Mohyal history

Sources

Currently, a documented history of Mohyals is mostly derived from oral history and a few historical records.
The known written works include the following:
  • Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali (Selected works of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati), Prakashan Sansthan, Delhi, 2003.
  • Bali Nama (Persian) by Rattan Chand Bali
  • Mirat-ul-Mohyali (Urdu, 1870s.)
  • Islah-e-Mohyali (Urdu, 1908) Raizada Rattan Chand Vaid
  • Mohyal History (Urdu, 1940) Chuni Lal Dutt
  • Gulshan-e-Mohyali (Urdu, 1920s) Raizada Hari Chand Vaid
  • Jang Nama - An account of the Mohans by Har Bhagwan Lau
  • Tawarikh-e-Vaidaan - (Punjabi) A history of the Vaids
  • The history of the Muhiyals: The militant Brahman race of India (English,1911) by T.P. Russell Stracey
  • Mohyal History (English, 1985) by P.N. Bali
There have also been in existence many ballads extolling the feats of Mohyals, for many centuries. The sustained existence through the centuries is attributed to the fact that in the past Mohyals used to patronize bards that were devoted to memorizing these ballads and passing them on from generation to generation.
Both the ballads and some of the written sources contain obvious exaggerations of the feats of Mohyals' ancestors, yet at places are also believed to offer interesting nuggets of history.
A good source of recent history is provided by the journal Mohyal Mitter, one of the oldest published journals of the sub-continent, published since 1891. In addition, a Mohyal Gazzette was also published from 1899 regularly until 1912, from Kala Gujran.
Stracey mentions that the Mohyals are primarily a military class, divided into seven clans that have been prominently associated with the government and sometimes rulership of the country. They have also figured at some early period of history in the affairs of Arabia, Central Asia, Afghanistan and Persia. At the time of his writing he states that they were spread from Afghanistan and Punjab to Bihar.

By- Ch. Anil Dutta, Amritsar

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