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| MEO |
Meos are chivalrous and warrior people of north India. They are the Descendents of old rulers of India known as khashtari or Chatri.  The Kursi namas of Khashtri shows that the ancestors of all the Meo Pal (Clan) and Goth are from the seven royal families (Rajkul) known as Yado or Jado, Tomar, Parmar, Badgojar, Kashwaha, Chohan and Rathor. Now a days the world Rajpot is being used as a Synonym of Khashtari all over the Subcontinent and people are becoming unaware of the basic word Khashtari.Rajpotana (present Rajisthan) has always been considered a strong hold of Khashtaris since ancient times. Its three major parts are Marwar, Mewar, and Mewat. Meos are the inhabitants of Mewat. Although Meos are also residing in Dakan, Utter Pardesh and other parts of Rajisthan yet Mewat has the dominating majority of Meos. Meos owns the major part of the agricultural land of Mewat for centuries. Present Mewat starts from Mehroli to southern part of Delhi province, in Haryiana province, Balab Garh and Gurgeaon tehsiles, District Nuh(Mewat) some part of Farid Abad. It also includes Alwar, Tijara, Kishan garh, Tapokra, Ram Garh,Gobind Garh, Lachman Garh, Kathomar, Kanma, Pahari and Deg tehsiles of Alwar & Bharpur districts Some parts of district Dhoolpur in Rajisthan province., western part of district Mathra of Utter Pardesh province is also a part of Mewat. Arawali Hill chain is spread throughout Mewat. Its famous branch popularly known as Kala Pahar has a special significance in Mewat.
At the time of partition of India a considerable portion of Mewat population migrated to Pakistan. Here in Pakistan they are mostly settled in Punjab province. Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Narowal, Sialkot, Multan, Shuja Abad, Johar Abad, district Sargadha, Lothran, distt, Karor Pakka, Depalpur district Okara,Bahawalpur and Ahmadpur Sial district Jhang. Scattered settlements are also present in many other districts of Punjab, Karachi and entire Sindh. There are some houses of Meos present even in Tehsil paharpur Dera Ismail khan district of NWFPand Blauchistan province. At present in Pakistan the Meo population is estimated more than on karor approximately.
Meo is an old word, many homophonic of which are used for Khashtaris of Subcontinent, particularly in Rajpotana. In past words like Med, Meer and Mewra were used for Meos. Over the passage of time the word Meo evolved definitely from any of these words. In old books of history Mewas, Meeras and Meerat are the words used for Mewat. As the word Meo came into existence with the twisting of tongue, this area was also given the name of Mewat.
Meo Khashtari are divided into Thirteen Pals and Fifty three Goths. This division was done by Great Meo Ruler “Maharana Kaku Rana Balot, in the thirteenth century. Later on Meo pals were reorganized again during the period of Mughal King Akbar. Traditionally they are known as Twelve-Fifty-Two-Pals or Bara-Bawan-Pal.
Almost all Meo embraced Islam due to the efforts of some great Saints, Sufis, historical changes and different movements. Although it happened gradually over the time, but now Meos are the largest, single sect, Muslim population all over Indo-Pak. This remains undebatable fact that these were only Meos who first entered into the circle of Islam, from the central part of India. There is no second opinion about it that from Ruling Khashtaris, Meos are the Fist Nation to say Labbaik on the call of Islam. Initially Islam was introduced to Meos by brother in law of Sultan Mahmood Ghaznvi, Commander Syed Salar Sahu and his son Syed Masud Salar Sahu. In this chain other important names are Khawja Moeen-ud-Din Chishti (Ajmari) Hazrat Meeran Hussain Khang Sawar and Shah Naseer-ud-Din Chiragh Dehalvi. Moulana Muhammad Ilyas the founder of famously known " Tableeghi Jamaat" has introduced Meos at International level because the pioneer preachers of this movement are Meos.
Mother tongue of Meos is Mewati.This Language is spoken all over the Mewat but every person belonging to Mewat is not necessarily Meo. Generally the residents of Mewat are called Mewati. Mewati is a language resembling with Haryanvi, Birij Bhasha and Rajisthani. Urdu and Mewati have also many common features. Mewati has great treasure of litrary work including poetic ballads, sonnets, proverbs etc. These are compiled in the form of couplets. |
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