People of Haryana

The people of Haryana belong to the Indo Aryan type and in parts to the Indo-Dravidian type. Harayan’s population, are divided into a number of castes (jatis). The main classes of people in Haryana are the Brahmins, the Rajputs, the Jats, the Ahirs and the allied agricultural communities.

From the ancient past to the present, religion provides the main basis of the structure of the Haryana society. In the early times the society was unireligious, the people professed Hinduism. After some times two reformed forms of the old religion namely Jainism and Buddhism came to have their hold on the people. In the medieval times there came the Islam, followed by Sikhism and Christianity.

Jats

The Hindu Jats occupy a prominent place in Haryana, being the single largest group in the region. Some of the Jats claim themselves to be of Rajput origin and maintained that their Rajput ancestors came from Malwa, Bikaner, Dharangar which lay to the east near the ancient Hastinapur. It was the Jats who formed the ethnic nucleus of the people now called the Punjabi’s.

The Jats are divided into twelve chief clans (gotras) and about 137 minor gotras. The main gotras are Maliks ( also called Gatwallas), Dahiya, Ahlawat, Rathi, Dalal, Sahrawat, Kadian, Jakhar, Golia and Deswal. The Muslim Jats, called Mullas are a separate group. The Jats form a predominant proportion in the districts of Hissar and Karnal and are also found in good strength in Ambala.

The Jats have great physical and moral energy, are admirable cultivators. Besides agriculture, they engage themselves in trade and production of local products in the rural area. Jats join in large numbers in the Services, particularly in the army and the police. They are finding representation in civil services also.