Ghangas

Ghanghas or Ghangas is gotra (clan) of Jats found in the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in India.

Origin

The word Ghangas is derived from Ghan (hammer - sledge hammer) Ghas (to break or destroy). As per the folk legend, a holy man was imprisoned by a powerful but evil person of the area. Locals were fearful of supporting the holy man. Baba Handal took a blacksmith's hammer (Ghan) and broke open the lock (on the door) where the holy man was imprisoned. The holy man was helped by Baba Handal in defiance to the powerful evil person. Thus the descendents of Baba Handal were known as Ghanghas or Ghangas (both spellings are in use).

There is a popular Gurudwara to honor Baba Handal at his birthplace. There are five villages (Mandi,Puther,Bandh,Balana and Palri) of Ghangas Gotra in Panipat, Haryana. Pawan Kumar Ghangas,Puther,Panipat

Distt.Bhiwani Thakur Deshraj[1] that Ghanghas Jats had an independent state in Ghanana. This state had 900 sawars always ready for war. In their neighbourhood there was a Rajput village named Bapora. Bapora Rajputs had accepted paying tax to Delhi Badshah but Ghanghas Jats of Dhanana did not accept this proposal of paying any tax to the Badshah. Thakur Deshraj has mentioned about a song prevalent in the area which reveals this fact and is as under: हरियाणा के बीच में एक गाँव धणाणा । सूही बांधे पागड़ी क्षत्रीपण का बाण ।। नोसै नेजे भकड़ते घुड़ियन का हिनियाना । तुरई टामक बाजता बुर्जन के दरम्याना ।। अपनी कमाई आप खात हैं नहीं देहि किसी को दाणा । बापोड़ा मत जाणियो है ये गाँव धणाणा।।

Distribution

Dhanana is much known as Mitathal-Dhanana or Talu Dhanana. Dhanana is fatherly village of Ghanghas gotra. All Ghanghas jat of India relate themselves to Dhanana. In 1976-77 Dhanana vill. was leader of Khap panchayats of Haryana. Ch. CharanSingh (Ex.P.M. India Govt.) came Dhanana & address a Big rally. Jatai & Sukhpura are also Pure Ghanghas gotra neighbouring Vill. Dhanana. Author Shrikumar Ghanghas, Lecturer in Sociology.

found in Village Gharwal (e.g. Lt. Ex Sarpanch Sh. the Ganges Chand Ghanghas)sonepat in Haryana, kail Shikarpur (e.g., Ravinder Kumar Ghanghas) District Muzaffarnagar in U.P., District Bhiwani, Panipat , and Jind in Haryana, Amritsar in Punjab and Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, India. According to the historian Thakur Deshraj, the Gangaridais as mentioned by Meghasthenes are Ghangas gotra Jats, who lived near Garhmukteshwar area. Ptolemy has mentioned their capital at Ganga, which is the present the Ganga-ghat city rear Ram-ghat.

Jandiala, a town on Amritsar - Jalandhar GT Road (Grand Trunk Road) is populated with Ghangas Sikh Jats. Jandiala Guru (also known as Guru ka Jandiala) was founded by Ghangas Jats. It is part of District Amritsar, Punjab, India and is 16 Kilometers (10 miles) South of Amritsar.

References

Trivender Singh Ghanghas (Expert Serve)