REF ^{A History of Jaipur: C. 1503-1938By Jadunath Sarkar}

The Minas are a non-Aryan tribe who occupied and ruled Jaipur territory till they were dispossessed of their lands and reduced to sub- jection by the advancing waves of Rajput colonization in the thirteenth century, as the Gaels of Scotland were ousted by the more civilized Saxons and driven away from the plains to the Highland.

Ethnologist hold that the Meos Of Mewat and the Minas Of Rajputana and the Punjab are really of a common origin—

the Meos are at least nominally Muhammadans by religion, while the Minas are Hindus.

Philologists derive the name of their cradleland Mewat from the Sanskrit Mina-wati or 'rich in fish'. The term matsya-desh or fish-country was applied to this region up to the north-eastern part of Jaipur in the ancient Hindu epics.

Russell writes,

it is recognised that the Minas are a caste of the most mixed and impure descent (probably from Rajput immigrant fathers and aboriginal mothers) ... Another piece of evidence of the Dravidian of the tribe is the fact that there exists even now a group of Dehdia or impure Minas, who do not refug to eat cow's Flesh .

The Chaukidari Minas, disposessed of their lands, resorted to the hills, and here they developed into a community of thieves and bandits recruited from all the out castes of society.

But whatever may be their true ethnic origin, today the Minas of upper Rajputana are Hindus of the straitest sect; all castes of Hin- dus (except brahmans and banias only) will partake of food which has been prepared by them, and even these two castes will drink water which has been drawn by a Mina'. ^{(Col. Hervey) Sir Denzil Ibbetson wrote in 1881,}

The Minas are the boldest of our criminal classes... In Marwar they are armed with small bows which do considerable execution. They travel geat distance in gangs of from twelve to twenty men, practising robbery and dacoity as far as the Deccan. They have agents in all the large cities Rajputana and the Deccan who give them information. The criminal Minas are now said inhabit a tract of country about 65 miles long and 40 it-retching from Shahpura (some 40 miles north of Jaipur) to Guraora in the Gurgaon district on the Rohtak border.

Before the Rajput penetration, the central region of. Jaipur State was ruled by a number of petty Mina chieftains each living in his fort. carrying on depredations on the trade caravans, and owing a very loose allegiance to the Mina Rajah of who was nominally the head of the clan. The incoming Kachhwas, under their Rajah Dulha Rai and his successors, conquered the forts of these aboriginal chiefs and reduced their race to subjection; but the chiefs were given jagirs, which their descendants still enjoy

Originally, these tribal chiefs reduced to landlords were twelve in number, hence they are known as the Bara Mina Baragaon The lands they enjoy were given on service tenure; the condition was that one man was to be produced for the service of the Jaipur rajah for each or 120 bighas of land.

As the descendants of the original grantees multiplied with time, their lands were minutely fragmented, the period Of service Of each shareholder being pro- proportionately reduced. number of such men has increased to 1712 at present. These Minas now perform watch and ward duties .