Editing Jat people (section)

== Jat People today in South Asia==
[[Image:Jats at work.jpg|thumb|Jat people on the farms]]

Today, besides agriculture, Jats are engaged in blue and white-collar jobs, trade and commerce. Though they continue to be a rural populace, their presence in towns and district headquarters can be noted due to migration, which undoubtedly explains their distance from agriculture and animal husbandry.<ref> K L Sharma:The Jats - Their Role and Contribution to the Socio-Economic Life and Polity of North and North West India, Vol.I, 2004. Ed. by [[Dr Vir Singh]],p.13 </ref>

Jat people are considered a Forward class in the vast majority of states in India, with a few exceptions in a small number of areas were they are Other Backward Class (OBC). In Rajasthan, the Jats are classified as OBC, except in Bharatpur District and Dhaulpur District. <ref>[http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/rajasthan.htm Central List Of Other Backward Classes: Rajasthan (National Commission for Backward Classes)]</ref> In Rajasthan the Jat people are a wealthy & rich section of society but the BJP in 1999 in order to win their votes gave them OBC for political reasons.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6705521.stm BBC: Why the Gujjars are so aggrieved, May 31, 2007]</ref> Some specific clans of Jats are classified as OBC in some states. Eg. Muslim Jats in [[Gujarat]]<ref>[http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/gujarat.html Central List Of Other Backward Classes: Gujarat(National Commission for Backward Classes)]</ref> and Mirdha Jats (except Muslim Jats) in [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref>[http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/mp.html Central List Of Other Backward Classes: Madhya Pradesh (National Commission for Backward Classes)]</ref> Land reforms, particularly the abolition of Jagirdari and Zamindari systems, Panchayati Raj and Green revolution, to which Jat people have been major contributors, have immensely contributed to the economic betterment of the Jat people. Despite this propsperity they who are mostly farming dominant social group and would not normally regard them to be inferior to anyone have been demanding OBC status.

Adult franchise has created enormous social and political awakening among Jats. Consolidation of economic gains and participation in the electoral process are two visible outcomes of the post-independence situation. Through this participation they have been able to significantly influence the politics of north India. Economic differentiation, migration and mobility could be clearly noticed amongst Jats.<ref> K L Sharma:The Jats - Their Role and Contribution to the Socio-Economic Life and Polity of North and North West India, Vol.I, 2004. Ed. by [[Dr Vir Singh]],p.14 </ref> 

=== Life and culture of Jat People ===
<gallery>	 
Image:Jat chaupal.JPG|A Jat Chaupal in [[Uttar Pradesh]]	 
Image:Jat Chaupal in Rajasthan.jpg|Jat Chaupal in [[Rajasthan]]	 
Image:Ghud Chadhi.jpg|Ghud Chadhi ceremony of Jat marriage	 
Image:Rajasthani dress1.JPG|Rajasthani woman's dress, Pomachā and khārā ghāgharā	 
Image:Manda Ropana.jpg|The ceremony of 'Manda Ropana' on the marriage ceremony at bride's house	 
Image:Haldi Rasm.jpg|The ceremony of 'Haldi Rasm' on the marriage ceremony at bridegroom's house	 
Image:Jhol Ghalna.JPG|The ceremony of 'Jhol Ghalna' on the marriage ceremony at bride's house	 
Image:Bhat ceremony.jpg|Jat women in tradional dress performing bhāt ceremony	 
Image:Chak Poojana.jpg|Jat women performing 'Chak Poojana' ceremony, at both bride and bridegroom's houses	 
Image:Toran Marana.jpg|Toran ceremony	 
Image:Neem Jhunwari.jpg|Neem jhunwari ceremony	 
Image:Thapa Lagana.jpg|Thapa lagana ceremony after ''sat fere''	 
[[Image:Jat chaupal.JPG|thumb|A very tradition Jat chaupal in a village smoking a hubble-bubble ''(hooka)'']] </gallery>
The Jat people's lifestyle was designed to foster a martial spirit.<ref>Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and NWFP, H A Rose</ref> Whenever they lost their kingdoms, Jat people retired to the country-side and became landed barons and the landlords with their swords girded round their waists.<ref>Professor Kalika Ranjan Qanungo: History of the Jats, Delhi 2003.</ref> They would draw the sword out of the scabbard at the command of their panchayat to fight with the invaders. Jat people have a history of being brave and ready fighters.<ref>Professor Kalika Ranjan Qanungo: History of the Jats, Delhi 2003.</ref> They are fiercely independent in character and value their self respect more than anything, which is why they offered heavy resistance against any foreign force that treated them unjustly. <ref>Professor Kalika Ranjan Qanungo: History of the Jats, Delhi 2003. Edited and annotated by [[Dr Vir Singh]],p.2</ref> They are known for their pride, bravery and readyness to sacrifice their lives in battle for their people and kinsmen.<ref>Mangal sen Jindal (1992): History of Origin of Some Clans in India (with special Reference to Jats), Sarup & Sons, 4378/4B, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-110002  ISBN 81-85431-08-6, Page-17, 36.</ref> In the government of their villages, they appear much more democratic. they have less reverence for hereditary right and a preference for elected headmen.<ref>Professor Kalika Ranjan Qanungo: History of the Jats, Delhi 2003. Edited and annotated by [[Dr Vir Singh]], p.3</ref>

===Jat People Organizations===
{{main|Jat Organizations}}
{{main|Khap}}

The Jats have always organized themselves into hundreds of patrilineage '''[[Gotra|clans]]''', Panchayat system or [[Khap]]. A [[clan]] was based on one small gotra or a number of related [[gotra]]s under one elected leader whose word was law. <ref>Maheswari Prasad:The Jats - Their role & contribution to the socio-economic life and polity of North & North-West India, Vol.I Ed. [[Dr Vir Singh]], ISBN 81-88629-17-0, p.27</ref>The big Jat clans now are so big that individual in them are only related to each other by individual that lived typically hundreds years ago. Mutual quarrels of any intensity could be settled by orders of Jat elders. In times of danger, the whole clan rallied under the banner of the leader. The Jat [[Khap]] or Panchayat "system is territorial and highly democratic.  
District and a number of [[Khap]]s form a  '[[Khap|Sarva Khap]]' embracing a full province or state. Negotiations with anyone were done - at '[[Khap|Sarva Khap]]' level.

In addition to the conventional [[Sarva Khap]] Panchayat, there are regional [[Jat Mahasabha]]s affiliated to the All India [[Jat Mahasabha]] to organize and safeguard the interests of the community, which held its meeting at regional and national levels to take stock of their activities and devise practical ways and means for the amelioration of the community.<ref>B.K. Nagla, "Jats of Haryana: A sociplogical Analysis", The Jats, Vol. II, Ed Dr Vir Singh, p.308</ref>

=== Social customs of Jat People===
{{main|Jat social customs}}
[[Image:Tejaji.jpg|thumb|[[Tejaji]] fairs are organized in all areas inhabited by Jats]]
All Jats, irrespective of their official or financial positions in life, have equal social status (except the royal family of [[Patiala]] who are [[Sidhu]]/[[Bhatti|Bhatti Rajput]] in origin).  

The only criterion of superiority is age. The Jat people are ethnically and culturally required to '''MUST''' marry within their community. With the advancement of modern civilization, as people are becoming less dependent upon and more tolerant towards each other, the joint family system is going out of vogue. It is still prevalent in the less advanced areas

=== Religion ===

{{main|Jat Religions}}

Jat people follower many religions, these include Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism.
Jat Hindus only believe in that they are a [[ethnic group]] and race. All DNA studies confirm this.

Jat Sikhs and Jat Muslims believe they are a [[ethnic group]] and race. If a Jat does not follow a religion and is atheist then the Jat is also a [[ethnic group]] and race. All DNA studies confirm this.

=== Language ===

{{main|Jat languages}}

Jat people usually speak [[Punjabi]], [[Hindi]],  [[Rajasthani]], [[Haryanvi]], [[Malvi]] and Sindhi or Gujarati. Jat people who following Sikhism or Islam as a religion mostly speak [[Punjabi]] and its various dialects ''(such as Maajhi, Malwi, Doabi, Seraiki, Pothohari, and Jhangochi).

=== List of Jat People Clans ===

{{main|Jat clans}}

The Jat people clan names are unique in South Asia. However, some of their clan names do overlap with the Rajputs and Gujars.<ref>Marshall, J., (Sir, Hon. Fellow of King's College, Cambridge University, and formerly Director-General of Archaeology in India), A Guide to Taxila, Cambridge University Press, London, 1960, pp. 24. </ref>
[[Gotras|List of Jat Clans]] have been compiled by many Jat historians like  Ompal Singh Tugania,<ref>Dr Ompal Singh Tugania: Jat samudāy ke pramukh Ādhār bindu, Jaypal Agencies, Agra 2004 </ref> Bhaleram Beniwal<ref> Bhaleram Beniwal: Jāton kā Ādikālīn Itihāsa, Jaypal Agencies, Agra 2005. </ref><ref> Bhaleram Beniwal: Jāt Yodhaon ke Balidān, Jaypal Agencies, Agra 2005</ref>
Dr Mahendra Singh Arya and others,<ref> Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudi, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998 </ref>
Thakur Deshraj,<ref> Thakur Deshraj: Jat Itihasa (Hindi), Maharaja Suraj Mal Smarak Shiksha Sansthan, Delhi, 1934, 2nd </ref> 
Dilip Singh Ahlawat,<ref> Dilip Singh Ahlawat: Jat viron ka Itihasa </ref> Ram Swarup Joon<ref>Ram Swarup Joon:  History of the Jats, Rohtak, India (1938, 1967)</ref> etc.
The above lists have more than 2700 Jat gotras. [[Thakur Deshraj]], [[Ram Swarup Joon]] and Dilip Singh Ahlawat have mentioned history of some of Jat gotras. Some websites of Jats have also prepared list of Jat Gotras with details of history and distriburion.<ref>[http://www.jatland.com/home/Jat_Gotras  List of Jat Gotras on Jatland]</ref>

=== Famous Jat People===
{{main|List of famous Jat people}}

The Jats have produced famous personalities in all the fields of life such as Rajas, Politicians, Generals, Administrators, Actors, Freedom fighters, Reformers, Technocrats, Players, Industrialists and Businessmen.