Mirgation of Mands
Migration means change of place of residence. Not only the human beings migrate, even the birds/ animals migrate due to various reasons. Human beings migrate due to economic, political, religious, manmade calamities or natural disasters where as animals / birds migrate due to the extreme weather or in sufficient natural food availability. Migration plays a key role in the changes we are experiencing every day. Willing migrations for better future, trade and exploration are on the rise even today. It is the forced migration which is unwanted and results in uprooting and pushing people to different countries.
2. Three thousand years ago, the Jats of Central Asia i.e. the origin of Mands were forced to flee to Europe and to the Indian Sub Continent due to cross border fighting. The circumstances of Central Asia even today are in some respect, similar to that of three thousand years ago in terms of politics. The neighbouring countries are still fighting among themselves as they did three thousand years ago. Thousands of innocent people have been killed either on the basis of religion or ethnics causing. Thousand of peace loving people are still being displaced in their own countries or disposed off into neighbouring countries as refugees.
3. The majority of Jat Mands came to India via Afghanistan. A major historical migration took place before 1000 BC known as the Aryans Migration and a substantial number of jats came to India after the fall of Mandan Empire.
4. Migrants first settled on the banks of Mihran (Sindhu) river. In the sixth and seventh centuries the Mandas settled in the provinces of Sindh & Punjab. IBN Haukhal said, “The infidels who inhibited Sindh called Budhes & Mandas.” However, Panini, an eminent historian, has stated that many cities of Mands were found in the heart of Punjab in fifth century BC.
5. Manda gotra jats are found in Pakistan, Sialkot, Jaipur, Pali, Nagaur, Kota, Yamunanagar in Haryana & Bhilwara district in Rajasthan. 95% people of Dhadharia Kalan village in Nagaur distt. are Manda Gotra Jat.
6. In Punjab Mands are spread in whole over Punjab. They are settled in Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Patiala, Tarn Taran, Ferozpur and Amritsar Distt. They are found close to Barnala also.
7. S. Mohinder Singh Mand in his book “We were Emperor, once” gives the details of his family. They were the owners of 16 villages during nineteenth century, their forefathers were staying in Lopon (A village in Samrala Tehsil). They migrated from Sarhali Mandan, Distt. Tarn Taran via Sarhali Khurad, Doraha Mandi, Lopon, Kotla Surmukh Singh, Baho Majra, Baian & Patiala. He has given the actual facts about his family, how they became landless from landlords and migrated to foreign countries. His book is an interesting piece of work worth reading by all the Mands in Punjab.
8. Actual Survey of villages revealed that as on today Mands are available in the following villages:
(i) V. Mand & V. Gag Sultan in Hoshiarpur Distt. It is confirmed that origin of Mand village as per Tehsil records is Sarhali Mandan Distt Tarn Taran and all the Mands in V.Gag Sultan has migrated from V.Mand during 1964.They are from same family.
(ii) V. Sarhali Mandan, Sarhali Khurd, Thakarpura in Tarn Taran Distt.
(iii) V. Lohatbadi, Bhutta, Baho Majra, Mubarakpur, Machhiwara in Ludhiana Distt.
(iv) V. Kajjal Majra in Fatehgarh Distt.
(v) V. Mand, Mand Maur, V. Jalla Singh in Jalandhar Distt.
(vi) V. Hirdapur and V. Ramgarh in Ropar distt.
(vi) V. Mand & V. Dabbanwala in Gurdaspur Distt.
(vii) V. Saideke Rohela, PO Peera Patra in Ferozpur Distt.
(viii) Mands in Towns and Cities are given in a separate chapter.
9. Maximum population of Mands is in . Lohat Baddi, Distt. Ludhiana followed by Sarhali Mandan, Tarn Taran Distt. & V. Bhutta in Ludhiana Distt.
10. It looks like that most of Mand Villages in Punjab has their origin at V. Sarhali Mandan.
11. Availability of Mand in Punjab is given in detail subsequently giving village name, its address, Had Bandobast No., Mand Population, exact location & its origin.
12. Mands are not only in India, they are available in Sialkot Pakistan also. So many Mands were migrated to England, Canada, America, Australia & Japan. Telephone directories of big cities of those countries are the proof of Mand population in those countries.
13. Total population of Mands in Punjab is less than 13000.