Chahal Jats

The Chahal(Hindi: चाहल), also Cháhal and Cháhiland Chál, are one of the largest tribes of Jat people in the Punjab region. The tribe is mostly located in Patiala, but many live in Ambala, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, and as far as Gujranwala and Sialkot.^[1]

Many Chahals have moved around the world, particularly to Canada and the United States. Some of the Chahals from Gujranwala have also settled in Sialkot and Sargodha. Chahals in Faisalabad migrated from India during the partition of India.^{[citation needed]}

History

There are many stories regarding the origins of the Chahal. One story tells that Raja Agarsen Súrajbansi had four children who all went on to form Jat tribes: Cháhil, Chhina, Chíma, and Sahi. Although the four tribes originated in Malwa, they migrated to the Punjab region. Another story tells that the Chahal share an ancestor in the son of Rajput Raja Rikh, Bírsi, who married a Jat woman and formed the tribe. The Chahal from Amritsar believe that their ancestor was Raja Khang. Chahal from Jing believe the Chahal descended from a Rajput named Bala who married a Jat woman.^[1]

People

1. Randa Chahal, Lebanese film director, producer and screen-writer
2. Gurbaksh Chahal, American entrepreneur and author

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Rose, H. J. (1997). A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North-West frontier province. Atlantic Publishers & Dist.. pp. 146. ISBN 9788185297699. http://books.google.com/books?id=LPsvytmN3mUC.