead and 40 wounded.
According to Manucci the Jats dragged out the bones of Akbar, threw them angrily into fire and burnt them to avenge the death of Gokula
. Muhammad Baqa (the Naib of Khan-i-Jahan) who was then at Agra, did nothing to frustrate the rebels. As a punishment, therefore, 500 and that of Khan-i-Jahan reduced his mansab by 1000 sawars. The Jats also ransacked the villages, set aside for the support of Taj Mahal
. Some Jats ravaged the environs of Khurja
, while others captured the local Mughal officers at Palwal
.
One noteworthy fact is that the local Mughal officials and soldiers in general, winked at the disobedience of the Jats and even secretly entered into collusion with them to share the booty grabbed by them. It is also to be noted that Muhammad Baqa, the deputy of Khan-i-Jahan at Agra, had remained inactive while Raja Ram robbed Akbar’s tomb. This exasperated Aurangzeb and he reduced the deputy’s Mansab by 500 and that of Khan-i- Jahan by 1,000 sowars. Meanwhile, the daring and audacity of the Jats alarmed Aurangzeb and he ordered Raja Ram Singh (who was at Kabul) to chastise Raja Ram. But due to his sudden death the Raja could not resume his charge.
During these days the existing feud between the Chauhans and the Shekhawat
Rajput
s over disputed land in Bagtharia (22 miles north-east of Alwar) and some other parganas had erupted into an open war. The Chauhans appealed to Raja Ram for help, while the Shekhawats implored the help of Murtaza Khan, the Mughal faujdar of Mewat
.
Bilar Bakht, Rao Raja Anirudh Singh of Bundi
and Maharao Kishor Singh Hada
joined the faujdar and the Shekhawats. A severe battle was fought near Bijal. Opposite Raja Ram was the Hada Chief upon whom he inflicted a crushing defeat.
Anirudh Singh himself could not stand before the Jat onset. He became nervous and fled along with his troops. On Wednesday 4 July 1688, when the battle was in its full fury the gallant Raja Ram led a fierce charge against the centre, consisting of the Mughals. Meanwhile, a Mughal musketeer, who had hidden himself in a tree, fired at Raja Ram's chest. He fell down from his horse and died immediately. His fall signaled the defeat of the Chauhans. His head was severed from the body and later on presented to Aurangzeb in the Deccan (5 September 1688, 19th Zi-Qada, 1099 A.H.). Ramki Chahar was captured alive in the battle and was publicly executed at Agra.
II who, first of all, endeavored to transform his warrior followers into more or less disciplined troopers. The number of his regulars could not have been
big but the credit of laying the foundation of a regular army, equipped with arms must be given to him. Then again, he highlighted
the efficacy of the guerrilla tactics and defences by building the mud fortresses in dense jungles. It is apparent that his dashing attacks
in the presence of larger Mughal
forces not only restored the shaken
morale of his people but also infused in them a vigour that enabled to
withstand temporary reverses later on.
Raja Ram aimed at, and succeeded also in forging, a joint front of his brethren as Churaman
also did later on. But whereas Churaman
through his indiscretion failed to preserve that unity, Raja Ram, through his tact and resourcefulness, maintained it. Disunity among the Jats did
raise its head after his death, but it was not due to his policy but
due to the disappearance of his rallying personality. A contemporary
report (8 August. 1688- 20th Shawwal, 1099 A.H.) about this
disturbed period testified to it,. From this standpoint it would appear that as a leader of his people Raja Ram possessed better talents than Churaman
. Raja Ram had deeper penetration into the individualistic and clan-conscious temperament of the Jats. If his dealings with the Sogaria and Ranthambhor Jats are a pointer, Raja gave due deference to them and tried to strengthen his leadership, by winning their gratitude and reposing confidence in them. It is true that Churaman
II achieved far more success than Raja Ram, Who owing to his untimely death could not carry his policy and work to its logical conclusion. His mission was still in the offing yet he should not be deprived of due credit for laying down certain policies which facilitated the task of his successors including Churaman
. At least the fortune that he amassed proved to be of immediate and definite help to them. There is a little room for suspicion that be his
stress upon a common leadership, the unity of various Jat clans, a
regular force and a modified strategy for Jat defence a new and useful
direction to the Jat affairs. It would not be off the mark to point
out that had he lived longer, he might have taken winds out of
Churaman
's sails. Hence, there is insufficient ground to support the
view that Raja Ram work left no trace behind.
The steps undertaken by Raja Ram leave an impression that he wanted to
throw off the Mughal yoke and he entertained the dream of regional
independence. His premature end, coupled with the relentless pressure
of the imperialists later, shattered such political ambitions for the
present. Yet it is apparent that the measure of success that Raja Ram
achieved during his life-time and the legacy that he bequeathed to the
posterity proved in a corresponding degree detrimental to the
interests of the Mughal Empire. So long as he was alive, he openly
repudiated and practically eclipsed the Mughal authority in a big part
of the suba of Agra. He held lawless sway over an area stretching from
Delhi
to the Chambal
. His bands intermittently indulged in predatory activities. The Mughal officers failed to contain them. So great was the dread exercised by him that the contemporary opinion rated the feat of killing of Raja Ram alone as equivalent to the capture of
Sinsini
and killing of the Jats. The perturbed Aurangzeb deputed one
general after the other, to crush him and his Jats but to no avail.
Even Bidar Bakht with his big forces was in effective against the
recalcitrants.
It is obvious that his persistent defiance often resulting in an utter
rout of the reputed generals like Aghar Khan or in the object
helplessness of great commanders like Khan-i-Jahan seriously
undermined the prestige of the Mughal arms, so well established by
Hasan Ali Khan in 1669-70. Though, taking advantage of the dissensions
caused by Raja Ram's death, the imperialists temporarily repressed the Jats, the former awe and respect for the Mughal arms could not be
restored and they resumed their offensive soon afterwards under Churaman
.
It needs no stress that their successful defiance encouraged other
insurgents also. The royal highway passing through Delhi and Agra had
been completely blocked by the Jat rebels. At a time when Aurangzeb
was engrossed in unending Deccan wars, this blockade was bound to
cause him deep anxieties.,
Raja Ram's rebellion, besides making the political and military
situation in the suba of Agra, also had its repercussions on the
financial condition. There were areas where from no revenue collection
had been made for some time. To give one instance, we learn from a
letter to Bishan Singh that, owing to the disturbance created by the
Jats, the mahals of Kol and Islamabad had been "ruined" and no revenue
could reach the exchequer from them.,, There is ground to suppose that
more or less the same situation prevailed in other parts affected by
the Jat rebellion. We do not have records to check the exact financial
loss to the Mughals. Even if it did not materially affect them it must
have been a source of concern to them. The loss to individual
wayfarers must have been indeed severe as they generally lacked
military protection.
It would not be inappropriate here to consider one aspect of the Jat
revolt under Raja Ram as also other Jat leaders. In the wake of their
military activities, Raja Ram and his bands perpetrated loot and
plunder on the royal highways and in the countryside. Plunder assured
enrichment in an easier and faster way. No doubt, this fact played its
part in tempting people to the lawless course. Notwithstanding, the point of plunder in the Jat movement cannot be magnified. To conclude that it was the sole motivating factor, or booty as such was its ultimate goal, is
to oversimplify the facts of the situation,. The harshness and
exactions of the local officers and the robbery by their neighbors,
Gujars and the like, also goaded the Jats into a predatory life.
Likewise, the terrible retaliation by the Mughals in 1670 must have
tended them to the same direction. The Jats had seen their houses and
religious places being demolished, their property plundered, their
women molested and males tortured by the Mughal soldiers. Stubborn and
warlike as they were, they could not accept all this meekly. So when
they got their opportunity they paid their enemies in the same coin.
Further, the inadequate measures for safety of the war material and
royal treasure sent to the Deccan through the Brij country offered
them a natural temptation for plunder. Finally, with limited means at their disposal the Jat chiefs, political ambitions understandably canalized in sudden and intrepid attacks, which besides enriching their material resources, also served to weaken the imperial authority. Thus it would appear that the predatory activities of the Jats were more circumstantial than instinctive and were employed by their leaders largely to serve as a means to an end rather than to be an end in themselves.
----
Jat people
The Jat people are a community of traditionally non-elite tillers and herders in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in late medieval times, and subsequently into the Delhi Territory,...
leader and organizer of rebellion for freedom against Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
. He was chieftain of Sinsini
Sinsini
Sinsini is a village in Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, India, situated at a distance of 20 km to the south from Deeg city. It is the place of origin of Sinsinwars who were the rulers of princely state Bharatpur. Before the formation of Bharatpur state the capital of Sinsinwars was at...
in princely state of Bharatpur
Bharatpur, India
Bharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas.The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and...
in India. Raja Ram was son of Bhajja Singh of Sinsini. Details about the early life of Raja Ram are not available. After the death of Gokula
Gokula
Gokula or Gokul Singh was a Jat chieftain of Sinsini village in Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, India. Later, he became a chieftain of Tilpat in Haryana. His father's name was Madu. Madu had four sons namely, Sindhuraj, Ola, Jhaman and Saman. The second son Ola later became famous as Gokula...
on 1 January 1670, Raja Ram kept alive the rebellion against the Mughals
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
.
Raja Ram as organizer
Bhajja Singh along with his colleague Brajraj of Sinsini and their relatives prepared a small army of SinsinwarSinsinwar
Sinsinwar is a gotra of Jats found in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, India. The Bharatpur rulers of the Sinsinwar gotra have originated from Sini/Shini in the ancestry of Krishna; which itself is derived from Krishna's own gotra, Vrishni. They are Chandravanshi kshatriyas...
and Kuntal gotra jats. Raja Ram organized Jat groups of different clans and united them under him.
Sogaria was a powerful Janpad of Bharatpur and its chieftain was Ramki Chahar. Sogaria Jats already had a castle at Sogar (4 miles south-east of Bharatpur). He took Ramki Chahar with him. He fraternized with the Jats of Sidgiri region (Bayana
Bayana
Bayana is a historical town in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan in India. It is a historical city founded by Banasur, who was an Asura. He lived during the time of Krishna...
, Rupbasaia). He also befriended the Jats of Ranthambhor against the Amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
ruler Ram Singh. On the basis of the contemporary dispatches it can unmistakably be deduced that Raja Ram proved a great rallying point and a great number of the Jats were united under his leadership. This way he completed an important work of bringing together the scattered and unorganized Jat power.
Military training
He planned to construct kuchha mud forts all around in the Jat-belt. He trained the young farmers as skilled soldiers. He educated the rebels to strictly obey the instructions of their chief.Next, he began to organize his followers from the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
point of view. He gave those military training and equipped them with firearms. He trained them in horse riding and weapons. He collected guns and other weapons.
He organized them into regiments placed under different captains. Simultaneously, he impressed upon Jats, the necessity of remaining disciplined and obeying their captains. Thus he imparted to them the semblance of a regular army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
.
The defense strategy
Raja Ram gave similar attention to the strengthening of his defenses, for he must have seen how Tilpat was easily stormed for lack of proper defense and thus sealing the fate of the Jat rising under Gokula. Raja Ram, therefore, built his forts in dense deep jungleJungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
s and surrounded them with mud ramparts.
The forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
-infested environs and the mud walls rendered them stronger than was the chief stronghold of Gokula. These forts served as bases for operations and refuge as also places for dumping the booty. As is apparent from his tactics, Raja Ram stuck to the traditional mode of the Jat warfare, popularly known as “Dhar” (guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
) system. All through he avoided positional warfare with the Mughals and confined himself to sudden and intrepid attacks. This ensured him maximum benefit with minimum loss. These changes proved beneficial and gradually contributed to the success of the Jat rebellion.
Raids by Raja Ram
Having thus prepared himself, Raja Ram began to organize raids in the countryside of the Suba of AgraAgra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
. The Jats hovered on the roads and plundered the caravans and the travelers. The Subadar of Agra, Safi Khan, was virtually besieged in the Agra fort. Along with the other rebels the Narukas, the Panwars, the Gujar
Gujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s and the Mev
MEV
MeV and meV are multiples and submultiples of the electron volt unit referring to 1,000,000 eV and 0.001 eV, respectively.Mev or MEV may refer to:In entertainment:* Musica Elettronica Viva, an Italian musical group...
s - they practically closed the roads for normal traffic between Dholpur
Dholpur
Dholpur is a city in eastern-most parts of the Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dholpur District and was formerly seat of the Dholpur princely state, before Independence....
and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, and Agra and Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
via Hindaun
Hindaun
Hindaun is a town in Karauli district in Rajasthan . This is the town located in the vicinity of Aravali Hills & is on the main railway track from Delhi to Mumbai, via Kota, approx. 256 km away from New Delhi. It is a subdivisional headquarters in India. Its population is approximately...
and Bayana. How deep was the consternation created by the insurgents would be clear by one instance that in an important place like Mathura no place except Jama Mosque was deemed safe. Raja Ram also tried to ransack Akbar’s mausoleum at Sikandara. But his attempt was foiled by the local faujdar, Mir Abul Fazl. He confronted the rebels at a place, 10 miles from Sikandara. The faujdar succeeded in repulsing them, though in the process he was seriously wounded and a number of his troops also perished. Raja Ram also suffered heavy casualties. Aurangzeb rewarded the faujdar with the title of Iltitifat Khan, increasing his Mansab by 200 sawars. Unsuccessful at Sikandara Raja Ram then fell upon Shikarpur and grabbed rich booty from the place. There from, he retired towards Ratanpur.
Worries of the Emperor Aurangzeb
Raja Ram’s mischief and disturbances went increasing. This worried the EmperorAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
. On 3 May 1686 he appointed Khan-i-Jahan Bahadur Zafarjang Kokaltash in order to punish the rebels. Despite his strenuous efforts, however, Khan-i-Jahan failed to capture any of the Jat strongholds or to punish the people. Therefore, he ordered his son, Muhammad Azam to proceed against the Jats. But he had only reached Burhanpur
Burhanpur
Burhanpur is an important city in Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River, southwest of Bhopal and northeast of Mumbai...
(July, 1687) when more pressing needs of Golconda
Golconda
Golconda may be:Places:* Golkonda, ruined city and fortress in India* Golconda, Illinois, town in the United States* Golconda, Nevada, former town in the United StatesOther:* Golconda...
compelled Aurangzeb to recall the Prince. Thereafter Bidar Bakht was sent (December, 1687) to assume supreme command in the Jat war, while Khan-i-Jahan was to act as his deputy.
Raja Ram killed Aghar Khan
Meanwhile Raja Ram showed greater audacity. He fell upon the Mughal commander Aghar Khan. The Khan with his retinue was enroute from KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
to Bijapur
Bijapur, Karnataka
Bijapur Urdu:بیجاپور city is the district headquarters of Bijapur District of Karnataka state. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural importance built during the rule of Adil Shahi dynasty...
when the Jats attacked him near Dholpur
Dholpur
Dholpur is a city in eastern-most parts of the Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dholpur District and was formerly seat of the Dholpur princely state, before Independence....
and fled away capturing many bullocks, carts, horses and women. The general gave them a hot chase but was killed in the ensuing skirmish along with his son-in-law and 80 other men. Two hundred Jats were killed in the action. The psychological gain from this audacious act was much more than the material one. Their success in killing and routing the reputed suppressor of the frontier Afghans
Demographics of Afghanistan
The population of Afghanistan is around 29,835,392 as of the year 2011, which is unclear if the refugees living outside the country are included or not. The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between...
must have whetted the audacity of the Jats. They carried their depredations further.
Early in 1688, Raja Ram attacked Mahabat Khan. who on his way to Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
was encamped near Sikandara. A fierce fight ensued in which Raja Ram was finally repulsed after losing 400 men. The casualties on the other side included 150 dead and 40 wounded.
Raja Ram attacked Sikandara
After a short while, Raja Ram reappeared at Sikandara and taking advantage of the delay in coming of Shaista Khan, the governor-designate of Agra, he attacked and plundered Akbar’s mausoleum. The Jat leader carried away the precious articles of gold and silver, carpets, lamps etc. and destroyed what he could not carry.According to Manucci the Jats dragged out the bones of Akbar, threw them angrily into fire and burnt them to avenge the death of Gokula
Gokula
Gokula or Gokul Singh was a Jat chieftain of Sinsini village in Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, India. Later, he became a chieftain of Tilpat in Haryana. His father's name was Madu. Madu had four sons namely, Sindhuraj, Ola, Jhaman and Saman. The second son Ola later became famous as Gokula...
. Muhammad Baqa (the Naib of Khan-i-Jahan) who was then at Agra, did nothing to frustrate the rebels. As a punishment, therefore, 500 and that of Khan-i-Jahan reduced his mansab by 1000 sawars. The Jats also ransacked the villages, set aside for the support of Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
. Some Jats ravaged the environs of Khurja
Khurja
Khurja is a city in the Bulandshahr district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated around 85 km from Delhi...
, while others captured the local Mughal officers at Palwal
Palwal
Palwal is a city and a municipal council. It is the headquarters of Palwal district, the 21st district of Haryana state in northern IndiaIt is situated at a distance of 60 km from Delhi on the Delhi-Mathura highway. The latitude of the town is 28° 40' N and longitude is 76° 59' E...
.
One noteworthy fact is that the local Mughal officials and soldiers in general, winked at the disobedience of the Jats and even secretly entered into collusion with them to share the booty grabbed by them. It is also to be noted that Muhammad Baqa, the deputy of Khan-i-Jahan at Agra, had remained inactive while Raja Ram robbed Akbar’s tomb. This exasperated Aurangzeb and he reduced the deputy’s Mansab by 500 and that of Khan-i- Jahan by 1,000 sowars. Meanwhile, the daring and audacity of the Jats alarmed Aurangzeb and he ordered Raja Ram Singh (who was at Kabul) to chastise Raja Ram. But due to his sudden death the Raja could not resume his charge.
The battle of Bijal
Raja Ram, on the other hand, persisted with his refractory activities. His strength and resources now began to attract the attention of others.During these days the existing feud between the Chauhans and the Shekhawat
Shekhawat
Shekhawat is a sub-clan of Kachwaha Rajputs found mainly in Rajasthan, India. The Shekhawat clan claims descent from the great rajput warrior Maharao Shekha Ji. The Shekhawats were the most prominent among all sub clans of Kachwahas of Jaipur. Shekhawats were the rulers of Shekhawati.-History:The...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s over disputed land in Bagtharia (22 miles north-east of Alwar) and some other parganas had erupted into an open war. The Chauhans appealed to Raja Ram for help, while the Shekhawats implored the help of Murtaza Khan, the Mughal faujdar of Mewat
Mewat
Mewat is a historical region of Haryana and Rajasthan states in northwestern India. The loose boundaries of Mewat are not precisely determined but generally include Mewat District of Haryana and parts of Alwar, Bharatpur, and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan...
.
Bilar Bakht, Rao Raja Anirudh Singh of Bundi
Bundi
Bundi is a city and a municipality of approximately 88,000 inhabitants in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan state in northwest India. It is of particular architectural note for its ornate forts, palaces, and stepwell reservoirs known as baoris...
and Maharao Kishor Singh Hada
Hada
Hada may refer to:* Khata, or Hada, traditional ceremonial scarf used in Tibet and Mongolia* Michiko Hada , Japanese actress* Hada , Mongol activist advocating for the separation of Inner Mongolia from the People's Republic of China...
joined the faujdar and the Shekhawats. A severe battle was fought near Bijal. Opposite Raja Ram was the Hada Chief upon whom he inflicted a crushing defeat.
Anirudh Singh himself could not stand before the Jat onset. He became nervous and fled along with his troops. On Wednesday 4 July 1688, when the battle was in its full fury the gallant Raja Ram led a fierce charge against the centre, consisting of the Mughals. Meanwhile, a Mughal musketeer, who had hidden himself in a tree, fired at Raja Ram's chest. He fell down from his horse and died immediately. His fall signaled the defeat of the Chauhans. His head was severed from the body and later on presented to Aurangzeb in the Deccan (5 September 1688, 19th Zi-Qada, 1099 A.H.). Ramki Chahar was captured alive in the battle and was publicly executed at Agra.
Assessment of Raja Ram Jat
Thus perished Raja Ram Jat. As a leader of men and as a soldier, organizer and tactician, he was certainly more capable than any other preceding Jat chief, His influence upon the contemporary history has not been properly assessed so far. It was he and not ChuramanChuraman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
II who, first of all, endeavored to transform his warrior followers into more or less disciplined troopers. The number of his regulars could not have been
big but the credit of laying the foundation of a regular army, equipped with arms must be given to him. Then again, he highlighted
the efficacy of the guerrilla tactics and defences by building the mud fortresses in dense jungles. It is apparent that his dashing attacks
in the presence of larger Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
forces not only restored the shaken
morale of his people but also infused in them a vigour that enabled to
withstand temporary reverses later on.
Raja Ram aimed at, and succeeded also in forging, a joint front of his brethren as Churaman
Churaman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
also did later on. But whereas Churaman
Churaman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
through his indiscretion failed to preserve that unity, Raja Ram, through his tact and resourcefulness, maintained it. Disunity among the Jats did
raise its head after his death, but it was not due to his policy but
due to the disappearance of his rallying personality. A contemporary
report (8 August. 1688- 20th Shawwal, 1099 A.H.) about this
disturbed period testified to it,. From this standpoint it would appear that as a leader of his people Raja Ram possessed better talents than Churaman
Churaman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
. Raja Ram had deeper penetration into the individualistic and clan-conscious temperament of the Jats. If his dealings with the Sogaria and Ranthambhor Jats are a pointer, Raja gave due deference to them and tried to strengthen his leadership, by winning their gratitude and reposing confidence in them. It is true that Churaman
Churaman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
II achieved far more success than Raja Ram, Who owing to his untimely death could not carry his policy and work to its logical conclusion. His mission was still in the offing yet he should not be deprived of due credit for laying down certain policies which facilitated the task of his successors including Churaman
Churaman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
. At least the fortune that he amassed proved to be of immediate and definite help to them. There is a little room for suspicion that be his
stress upon a common leadership, the unity of various Jat clans, a
regular force and a modified strategy for Jat defence a new and useful
direction to the Jat affairs. It would not be off the mark to point
out that had he lived longer, he might have taken winds out of
Churaman
Churaman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
's sails. Hence, there is insufficient ground to support the
view that Raja Ram work left no trace behind.
The steps undertaken by Raja Ram leave an impression that he wanted to
throw off the Mughal yoke and he entertained the dream of regional
independence. His premature end, coupled with the relentless pressure
of the imperialists later, shattered such political ambitions for the
present. Yet it is apparent that the measure of success that Raja Ram
achieved during his life-time and the legacy that he bequeathed to the
posterity proved in a corresponding degree detrimental to the
interests of the Mughal Empire. So long as he was alive, he openly
repudiated and practically eclipsed the Mughal authority in a big part
of the suba of Agra. He held lawless sway over an area stretching from
Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
to the Chambal
Chambal
Chambal may refer to:* Chambal Jatt* Chambal Division* Chambal River...
. His bands intermittently indulged in predatory activities. The Mughal officers failed to contain them. So great was the dread exercised by him that the contemporary opinion rated the feat of killing of Raja Ram alone as equivalent to the capture of
Sinsini
Sinsini
Sinsini is a village in Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, India, situated at a distance of 20 km to the south from Deeg city. It is the place of origin of Sinsinwars who were the rulers of princely state Bharatpur. Before the formation of Bharatpur state the capital of Sinsinwars was at...
and killing of the Jats. The perturbed Aurangzeb deputed one
general after the other, to crush him and his Jats but to no avail.
Even Bidar Bakht with his big forces was in effective against the
recalcitrants.
It is obvious that his persistent defiance often resulting in an utter
rout of the reputed generals like Aghar Khan or in the object
helplessness of great commanders like Khan-i-Jahan seriously
undermined the prestige of the Mughal arms, so well established by
Hasan Ali Khan in 1669-70. Though, taking advantage of the dissensions
caused by Raja Ram's death, the imperialists temporarily repressed the Jats, the former awe and respect for the Mughal arms could not be
restored and they resumed their offensive soon afterwards under Churaman
Churaman
Marharajah Churaman was Zamindar of Sinsini and the real founder of Jat state of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He was son of Bhajja Singh and younger brother of Raja Ram Jat. He was the first unanimously elected leader of Jats in 1695...
.
It needs no stress that their successful defiance encouraged other
insurgents also. The royal highway passing through Delhi and Agra had
been completely blocked by the Jat rebels. At a time when Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
was engrossed in unending Deccan wars, this blockade was bound to
cause him deep anxieties.,
Raja Ram's rebellion, besides making the political and military
situation in the suba of Agra, also had its repercussions on the
financial condition. There were areas where from no revenue collection
had been made for some time. To give one instance, we learn from a
letter to Bishan Singh that, owing to the disturbance created by the
Jats, the mahals of Kol and Islamabad had been "ruined" and no revenue
could reach the exchequer from them.,, There is ground to suppose that
more or less the same situation prevailed in other parts affected by
the Jat rebellion. We do not have records to check the exact financial
loss to the Mughals. Even if it did not materially affect them it must
have been a source of concern to them. The loss to individual
wayfarers must have been indeed severe as they generally lacked
military protection.
It would not be inappropriate here to consider one aspect of the Jat
revolt under Raja Ram as also other Jat leaders. In the wake of their
military activities, Raja Ram and his bands perpetrated loot and
plunder on the royal highways and in the countryside. Plunder assured
enrichment in an easier and faster way. No doubt, this fact played its
part in tempting people to the lawless course. Notwithstanding, the point of plunder in the Jat movement cannot be magnified. To conclude that it was the sole motivating factor, or booty as such was its ultimate goal, is
to oversimplify the facts of the situation,. The harshness and
exactions of the local officers and the robbery by their neighbors,
Gujars and the like, also goaded the Jats into a predatory life.
Likewise, the terrible retaliation by the Mughals in 1670 must have
tended them to the same direction. The Jats had seen their houses and
religious places being demolished, their property plundered, their
women molested and males tortured by the Mughal soldiers. Stubborn and
warlike as they were, they could not accept all this meekly. So when
they got their opportunity they paid their enemies in the same coin.
Further, the inadequate measures for safety of the war material and
royal treasure sent to the Deccan through the Brij country offered
them a natural temptation for plunder. Finally, with limited means at their disposal the Jat chiefs, political ambitions understandably canalized in sudden and intrepid attacks, which besides enriching their material resources, also served to weaken the imperial authority. Thus it would appear that the predatory activities of the Jats were more circumstantial than instinctive and were employed by their leaders largely to serve as a means to an end rather than to be an end in themselves.
----
Further reading
- Dr Natthan Singh: Jat - Itihas (Hindi), Jat Samaj Kalyan Parishad, Gwalior, 2004
- Thakur Deshraj: Jat Itihas (Hindi), Maharaja Suraj Mal Smarak Shiksha Sansthan, Delhi, 1934.
- Dr. Prakash Chandra Chandawat: Maharaja Suraj Mal aur unka yug (Hindi), Jaypal Agencies Agra, 1982
- G.C. Dwivedi: The Jats - Their role in the Mughal Empire, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Deli, 2003
External links
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/message/2588
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/message/2589
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/message/2590