My own Native Tribe-Musapur, Punjab.

I am now embarking on a journey, at attempting to establish my own roots and heritage. I am aware my father is originally from Musapur, Punjab an area which resides in Jalundhar. My mother is also originally from the Punjab, India. My fathers surname is Khosa and my mother is Dhaliwal, but what does this all mean? and where does it lead me back to?

Musapur is an agricultural village (pind) in the Nawanshahr district (Now known as 'Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar District') of Punjab in India.

Baba Sundar Das an influential parcharak (preacher) of Sikhism from Guru Nanak Dev Ji's time hailed from this village. A gurdwara stands at the site of his historic samaadh today. This Gurdwara has recently undergone a complete refurbishment and the opening ceremony was held in February 2008. Famous punjabi song writer Amarjit Musapuria also belongs to this village.

The main surname of the residents in this village is Kandola. There are also a number of people with the surnames Atwal, Poonia, Bhambra, Chopra and Verma residing here. The surname Seyan is also believed to originate from this village.

There doesn’t seem to be any regard to ‘Khosa’ within our village?

Musapur is close to both cities of Banga and Nawanshahr, and is near to the villages of Mungowal, Khama, Kariha and Bhangalan.

I am aware my village Musapur is in Nawanshahr, which resides in Julandhar, but what about Punjab?

"One of the earliest stone age cultures of South Asia nourished in the Punjab. People generally accept that about eight centuries before Christ, the Punjab was the most enlightened and the prosperous region in the world. The Harappa civilization developed in Punjab and its culture spread to Iran, Afghanistan, Balochistan, and north-western parts of South Asia.The Vedic and Epic period of the Punjab was socially and culturally very prolific as during this glorious period, the people accelerated in the fields of philosophy and culture. Here the people composed the Rig Veda and the Upanishads. Further, tradition maintains that Valmiki composed the Ramayana near the present Amritsar city and Kaikyee belonged to this region. Lord Krishna gave the divine message of the Gita at Kurukshetra. It was here that people wrote eighteen principal Puranas. The authors of Vishnu Purana and the Shiv Purano belonged to the central Punjab."(Punjab.online: No date)


"Scholars of the history of India generally agree that it is one of the oldest civilizations in the world and that its cradle was the soil of Punjab. Its cities were known as Mohenjodaro and Harappa and scholars sometimes refer to it as the Indus Valley civilization. It dates back to between 7000-20,000 BC." (Oxford Sikhs: No date)

Punjab- Derivation of Name.

"The most significant factor concerning the development of the Indus Valley civilization was undoubtedly its fertile soil and five rivers(Jehlum, Chenab, Tavi, Sutlej and Beas) that provided a constant supply of water for irrigation. Interestingly, the term punjab Punjab comprised of two words: 'Punj' meaning five and 'ab' meaning water, thus the land of five rivers." (Oxford Sikhs: No date)

Punjab, is a region covering both parts of Eastern Pakistan and Northern India, with each of these five rivers surrounding it. People of Punjab are known Punjabi’s. Punjabi people speak Punjabi.

Religions In Punjab.

The three main religions within India are Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam.

Origins.

"The people of India have had a continuous civilization since 2500 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River valley developed an urban culture based on commerce and sustained by agricultural trade. This civilization declined around 1500 B.C., probably due to ecological changes." (History of India: 2004)

"During the second millennium B.C., pastoral, Aryan-speaking tribes migrated from the northwest into the subcontinent. As they settled in the middle Ganges River valley, they adapted to antecedent cultures." (History of India: 2004)

"The political map of ancient and medieval India was made up of myriad kingdoms with fluctuating boundaries. In the 4th and 5th centuries A.D., northern India was unified under the Gupta Dynasty. During this period, known as India's Golden Age, Hindu culture and political administration reached new heights." (History Of India: 2004)


"Islam spread across the Indian subcontinent over a period of 500 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established sultanates in Delhi. In the early 16th century, descendants of Genghis Khan swept across the Khyber Pass and established the Mughal (Mogul) Dynasty, which lasted for 200 years. From the 11th to the 15th centuries, southern India was dominated by Hindu Chola and Vijayanagar Dynasties. During this time, the two systems--the prevailing Hindu and Muslim--mingled, leaving lasting cultural influences on each other." (History of India: 2004)

"Around the time of the 15th Century, Guru Nanak Dev founded the Sikh religion, which quickly came to prominence in the region." (Oxford Sikhs: No date)

"Appearance of Guru Nanak (1469-1538) was an event significant not only for the region but for the whole country. He was the founder of a powerful popular movement which has left a lasting impression on the history and culture of all of South Asia. Born in the district of Sheikhupura, he rejected the division of mankind into rigid compartments of orthodox religions and preached the oneness of humanity, and oneness of God, thus aiming at creating a new order which embraced the all pervasive spirit in man. He condemned and ridiculed the false and unnatural notions of high and low in society, He denounced idolatory and laid stress on meditation for the realization of the Universal self. British intrution had political, cultural, philosophical and literary consequences in the Punjab."(Punjab. online: No date)


In the 1600’s Britain attempted at trading with India. King James I sent a envoy to the Mogul Emperor Jahinger in 1614.

Due to the emperor being incredibly wealthy he did not see to how the British could benefit him in any way.

The Mogul empire had been present since 1500’s when Babur form Afghanistan invaded India. The Moguls during their reign had conquered much of Northern India and were hugely powerful.

Shah Jahan ruled form 1628-1658, he was to a Mogul ruler.
India was now a mass empire and had much equity in treasure. Islam became the official religion and it was Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal, as a symbol of his wife’s death.

Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra
Year of Construction: 1631-1653
Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Spread Over: 42 acres
Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World


"The region has been invaded and ruled by many different empires and races, including the Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Muslims, and Mongols." (Oxford Sikhs: No date)

The Fall of the Mogul Empire.

The Mogul Empire was in a state of collapse by the 1720s. Other European powers were competing for control in India, and sought alliances with the shaky states that inherited the Mogul territories.

The East India Company established its own army in India, which was composed of British troops as well as native soldiers called sepoys.

The British interests in India, under the leadership of Robert Clive, gained military victories from the 1740s onward, and with the Battle of Plassey in 1757 were able to establish dominance.

"The East India Company gradually strengthened its hold, even instituting a court system. British citizens began building an "Anglo-Indian" society within India, and English customs were adapted to the climate of India." McNamara, R (2009)

British Rule-’The Raj’

The Bristish rule became known as ‘the Raj’ when means King.

British merchants could make a fortune in India and would then return home, often to be derided by those in British high society as "nabobs," the title for an official under the Moguls.

The Raj: bangle, dungaree, khaki, pundit, seersucker, jodhpurs, cushy, pyjamas, and many more.
Tales of life in India fascinated the British public, and exotic Indian scenes, such as a drawing of an elephant fight, appeared in books published in London in the 1820s.

"The term Raj was used much before the British rule, however did not establish meaning till after 1858"
McNamara, R (2009)

"The 19th Century saw the beginning of British rule, which led to the emergence of several heroic Punjabi freedom fighters. Finally, the Punjab was split between Pakistan and India at the end of British rule in 1947. "(Oxford Sikhs: No date)

Freedom fighters were greatly visible during this period. They fought for India to be an independent state and a fair and just country.

"Punjab played a role worthy of its name. Many heroes emerged from the Punjab such as Lajpat Rai,Ajit Singh, Bhagat Singh, Uddham Singh, Bhal Parmanand and a host of others. Since independence, life in the Punjab proves to be tragic and traumatic." (Oxford Sikhs: No date)

"The partition resulted in riots and terror which tore up millions of homes and destroyed many lives. The massive exodus resulting from the newly formed state of Pakistan created problems of uncontrollable dimensions. The Punjabis trekked in blood and shreds. However, the Punjabi spirit often acuity and toughness sustained the uprooted people. The disillusioned people set to work with no self pity to plough fresh fields. They built new industries and became prominent in sports. Punjabis attained an eminent place in cultural, aesthetic, and literary work, and revived folk art, song, dance and drama. All of this has created a sense of pride and climate of involvement in the heritage of the Punjab." (Oxford Sikhs: No date).

"In the late 1800s, the first steps were taken toward self-government in British India with the appointment of Indian councilors to advise the British viceroy and the establishment of provincial councils with Indian members; the British subsequently widened participation in legislative councils. Beginning in 1920, Indian leader Mohandas K. Gandhi transformed the Indian National Congress political party into a mass movement to campaign against British colonial rule. The party used both parliamentary and non violent resistance and non-cooperation to achieve independence." (History of India: 2004)

The British controlled most of India and Bangladesh. However in 1857 India rebelled and with Indian Soldiers which forced the British to give back India’s land.

"Great Britain began administering most of India directly while controlling the rest through treaties with local rulers." (History of India: 2004)

The 15th of August is celebrated with patriotism and pride. For this is the day India was declared the freedom and made independent.

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.

"On August 15, 1947, India became a dominion within the Commonwealth, with Jawaharlal Nehru as Prime Minister. "(History of India: 2004)

This led to a divide between the Indians and Pakistani’s which saw a great deal of bloodshed.
Some refer to this war a the first ‘Kashmiri war’

Kashmir War.

"After independence, the Congress Party, the party of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, ruled India under the influence first of Nehru and then his daughter and grandson, with the exception of two brief periods in the 1970s and 1980s." (History of India: 2004)

"Prime Minister Nehru governed India until his death in 1964. He was succeeded by Lal Bahadur Shastri, who also died in office. In 1966, power passed to Nehru's daughter, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977. In 1975, beset with deepening political and economic problems, Mrs. Gandhi declared a state of emergency and suspended many civil liberties. Seeking a mandate at the polls for her policies, she called for elections in 1977, only to be defeated by Moraji Desai, who headed the Janata Party, an amalgam of five opposition parties."(History of India: 2004)

Indira Ghandi was hated amongst the Indian people, due to her leadership policies and bigotry towards other religious spokes persons. Even now Indira is one of the most hated Prime Minister of India’s time. Sant Sigh Bindra Singh, a Sikh, was an active spokesperson during Indira’s reign. In spreading the religious word and values to others many were converting to Sikhism. People were even joining the ’Khalsa’ but taking part in the sacred ’Amrit’ ceremony, where you are baptized a Sikhs. Indira did not like this as she was a Hindu herself, therefore on wanting to arrest Sant Bhindra Singh, she went to the Golden Temple. It is commonly known by many that if she had wished to get Sant Bindra Singh on terms of arrest she could have stopped the Temple form serving food, however instead her vengence on Sikhism led her to do the one most shocking acts known today. Indira instead instructed her army to attack the Golden Temple.

In the history of Indian time any human which has attacked the Golden Temple, which to date is four , have always eventually died.

My father remembers the day Indira attacked the Golden Temple he was living in Germany. It bears a grudge within his heart even to this day. You can feel the fire in his heart as he speaks.

Indira Ghandhi got rid of all her Sikh bodyguards as she was now to frightened to keep them with her. However she kept two Sikh men which she trusted dearly . They said they were her best bodyguards and extremely loyal and she did not feel threatened by them.

However, October 31st 1984, was assassinated by these two very bodyguards.

In a circle around her each body guard stood. The two seek men were to the front and back of her, in a joint pre-planned decision they began shooting her. All other bodyguards therefore shot them, however a life is little to pay for your country and religion.

"In 1979, Desai's Government crumbled. Charan Singh formed an interim government, which was followed by Mrs. Gandhi's return to power in January 1980. On October 31, 1984, Mrs. Gandhi was assassinated, and her son, Rajiv, was chosen by the Congress (I)--for "Indira"--Party to take her place. His government was brought down in 1989 by allegations of corruption and was followed by V.P. Singh and then Chandra Shekhar." (History of India: 2004)

In the 1989 elections, although Rajiv Gandhi and Congress won more seats in the 1989 elections than any other single party, he was unable to form a government with a clear majority. The Janata Dal, a union of opposition parties, was able to form a government with the help of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the right and the communists on the left. This loose coalition collapsed in November 1990, and the government was controlled for a short period by a breakaway Janata Dal group supported by Congress (I), with Chandra Shekhar as Prime Minister. That alliance also collapsed, resulting in national elections in June 1991.

On May 27, 1991, while campaigning in Tamil Nadu on behalf of Congress (I), Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, apparently by Tamil extremists from Sri Lanka. In the elections, Congress (I) won 213 parliamentary seats and put together a coalition, returning to power under the leadership of P.V. Narasimha Rao. This Congress-led government, which served a full 5-year term, initiated a gradual process of economic liberalization and reform, which has opened the Indian economy to global trade and investment. India's domestic politics also took new shape, as traditional alignments by caste, creed, and ethnicity gave way to a plethora of small, regionally based political parties.

The final months of the Rao-led government in the spring of 1996 were marred by several major political corruption scandals, which contributed to the worst electoral performance by the Congress Party in its history. The Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged from the May 1996 national elections as the single-largest party in the Lok Sabha but without enough strength to prove a majority on the floor of that Parliament. Under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP coalition lasted in power 13 days. With all political parties wishing to avoid another round of elections, a 14-party coalition led by the Janata Dal emerged to form a government known as the United Front, under the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, H.D. Deve Gowda. His government lasted less than a year, as the leader of the Congress Party withdrew his support in March 1997. Inder Kumar Gujral replaced Deve Gowda as the consensus choice for Prime Minister of a 16-party United Front coalition.

In November 1997, the Congress Party in India again withdrew support for the United Front. New elections in February 1998 brought the BJP the largest number of seats in Parliament--182--but fell far short of a majority. On March 20, 1998, the President inaugurated a BJP-led coalition government with Vajpayee again serving as Prime Minister. On May 11 and 13, 1998, this government conducted a series of underground nuclear tests forcing U.S. President Clinton to impose economic sanctions on India pursuant to the 1994 Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act.

"In April 1999, the BJP-led coalition government fell apart, leading to fresh elections in September. The National Democratic Alliance-a new coalition led by the BJP-gained a majority to form the government with Vajpayee as Prime Minister in October 1999."
(History of India 2004)

Since the beginning of Alexander in 326BC, Punjab has been subjected to violence on a number of occasions . Many Kings have been present throughout history at attempting to protect the Punjabi nation.

It is fair to say, India have extraordinary strength and will to fight even at the weakest of times. In the British conquering India , the Punjabi people did not play the victim, but instead stood up against injustice to claim back their land.

It should be known that a substantial majority of freedom fighters and soldiers who went to war were Punjabi’s.

After the divide in 1947 of India and Pakistan it is sad to say the hostility is still evident to this day. The blood shed and stains of rape, violence and torture, which cost both the Indian and Pakistani people where 1.5 million were killed. War over Kashmir has been claimed on three occasions each resulting in only more deaths. Finally Kashmir was presented as an Independent state.

‘Khosa’

Khosa Jats


Musapur union ranks highest in this category of land use indicating that this union is the
most populous union of the rural areas. A total of 1182.70 acres of land, which is 16.08 percent of
total land falls under Homestead category. Other places with higher acreage under this category are
Kalagachia Union (856.30 acres), Bandar Union (802.32 acres), Kadam Rasul Paurashava (797.17
acres), Mograpara Union (788.14 acres) and Dhamgar Union (654.97 acres)

(Chapter II, Critical Planning Issues: No date)


It is now obvious as to why my family resides in Jaludhar, due to the rural areas, this is due to it benefiting our occupation.
‘Jat’ my caste is an occupation meaning Farmer. It is my birth title which can not be changed All my ancestors from both my mother and fathers side are farmers.

The Jat first emerged politically in the 17th century and afterward, having military kingdoms such as Mursan in Uttar Pradesh, Bharatpur in Rajasthan, and Patiala in Punjab. Their sense of group solidarity, pride, and self-sufficiency have been historically significant in many ways. During the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (late 17th century), for example, Jat leaders captained uprisings in the region of Mathura. A Jat kingdom established at nearby Bharatpur in the 18th century became a principal rival for declining Mughal power, its rulers apparently seeing themselves as defenders of Hindu ways against the Muslim Mughals.

Jats are the highest caste within the hierarchy of India, as we are landowners.

Origins of Khosa

Khosa Jats hold Khosa in Sonjanwala , Katla Suraj Mall in Tehsil Nakodar, and part of Gopalpur or Bidhipur in Tehsil and Jalundar.

Khosa interstingly does originate from Jalundar , and the suname is known as a Jat surname.

Origins of Dhaliwal-My mothers maiden name.

So we know the origins of India, my village and name but where do the Jat peope descend from?


Wars

First Indo-Pakistan War (1948-1949)--Also known as the First Kashmir War.

Liberation of Hyderabad (1948)--Also known in India as "Operation Polo."

Naga Rebellion (1954?-Present)

Liberation of Goa (1961)--A conflict between India and Portugal. Goa had been a Portuguese colony for centuries prior to the Indian invasion of 1961. Also known in India as "Operation Vijay."

Sino-Indian War (1962)--Border war between China and India.

United Nations Offensive Operations in the Congo (1961-1964)--India contributed troops to the UN army which undertook offensive action against rebels in the Congo.

Second Indo-Pakistan War (1965)--Also known as the Second Kashmir War.

Sino-Indian Skirmish (1967)--Also known as the Chola "Incident."

Third Indo-Pakistan War/Bengali War of Independence (1971)--India attacked Pakistan in support of rebels seeking the independence of Bangladesh (then known as East Pakistan) from Pakistan.

Assam-Nagaland border dispute (1979?-Present?)

Punjab Insurgency (1984-1989)--A rebellion in the Sikh-dominated Punjab region culminated in the bloody Battle at the Golden Temple in June of 1984. Follow-up operations in the countryside continued into 1989. India claims the Sikh rebels were backed by Pakistan.

Siachen Operations (1984-Present)--The Siachen Glacier is one of the highest glaciers in the world, and it sits astride the demarcation line between India's and Pakistan's claims in Jammu and Kashmir. Since the mid-'80's, artillery and infantry battles have broken out along this stretch of the border. These battles are related to the ongoing Kashmir Revolt (see below).

Indian Intervention in Sri Lankan Civil War (1987-1990)--India intervened in the bloody Sri Lankan Civil War (which continues into 2000) in support of the Sinhalese majority-dominated government. After suffering heavy casualties and realizing that this was a conflict best left to the Sri Lankans, India removed her troops in 1990.

Indian Intervention in the Maldives (1988)--India intervened to save the government of the Maldives Islands from a takeover by Sri Lankan rebels.

Kashmir Revolt (1990-Present)-This is the internal Indian conflict involving Pakistan and Pakistani-supported Kashmir rebels.

Indian-Bangladesh Border Conflict (2001)--

References.

1. Oxford Sikhs (No date) Oxford Sikhs: Mera Punjab, Punjabi Heritage [online] available from: http://www.oxfordsikhs.com/MeraPunjab/PunjabiHeritage/default.aspx [accessed 17.03.2009]

2. Indian Child (2002-2004) Indian Child: History of India [online] available from: http://www.indianchild.com/history_of_india.htm [accessed 26.03.2009]

3. McNamara, R (2009) A Timeline of India in the 1800's [online] About.com, The New York Times available from: http://history1800s.about.com/od/thebritishempire/tp/indiatimeline01.htm [accessed 26.03.2009)

4. Nijjar B.S (2008) Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India Atlantic.

5. Punjab. online (No date) Punjab. Online: Introduction - Introduction to Punjab
[online] available from: http://www.punjabonline.com/servlet/library.library?Action=Intro [accessed 15.04.2009]

6. Chapter II (No date) Chapter II: Critical Planning Issues [online] available from: http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache:D1dKthB9bNkJ:www.rajukdhaka.gov.bd/dap/Rajuk_Report/group_b/CHAPTER_II.pdf+musapur+origins&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a [accessed 17.04.2009]