Chahal Jats
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Chahal Jats is one of the largest Jatt tribes in the Punjab. They are found in greatest numbers in Patiala, but are numerous in Ambala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar and as far west as Gujranwala and Sialkot.
Legend suggests that Raja Agarsen Surajbansi had four sons: Chahil, Chhina, Chima and Sahi and that the four Jatt tribes bear these names are sprung from them. Their original home was Malwa. In Amritsar they say that Chahal was a son of Raja Khang, who once saw some fairies bathing in a tank. He seized their clothes and only restored them on condition that one of them became his bride. The queen of the fairy agreed to be his wife on one condition also, that he would never raise his voice to her , he agreed and they got married. They later had a child ‘Jogi pir’ and not soon after he was born his mother once left him at home while she went to the local bazaar, on her return she found her husband not happy that she had left him alone. As you can imagine he shouted at her and to his horror she floated back to the sky’s. He pleaded with her to stay but she only came back from the sky’s to feed her child. The Chahal migrated to Pakhi Chahilan near Patiala and there founded Rala Joga or Joga Rala in the Malwa.
The Chahil affect Jogi Pir, originally Joga, son of Rajpal, who is said to have been killed after fighting with the Mughals. Jogi Pir who is said to be the guru (preceptor) of Chahal jats. It is said that during the times of Mughal rule, Jogi Pir fought with the forces of Mughal rulers. During the battle, his head was chopped off, but his headless body kept on fighting until it fell down dead in this village also called Bhopal. The people were deeply touched by the sacrifice of Jogi Pir and got a Samadhi constructed here.
Another story also says that once a few persons were going to some place for business purpose, and night befell them. They stayed under a grove of trees in the premises of the smadh. They felt pangs of thirst at night, but there was no source of water where from they could quench their thirst. A heavenly voice which was believed to be that of Jogi Pir was heard: “ why do you die of thirst? Pick out abrick from the pond and take water”. They did likewise, found water from underneath the brick they picked up and thus they quenched their thirst.
