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he Tevatia (तेवतिया), also spelled Tewatia (तेवतिया), Teotia (तेवतिया), Tevathiya (तेवथिया), and Tevathi (तेवथि)/(तेवाथी), is a clan or gotra primarily found among the Jats in the Indian states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Western Uttar Pradesh. Their population is mainly concentrated in districts such as Faridabad, Gurgaon, Bulandshahr, Bharatpur, Chittorgarh, Mathura, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, and Muzaffarnagar. There are also Tevatia settlements in Bagpat, Bijnor, Moradabad, and Nainital districts, as well as in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Origin: The name Tevatia is linked to several geographic and historical entities. It is believed that the Tapti River is named after the Tevatia gotra. Similarly, the Teviot River in Scotland is thought to be named after the Tevatia gotra. Additionally, the Tevatia gotra is associated with certain branches of the Shivi Gotra: 1) Shivahote, 2) Tevatia, and 3) Bhataunia.

History: According to Ram Swarup Joon, during the Mughal period, the Tevatia Jats migrated from Multan and settled in villages named Tewathi in the Gurgaon district. They refer to themselves as Shavi Jats, and their largest village is Bhattona.

Historian B.S. Dahiya references the discovery of coins at Ujjain, which have inscriptions in ancient Brahmi script. One of these coins features a river with a fish and the legend Tubathi or Turbathi, which may be related to the dynastic name Turvasha. This coin’s symbols, representing water and earth, are traditional symbols associated with the Jats. Some speculate that the Tevatia Jats might have arrived in India during the Achaemenid era, given the similarity to the Scythian goddess Tabiti.

The Tevatia Jats traditionally believe their origins trace back to a village named Tevti or Teoti. This name is found in Bharatpur and near Ujjain, and the Tapti River is also believed to be named after this gotra. Additionally, the name Tibet is thought to derive from this gotra.

In Europe, a similar name, Teuton, is associated with ancient tribes, and the Tevatia Jats are believed to have migrated to India around the 5th century B.C. during the Mauryan period from Iran. The term Tevatia does not have a meaning in Hindi or Sanskrit, but in Persian, it translates to “Goddess of Fire.” The Chinese term Tao, which suggests ‘greatness,’ bears a resemblance.

The village Janoothar in Bharatpur (Rajasthan) is over 2,400 years old, and John Paul Tewatia founded Janauli village in Palwal (Haryana) over 2,000 years ago. About 900 years ago, some Tewatia Jats crossed the Yamuna River and established Bhatona village in Gulawthi (Bulandshahr, UP). The names Palwal and Batana have Persian origins, and Bhatona is known for the Temple of Dagre Wale Baba, which attracts thousands of devotees annually during Diwali and Holi. Sarju Baba, born in Bhatona, attained samadhi at the temple site.

Dalip Singh Ahlawat provides further insights into the Tevatia Jats, noting that their ancestral clan was Shivi Gotra, a Vedic-era Jat gotra. According to Ahlawat, a notable leader from Tibet (now Tirpat) established the Ballabhgarh state and renamed the clan Tevatia. His descendants settled in various villages, including Jinouli, Nangla, Tirsan, and others. Although the British ended the Ballabhgarh state during the 1857 rebellion, the Tevatia Jats later established a new estate in Bhatona, Bulandshahr. This estate was founded by a Jat leader named Bahariya, a brother of Balram Singh, who fortified Ballabhgarh. The Tevatia Jats expanded their settlements, cultivating new lands and establishing numerous villages.

Today, the Tevatia Jats, also known as Bhatounia, are spread across 60-70 villages. Their contributions to British India were significant, and they are also known for their patriotism and role in the country’s independence struggle. Notably, Chaudhary Charan Singh, a former Prime Minister of India and a prominent leader of farmers, belonged to this gotra.