Origin of the Meos : an Assessment
Aijaz Ahmad
Lecturer in History
Y.M.D. Co11ege.NUH (Mewat) Haryana-l22l07 Mewat is a hilly region surrounded by the Arawali Ranges. Its inhabitants are known as Mewati while its Muslim population is called 'Meos'. Other communities are Jat, Gujar, Ahir. Meena, Rajput, Brahman, Mahajan, Harijan etc.1 The geographical boundaries of Mewat have been changing from time to time. In the period of Shahabuddin Mohammad Ghori the area of Mewat was from Delhi to Alwar and from Ajmer to Agra. During the Lodhi period the area comprised of the southern part of Delhi, Rewari, Narnaul, Tijara, Alwar, Bayana and some parts of Agra with its capital at Kotla.2
A Meo poet has rightly described the area of Mewat as follows :
Et Dilli ut Agra, Et Alwar Bairath Kalo Pahar Suhawano, Jake Beech Baso Mewat'' But in modern times the Mewat comprises of southern part of Delhi, some areas of Gurgaon, Ballabhgarh, Alwar, Bharatpur and Mathura.3 The traditions and cultures of the Meos are similar to those of the Rajputs and they feel proud of calling themselves as the Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi Rajputs and Kshatriyas. But their origin bears many controversies as many historians and Meo scholars gave many theories regarding their origin. Arab historians believe that the Jats and the Meos are the descendants of Ham, the son of Nooh.4 But the Meo scholars are of the opinion that the Meos were the descendants of Madia, the third son of Yapeth and the grandson of Nooh. According to them the Aryans are the descendants of Yapeth, which proves that the Meos belonged the same branch as the Aryans.5 It is generally believed by the Meo scholars that like the Aryans, the Meos also came from Central or West Asia and latter on settled down in Punjab and Sindh regions of lndian subcontinent. As the time passed they migrated to Rajasthan and then to the present area of Mewat.6 In order to prove that they are of ancient origin, many Meo scholars like Abdul
Lecturer in History
Y.M.D. Co11ege.NUH (Mewat) Haryana-l22l07 Mewat is a hilly region surrounded by the Arawali Ranges. Its inhabitants are known as Mewati while its Muslim population is called 'Meos'. Other communities are Jat, Gujar, Ahir. Meena, Rajput, Brahman, Mahajan, Harijan etc.1 The geographical boundaries of Mewat have been changing from time to time. In the period of Shahabuddin Mohammad Ghori the area of Mewat was from Delhi to Alwar and from Ajmer to Agra. During the Lodhi period the area comprised of the southern part of Delhi, Rewari, Narnaul, Tijara, Alwar, Bayana and some parts of Agra with its capital at Kotla.2
A Meo poet has rightly described the area of Mewat as follows :
Et Dilli ut Agra, Et Alwar Bairath Kalo Pahar Suhawano, Jake Beech Baso Mewat'' But in modern times the Mewat comprises of southern part of Delhi, some areas of Gurgaon, Ballabhgarh, Alwar, Bharatpur and Mathura.3 The traditions and cultures of the Meos are similar to those of the Rajputs and they feel proud of calling themselves as the Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi Rajputs and Kshatriyas. But their origin bears many controversies as many historians and Meo scholars gave many theories regarding their origin. Arab historians believe that the Jats and the Meos are the descendants of Ham, the son of Nooh.4 But the Meo scholars are of the opinion that the Meos were the descendants of Madia, the third son of Yapeth and the grandson of Nooh. According to them the Aryans are the descendants of Yapeth, which proves that the Meos belonged the same branch as the Aryans.5 It is generally believed by the Meo scholars that like the Aryans, the Meos also came from Central or West Asia and latter on settled down in Punjab and Sindh regions of lndian subcontinent. As the time passed they migrated to Rajasthan and then to the present area of Mewat.6 In order to prove that they are of ancient origin, many Meo scholars like Abdul