Rawal
Rawal (also spelled Raval) or Raol originally is a regional variation of the Hindi princely ruler title Raja/Radjah (literally "king"[1]) used in some princely states in Rajputana and Western India (notably Gujarat), and is now also used as a caste designation or surname by several communities in Southern Asia.They can be also classified as general category "Brahmins". A village near Sumer has people filled with surname- Rawal of General Category.Also a Kashmiri pandit surname.
Princely titles
Notable (but non-salute) states using this title for their ruling prince were, both under the colonial Mahi Kantha Agency (in the third -high- of seven classes of states) and in present Gujarat :
Maharawal
This 'Western' equivalent of the higher (gradually deflated) Hindi title Maharaja (literally 'great king') was notably used by three salute states in Rajputana (presently in Rajasthan), all entitled to a (high-ranking) Hereditary gun salute of 15-guns :
- the Maharawal (also called Maharaja) of Jaisalmer
- the Maharawal of Banswara
- the Maharawal of Dungarpur
and one in Gujarat, entitled to a (rather low-ranking) Hereditary salute of 9-guns (11-guns personal) :
- the Maharaol (or Maharawal) of Bari(y)a
As a surname
As a surname, "Rawal" is found among multiple communities in India.
- Gurjars or Gujjars[2]
- Rajputs[2]
- Marathas[3] The Nambudiri priests of the Badrinath and Kedarnath were given the title of "Rawal" by the king of Garhwal in 1776[4][5]
- Raval (also known as Rawal or Raval Yogi), an Indian caste categorized among the Other Backward Classes[6][7]
- Rawal, a caste found in Pakistan and Pakistani diaspora; its members claim to be the original rulers of Rawalpindi[8][9]
- Jat
Individuals named rawal
People with the title or surname Rawal include (in alphabetical order):
- Bappa Rawal, legendary ruler of Mewar kingdom India
- Bhim Bahadur Rawal, Nepali politician
- Jam Rawal, ruler of Kachchh princely state in India
- Jayakumar Jitendrasinh Rawal, Indian politician
- Jitendra Jatashankar Rawal, Indian astrophysicist
- Kalpana Rawal, Kenyan lawyer and judge
- Lal Bahadur Rawal, Nepali politician
- Nisha Rawal, Indian model-actress
- Paresh Rawal, Indian actor
- Rajendra Rawal, Nepali footballer
- Darshan Raval, Indian Singer
- Rawal Jaisal, ruler of Jaisalmer state in India
- Rawal Mallinath, folk hero of Rajasthan, India
- Rawal Ratan Singh, ruler of Mewar state in India
- Sanjay Rawal, American documentary film director
- Sashi Rawal, Nepali pop singersinger
- Vaibhav Rawal, Indian cricketer
- Vipul K Rawal, Indian scriptwriter
Other uses
Groups of people
- Rawal Bhil, a clan of Bhils
Places
- Rawal lake, a reservoir in Pakistan
- Rawal Express, a Pakistani train service between Lahore and Rawalpindi
- Rawal, Uttar Pradesh
References
- Lindsey Harlan (1992). Religion and Rajput Women: The Ethic of Protection in Contemporary Narratives. University of California Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-520-07339-5.
- A. N. Bharadwaj (1994). History and culture of Himalayan Gujjars. Jay Kay Book House.
- S. R. Maitra (1998). K. S. Singh (ed.). People of India: Rajasthan. Popular Prakashan. pp. 811–814. ISBN 978-81-7154-769-2.
- James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-8239-3179-8.
- J. P. Singh Rana (1997). Himalayan Heritage. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 8. ISBN 978-81-7533-026-9.
- Gopal Krishna (2003). K. S. Singh (ed.). People of India: Gujarat. XXII. Popular Prakashan. pp. 1194–1197. ISBN 978-81-7991-106-8.
- S. P. Agrawal; J. C. Aggarwal (1991). Educational and Social Uplift of Backward Classes: At what Cost and How? : Mandal Commission and After. Concept Publishing Company. p. 227. ISBN 978-81-7022-339-9.
- T. N. Madan (1 July 1995). Muslim communities of South Asia: culture, society, and power. Manohar in association with the Book Review Literary Trust. p. 132. ISBN 978-81-7304-090-0.
- The Ranking of Brotherhoods: The Dialectics of Muslim Caste among Oversees Pakistanis by Pnina Werbner pages 103 to 145 in Muslim Communities of South Asia by T N Madam Manohar publications 1995 page 127