Gokula (also known as Veer Gokula or Gokul Dev; died on 1 January 1670) was a Zamindar of Tilpat region (of present-day Haryana) who led the Hindu Zamindars to a revolt against Mughal rule, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.[1][2]
Veer Gokula Dev | |
|---|---|
 Painting of the execution of Jat rebel leader Gokula by dismemberment | |
| Native name | गोकुल देव |
| Birth name | Gokul Dev |
| Born | Tilpat, Delhi Subah, Mughal Empire (Present-day Faridabad district, Haryana) |
| Died | 1 January 1670 Agra, Agra Subah, Mughal Empire (Present-day Uttar Pradesh) |
| Known for |
|
| Relations | Madu Haga (father) Sindhuraj Haga (brother) Jhaman Haga (brother) Saman Haga (brother) |
Early life
editGokula (originally Ola or Gokul Dev) was born in a Hindu Jat family of Tilpat region (of Haga/Agre/Agha gotra) to Madu Haga and was the second son of the family in four brothers.[3]
Battle Of Tilpat (1669)
editThe Battle of Tilpat was fought between Jats and the Mughal Empire in 1669.[4] Mughal Subahdars (governors) imposed heavy taxes on the farmers of this region due to bad financial conditions of the empire resulting from the continuous military expansion in the southern regions of the subcontinent. Due to this, dissatisfaction and anger among the local Zamindars arose and took the form of rebellion against Mughals. To suppress the rebellion Aurangzeb sent his commanders Hasan Ali Khan and Brahmdev Sisodia with a big army contingent of rajput and mughal soldiers as a reinforcement to Sadabad cantonment commanded by Abdul Nabi. The Jat chief Gokula, son of Tilpat Zamindar Madu Singh Jat led the rebellion of farmers.[5] First confrontations of the rebellion continued for 4 days with the seizing of Tilpat and the farmers' counterattacks.
Rebellion
editAbdul Nabi had also committed some excesses on the Jat Hindus, which incited the rebellion.[6] Abdul Nabi established a cantonment near Gokul Singh and conducted all his operations from there. A battle was fought at the village of Sahora where in May 1669 Abdul Nabi was killed while attempting to seize it. Gokula and his fellow farmers moved further, attacking and destroying the Sadabad cantonment. This inspired the Hindus to fight against the Mughal rulers, who were there to destroy all Hindu rebels in exchange of Gokula's land and territories.[7] The fighting continued for five months.[8][9] In the meantime, after Gokula's death, Churaman had strengthened the Jat fort of Sinsini near Bharatpur, and they sacked regions around Agra and Delhi. Akbar's tomb was looted and according to legends the grave of Akbar was dug up.[10]
Second Battle of Tilpat
edit| Second Battle of Tilpat | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mughal-Jat conflict | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Gokula's army | Mughal Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Gokula | Abdul Nabi (KIA), Hasan Ali, Amanulla | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 15,450 Jats | Reinforcements of 20,000 Mughal soldiers, 10,000 musketeers, 5,000 rocketmen and 250 artillery pieces | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 13,500 to 13,905 Jats | total (16,000 to 17,000) | ||||||||
In 1669, Gokula Singh with 20,000 followers faced the Mughals 20 miles from Tilpat. Abdul Nabi attacked them. At first he appeared to be gaining ground, but in the middle of the fighting he was killed on 12 May 1669 (21st Dhu al Hijja, 1079 A.H.).[11][12] They retreated to Tilpat, where Hasan Ali followed and besieged them aided by reinforcements of 10,000 musketeers, 5,000 rocketmen, and 250 artillery pieces. Amanulla, the Faujdar of the environs of Agra was also sent to reinforce Hasan Ali.[13]
Aftermath
editGokula and his uncle Uday Singh Jat won the battle. But after that Aurangzeb sent a big army to catch them. The Mughals caught them and then killed them on 1 January 1670 near Agra Fort. Gokula Jat and supporters became martyrs.
Gokula's son & daughter was made to convert to Islam by Aurangzeb.
Death
editAfter his capture, Jat leader Gokula had his limbs cut off on orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, near Agra kotwali in January 1670.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Singh, K Natwar. "Maharaja Suraj Mal -1707-1763". Maharaja Suraj Mal -1707-1763 by K Natwar Singh [महाराजा सूरजमल -1707-1763 लेखक: के नटवर सिंह]. p. Pags - 7.
- ^ R. C. Majumdar, H.C. Raychaudhari, Kalikinkar Datta: An Advanced History of India, 2006, p.490
- ^ Narendra Singh Verma: Virvar Amar Jyoti Gokul Singh (Hindi), Sankalp Prakashan, Agra, 1986, p. 5
- ^ Jahan, Dr.Ishrat (29 December 2018). Socio-Cultural life in Medieval History. Lulu.com. p. 52. ISBN 9780359222803.
- ^ Nagar, Ishwardas (1978). Tasneem Ahmad (ed.). Ishwardas Nagar's Futuhat-i-Alamgiri. Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli. p. 83.
- ^ Chandra, Satish. History of medieval India. Orient Blackswan.
- ^ Narendra Singh Verma: Virvar Amar Jyoti Gokul Singh (Hindi), Sankalp Prakashan, Agra, 1986, p. 34
- ^ Narendra Singh Verma: Virvar Amar Jyoti Gokul Singh (Hindi), Sankalp Prakashan, Agra, 1986, p. 35
- ^ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 188. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
- ^ Reddy, Krishna (1960). Indian History. McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-132923-1.
- ^ Sarkar, Jadunath. "Maasir-i-Alamgiri A history of emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir". AhleSunnah Library. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ जाट महिलाओं ने जौहर किया। गोकुला ने इस्लाम स्वीकारने से मना कर दिया [Jat women committed Jauhar. Gokula refused to accept Islam] (in Hindi). Anmol. 1996. p. 121. ISBN 978-81-7041-859-7.
- ^ Sharmaji, Gautama (1990). Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army. Allied Publishers. pp. 152–153. ISBN 9788170231400. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ Encyclopaedia Indica: Princely states in colonial India-I. Anmol Publications. 1996. ISBN 978-81-7041-859-7.