Gurjar Short History

Gurjaras or Gujjars are an important Kshatriya (Warrior) clan of ancient times. They belonged to the country of Aryavarta, which consisted of ancient India and Iran. Ancient Gujjars called themselves Suryavanshi (Sun-Lineaged) Aryas (Nobles) and worshipped Sun. Around 2000 BC, they moved out of Aryavarta and settled in the country of Scythia, around Tarim Basin. Here they came to be known as Guzar or Gussur. In Scythia, they formed blood alliances with Scythians and formed a new tribal confederation called Yuezhi. The leading clan of the Yuezhi confederation was Kushana, which is the same as Kasana Gujjars. The Yuezhis remained in Tarim Basin till 200 BC, until they were driven out by the Xiongnus (Mongols).

The Yuezhis came to Bactria (Afghanistan) and established a new kingdom under the banner of Kushana dynasty. By 200 AD, the Kushanas were ruling all of the North India. The Kushanas were mainly Buddhists which raised alarm among the fanatical Hindus, who felt threatened. Around 300 AD a group of these Hindus rose up to fight the Buddhist “Mleechas” (Barbarians), although no such threat was present. These Hindus are known as Guptas, who were most likely a general in the Kushana empire, but through some event got into power. The Guptas were successful in rooting out the Kushanas from North India.

Around 400 AD, the Guptas were invaded by the Hindu branch of Northern Kushanas who called themselves Huns. They are the same as Hun Gujjars. These Huns were defeated by Guptas. Which resulted in another invasion by Hindu branch of Northern Kushanas, who called themselves Pratiharas. These Pratiharas are the same as Parihar Gujjars. The Pratiharas were successful in defeating the Guptas. This made the Pratiharas the biggest rulers of North India.

The Pratiharas were under attack from all directions from the beginning of their rule to the end of it. However, they still managed to successfully rule for 400 years, or from 500 AD to 1000 AD. Around 800 AD their kingdom was invaded by the Arab. The Gujjars not only defeated the Arabs but also captured their main territories. The Arabs of this period have written that the Gujjars were their most aggressive enemies in India. They also wrote that Gujjars were the best cavalry men in India. After 1000 AD, the power of Gujjars started to decline, and in 1100 AD, they were finally defeated by the Ghoris of Afghanistan. Their empire was dismantled into various Gujjar kingdoms, such as the Chuhanas, Parmaras, Chalukyas, Chandelas, Tomaras, and Pratiharas.

The Afghans were succeeded by the Mughals (Mongols) who came from Turkey. The Gujjars used to raid the caravans of the Mughals as written in Mughal king Babars autobiography. The same thing is written by the Arabs who wrote that the Gujjars were the fiercest enemies of the Arabs.

The Afghans were taken over by Marathas and Sikhs. The Gujjars were also present as important warriors among both of these movements, as exemplified by Rana Pratap Rao and Gujjar Singh Banghi.

The Marathas and Sikhs were over taken by the British. The Gujjars also played an important part in freeing their country from the British. In fact the first war of independence in India was started by the Gujjars when they captured an important British military base and plundered weapons and Gun powder. For this the Gujjars were also enlisted in the criminal tribes of India and banned from all goverment jobs.