Meenas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

Meenas, Meena or Mina is a community mainly found in Rajasthan, India.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Members of the Meena community are found in the northern part of Rajasthan. Meenas share the Brij and Matsya Area of Rajasthan i.e.Sawai Madhopur,Dausa,Jaipur,Dholpur and Karauli districts in Jaipur and Bharatpur region (also the Bharatpur and Bayana districts) with other communities. They inhabit the area from Jaipur-Sikar in Shekhawati region and Alwar in the northeast region of the state. They are also widely spread in Kota, Jhalawar and Bundi. Meenas are also found in north-western Madhya Pradesh. The Meenas, community of Rajasthan, are an agricultural people occupying one of the most fertile regions of the state. And Meena kings were the early rulers of major parts of Rajasthan including Amber (early capital of Jaipur).

[edit] Ancient history

At the time of great Epic Mahabharat was written there was a Janpad known as "Matsya Janpad".The capital of this Janpad was "Virat Nagar", now known as "Bairath" and renamed as Virat Nagar again.The Pandavas got shelter their for one year.There are still places known as "Pandupol" near Virat Nagar.Abhimanu the son of Arjun and great warrior married to daughter of King of Virat Nagar the princess was named Uttara.After Abhimanu died in battle of Kurukhetra,and all Pandav sons were killed by Ashwathama they were left without progeny.Uttara was pregnant then.After Pandavas went to Himalaya, the son delivered by Uttara was "Parikhishit" who inherited Pandavas and ruled India.He was killed by "Takshak" a Naga or Nagvanshi Khastriya.His son Janmejay did a Yagya to finish all Nagas at "Nagdah" known as "Nagada" now in MP.King Virat and all his sons and brothers were killed at Kurukhestra in Mahabharat.

Perhaps some of clan brothers ruled this area after him.Many historical evidence is recovered from this area all belonging to time of Lord Buddha.

Meenas are considered the brothers and kinsmen of Virat, the ruler of Virat Nagar.They were ruling this area(Near to Virat Nagar) till 11 th century.

[edit] Medieval history

The Meena Raja Ralun singh also known as Alan Singh Meena of Khogong kind-heartedly adopted a stranded Rajput mother and her child who sought refuge in his realm. Later, the Meena king sent the child, Dhola Rae, to Delhi to represent the Meena kingdom. The Rajput, in gratitude for these favours, returned with Rajput conspirers and massacred the weaponless Meenas on Diwaliwhile performings rituals i.e PitraTrapan , it is customery in Meenas to be weaponless at the time of PitraTrapan , "filling the reservoirs in which the Meenas bathed with their dead bodies" [Tod.II.281] and thus conquered Khogong. This act of Rajputs was most coward and shameful in Rajasthan history. He then subjugated the Sihra Gotra of Meenas at much later on known as Jamwa Ramgarh near Jaipur, and transferred his capital thence. Becoming the son-in-law of the prince of Ajmer, he died when battling 11,000 Meenas, most of whom he slew [Tod.II.282]. His son Maida Sihra l Rao "made a conquest of Amber from the Soosawut Meenas" whose chief was the head of the Meena confederation. He subdued the Nandla Meenas, annexing the Gatoor-Gatti district [Tod.II.282]. Hoondeo succeeded to the throne and "continued the warfare against the Meenas" [Tod.II.282]. Koontal, his successor, fought the Meenas "in which the Meenas were defeated, with great slaughter, which secured his rule throughout Dhoondar" [Tod.II.282]. The Meenas were the original builders of Amber, which town they consecrated to Amba, the Mother Goddess, whom they knew as "Gatta Rani" or "Queen of the Pass" [Tod.II.282].

Describing the destruction of the Meena town of Naed, Tod wrote: "When this latter prince (Baharmull Cuchwaha, a contemporary of Babar and Humayun) destroyed the Meena sovereignty of Naen, he levelled its half hundred gates, and erected the town of Lohan (now the residence of a Rajawut chief) on its ruins" [Tod.II.283]. The name of Meena ruler of Naen\Nahn was Rao Bada Meena, he was so rich that his wealth was compared to Akbar's empire in a local saying as "Rao Bada ko bijano, Akabar ko gharbaar" that mean Rao bada's manual fan was so precious that it was compared with akbar's palace. The Kachawa Rajput ruler Bharmal of Amber always eyed on Nahn and attacked on it several times but could not succeeded against mighty and brave Bada Meena. Akbar had asked Rao Bada to marry his daughter Shashivadini to Akbar. Later on Bharma married his daughter Jodhabai to Akbar. Then the combined army of Akbar and Bharmal attacked Bada Meena and killed him damaging 52 kots and 56 gates. Bada's treasure was shared between Akbar and Bharmal. Bharmal kept his treasure in Jaigarh fort near Amber. Original name of Jaigarh was Chila Tola when it was ruled by Meenas.

[edit] Recent history

Despite invasions of their lands throughout history, they were never assimilated, thereby retaining much of their culture and individuality.

The Meenas have played an important part in the history of Rajasthan (earlier known as the Rajputana). In former times, Rajput and Meena chiefs, in subordination to the Taur kings of Delhi, ruled over a considerable tract of the country. Toward the end of the century, the Kachwahas dispossessed them from what is now called Jaipur (The Pink City of India). The Meenas are said to be descended from those Rajputs who, in the wars between their own tribes or with Muslims, were compelled to quit their native home and seek refuge in the vastness of Rajputana, where they formed alliances with the aboriginal families and established tribes. The character of Meenas differs from place to place. The Meenas of the Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Gangapur area are the most important cultivators for the last four hundred years. They expelled the Dhangars and Lodhis from a number of villages they occupied 500 years ago, and have retained their possession until now.

[edit] References

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../m/e/e/Meenas.html"