Paliwal

Paliwal is a surname in India. Although the inhabitants practice many religions and belong to different Hindu castes, most of them are Rajputs and Brahmins. A number of inhabitants practice Jainism, and call themselves Digamber Paliwal Jains. Their typical surnames are Lodaya and Khedikar.

Etymology and Use

The origin of the surname Paliwal is Pali+wal(e) (a person from Pali). Most inhabitants of Pali are called Paliwals. Pali is a district in the princely state of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is revered and praised around India for upholding the values of chastity, purity, and religion. As an example of these values, when the Mughals invaded Rajasthan, the women of the palace and town jumped in a collective fire in order to avoid rape and humiliation. It is believed that people from Pali migrated to different places during the same Mughal period. Paliwal Brahmins are also found in pali gaon almora Kumaon (Uttarakhand), Agra, Shikohabad, Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh), Indore, and Hoshangabad in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. Many of them are found around the world today.

Origins

The exact origins of the surname are unknown, but there are two major theories:

One theory suggests that Pali was a small kingdom in the Thar desert of India, which the inhabitants turned into an oasis. At some point in the 13th century, in response to what they viewed as tyrannical behavior by the King of Pali, they migrated to the area of Kuldhara in the state currently known as Jaisalmer. Their origin was identified by the appellation Paliwal. It is said that each new Paliwal family was welcomed into the 84 villages around Kuldhara with a brick and a gold coin from every other family in the village. The brick was used to build a house and the gold was used to start a business or a farm. As the community's prosperity was rebuilt, it became the target of Mughal invasions. In the 18th century, there is said to have been a raid which resulted in the poisoning of their wells from animal carcasses, resulting in this Brahmin community migration from the Kuldhara area.

Some Paliwal clans are also Rajputs. The Rajput community of Paliwals migrated to eastern and western UP. In the Azamgarh and Ambedkar Nagar districts of eastern UP, Paliwal Rajput villages are spread out in an area of 42 kosi. There are a number of villages situated in this area historically belonging to Paliwal Rajputs. Ahirauli Rani Mau is one of the main villages situated in Ambedkar Nagar district of Paliwal Rajputs. As per Shri Hawaldar Singh, the retired principal of this village, king of Pali used to send his representative to these areas to be in touch with the people of his gotra. Some of these families later migrated to north Bihar and the Gorakhpur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

In Northern Bihar, Paliwal rajputs have five villages in Gopalganj District (North Bihar). The Paliwal rajputs coming from these five villages are supposedly renowned for their royal lineage, bravery, and political and social power. The five villages are named Sasamusa, Rampur, Dauda, Rampur Uchkagaon and Paharpur.

Paliwal rajputs are said to have a strong influence in politics in eastern Uttar Pradesh and northern Bihar.

Paliwals, specifically Paliwal Rajputs, claim themselves to be the descendants of pandavas and belong to the Vyagrapath clan. They say their origin is from Chandrawansh and their ancestors were the King Bharat and pandavas; some rajputs mentioned themselves as Bharatvanshi. Palwal Rajputs may have been great fighters during their own times, even though there are no historical records available on them being associated directly with any of the wars. Some of them claim they were historical traders who used to carry gold, and that this is the major reason they migrated from one place to another.

There is very little information about the Kuldevi and Kuldevata of Palwar Rajputs, and different theories are propagated around them. One claim is that they belong to "Vyaghra Gotra" and they traditionally worship "Devata Nag". While some others traditionally worship Shri Krishna, and they claim that Krishna is from the same vansh and his lineage was later on attributed to the yadavas. A third group believes that their clan belongs to Lord Shiva and they are also spiritual in terms of Brahmin Seva and the faith in Nag. Some Paliwal Rajputs in UP pray to Goddess "Kali Mata" and "Elephant" before every good and bad situation.

There are some historical texts about the history of Paliwal housed in the royal library of Mewar (a private library belonging to the royal family of Udaipur) at Udaipur.

There is also an alternate theory related to the origin of Paliwals. It was traditional for tribes in this time to tell stories to generations and keep up folklore. As the grandfather of this tribe sat by the fire with his grandchildren he decided to use his imagination and tell the children a story that would make them proud of their family history. So he told them this story: long ago the first man of the family roamed the desert in the hot sun looking for a place to rest and find water. Finally he stumbled on a cave area that housed a small river. He was glad that he found water, but he still had no peace because he did not know who he was. He knew that he had to have a name, a name that would be great for generations to come. As he sat in the cave pondering on what he should call himself he saw a panda bear. He snuck up on the panda bear and killed it for food and clothing. Then it struck him, "I shall be named Pali which means (victory over the panda). This is another theory from whence the name Paliwal originated.

The explanation of the Solanki ancestry of Paliwals is as follows. As the Solanki Rajputs dynasty vanished after 1100 BC the Wadhelas of Gujrat carried this dynasty's lineage. This group was known after Raja Pal (last King of Solanki Dynasty) whose 4th grand father was Raja Vyahgradeo. Thus they started writing the "Vyhaghra Gotra" as their dynasty.

Most of the stories about the group's history and lineage are anecdotal, and not based on written records.

The Paliwal Brahmins are prosperous in comparison to other communities. In the later 19th century they were among the major trading communities of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. One such is Garg Gotra whose descendants moved to Badli (now in Delhi) under Dalchand paliwal, and who held 15 villages. The villages are now supposedly under Raj Kumar Paliwal.

The Paliwals are major land owners in Rajasthan. There are also traders and industrialists from this community.

Downfall of Pali The wealth & fame of Paliwal Brahmans became their enemy and in 1156, the tribals of Aravali started to trouble them. Around the same time, founder of Rathore Dynasty, Prince of Kannauj, Sihaji was returning from holy visit to Dwarka. Paliwals requested Sihaji to protect them from these tribals. Sihaji saved the Paliwals and was tempted to see the wealth and prosperity of Paliwals. On the day of Holi, he very cleverly killed the main people of Paliwal Samaj and took over the rule of Pali. Around 1292, Delhi's King Nasimuddin, sent his big army to capture Pali. Paliwal Brahmans fought bravely for 12 days and after that they left Pali forever and proceeded towards Jaisalmer.