Alay

Location of Alay in Nagaur district

Alay (अलाय) or Alai (अलाय) is a large village in Nagaur tehsil of Nagaur district in Rajasthan.

Founder

Alaya Nagavanshi Jats

Location

It is located at a distance of about 24 km from Nagaur city in the north-west direction on Nagaur-Nokha road.

Jat Gotras

• Godara
• Jangu
• Kookna

Population

According to Census-2011 information:

With total 1101 families residing, Alay village has the population of 6540 (of which 3376 are males while 3164 are females).

History

We do not know the exact meaning of this name Alay. We know the name of a desert plant is also alay. It appears that this village name has linkages with the ancient Nagavanshi Jat rulers. We know two characters named Aligi and Vilagi mentioned in some hymns of Atharva-Veda (V-13-6 to 10). These verses are translated by an Indian scholar B.G. Tilak on the basis of research work of Bloomfield in which Aligi and Vilagi are identified as Alay and Balaya. This may explain the origin of two villages Alay and Balaya found in Nagaur tahsil in Nagaur district in Rajasthan. Interestingly we trace roots of many Jat clans from these two characters Aligi and Vilagi.

Dr Naval Viyogi writes that according to ancient myths of Iran, the tradition of Naga worship was taken to India from Iran. Whenever we look for the earliest centre of origin of serpent or naga worship it is found in western Asia. Dr Bhagwatsharan Upadhyay has mentioned some hymns of Atharva-Veda (V-13-6 to 10). These verses are as under: Atharv-Veda (V-13-6 to 10)

asitasya tēmātasya babhrapod kasya cha ।

sātrā sānasyāhan manyo khājyomiv dhanvno vimunchāti rathoiva ।। (6)

aligī cha viligī ya pitā cha mātā cha. ।

vidma vah: sarvto banohva raṣāh: kim kariṇyatha. ।। (7)

urugulāyāduhitājātā dāsya sikanyā ।

prataṅ ke vatruso ṇām sarvāsāmaram viśama ।। (8)

tābu vam natābuvam vetva masi tābu yam tābuvenaraśām viśaṃ. ।। (10)

These verses are translated by an Indian scholar B.G. Tilak on the basis of research work of Bloomfield. This is as under:

You are released from the most powerful upodak poison and black brown coloured snake Taimāt, like wise a chariot is released from the horse and bow-string from the bow. (6)

I know Aligi and Viligi (Alai and Valai) who are your father and mother and all your relatives. You are poison less and you can not put to harm. (7)

This daughter of Urugulā is born from karet (black). The poison of them all has become devoid of power, and they have run away to their shelters. (8)

Tābubam (or) and no Tabubam (0, serpent!) you are not Tabubam. Your poison has been made devoid of power with the help of Tabubam. (10)

B. G. Tilak has thrown light on the origin of the words like Taimāta, Aligi, [[[Viligi]]], Urugula and Tabubam and informs us, "These words are non-Vedic and Akkadian (Khandi)". He has again tried to compare the word 'Taimāt' with the Timāyat and 'Tābubam' with the Tobā. But he could not trace the meaning of the words Aligi, Viligi and Urugula in Sanskrit language. He thinks these words are not Indian. But English scholars like Macdonell, Keith and Grifth are also connecting the words Taimata, Upodak, Aligi, Viligi and Urugula with some unknown species of snakes. Viligi is a deity of Assyrian myths.

But endeavour of Dr. Upadhyaya to trace out the origin of these words is highly appreciable. He has traced out the names of Aligi (Alalu) and Viligi (Balalu) in the genealogical table of Assyrian kings, belonging to the period of 3000 B. C. in the guide book composed by Dr. Burnette, department of Assyria and Sumeria. Alalu and Balalu are shown to be the names of father and son. This genealogy is also given in the Cambridge Ancient History-Vol-I.

The study of above verses of Atharv- Veda and veiw-point of different scholars on them, brings out the following conclusions:

(1) The ojhas (priests) of Atharv-Veda age had knowledge of above serpent kings.

(2) According to Yaska these are the words with no meaning.

(3) Macdonell, Kerth and Grifth connect them with some unknown species or snakes.

(4) Aligi and Viligi were father and son who were Assyrian kings of 3000 BC

(5) Above genealogical table has been traced out from excavation of Ur, an ancient city of Sumer.

(6) These names are non-Indian and "Akkadian" or semitics.

इतिहास

चौधरी श्री मूलचन्दजी का जन्म वि.सं. 1944 (1887 ई.) पौष कृष्णा 6 को नागौर से लगभग 6 मील उत्तर बालवा नामक एक छोटे-से गांव में चौधरी श्री मोतीरामजी सियाग के घर हुआ था। इनकी माताजी का नाम दुर्गादेवी था। जब ये 9 वर्ष के हुए तब आफ पिताजी ने इन्हें नजदीक के गांव अलाय में जैन यति गुरांसा अमरविजयजी के पास उपासरे में पढने हेतु भेज दिया। उपासरे में भोजन और निवास दोनों सुविधाएं थी। उपासरे के बाहर गांव में भी एक अन्य स्थान पर शिक्षक पुरानी पद्धति से हिन्दी भाषा और गणित के पहाडे व हिसाब करना आदि पढाते थे, मूलचन्दजी उपासरे के अलावा वहां भी पढने जाने लगे। जैन उपासरे की अनुशासित व संयमी दिनचर्या यथा समय पर उठना, शौच जान, उपासरे की सफाई करना, स्नान, भोजन और फिर पढने जाना आदि से मूलचन्दजी में समय का सदुपयोग व परिश्रम करने की आदत विकसित हुई। तीन वर्ष तक यही क्रम चलता रहा जिसेस आपको पढने-लिखने व हिसाब किताब का पूरा ज्ञान हो गया। प्रायः सब प्रकार की हिनदी पुस्तकों को आप पढने और समझने लगे थे। कुछ संस्कृत के लोक भी अर्थ सहित याद कर लिये गये थे। गणित के जटिल प्रश्नों को हल करने की क्षमता भी विकसित हो गयी थी। उपासरे में धर्म-चर्चा व उससे सम्बंधित प्राप्त पुस्तकें, प्रवासी जैन बंधुओं से मिलना व उनसे चर्चा करना आदि से आपका ज्ञान बढता ही गया, बुद्धि में प्रखरता और विचारों में व्यवहारिक पढाई में पारंगत हो जाने के बाद चौधरी मूलचन्दजी अपने अध्यापक व जैन गुरांसा से आर्शीवाद लेकर पास के एक गांव गोगे लाव में बच्चों को पढाने हेतु अध्यापक बनकर चले गये।

Notable persons

• Ramu Ram Jangu (चौधरी रामूराम जांगू), from Alay (अलाय), Nagaur, was a social worker in Nagaur, Rajasthan.
• Mohan Ram Choudhary - MLA Nagaur 2018 & vice president BJP Rajasthan

External Links

• Information about Alay village - villageinfo.in website

References

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