Narae

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Narae were ancient race mentioned by Pliny and Megasthenes.

Variants

• Nareae = Nareæ (Pliny.vi.23)
• Narae (Megasthenes)

Jat Gotras Namesake

• Nehra = Nareæ (Pliny.vi.23)
• Nara = Nareae

History

Alexander Cunningham writes ....In Pliny's account of the different nations to the eastward of the Lower Indus I find the following passage, which would seem to apply to Eder and the surrounding districts. "Next the Nareae, who are bounded [p.496]: by Capitalia, the loftiest mountain of India, on the other side of which the people dig up much gold and silver.

Beyond them are the Oraturae (or Oratae), whose king has only ten elephants, but a large force of infantry, (and) the Varetatae (or Suaratatatae), whose king has no elephants, but a strong force of horse and foot. (Then) the Odombaerae etc. The last nation has already been identified with the people of Kachh, and the high mountain of Capitalia can only be the holy Arbuda, or Mount Abu, which rises to more than 5000 feet above the sea. The Nareae must therefore , be the people of Sarui, or the " country of reeds," as I nar and sar are synonymous terms for a " reed." The country of Sarui is still famous for its reed arrows.

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions 'The Indus.'....After them come the Nareæ,⁸ who are bounded by Capitalia, the most lofty of all the Indian peaks: the inhabitants who dwell on the other side of it have extensive mines of gold and silver.

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8 These peoples are supposed by Hardouin to have occupied the southern parts of the peninsula now known as Bisnagar, Calicut, and the Deccan, with the Malabar and Coromandel coasts.

Jat clans mentioned by Megasthenes

Megasthenes also described India's caste system and a number of clans out of these some have been identified with Jat clans by the Jat historians. Megasthenes has mentioned a large number of Jat clans. It seems that the Greeks added 'i' to names which had an 'i' ending. Identified probable Jat clans have been provided with active link within brackets. (See Jat clans mentioned by Megasthenes)

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Jat clans as described by Megasthenes
Location	Jat clans	Information
11. Next	The Narae (Nehra)	Enclosed by the loftiest of Indian mountains, Capitalia. The inhabitants on the other side of this mountain work extensive mines of gold and silver.

जाट इतिहास

ठाकुर देशराज ने लिखा है.... कोरी, मरोही, मोरुनी, ररुंगी इन्हें प्लिनी ने रेगिस्तानों के नीचे उन पहाड़ों पर निवास करते बताया है, जो अछिन्न-श्रेणी में समुद्र के कूल के समतल चले गये हैं। इनके लिए कहा गया है कि ये बिल्कुल स्वतन्त्र हैं और इनके कोई राजा नहीं। पर्वत चोटियों पर इनके कई नगर थे। इन्हें क्रमशः कोरी, मोर्य, मोर, रंगी समझना चाहिए। आजकल यह युक्त-प्रदेश और राजपूताने में पाये जाते हैं। मौर्यों का तो साहसीराय के समय तक सिन्ध और राजपूताने में राज रहा था। मौर्य्यों में से कुछ लोग राजपूत श्रेणी में भी चले गए हैं। कोरी लोग आगरा जिले के जाटों में पाये जाते हैं। मोर और रंगी नितान्त थोड़ी संख्या में हैं। नरेई, जो कि नेहरा के नाम से प्रसिद्ध हैं, कैपटेलिया नाम से घिरी हुई जगह में उनका स्थान बताया गया है।