history of grewalz

History and origin

The Grewal community claim to be descendants of the Chandela Rajputs of Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh in North India. 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 a fort at Kalinjar.

They came into Punjab around 1469 AD. Guru Hargobind visited Gujjarwal in 1631 AD. A few Grewals converted to Sikhism at this time. Grewals also contributed in the freedom fight of India. Kartar Singh Sarabha from Sarabha village lead the fight and was accepted as a guru by the freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

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 are characterized by small land holdings and a complete lack of large estates called zamindaris. In contrast, 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-India mercenary army and fought in wars from Mesopotamia to Germany.

Women's emancipation came early to the Grewals: a girl's high school was established in Gujjarwal over a hundred years ago. Grewal girls like Dr Gurdial Kaur Grewal and Dr Shivdev Kaur Grewal travelled to Delhi and graduated from Lady Hardinge Medical College early in the twentieth century. With education came problems for the girls; while sought after as educated brides, they were also less likely to accept the often vicious treatment of daughters-in-laws across the Punjab. The prohibition of Grewals marrying Grewals only made the matters worse. Female infanticide was not unusual across Grewal villages: it was perceived as less painful compared to watching a life-time of torture by the in-laws. In the Grewal villages women held equal power and worked and moved freely where they pleased.

Distribution
The main villages of the Grewals are {Sahouli}, Narangwal, Kila Raipur, Gujjarwal , Dhaipai, Dolay,Baddowal ,JASSOWAL SUDHAN, Sarabha, Lalton Kalan, JHANDE , jodhan, Humanyunpura, Barewal,chupki, Mehma Singh Wala, Phallewall, Daad, Thakkerwal,Mehmoodpura,Assi kalan Dolon Khurd, Andlu,ballowall,chaminda,butahri,chubki,kheri chameri, Buraj pakka near Machhiwara, Bamla and Chandeni; there are another 70 smaller villages in the district of Ludhiana

There are many Grewal villages based out of Bhiwani,Hisar and Ludhiana districts. Legend has it that, many of the older family members migrated from the major Grewal villages, and thereafter established settlements away mainly in the southern Punjab, and also many went up to Bhiwani in Haryana. Sakroudi and Rai Singh Wala are two such illustrious villages in Sangrur, dominated by Grewal Sikh clan.Grewal also live in village Satrod khurd (Hisar) in haryana.

Grewals today
Most of the Grewals in India are settled in the districts of Bhiwani,Hisar,Jind and Ludhiana in Haryana and Punjab. Many can also be found abroad, especially in south east Asia, Australia and the UK.

Grewal have gained two gold medals at the Olympic Games: in Berlin, at the 1936 Summer Olympics, Garewal Singh won gold with the men's hockey team; in Los Angeles, at the 1984 Summer Olympics, Alexi Grewal won gold in the individual road race, becoming the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in cycling.

Notable Grewals
Kartar Singh Sarabha Grewal - Indian independence movement leader
Nina Grewal – Canadian politician of the Conservative Party
Gurmant Grewal - Former Canadian Conservative Party MP; Husband of Nina Grewal
Alexi Grewal - Olympic gold medalist and former professional road racing cyclist
Simi Garewal – Former Bollywood actress
Gippy Grewal - bhangra singer
Ravinder Grewal - bhangra singer
Garewal Singh - First Grewal Olympian, won gold medal at Berlin Olympics