- AFGANISTAN REVISITED: The Brahmana Hindu Shahis of Afghanistan and the Punjab (c. 840-1026 CE) by R. T. MOHAN
This was the first book to be published on Mohyal History in the twenty first century (2010 CE) and was a game changer. As a result of extensive research, it answered the nagging questions which were being asked about the credibility of the claims of Mohyal History.
Why the Mohyals sovereigns are mentioned just as Brahmanas, and they do not suffix caste to their names?
Why there is no mention of rule by these ancestors of Mohyals in mainstream history books and the community is blowing its lonely trumpet?
AFGHANISTAN REVISITED provides convincing explanations by researching fresh material and follows the professional methodology of quoting credible sources in support of every statement. More than one hundred books have been quoted, as primary sources, in the footnotes.
Following the publication of this book, the consciousness about our glorious past has come alive among the intellectuals, as also among the Mohyals in general. Well researched books on Mohyal History are being written in quick succession – and hopefully more is to follow. The latent talent of a great community is coming into its own.
AUTHOR: Sh. R. T. MOHAN, born 30 January, 1926, retired as a Diplomatic Officer from the Ministry of External Affairs. He has been associated with the General Mohyal Sabha, New Delhi for more than three decades – conceptualizing, and executing pilot projects, for the service of the community, like GMS’s Centenary Rishte Nate Committee, Career Guidance Series etc. Mohyal History is his passion, and mission, at present.
The Inaugural Edition of the book, priced at Rs. 300- only is available to Mohyals at a highly discounted price of Rs. 100- from: The General Mohyal Sabha, A-9, Qutab Institutional Area, U. S. O. Road, Jeet Singh Marg, NEW DELHI: 110067. E.mail: gmsoffice2003@yahoo.co.in
2. AFGHANISTAN REVISITED, Second Edition (2010)
There is a proverb in Persian that only a jeweller can identify a gem. Within a couple of months of publication of the inaugural edition, a message was received from Dr. S. P. Vaid of Jammu, himself an author of many books and recipient of many awards, for publishing a commercial edition of AFGHANISTAN REVISITED, which was readily agreed. An identical re-print was published by the same Printing Press.
Mohyal History is a Sub-chapter of a glorious Chapter of Indian History. When Islamic forces were knocking at the frontiers of India (c. 650-1000 CE) the ancestors of Mohyals were ruling over the border regions, in Sindh, Afghanistan and Punjab. They offered stiff resistance and held up the Islamic tsunami for long periods. The Muslim foreign rulers, and later their successors, kept the history of this period under tight wraps. Afghanistan Revisited now reveals it all, based on some contemporary Persian/Arabic/Sanskrit chronicles and coins/stone inscriptions – some of these discovered recently in Afghanistan. Every Indian will be proud of it. Research Papers are being published in Research Journals for professional scrutiny. This subject should find a place in the mainstream History Books, when these are re-written. Persons like Dr. S. P. Vaid should be on the lookout for such opportunity.
Priced at Rs. 600- it is available from the Publishers and Distributors :
Shyama Publications, 85, Subhas Nagar, Jammu : 180 005 (J&K)
3. MOHYAL CHHIBBERS IN INDIAN HISTORY by Pawan Bakshi and Others
While the history of ancestors of Datts and Vaids was dealt with comprehensively in the book Afghanistan Revisited, two brilliant young men were motivated to write a similar account of rule by the ancestors of Chhibbers in Sindh. The first of these titled Mohyal Chhibbers in Indian History came out first, in 2011, ‘compiled’ by Sh. Pawan Bakshi, with two associates. While one appreciates his effort, printing it in haste, without due scrutiny, after he received a bounty, has raised more questions than it has solved.
The history of Mohyal rulers has to be mainly culled from the work of Muslim chroniclers who were writing to eulogise the deeds of the adversaries of our Hindu Kings. So, one has to write with some circumspection, without falsifying historical events. The history of Sindh is based mainly on Chachnama, also called the Conquest of Hind and Sindh. The ‘compilers’ of this book have just selected some parts from Chachnama, jumping from one extract to the next and then to the next … without even bothering to connect these with an explanatory paragraph. The full text of Chachnama is now available on internet for free download. Where is the need for ‘extracting’ it in a book, if the account of Chachnama, by itself, is good enough as the history of our heroes?
Mohyal History is now being written after serious research and quoting credible sources, for the reader to check. Sh. Pawan Bakshi has set another bad precedent in Mohyal historiography. It can be a very tempting model for another writer-in-haste to cut-and-paste from some chronicles and rush to the next lucrative job.
Compilers: Sh. Pawan Bakshi (Chhibber), author of several books, “basically he is a writer of Hindi language”. (sic.)
Khalid Bin Umar “has a multifaceted persona. … endowed with an stunning command over the languages i.e. English, Hindi, Urdu and Persian..” (sic.)
Narendra Mehta “This is his first attempt to associate with the book writing.” (sic)
Published by Hindustan Publishers, 94, M.G. Marg, Hazrat Ganj, Lucknow 226001 , Price Rs. 350-
4. Echoes Among Ruins: Revisiting the Brahman Dynasty of Ancient Sind by Vinay Mahta
This is also the history of ancestors of present day Chhibber caste of Mohyals, who ruled over Sindh for eighty years (632-7112 CE). In writing the book the author follows the canons of historical research by quoting primary sources. He has consulted almost every book on the subject written by the medieval and modern writers. Despite 300 foot-notes, his book is not just a compendium of historical events. His style of narration is racy and gripping – like a true story teller. The book has been highly appreciated.
The aim of writing Mohyal History is to highlight the bravery of our ancestors, whose achievements were either excluded from the mainstream history books or maliciously downsized. One is simply baffled to observe some of our Mohyal writers outdoing our enemies in humiliating our own heroes. “An anaemic Dahar … instead of facing the humiliation of a defeat … decided to commit suicide. (PN Bali, p. 81). Pawan Bakshi (p. 44) describes Dahar “as often posed as a coward king.” One wishes he had quoted some instance from Daha’s career, or any credible authority, accusing Dahar of cowardice. Dahar’s own statements and description by his adversaries (in the Chachnama) depict him as a confident, chivalrous fighter, who had recently defeated two attacks by Arabs, but had probably not grasped the gravity of this final (fourteenth) Arab attack. One is happy that Vinay Mehta’s Echoes Among Ruins, restores the honor of Dahar as a brave and honourable king, as the contemporary history depicts him.
AUTHOR: Sh. Vinay Mehta (Lau) is B. Tech from IIT Delhi and at present working in USA. He is married, with two daughters. With his talents and interests, more on Mohyal History should be expected from him.
Published abroad, the book is now available to Indian customers also for around Rs. 750- from on-line sellers like Amazon and Flipcart.
5.GUARDIANS OF THE GATE: MILITARY HISTORY OF THE MOHYALS: FIGHTING BRAHMINS
BY Maj. Gen. (Dr.) G. D. Bakshi VSM (Retd.
(The release of the book is awaited.)
6. A SYNOPSIS OF MOHYAL HISTORY /मोहयाल इतिहास प्रवेशिका
The first thought may be that with publication of standard books on Mohyal History, there is no need for small booklets on the subject. This will be a fallacious argument. There is still need for this authenticated version of Mohyal History to be presented in suitable formats to meet the need of different sections of our community.
Most persons do not have the time or aptitude for reading books. This booklet presents a short summary of Mohyal History, in English and Hindi versions, which can be read in a single siting – an introduction/प्रवेशिका to Mohyal History. Inspired by Lt. Gen. B.K.N. Chhibber, PVSM AVSM VSM, former Governor Punjab and Administrator Chandigarh (UT), it was compiled by Sh R. T. Mohan. Sh. J. L. Bakshi, President Mohyal Sabha, Panchkula, has resolved that a copy of this booklet should reach every Mohyal Home and Mohyal Sabha, Panchkula undertakes to meet the demand, free of charge. More than two thousand copies have been distributed through the central and local Mohyal Sabhas, mainly at their large gatherings.
GMS should authorize the Mohyal Ashrams at Haridwar and Vrindavan to distribute it among Mohyal visitors. Local Sabhas should ask for required number of copies as soon as they decide to hold large function. Individual Mohyals should get the copies for themselves or for distribution on occasions like Mundan and Marriage. In the good old days our Rais (Bhats) came and sang Muhiyal kahavan kathan hai, mukch kahe na ho Muhiya … to inspire our flock. It is now for us to educate ourselves, and the younger generations, about Mohyaliyat. Knowledge about our glorious past strengthens our self-esteem as a Mohyal. If a copy of this booklet is lying around, members of the family will sometimes read it.
Available from Mohyal Sabha, PANCHKULA, free of charge, any number of copies according to need. Take up the mission of distributing these.
NOTE: Full Text of the SYNOPSIS is available under the heading HISTORY AT A GLANCE, along with other material.
7. HISTORY OF MOHANS BASED ON Jangnama Mohanan
Rule by ancestors of Chhibbers, Datts and Vaids over Sindh, Afghanistan and Punjab, respectively, had been adequately covered in the NEW WAVE books on Mohyal History, mentioned above. There was need for History books of other castes – MOHANS among them.
There was another compelling reason. The history of Mohans was first recorded in the Pothi Rai Seegarh (Book of Rai Seegarh). This book became unavailable after the Partition in 1947. A detailed Jangnama Mohanan (in verse, and Urdu script) had been composed by another Rai of Mohans, on the basis of the Pothi. Fortunately we could get a copy from a saintly family in Mendhar (a border village in J&K). It is necessary to preserve this primary heritage piece for posterity. Since it was in Urdu, it was written in Hindi (173 verses) by Sh. R. T. Mohan. It has now been published in a booklet form, together with a short narration of History of Mohans.
Grateful thanks are also due to Sh. O.P. Mohan, former Senior Vice President of GMS, who agreed to write the FOREWORD. He also met the cost and personally supervised its printing so that copies could be available for distribution at GMS’s 125th Sthapna Diwas and 52nd Mohyal Conference on 12 March, 2017.
The next edition of this booklet will need some additions. There are two villages – Lambra and Japuwal – with concentration of Mohan families (reminiscent of Mohyal concentration villages, now in Pakistan). The history of these two villages should be compiled and included in the booklet. It is most likely that some survivors of Mamdot carnage reached there and all families in each village have a common ancestor. They should try to construct their Vanshavalies and integrate these. They shall have to go back about twelve to sixteen generations. It will be necessary for each family to press their Purohits at Haridwar/Pehowa to dig old records. Similarly information should be collected about notable Mohans, past and present. Some dedicated volunteer(s) is/are requested to offer services for collecting this material.
NOTE: Full Text of the booklet HISTORY OF MOHANS is available under the heading HISTORY AT A GLANCE, along with other material.
8.INDIA’S MILITARY POWER: A GENERAL REFLECTS By Lt. Gen. HC Dutta, (PVSM) (Retd.)
This book primarily relates to issues of higher defence including ‘measures needed to bring systemic changes if India is not to remain vulnerable to future wars.’ Having held important assignments, like Deputy Chief of Army Staff and GOC, HQ Central Command, the author highlights the challenges and problems facing the army and importantly, puts forward cogent solutions. The book has been Reviewed in the prestigious U.S.I. Journal on Defence Affairs.
But how does the book claim space here in the roll call of honour of Mohyal History books? To us, it is harbinger of a new praiseworthy tradition, by a Mohyal writer, to introduce Mohyal community to his readers, while writing on unrelated professional issues. Here are some extracts from the book’s opening pages.
My family hails from the area of the Salt Range and the Potohar Plateau which is now a part of Pakistan … This is a stretch of a country lying between the Indus and the Jhelum rivers after their emergence from the mountains … My tribe of warrior Brahmins called Mohyals, among a small number of tribes, refused to be converted (when Babur granted mansabs to the tribes of the Salt Range after converting them to Islam) … This region is known for a code of honour … “to do or die for the king and country.” …and it runs through my community too.
My tribe, the Mohyal Brahmins, was one of the few that held out against conversion to Islam and stayed put till the Partition forced them to flee to India. The origin of Dutts, as also a few tribes of like-minded persuasion (the whole group going by the name of Mohyal Brahmins) – is lost in the mist of time. Some claim that the group belonged to a sect of Saraswat Brahmins, who took to arms and tilling of land, renouncing the traditional priestly functions, even prior to the Mahabharata times.
Going by the folk lore and stories recounted by countless generations of elders, the Dutt clan has a colourful history. We hear of a Dutt clan that migrated to Arabia … a Chieftain named Rahab fought in an internecine war after the death of Prophet Mohammad (account continues).
Next the name of Rahab Dutt surfaces through a British historian named Sir A. Cunningham who mentions that there is strong evidence of a dynasty of Dutts ruling in Afghanistan for a period of 120 years, 830 AD-950 AD, with the capital at a place called Ohind on the river Indus …
About the year of 1527 AD, we hear of Dewan Rai Pun Dutt, son of one Shiv Dutt, capturing a large swath of erritory around Pathankot and establishing his capital at Paniad, between Gurdaspur and Dina Nagar (narration continues: fight with forces of Babur … annihilation of Dutt tribe through treachery …chance survival of two children Shah Saroop and Dholan and grant to them of thirteen villages each near Kanjrur and Zaffarwal during Himayun’s illness).
At some later point my immediate ancestors moved from Zaffarwal to district Jhelum and settled in Bhaun.
AUTHOR: General Dutta was born on 5 November, 1925, a scion of a prominent Dutta family hailing from Bhaun (now in Pakistan). Commissioned on 21 December, 1948, he has retired as GOC, HQ Central Command, Lucknow. He has been a Member of the Governing Council of MERIT, as also a Mohyal Foundation Trustee. A thinking soldier-scholar, one expects more ‘Reflections’ about Mohyals from his pen.
PUBLISHER: The book has been published by Manas Publications, 4402/ 5-A, Ansari Road, DaryaA Ganj, New Delhi and is priced Rs. 795.