Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s10.4

v2.c28.s10.4

This great work of construction was done by Badan Singh, the son of Churaman’s brother Bhāo Singh, in the face of almost insuperable obstacles, both from within and without. The Jat people had no tribal cohesion; every village head or leader of a small group of related families stood in proud isolation, recognizing no superior within the clan. Their government, if it could be so called, was a republic of aristocrats, too numerous to be called an oligarchy. The hope of plunder might lure them to join one among themselves (such as Churaman), not as his followers, but as his equal partners in a joint-stock enterprise; they would not take their orders from him in peace times, nor link their estates with his to form a tribal kingdom. Shortly after the death of Churaman, his son and successor Muhakam Singh was turned out by the leading men of the clan, who repudiated his authority, and the nascent political society of the Jats seemed about to dissolve when Badan Singh stepped in and took the thorny seat vacated by his cousin.