Veer Gokula Jat (died 1 January 1670), also known asGokul Dev, was azamindar andchieftain who led a rebellion against theMughal Empire during the reign of emperorAurangzeb in the late 17th century. Gokula emerged as a symbol of resistance againstMughal oppression, particularly their discriminatory religious and economic policies.^[1][2] His leadership in the uprising of 1669 marked one of the earliest organised revolts againstMughal rule in India, influencing later rebellions and the rise of theKingdom of Bharatpur.^[3][4]

In 1669, Gokula rallied approximately 20,000Jats and other local farmers to resist oppressiveMughal taxation and religious policies.^[1] His forces achieved early successes, defeating and killing the Mughal faujdar Abdul Nabi Khan at the Battle of Sahora and destroying theSadabad cantonment.^[5] However, the rebellion was crushed following theSiege of Tilpat, where Gokula was captured after a four-day battle. Gokula was executed inAgra on 1 January 1670.^[6]

Gokula (originallyOla orGokul Dev) was born in aHindu Jat family ofTilpat region (of Haga/Agre/Agha gotra) to Madu Haga and was the second of the family's four sons.^[7]

In the mid-17th century, theMughal Empire underAurangzeb faced growing discontent among its subjects, particularly in rural areas. TheJats, a predominantlyagrarian community in theMathura region (present-dayUttar Pradesh andHaryana), bore the brunt of heavy land revenue demands, often exceeding 50% of their produce. Aurangzeb’s reimposition of thejizya (a tax on non-Muslims) in 1669, coupled with forcedIslamic conversions, destruction ofHindu temples and prohibition onHindu festivals,^[8] deepened the sentiments amongHindu communities, mostly theJats, who reveredMathura as a sacred center of lordKrishna worship. The spark for rebellion came in 1669 when mughal Abdul Nabi’s oppressive measures, including excessive tax collection and interference in local religious practices, pushed theJats to the breaking point.^[9][10]

In early 1669, Gokula, as thechieftain ofTilpat, emerged as the leader of a peasant uprising againstMughal oppression. The rebellion was sparked by Abdul Nabi’s excesses and the burdensome tax regime. Gokula mobilised approximately 20,000Jat farmers, along withGujjars andAhirs. In May 1669, the rebels attacked Mughal outposts. An early victory came at theBattle of Sahora, where Gokula’s forces killed Abdul Nabi, while he attempted to capture the village. The rebels destroyed the Mughal cantonment atSadabad, sacking regions aroundMathura and disrupting Mughal control.This inspired theHindus to fight against the Mughal rulers, who were there to destroy all Hindu rebels and this fight continued for five months.^[11][12][13]

The Battle of Tilpat was fought betweenHindu Jats and theMughal Empire in 1669.^[14] MughalSubahdars (governors) imposed heavy taxes (jizya) on the farmers of this region due to bad financial conditions of the empire resulting from the continuous military expansion in the southern regions of thesubcontinent. Due to the imposition of heavy taxation and restriction on Hindu religious practices, dissatisfaction and anger arose among the Jats and it took the form of rebellion againstMughal Empire duringAurangzeb reign. To suppress the rebellionAurangzeb sent his commanders Hasan Ali Khan with a big army contingent ofMughal soldiers as a reinforcement toSadabad cantonment commanded by Abdul Nabi. The Gokula Jat, son ofTilpat Zamindar Madu Singh, led the rebellion of farmers along with his uncle Uday Singh Jat. First confrontations of the rebellion continued for 4 days with the seizing ofTilpat and the farmers' counterattacks. Gokula leadership in the Jat uprising of 1669 marked one of the earliest organised revolts againstMughal rule in India byHindus.^[15]

In 1669, Gokula Dev with 20,000 farmers, mostlyJats, faced the Mughals 20 miles fromTilpat. Abdul Nabi attacked them. At first he appeared to be gaining ground, but in the middle of the fighting he was killed on 12 May 1669 (21stDhu al Hijja, 1079 A.H.).^[16][17] They retreated to Tilpat, where Hasan Ali followed and besieged them aided by reinforcements of 10,000 musketeers, 5,000rocketmen, and 250 artillery pieces. Amanulla, theFaujdar of the environs ofAgra was also sent to reinforce Hasan Ali.^[18]

Gokula was brought toAgra, following his capture by Mughals he was executed by having hislimbs cut off one by one on a public platform inAgra.^[19] Gokula son and daughter were forcibly converted toIslam by the Mughal authorities underAurangzeb. These conversions were not voluntary and were part of the broader context of Mughal policies toward non-Muslim rebels duringAurangzeb’s reign, and his followers were imprisoned. Meanwhile, innocent people caught up in the fighting were released after proper inquiries, and the elderly and children were handed over to a court eunuch for care.^[20][21][22]

A Rajasthani poet, Balveer Singh Karuna, in his bookSamarveer Gokula wrote that:^[19]

Slowly the water of self-respect started to awaken,

I decided to rebel by refusing to pay taxes.You die only once in one birthAnd wait in the graves till the doomsdayBut we are immortal forever, the soul will not die

Only it will change its body and clothes again and again

• Rajaram of Sinsini
• Churaman

• 17th-century Indian people
• People executed by dismemberment
• Rebels from the Mughal Empire
• 1670 deaths
• Jat
• Indian rebels
• Indian Hindus
• People from the Agra Subah

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