Grewal

Grewal (pronounced: gurray-waal) (also Garewal, Gaharwal, Gaherwal, Ghurwal, Gharwar or Gahrawar) is one of the many last names of early Jat tribes that played an important historical role in Sikh history who later adopted Sikhism. Grewal is a clan of the Rajput and Jat people and found in the states of Punjab and Rajasthan in India.

History

The Grewal community are the descendants of the Chandel Rajputs of Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh in North India.

They share their family tree with Chandel Rajputs. Chandels are one of the 36 royal castes of Rajputs. At one time, Chandels ruled over Bundelkhand. This state fell in the middle of rivers Yamuna and Narmada. They had their fort at Kalinjar.

They came into Punjab in around 1469 AD. The main villages of the Grewals are Lalton Kalan, Mehma Singh Wala,Sarabha, Daad, Thakkerwal, Andlu among a lot others; there are another 70 smaller villages around these three, all in the district of Ludhiana. Guru Hargobind visited Gujjarwal in 1631 AD. Grewals converted to Sikhism at this time.

It is said that one of the Chandel Rajput kings, named Bairsi had a son named Grewal from a Jat woman, from where the name started.who

Located south of the Sutlej River, the Grewals came under British rule early even as Maharaja Ranjit Singh consolidated the Sikh Empire all the way to Kabul. The Grewal villages with a rural middle class prospered and established schools which led to further progress. Education became the passport for the Grewals to travel and obtain positions across the Punjab and also relieve pressure on the small land holdings. They also joined the British Indian army and fought in wars from Mesopotamia to Germany.

Noted Grewals

*Alexi Grewal - first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in cycling.
*Gurmant Singh Grewal - Former Canadian Member of Parliament.
*Harnam Singh Grewal - Field hockey Olympian, former commanding officer of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
*Kartar Singh Sarabha Grewal - celebrated Sikh Indian independence movement leader, martyr and hero.
*Nina Grewal - Canadian Member of Parliament and former Vice-Chair of the Status of Women Committee in the House of Commons.
*Simi Garewal - Bollywood actress.
*bunty grewal - bollywood actor,supermodel.

References

* Ram Swaroop joon: History of Jats, India

External links

* [http://www.lalton.com A website about Village Lalton Kalan, Famous & historical village of Grewals]
* [http://www.qilaraipur.org A website about the Qila Raipur area]
* [http://www.gujjarwal.com A website about Village Gujjarwal, Prominent and historical village of Grewals]