MEANING OF WORD GUJJAR BY AZEEM QAMAR GUJJAR Category :- History Gujjar is considered an important and historical Tribe.

The majority of Gujjars are found in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. In different countries the word Gujjar has come to be known differently but yet it has not changed altogether e.g. Gurjar, Gorjar, Gojar, Gujar.

In Sanskrit the word Gurjar was used and now-a-day. Gujjar is used in place of Gurjar which predicts the qualities of a warrior Tribe. The historians tried to explain the meaning of word Gujjar/Gurjar with their views and logics. Some opinions about the creation of word Gujjar are:

1.

Few people estimated that the word Gujjar has formed from the word Gauchar (means the person who grazes cow). However this is completely wrong because the word Gujjar has deformed from the word Gurjar not Gauchar. In addition, the word Gurjar has used in the several pillar inscription, not Gujjar or Gujar. The word Gurjar could not be form by any means with the word Gauchar.

2.

According to Prof Abdul Gani Shashi, a famous scholar of Arabic and Persion history, the word Khizar(a tribe name that had left for Koh-e-Kaf during the era of Christ) got changed to Garz to Garzar and with the passage of time this Tribe come to be called as Gujjar.

3.

Another perspective is of Ch. Fayez Ahmed written in Marat Gujjran Tareekh. He had consulted several scholars before reaching his conclusion. According to Ch. Fayez Ahmed, when Gujjar used to rule in India. Their armies fought with the help of Gurz that is Gada (weapon of lord Hanuman), which was their symbol, Gada was to later become Gurzar and then changed to Gurjar or Gujjar.

4.

According to Gujjar Histories like Tareekh-e-Gujran, Shahan-e-Gujjar, Gurjar Itihas, Gujjar aur Gujri Zaban, Gujjar Tareekh aur Sakafat, the word Gujjar has been derived

from Persian word Gauzar which mean Body Builder or Fighter. Because this community was famous for its moves and tactics in wars, its members were called Gauzar who gradually came to be called as Gujjars. 5. Few scholars agree that Gujjar actually have come from Georgia which is located near Russia and is after called as Gurjistan. According to them Gurjar is derived from Gurjistan. 6. Abdul Malik Chouhan in the book Shahan-e-Gujjar has described the word Gujjar in a different way. 7. Ali Hassan Chouhan writes in his history that the word Gujjar is derived from the word Gurjar or Garjar. In Urdu, Hindi and English the word Guarjar or Gujjar is in use but in all ancient records upto 1300-AD, It is Gurjar its Prakrit is Gujjar which is generally spoken by the people. 8. Sanskrit dictionary complied by Pandit Radha Kant (Shakabada 1181) explains: Gurjar Gur (enemy) + Ujar (destroyer) Gurjar means destroyer of the enemy 9. The most acceptable view is given by Pandit Chotalal Sharma and M.R.A Phulera in the book Khslria Vansh Pardeepika, is that the word Gurjar is derived from Guruttar. It has explained that Guruttar has deformed into Gurujan and Gurujan has changed to Gurjar wih time. Also explained that word Guruttar has used fro Maharaja Dashrath in Ramayann of Valmiki. 10. Pundit Vasudeva Prasad a famous Sanskrit Pandit of Banaras, has proved through ancient Sanskrit literature that the word Gujjar used to be spoken after the names of antique Kashatrias. Scientific evidence also has proved that Gujjar belong to Aryans.

11. Mr. Baij Nath Puri, a famous historian of India, in his book The History of Gurjars and Pratharas and historian K.M. Munshi, in his book The Glory that was Gurjar Desh, Ali Hassan Chouhan, in his book A Short History of Gurjars and Tareekh-e-Gurjar (5 volume in Urdu), Mr. Jatinder Kumar Verma, in his book Gurjar Ithas, by way of historical records, have fully proved that Gurjar and Gujjar were same word and they belonged to Aryan Density

According to these historians, Lord Krishan Ji with some of the Kashatrias who survived the Mahabarat War abandoned Mathura and went towards the west to Dwarik. The ancient Kashatria clans thronged around Lord Krishna who United them into a class and named it as Gurjar and their Government come to be known as Gujratar, the first capital of which was established at Dawarika.