Bathot

Bathot is a village in Sikar district in Rajasthan, India. It is situated on Sikar to Salasar Balaji Road at a distance of about 20 km in west direction of Sikar city. It is famous for the birthplace of revolutionary freedom fighter Lothoo Nitharwal. He was born in 1804 in a Hindu Jat family of Nitharwal gotra in town Ringas of Shekhawati region in Rajasthan, but migrated to Bathot village.

History

Bathot – Patoda was thikana of Sikar Rao Raja Shiv Singh. Shiv Singh’s younger son Kirti Singh was killed in Kasli war. The wife of Kirti Singh was expelled from house. She departed for his father’s house in Churu. One Dhaka Jat of village Bhuma in Laxmangarh tehsil asked her grievances while she was passing through Buma village. He arranged her stay at his own house and went to Jaipur to appeal for her grievance. The Jaipur Maharaja on his appeal directed Rao Raja of Sikar Shiv Singh to give the jagir of village Bathot to wife of Kirti Singh. The descendants of Kirti Singh were the Jagirdar of Bathot.

Lothoo Nitharwal came to Bathot

The story of Lothoo’s migration to Bathot is very interesting. One-day son of Thakur of Ringas, popularly called kunwar, was going on horse. He saw Lothoo passing by his horse but not saluting the kunwar. This irked the kunwar who climbed down the horse and started abusing Lothoo and even slapped Lothoo. Lothoo in turn without showing any anger picked the kunwar by hand, slapped him and threw him in air. The kunwar died on the spot. Lothoo told this incidence to his parents. The incidence had sent alarms amongst the Jagirdars. The parents of Lothoo thought it better to move from Ringas somewhere else to avoid any confrontation. Lothoo’s sister was married in village Bathot in a Kalwania family. So Lothoo along with his parents migrated from Ringas to village Bathot and started living with their relatives. The Ringas thakur did not dare to come to Bathot and penalize Lothoo.

Dungar Singh and Jawahar Singh

Dungar Singh was on the post of Risaldar in the horse-army of “Shekhawati Brigade”. He was a poerful chieftain and had a good influence amongst the soldiers. He develpoped differences with the British officer and left the post of Risaldar and came to Bathot in 1834. Jawahar Singh was a cousin brother of Dungar Singh. Jawahar Singh was adopted as son by Thakur of Patoda and made the chieftain of Patoda. Dungar Singh and Jawahar Singh were the targets of British government.

Bathot became centre of revolution

The atrocities of British company had enhanced and Bathot was sacked by them which led to rebellion by the people of Bathot. Dungar Singh and Jawahar Singh agreed to start a movement against the foreign rule. Both the sardars were aware of the influence and power of Lothoo. So they invited Lothoo in the Bathot fort and asked his cooperation in revolt against British Raj. Lothoo agreed upon the proposal and all decided to see the British out of India.

The small fortress of Bathot became the center of revolutionaries under the leadership of Lothoo Nitharwal. Bathot was always at target of British forces. Dungar Singh, Jawahar Singh, Karna Meena (Meenas) were other important freedom fighters with Lothoo Nitharwal.

There is a samadhi of freedom fighter - Lothoo Nitharwal at village Bathot. The people of Shekhawati region come here and worship him as a folk-deity. The samadhi of such a hero of freedom movement is uncared and badly damaged at present.

Demography

There are about 1000 families dwelling in Bathot out of which 600 families are of Jats. There are about 15 gotras of Jats but biggest of them are Kalwaniya, Nitharwal, Khichar, and Khyalia etc. The others castes in the village are Vaishyas, Rajputs, Balais, Brahmans and Bhopas etc.

ee also

*Lothoo Nitharwal

References

*Mansukh Ranwa ‘Manu’ (2001): Amar Shaheed Lothoo Jat, J C Ranwa Prakashan, Sikar, Phone [phone] Mob-09413134209
*Phad : Lothoo Jat (Chetan – Banarasi, Bhopas)
*Sahi Ram: Ek adhuri kranti (Hindi)