Raja Jaitra Singh Gathwala of Dipalpur,Popularly known as Jatwan (Warrior who faught against Sultan Qutubu din Aibak himself)
Raja Jaitra Singh Gathwala was the King of Dipalpur and hereditary head of Gathwala Khap. He was born in the lineage of Raja Asaram Gathwala who settled Hansi(then Asi) and build the Asigarh Fort (Hansi Fort). The Gathwala Jats ruled at Hansi and then shifted there capital to Dipalpur (Dipal). Rai Pithora (Prithviraj Chauhan) was defeated in the Second Battle of Tarain by Mohamed Ghori and Qutubu din Aibak became Sultan of Delhi. The Gathwala Jats also who faught against Mohamed Ghori also lost there kingdom.As stated by Kalika Ranjan Qanungo.
‘After the defeat of Prithviraj in 1192 A.D., the Jats of Haryana raised the standard of tribal revolt, and under a capable chief, named Jatwan, besieged the Muslim commander (Nasir ud din) at Hansi.’
Raja Jatwan captured Hansi and surrounded area and started his action against Sultan Qutubu din Aibak. On receiving this news Qutb-ud-din marched twelve farsakhs, i.e., about 40 miles during one night. Jatwan raised the siege of Hansi and prepared for an obstinate conflict. “The armies attacked each other” says the author of Taj-ul-Maasir “like two hills of steel, and the field of battle [on the borders of the Bager country] became tulip-dyed with the blood of warriors … Jatwan had his standards of God-plurality and ensigns of perdition lowered by the hand of power”. The army of Jatwan (Jaitra Singh) was much lesser in number then Qutubu din aibak. As per the writer of What India They Saw ‘The Hindus were completely defeated and there leaders slain’. Hence Jatwan died fighting Qutubu din Aibak but so was the scale of his revolt that the Emperor of Delhi himself marched against him. Raja Haluram Gathwala the son of Raja Jaitra Singh (Jatwan) escaped and later founded village of Ahulana in 1207 which became the capital of Gathwala Khap.
References :-
- Qunongo,History of Jats
- Elliot,The history of India by…
- Jain , What India they Saw Vol.3
- Taj-UL-Maasir