Nathyal

Rajput Clan: Nathyal
Vansh	Chandravanshi
Descended from:	Janjua rajput
Languages	Potohari, Pahari and Punjabi
Surnames:	Raja or Chaudhry

The Nathyal are a tribe of Rajputs and Jats found principally in the Potohar region of Punjab, Pakistan, Azad Kashmir, and Jammu.

History and origins

The Nathyal are descendents of the Janjua Rajputs. It is not clear what is the origin of this term 'nathyal'. According to one account, a legend warrior 'Natha', an ancestor in their pedigree, who was a Janjua rajput, gave his name to his tribe. The Nathyal can classified as one of those tribes of potohar region and Jammu hills, whose name end in "al". Sir Denzil Ibbetson while describing the tribes of the Salt Range and Jammu hills mentions, that many of these tribes have names which end in "al" (like Alpial, Baghial, Bangial, Bhakrial, Chandral, Dhamial, Dhamtal, Dhanial, Gungal, Ganjial, Hayal, Jethal, Kalyal, Kanjal, Kanyal, Karyal, Manjal, Mathyal, Mial, Nagyal, Nangyal, Punyal, Rachyal, Ranyal, Ratial, Rupyal, Sarral and Thathal). In his opinion these tribes are actually of rajput descent, but some of them have ceased to be known as rajputs, and are frequently classed as jats. While Horace Arthur Rose in his book 'A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province', desrcribes the Nathyal as a Janjua descendent tribe. The Nathyal share many similarities with the above mentioned tribes like geographical location, language, culture, a strong tradition for the military service, and association of tribal name to one of their ancestors.

Distribution

The tribe is mainly located in Bhimber and Mirpur districts of Azad Kashmir, and Attock, Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Chakwal districts of potohar. They are also found in the Jammu. Nathyal in Jammu are predominantly Hindu, while in Pakistan are predominantly Muslim. After partition of the sub-continent in 1947, many of the Muslim Nathyals from the Jammu region migrated to Pakistan, and settled mainly in Gujrat and Faisalabad districts. And the Hindu Nathyals from the potohar, Bhimber and Mirpur regions migrated to India, and many of these mainly settled in Jammu, and some of them are also found in Delhi.

Villages

There is a village in their name, Dhoke Nathyal, which is located in Attock district. It is known as Nathyal Sharif, because of the presence of one of the Naqshbandi khankahs. Nathial in Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil of Jhelum District is another important Nathial settlement.

Famous Persons

• Chaudhary Muhammad Sadiq (Ex) Secretary, Forest Department, Azad Kashmir
• Chaudhary Muhammad Azam (Ex) Secretary, Food, Agriculture and Livestock Department, Azad Kashmir
• Nisha Nathyal AIG (Welfare) Jammu and Kashmir Police
• S.S. Nathyal Vice-President, Jammu and Kashmir Bank

References

• A Glossary of the Tribes & Castes of the Punjab & North-west Frontier Province, H. A. Rose, see page 354.
• Panjab castes, Sir Denzil Ibbetson, 1916, see page 149.