Johal

For other uses, see Johal (disambiguation).

Jat Clan: Johal
Distribution	Punjab (Pakistan), Punjab (India) and Haryana and England and Bradford
Descended from:
Branches:	None
Religion	Sikhism (majority)
Languages	Punjabi and Haryanvi
Surnames:	Johl/Johal

Map showing land under dominion of White Huns - Johals, c. 520 AD.

Johal (ਜੋਹਲ) (also known as Johls, Jovals, Jauvla, Jauhal Jauhla) is a prominent Jatt family clan originally from modern Pakistan and North India. The Johals Jats are found both in Punjab, India and Punjab, Pakistan.

History

Lineage

Johals(Jouhals) are direct descendent's of Hepthalites, also known as White Huns. White Huns were a division of the Massagetae, who invaded North India during AD 460-470. Thomas Watters (British Acting Consul General in Korea from (1887–1888) [51] writes "----country (North-West of India) was conquered by the Yeta (White Huns), i.e., the Yets or Gats apparently near the end of our fifth century. The Yeta, who were a powerful people in Central Asia, in the fifth century, are also said to have been of the Yue-Chi (Kushan) stock---". The leader of the White Huns called "Toramana" was throned in AD 495 and established his capital at Sakala (modern Sialkot, Punjab). According to Inscriptions, the full name of the king was Maharaja ("Great King) Toramana Shaha JAUVLA (Jauhal).

Later, In A.D. 510, Mihirakula succeeded his father as the "Great" king. Sir Cunningham says Jauvla was the name of their tribe or clan. According to him, the name of the Jabuli tribe of the White Huns is still preserved in Zabulistan (land of Jauvla, today's Zabul) and their language called "Zauli" also still existed in the tenth century AD [45]. Furthermore, White Huns or Jauvla are the direct ancestors of dark-age times Jat clan name called "Jauhla" and modern days "Johals". In AD 520 Mihirakula succeeded his father Toramana Jauvla. In turn Mihirakula was succeeded by his son called Ajitanjaya and after the disintegration of their Indian empire the Jauvala or Johals secured for themselves Zabulistan or Jabulistan. It is interesting to note the remarks of Sir Cunningham [45] concerning the reading of a coin of White Huns "But in the two Pahlavi legends of the reverse I read on the left ----and to the right Zaulistan (Jaulistan)". This says it very well that the actual name is "Jaulistan" (land of Jauls or Johals) instead of "Zabulistan".

Best Known Johals of this time: Economist Sardara Singh Johal, Journalist & TV Host Satpal Singh Johal

Theory of origin

History shows that between the range of 1000 to 3000 years ago (1000 BC through 1000 AD), Central Asian tribes classified as Indo-Iranian/Indo-European/Indo-Aryan migrated into both Europe and South Asia. These tribal names stayed intact in some places which were settled such as India due to a strong tradition of heritage preservation. (Alternatively, these tribes may have originated from South Asia and spread into Central Asia)

Alexander The Great also introduced Greek influence into the South Asian region at around the same time as the Scythians. It is noteworthy that he skirmished with Scythians along the way (and is reputed to have built the Caspian Gates).

In contemporary scholarship, the Jats of Northern India (found today in the Punjab region of Pakistan and India) are opined to be from the Scythian, Saka, White Hun, Yuezhi, Parthian, Greco-Bactrian migrations/settlements/invasions into the region in the immediate period starting from a few centuries BC to a few centuries AD. The history of the individual tribes would shed more light on their specific ancestry.

Historians, anthropologists, and military leaders alike from the British Empire remarked on the physical, cultural, and linguistic similarity between the Jatts and other Indo-European groups nearby such as the Pashtun of Afghanistan. The caucasian look as it was known at the time, though not predominating through the entire group as it did with some mountain Pashtun tribes, was common amongst the Jatts.

Religion

Most Johals are Sikhs while some are Muslims, Hindus and Christians.