Meena

Meenas, Meena or Mina is a community mainly found in Rajasthan, India. The name Mina is derived from Meen (fish), and the Minas claim descent from the fish incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Originally they were a ruling cast, but their slow downfall began with the rise of the Rajputs and was completed when the British government declared them a “Criminal Tribe”.

Scholars still disagree as to whether the Minas are an indigenous tribe, or whether they migrated to the region from Central Asia.

Geography

Amber, India Fort view from Jaigarh

Members of the Meena community are found in the northern part of Rajasthan. Meenas share the Brij and Matsya Area of Rajasthan i.e.Sawai Madhopur,Dausa,Jaipur,Dholpur and Karauli districts in Jaipur and Bharatpur region (also the Bharatpur and Bayana districts) with other communities. They inhabit the area from Jaipur-Sikar in Shekhawati region and Alwar in the northeast region of the state. They are also widely spread in Kota, Jhalawar and Bundi. Meenas are also found in north-western Madhya Pradesh. The Meenas, community of Rajasthan, are an agricultural people occupying one of the most fertile regions of the state. And the Meena kings were the early rulers of major parts of Rajasthan including Amber (early capital of Jaipur).

Ancient history

At the time of great Epic Mahabharat was written there was a Janpad known as "Matsya Janpad".The capital of this Janpad was "Virat Nagar", now known as "Bairath" and renamed as Virat Nagar again.The Pandavas got shelter their for one year.There are still places known as "Pandupol" near Virat Nagar.Abhimanu the son of Arjun and great warrior married to daughter of King of Virat Nagar the princess was named Uttara.After Abhimanu died in battle of Kurukshetra,and all Pandav sons were killed by Ashwathama they were left without progeny.Uttara was pregnant then.After Pandavas went to Himalaya, the son delivered by Uttara was "Parikhishit" who inherited Pandavas and ruled India.He was killed by "Takshak" a Naga or Nagvanshi Khastriya.His son Janmejay did a Yagya to finish all Nagas at "Nagdah" known as "Nagada" now in MP.King Virat and all his sons and brothers were killed at Kurukhestra in Mahabharat.

Perhaps some of clan brothers ruled this area after him.Many historical evidence is recovered from this area all belonging to time of Lord Buddha.

Meenas are considered the brothers and kinsmen of Virat, the ruler of Virat Nagar.They ruled this area(Near to Virat Nagar) till 11 th century.

Medieval history

Very little has been recorded of the true history of Meenas. Col Tod, gathered together stories that ran through families hundreds of years later and while his efforts remin appreciated, a lot of what he wrote is fiercely disputed by modern historians.

According to Tod the Meena King Raja Ralun singh also known as Alan Singh Meena of Khogong kind-heartedly adopted a stranded Rajput mother and her child who sought refuge in his realm. Later, the Meena king sent the child, Dhola Rae, to Delhi to represent the Meena kingdom. The Rajput, in gratitude for these favours, returned with Rajput conspirers and massacred the weaponless Meenas on Diwali while performings rituals i.e PitraTrapan , it is customery in the Meenas to be weaponless at the time of PitraTrapan , "filling the reservoirs in which the Meenas bathed with their dead bodies" [Tod.II.281] and thus conquered Khogong. This act of Rajputs was most coward and shameful in Rajasthan history.

He then subjugated the Sihra Gotra of Meenas at much later on known as Jamwa Ramgarh near Jaipur, and transferred his capital thence. Becoming the son-in-law of the prince of Ajmer, he died when battling 11,000 Meenas[Tod.II.282]. His son Maidul Rae "made a conquest of Amber from the Soosawut Meenas" whose King was the head of the Meena confederation. He subdued the Nandla Meenas, annexing the Gatoor-Gatti district [Tod.II.282]. Hoondeo succeeded to the throne and "continued the warfare against the Meenas" [Tod.II.282]. Koontal, his successor, fought the Meenas "in which the Meenas were defeated, which secured his rule throughout Dhundhar" [Tod.II.282]. The Meenas were the original builders of Amber, which town they consecrated to Amba, the Mother Goddess, whom they knew as "Gatta Rani" or "Queen of the Pass" [Tod.II.282].

Describing the destruction of the Meena town of Naed, Tod wrote: "When this latter prince (Baharmull Cuchwaha, a contemporary of Babar and Humayun) destroyed the Meena sovereignty of Naen, he levelled its half hundred gates, and erected the town of Lohan (now the residence of a Rajawut chief) on its ruins" [Tod.II.283]. The name of Meena ruler of Naen\Nahn was Rao Bada Meena, he was so rich that his wealth was compared to Akbar's empire in a local saying as "Rao Bada ko bijano, Akabar ko gharbaar" that mean Rao bada's manual fan was so precious that it was compared with akbar's palace. The Kachawa Rajput ruler Bharmal of Amber always eyed on Nahn and attacked on it several times but could not succeeded against mighty and brave Bada Meena. Akbar had asked Rao Bada to marry his daughter Shashivadini to Akbar. Later on Bharma married his daughter Jodhabai to Akbar. Then the combined army of Akbar and Bharmal attacked Bada Meena and killed him damaging 52 kots and 56 gates. Bada's treasure was shared between Akbar and Bharmal. Bharmal kept his treasure in Jaigarh fort near Amber.

The hill that Jaigarh was built was called Chil Tila, when it was ruled by Meenas.

Meenas during the British occupation

Mark Brown (Social Legal Studies 2004; 13; 191) has well elaborated the impact and issues of Meenas community during the British rule, and change in their status from Higher Social Cast to Criminal Tribe. He also mentioned the division in the Meenas as zamindar Mina group and chowkidar Minas. In his case study he answered why and how Meenas have been put under Criminal Tribal category, even being very different from the other tribal people then. How British manage to control Meenas which was growing threat for British rule in Northern India. In Woolbert’s (1898) account of the raising of the Meena Battalion at Deoli the difficulties and achievements of this process were described. Woolbert describes the Minas’ history thus:

“The Meenas are an athletic and brave race, tall, handsome, and pleasing to address, obedient to their leaders and sensible in kindness, but at the same time blood-thirsty and revengeful. …”

Vivian (1912) suggested that at the turn of the century there were around one million Minas and related clans, though only a small number of these had ever been involved in criminal activity. Nevertheless, those who were so engaged, most famously the Minas living in the village of Shajehanpur in the district of Gurgaon, south of Delhi, came to be represented as a hereditary band of robbers.

Recent history

Despite invasions of their lands throughout history, they were never assimilated, thereby retaining much of their culture and individuality.

The Meenas have played an important part in the history of Rajasthan (earlier known as the Rajputana). In former times, Rajput and Meena chiefs, in subordination to the Taur kings of Delhi, ruled over a considerable tract of the country.

During the war with Rajputs and Mughals, the Meena community has been divided in basic three sects (1.) The Jamindar Meena (2.) The Chockidars Meenas and (3.) The Bhil(Tribal) Meenas. Historically they have same roots otherwise they do not share any other relation. Like no Marriages among them etc.

The Jamindar Meenas are traditionally connected with farming profession, and most of them are economically good.

The Chockidars Meenas, who during the middle age adopted fighting in the armies and later on britishers enforced them to report on Chaukis regularly to ensure that they do not indulge in any criminal activities known as Chokidar Meena.

The Bhil (Tribal) Meenas are said to be descended from those Rajputs who, in the wars between their own tribes or with Muslims, were compelled to quit their native home and seek refuge in the vastness of Rajputana, where they formed alliances with the aboriginal families and established tribe.

The character of Meenas differs from place to place. The Meenas of the Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Gangapur area are the most important cultivators for the last four hundred years. They expelled the Dhangars and Lodhis from a number of villages they occupied 500 years ago, and have retained their possession until now.

References

• "Rajasthan" by Pauline Lynden ISBN-13:9782843234460. Abstract: The state of Rajasthan in northwestern India is a land of contrasts, ranging from fertile farmlands to scorching desert sands. The varied landscape is home to a complex society of Hindus, Muslims, Jains, and Sikhs from numerous castes and clans. When feudalism ended in Rajasthan in 1947 with India's independence, artists, dancers, mimes, percussionists, singers, and acrobats lost their patrons-the Rajput nobility-and became street performers or artists-for-hire. These two books explore how art has survived in Rajasthan since that time. Impressions of Rajasthan, the first English-language publication from the Busquets, longtime residents of India, offers a balanced view of Rajasthani society, from the Dalit-formerly called "untouchables"-to the Zamindar Mina, wealthy landowners who are vegetarian Hindus. Rajasthan's geographic and human diversity spawned its vibrant artistic traditions, the guardians of which are the women. Impressions includes colorful pictures of women decorating their homes, drawing the sacred diagrams (or "mandana") to propitiate the gods, painting pictograms representing rites of passage, and executing traditional wall paintings called thapa. Two hundred magnificent full-color illustrations enliven the in-depth study of these art forms and their long history, symbolism, techniques, themes, and motifs. Also portrayed is the work of male artists, public artists for hire who prepare themselves spiritually through meditation just as the women ritually prepare their courtyards with cow dung, ocher, and water before painting the walls. Van Lynden's first publication, Rajasthan, is the perfect complement to Impressions. Whereas Impressions is more scholarly, with historical, cultural, and anthropological content (as well as a helpful glossary and a brief English-language bibliography), Rajasthan is more personal, almost spiritual.

Van Lynden is a Belgian bookbinder and artist who has traveled frequently to India, and her diary-like work presents her impressions in few words but an abundant number of photographic collages. (There are 350 in all.) These two books are highly recommended for libraries wishing to enhance their non-Western collections.-Nancy Mactague, Aurora Univ. Lib., IL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

• "Mina, The Ruling Tribe of Rajasthan (Socio-biological Appraisal)" ISBN 81-7018-447-9
• "Impressions of Rajasthan" ISBN 2-08-011171-X
• "Rajasthan". By Monique Choy, Sarina Singh
• "Annals and Atiquities of Rajast'han", or "The Central and Western Rajpoot States of India", James Tod ISBN 81-7167-366-X
• "Crime, Liberalism and Empire: Governing the Mina Tribe of Northern India by Brown Mark", Social Legal Studies 2004 13: 191-218