Saharan Taka

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Saharan Taka (सहारण टक) was a Nagavanshi Saharan Jat, descendants of Taxaka, who gave name to Saharanpur.

Variants

• Saharan the Tak (सहारण टक)

History

Dr Naval Viyogi writes ....Alexander Cunningham draws our attention towards thick population of the race of descendants of Taxaka settled in lower hills south of Jammu between Ravi River and Jhelam River. This ancient race, the foe of Janamejaya and the friend of Alexander, closed its career in a blaze of splendour. The celebrity of the kings of Gujrat will make amends for the obscurity of the Taks of modern time, of whom a dynasty of fourteen kings followed each other 10 succession commencing and ending with the proud title of Muzaffar. Saharan the Tak was the first apostate of his line who under the name of Wajih-ul-Mulk concealed both his origin and tribe. His son Zafar Khan, was raised by his patron Firoz to the government of Gujrat, (1391 AD) who later became independent and mounted the thrown of Gujrat (1401 AD) under the name of Sultan Mujaffar Shah. He was succeeded by his grandson Ahmad Shah (1411-1441 AD) who changed the ancient capital Anhilwara for Ahmadabad. Later this name Tak seems to have been obliterated from the tribes of Rajasthan. Mahmood Bigarh ruled between 1458-1511 AD. His daily diet was equavalent of one Gujrati maund. In 1572, Gujrat was subjugated in the Mughal empire by emperor Akbar. Afterwards we don't find any trace of their successors.

There is need to do more research on these Nagavanshi Taka Jats. This is a notable point here that Takas before their conversion to Muslim were known of indigenous Naga Jat royal families. Although they were residents of Uttarapatha but carried their trade with the Dakshinapatha in precious goods like gold and ivory and it shows that they were great traders.