Majhail
Encyclopedia
Majhail is a Jat
gotra
or clan
of Jats belonging to the Majha
region. Moreover, the designation Majhail is also associated with Jat
people who can trace their lineage to the Majha
region of the North India
n state
of Punjab
who are mainly Sikhs.
in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE. The "Kathians" or "Cathaeans" or "Kath" Jats were known to be daring, brave and courageous and their capital was a city of Sankala
/Sangala
during Mahabharata period which is currently known as Sialkot
.
"Before Alexander’s raid in India, Majhails inflicted a defeat on the valiant Paurava, and who, though hopelessly outnumbered by the Greeks
, fought Alexander the great by the sakata-vyuha, or ‘waggon-formation,’ which the Greek phalanx could not pierce, and who refused to submit formally. The Greek writers call them “Kathians” and describe them as a nation, residing to the east of Hydraotes or the Ravi river
, the present districts of Lahore and Amritsar of the West Pakistan and Indian Punjab, respectively. The Kathians themselves enjoyed the highest reputation for courage and skill in the art of war."
The "Majhails are the stout-hearted inhabitants of the Majha belt dominated by Sikhs, whose forefathers had borne the brunt of every foreign invasion from the north-west, losing courage against the indiscriminate killings." The Majhail's were famous for their strong build and their hard-working attitude because they worked in the army or very far away from their homes in farms or ranches.
people referred by Greek writers. These brave and fearless people fought many battles during the formation of Sikhism
and were known for their fighting skills and bravery in the Sikh history.
"It will be recalled that the descendants of the “Kathians,” the Majhail Sikhs, were the leaders of the Sikh mass of about 30,000 unorganized men, women and children at village Kup, near Malerkotla, in the Indian Punjab, who were surprised and attacked by the 100,000 strong veteran Afghan horsemen of Ahmad Shah Abdali, on the grey raw morning of 5 February 1762, killing over 15,000 Sikh women and children, mostly in the first onrush, and as many men more in the next few days of the Sikhs' retreat towards Barnala in the Patiala District. In this carnage, called the ‘Great Holocaust', wadda ghalughara in Sikh history, the Sikhs defended themselves by means of the same sakata-vyuha with which they had met the equally overwhelming numerical odds of the Greek invaders, and once, though literally decimated to a man, they refused to submit. The capital city of these “Kathians” is mentioned by the Greek writers as “Sankala,” which most probably occupied the site at which the Sikh Gurus built Amritsar at the end of the 16th century."
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,...
gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
or clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
of Jats belonging to the Majha
Majha
Majha is a region of the Punjab comprising the modern districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran in the Indian State of Punjab and the districts of Narowal, Lahore and Kasur in the Pakistani Province of Punjab. The term previously applied to Panjabis living north of the Sutlej...
region. Moreover, the designation Majhail is also associated with Jat
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,...
people who can trace their lineage to the Majha
Majha
Majha is a region of the Punjab comprising the modern districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran in the Indian State of Punjab and the districts of Narowal, Lahore and Kasur in the Pakistani Province of Punjab. The term previously applied to Panjabis living north of the Sutlej...
region of the North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
who are mainly Sikhs.
Origin
The Majhail Jats are the descendants of "Kathians" who were known for their highest reputation for courage, skill and honour in the art of war and whose legend goes back to the time of PauravasPauravas
The Pauravas was the name given to the many small kingdoms and tribes of ancient India in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.The Pauravas had also existed before then in the Vedic Ages led by King Sudas, who fought off the Iranian invaders at the Battle of the Ten Kings. The Pauravas were all situated...
in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE. The "Kathians" or "Cathaeans" or "Kath" Jats were known to be daring, brave and courageous and their capital was a city of Sankala
Sagala
Sagala or Sangala, the ancient Greek name for the modern city of Sialkot in present day Pakistan, was a city of located in northern Punjab, Pakistan...
/Sangala
Sagala
Sagala or Sangala, the ancient Greek name for the modern city of Sialkot in present day Pakistan, was a city of located in northern Punjab, Pakistan...
during Mahabharata period which is currently known as Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
.
"Before Alexander’s raid in India, Majhails inflicted a defeat on the valiant Paurava, and who, though hopelessly outnumbered by the Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, fought Alexander the great by the sakata-vyuha, or ‘waggon-formation,’ which the Greek phalanx could not pierce, and who refused to submit formally. The Greek writers call them “Kathians” and describe them as a nation, residing to the east of Hydraotes or the Ravi river
Ravi River
The Ravi is a trans-boundary river flowing through Northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of the six rivers of the Indus System in Punjab region ....
, the present districts of Lahore and Amritsar of the West Pakistan and Indian Punjab, respectively. The Kathians themselves enjoyed the highest reputation for courage and skill in the art of war."
The "Majhails are the stout-hearted inhabitants of the Majha belt dominated by Sikhs, whose forefathers had borne the brunt of every foreign invasion from the north-west, losing courage against the indiscriminate killings." The Majhail's were famous for their strong build and their hard-working attitude because they worked in the army or very far away from their homes in farms or ranches.
Majhails & the Sikh history
The forefathers of the modern Majhail Jats are known to be the back-bone of the SikhSikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
people referred by Greek writers. These brave and fearless people fought many battles during the formation of Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
and were known for their fighting skills and bravery in the Sikh history.
"It will be recalled that the descendants of the “Kathians,” the Majhail Sikhs, were the leaders of the Sikh mass of about 30,000 unorganized men, women and children at village Kup, near Malerkotla, in the Indian Punjab, who were surprised and attacked by the 100,000 strong veteran Afghan horsemen of Ahmad Shah Abdali, on the grey raw morning of 5 February 1762, killing over 15,000 Sikh women and children, mostly in the first onrush, and as many men more in the next few days of the Sikhs' retreat towards Barnala in the Patiala District. In this carnage, called the ‘Great Holocaust', wadda ghalughara in Sikh history, the Sikhs defended themselves by means of the same sakata-vyuha with which they had met the equally overwhelming numerical odds of the Greek invaders, and once, though literally decimated to a man, they refused to submit. The capital city of these “Kathians” is mentioned by the Greek writers as “Sankala,” which most probably occupied the site at which the Sikh Gurus built Amritsar at the end of the 16th century."
Majhail
Here are some famous Majhails:-- Bhai Kala Singh Majhail, one of the great forty 'Chali Mukte' who sacrificed their lives for the Guru fighting a huge Mughal army in the Battle of Khidrana now known as Mukatsar
- Jagga Jatt
- Bhai Bidhi Chand ChhinaBhai Bidhi Chand ChhinaBhai Bidhi Chand Chhina was the son of Vassan and the grandson of Bhikki his mother belonged to Sarhali Village also in Amritsar district. He was a Sikh warrior and religious preacher, who lived at the time of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and Guru Hargobind...
Majhail - Mai Bhago,the great martial Majhail warrior who fought for the Guru and motivated the great 'Chali Mukte' to fight and sacrifice for the Guru and finally served as Guru's bodyguard in Male attire.
- Sardar Ishar Singh Majhail, Former Minister, Punjab and Veteran Freedom Fighter
- Sardar Dhian Singh Majhail, Veteran Freedom Fighter and Former Regional Congress President
- Sardar Harpartap Singh Majhail, Former Chairman, Milkfed, Punjab
- Dr. Harjinder Singh Majhail, famous writer-poet-educationist-Journalist (former Director Education, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar), prestigious Rashtryia Vidhyia Sarswati Award recipient and Bhai Vir Singh Award recipient.
- Jathedar Mohan Singh Nagoke.
- Sardar Bishan Singh Samundari, Founder Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
- Dr. Navneet S. Majhail,renowned Hematologist, Minnesota
- Dr. Amardeep Majhail, famous Geriatric Medicine Physician, Arizona