Kanyal

The Kanyal or sometimes spelt Kanial, are tribe of both Jats and Rajputs status, found mainly in Gujrat, Jhelum and Rawalpindi Districts of Punjab, and Mirpur and Bhimber district of Azad Kashmir.

History and Origin

According to their tradition, the Kanyal originate from Jammu,India and trace their descent to Jambu Loachon, the founder of Jammu.He had a son named Raja Puran Karan, from whom the tribe claims descent. The tribe claims descent from the Manhas Rajputs.

There are various stories AbOUT the emergence of the Kanyal or Kanial tribes, in the Rawalpindi district they are considered as a high ranking tribe of the Rajput clan, and it is in this area that they have settled for hundreds of years gaining a reputation as one of the main tribes in the whole district for centuries.

Kanyals like other Rajput clans originally gained a degree of infamy for their customs of brutally murdering neighbouring tribes on several occasions. Although there has been no trouble for a while now, they are still this day considered as a martial tribe. The area surrounding Gujar Khan holds the main villages of the Kanyal tribe, the main being Dhera Kanyal and Mohra Kanyal.

GeneRally in Rawalpindi, the tribe is considered Rajput, while in the other districts they are considered Jats, and have historically intermarried with neighbouring tribes such as the Thathaal and Bangial.

Distribution

Habib Kanial, Dara Kanial and Mohra Kanial are important villages in Rawalpindi District.

Kanial, Arif Kanial, Dhera Kanial, Mohra Kanial, Sahot Kanyal, Dhok Kanyal, Atit Kanial, Dhaia Kanial and Dhok Manna are part of a cluster of Kanial villages in Gujar Khan Tehsil.

Mohra Kanial and Dhok Kanial is are important village in Jhelum District.

Mohra Kanyal village in Dadyal Tehsil of Mirpur District, is an important centre of the tribe in Azad Kashmir.

See also

• List of Jat clans
• List of Jat Clans of West Punjab
• Muslim Rajputs

References

• Glossary of the Tribes & caste of Punjab by H. A Rose