Pal (surname)

Last updated

Pal, alternative form "Paul", is a common surname found in India and Bangladesh. It is traditionally believed that 'Pal' originated from the Sanskrit pala meaning protector or keeper. [1] It is also occasionally found in other countries.

Contents

History

The surname Pal (or Paul) is found in Bengal among Bengali Kayasthas. [2] [3] Historian Tej Ram Sharma mentions that the surname is "now confined to Kayasthas of Bengal" while referring to the names of Brahmins ending in such Kayastha surnames in the early inscriptions dating back to the Gupta period. [2]

Pal is also used as a surname by the Bengali Hindu potters (Kumbhakars), [4] [5] and other castes like Teli, [5] Subarnabanik and Sadgop. [6]

The Pardhi, a hunter community of Maharashtra, is also known as Pal. [7]

The saint Gwalipa told Suraj Sen, the ruler of Gwalior, to adopt the surname Pal, which remains prevalent up to eighty-three descendants of Suraj Sen. [8]

The Ahirs in Central India use Pal as a surname. [9]

In imitation of Pal dynasty of Assam, the Chutia (pronounced as Sutia) also took the surname of Pal. [10]

Pal was also a popular surname among the Parmar Rajput rulers of the Garhwal. [11] [12]

Pal is a surname of the Thakuri people of Nepal. [13] : 22 

In Punjab and other states, Pal is often used as a middle name followed by Singh.[ citation needed ]

Pal is also used as a surname by the Punjabi Khatri community.[ citation needed ]

The rulers of Kullu held the surname Pal up to about the 15th century A.D., which they later changed to Singh. [14]

Bengalis

During the Gupta period, the Kayasthas had not developed into a distinct caste in Bengal, although the office of the Kayasthas (scribes) had been instituted before the beginning of the period, as evidenced from the contemporary smritis.

The names of brahmanas occurring in our inscriptions sometimes end in a non-brahmanic cognomen such as Bhatta, Datta and Kunda, etc., which are available in the inscriptions of Bengal. Surnames like Datta, Dama, Palita, Pala, Kunda (Kundu), Dasa, Naga and Nandin are now confined to Kayasthas of Bengal but not to brahmanas. Noticing brahmanic names with a large number of modern Bengali Kayastha cognomens in several early epigraphs discovered in Bengal, some scholars have suggested that there is a considerable brahmana element in the present day Kayastha community of Bengal. Originally the professions of Kayastha (scribe) and Vaidya (physician) were not restricted and could be followed by people of different varnas including the brahmanas. So there is every probability that a number of brahmana families were mixed up with members of other varnas in forming the present Kayastha and Vaidya communities of Bengal.

— Tej Ram Sharma, Indian historian, [2]

Abu al-Fazl, describes these kings (the Pal Kings) as Kayastha. Bengal, in effect, became the land of the Kayasthas, having been ruled by the Kayasthas for about 2000 years. Sanskrit sources such as Rajtarangini however do not yet regard Kayastha as a caste in any sense but as a category of "officials" or "scribes". Between the fifth or sixth centuries (when we first hear of them) and the eleventh-twelfth centuries, its component elements were putative Kshatriyas and, for the larger majority Brahmins, who either retained their caste identity or became Buddhists while laying down the sacred thread. The Kayasthas obtained aspect of a caste perhaps under the Senas.

— André Wink, Historian, [15]

According to Radhey Shyam Chourasia, an Indian historian, the Palas do not trace their origin to any ancient hero. The dynasty is so called because the names of all kings had the termination - Pala. The family has no illustrious ancestry. [16]

Historian Guptajit Pathak believes that the Palas of Kamarupa, who had the same surname as the Palas of Bengal and Bihar (Gaura and Magadha), "were perhaps of non-Aryan origin". [17]

Several kings of the Pala dynasty were Buddhists. [18]

According to the Khalimpur Plate of Dharmapala, Gopala I, the founder of the dynasty, "was the son of a warrior Vapyata and the grandson of a highly educated Dayitavishnu". Unlike other contemporary dynasties, the Palas "do not claim descent from any mythological figure or epic hero". The Kamauly Copper Plate inscription suggests that Palas call themselves Kshatriyas belonging to Solar dynasty. "According to Manjusree Mulakalpa, Gopala I was a sudra and according to Abul Fazl, the Palas were Kayasthas." In Ramacharita, the Pala King Rampala is called Kshatriya but later in the same book Dharmapala is described as Samudrakula-dipa. Bagchi suggests that "the non-mention of caste may be a reason that the Palas were Buddhists and they were not supposed to mention their caste like the Brahmanical ruling dynasties", though they performed the duties and functions of Kshatriyas for about four centuries. [19]

Notables

India

Art

Business

Entertainment

Judiciary

Politics

Science

Sports

Others

  • Haridas Pal, Fictional Character and Successful Businessman
  • Krishna Pal (1762–1822), Early Indian convert to Christianity

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kshatriya</span> Ruling and warrior class of the Hindu varna system

Kshatriya is one of the four varnas of Hindu society and is associated with the warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term kṣatriyaḥ is used in the context of later Vedic society wherein members were organised into four classes: brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, and shudra.

Gupta is a common surname or last name of Indian origin. It is based on the Sanskrit word गोप्तृgoptṛ, which means 'guardian' or 'protector'. According to historian R. C. Majumdar, the surname Gupta was adopted by several different communities in northern and eastern India at different times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bipin Chandra Pal</span> Indian academic and politician (1859–1932)

Bipin Chandra Pal was an Indian nationalist, writer, orator, social reformer and freedom fighter. He was one third of the "Lal Bal Pal" triumvirate. He was one of the main architects of the Swadeshi movement. He is known as the Father of Revolutionary Thoughts in India. He also opposed the partition of Bengal by the British colonial government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pala Empire</span> Early medieval empire in the Indian subcontinent

The Pāla Empire was an imperial power during the post-classical period in the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Bengal. It is named after its ruling dynasty, whose rulers bore names ending with the suffix Pāla. The empire was founded with the election of Gopāla as the emperor of Gauda in late eighth century CE. The Pala stronghold was located in Bengal and eastern Bihar, which included the major cities of Gauḍa, Vikramapura, Pāṭaliputra, Monghyr, Somapura, Ramavati (Varendra), Tāmralipta and Jagaddala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kayastha</span> Community of India

Kayastha or Kayasth denotes a cluster of disparate Indian communities broadly categorised by the regions of the Indian subcontinent in which they were traditionally located—the Chitraguptavanshi Kayasthas of North India, the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus of Maharashtra, the Bengali Kayasthas of Bengal and Karanas of Odisha. All of them were traditionally considered "writing castes", who had historically served the ruling powers as administrators, ministers and record-keepers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sena dynasty</span> Hindu dynasty of Bengal region, ruled 10th to 12th century

The Sena dynasty was a Hindu dynasty during the early medieval period on the Indian subcontinent, that ruled from Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. The empire at its peak covered much of the north-eastern region of the Indian subcontinent. The rulers of the Sena Dynasty traced their origin to the south Indian region of Karnataka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengali Brahmin</span> Hindu caste originating from the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent

Bengali Brahmins are the community of Hindu Brahmins, who traditionally reside in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, currently comprising the Indian state of West Bengal and the country of Bangladesh.

Gopala was the founder of the Pala dynasty, which was based in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. The last morpheme of his name Pala means "protector" and was used as an ending for the names of all the Pala monarchs. Pala does not suggest or indicate any ethnic or caste considerations of the Pala dynasty. He came to power in later half of eighth century AD in Gaur/Gaud after being elected by a group of regional chieftains.

Mahishya is a Bengali Hindu traditionally agrarian caste, and formed the largest caste in undivided Bengal. Mahisyas were, and still are, extremely diverse caste consisting of all possible classes in terms of material conditions and ranks.

Dutta, also spelled Datta, is an Indian family name Its variation is Dutt.

Dasgupta is a common Bengali Hindu last name or surname that is used by the Bengalis of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh. The surname is found among the members of the Baidya caste of Bengal.

There are conflicting theories regarding the original homeland and ancestry of the Gupta dynasty that ruled northern India between 4th and 6th centuries. Modern historians variously theorize that it originated in present-day Uttar Pradesh or Bengal, based on epigraphic, numismatic and literary evidence. The social group (varna) of the dynasty is also a matter of debate, with scholars variously placing them in kshatriya Vaishya, Brahmana, or other categories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kulin Kayastha</span> Sub-caste of the Kayastha caste in West Bengal, India

Kulin Kayastha is a sub-caste of the Bengali Kayastha caste in Bengal region of Indian subcontinent. They are also known as the Kulina Kayasthas.

Baidya or Vaidya is a Bengali Hindu community located in the Bengal region of Indian subcontinent. A caste (jāti) of Ayurvedic physicians, the Baidyas have long had pre-eminence in society alongside Brahmins and Kayasthas. In the colonial era, the Bhadraloks were drawn primarily, but not exclusively, from these three upper castes, who continue to maintain a collective hegemony in West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indo-Aryan migration to Assam</span> Migration into Northeast India

The earliest Indo-Aryan migration to Assam is estimated to have occurred between the 2nd century BCE and 1st century CE—not earlier than 500 BCE. The earliest epigraphic record suggests that the Indo-Aryan migration began latest by the middle of the 4th century CE. They came from the Gangetic Plains into a region already inhabited by people who spoke Austroasiatic and Tibeto-Burman languages.

Nandy or Nandi is a Bengali surname which is found among the Bengali Kayasthas in Indian States of West Bengal, Assam,Tripura and in Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengali Kayastha</span> Bengali Hindu of the Kayastha caste

Bengali Kayastha, is a Bengali Hindu caste originated from the Bengal region of Indian subcontinent, and is one of the main subgroups of the Kayastha community. The historical caste occupation of Kayasthas throughout India has been that of scribes, administrators, ministers and record-keepers; the Kayasthas in Bengal, along with Brahmins and Baidyas, are regarded among the three traditional higher castes that comprise the "upper layer of Hindu society." During the British Raj, the Bhadraloks of Bengal were drawn primarily, but not exclusively, from these three castes, who continue to maintain a collective hegemony in West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varendra rebellion</span> 1070 CE revolt of Kaivarta chieftains against Pala rule in north Bengal

The Varendra rebellion was the revolt against King Mahipala II led by Kaivarta chieftain Divya (Dibyak), a feudal lord of Northern Bengal. The Kaivartas were able to capture Varendra by this rebellion. The revolt might have been the first peasant revolt in Indian history. However, the first phase of the revolt would more appropriately be described as a rebellion of feudal lords (samantas), who would have mobilized the peasants, and the last phase of the revolt was a spontaneous mass uprising.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chitraguptavanshi Kayastha</span> North Indian branch of Kayastha caste

Chitraguptavanshi Kayastha, also referred to as North-Indian Kayastha, is a subgroup of Hindus of the Kayastha community that are mainly concentrated in the Hindi Belt of North India.

Kundu is a common Bengali Hindu surname found among the Bengali Kayastha, Teli and some other communities of India and Bangladesh.

References

  1. ↑ Sharma, Tej Ram (1978). Personal and Geographical Names in the Gupta Empire. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p. 56.
  2. 1 2 3 Sharma, Tej Ram (1978). Personal and Geographical Names in the Gupta Empire. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p. 115.
  3. ↑ Inden, Ronald B. (1976). Marriage and Rank in Bengali Culture: A History of Caste and Clan in Middle Period Bengal. University of California Press. p. 40. ISBN   978-0-520-02569-1.
  4. ↑ Alexander Nemerov (2001). The Body of Raphaelle Peale: Still Life and Selfhood, 1812-1824. University of California Press. pp. 206, 259. ISBN   9780520224988.
  5. 1 2 Amal Datta (2003). Human Migration: A Social Phenomenon. Mittal Publications. p. 143. ISBN   9788170998334.
  6. ↑ Marvin Davis (1983). Rank and Rivalry: The Politics of Inequality in Rural West Bengal. CUP Archive. p. 65. ISBN   9780521288804.
  7. ↑ People of India: Maharashtra, Part 3. Popular Prakashan. 2004. pp. 1662–1667. ISBN   9788179911020.
  8. ↑ Trudy Ring; Robert M. Salkin; Sharon La Boda (1994). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania. Taylor & Francis. p. 312. ISBN   9781884964046.
  9. ↑ André Wink (2002). Al-Hind, the Making of the Indo-Islamic World: Early Medieval India and the Expansion of Islam 7Th-11th Centuries. BRILL. p. 293. ISBN   9780391041738.
  10. ↑ Swami Bangovinda Parampanthi (1987). Bhagawan Parashuram and Evolution of Culture in North-East India. Daya Publishing House, Original from the University of Michigan. p. 109. ISBN   9788170350330.
  11. ↑ Ajay S. Rawat (2002). Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective. Indus Publishing. pp. 278, 275. ISBN   9788173871368.
  12. ↑ B. P. Kamboj (2003). Early Wall Painting of Garhwal. Indus Publishing. p. 21. ISBN   9788173871399.
  13. ↑ Adhikary, Surya Mani (1997). The Khasa Kingdom: A trans-Himalayan empire of the middle age. Nirala Publications. ISBN   8185693501.
  14. ↑ Punjab (India). Public Relations Dept (1956). Kulu, the Happy Valley, Volume 25. Director, Public Relations, Original from Pennsylvania State University. p. 2.
  15. ↑ André Wink (1991). Al- Hind: The slave kings and the Islamic conquest. 2, Volume 1. BRILL. p. 269. ISBN   9789004095090.
  16. ↑ Radhey Shyam Chaurasia (2002). History of Ancient India. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 199. ISBN   9788126900275.
  17. ↑ Guptajit Pathak (2008). Assam's history and its graphics. Mittal Publications. p. 62. ISBN   9788183242516.
  18. ↑ Promsak Jermsawatdi (1979). Thai Art with Indian Influences. Abhinav Publications. p. 55. ISBN   9788170170907.
  19. ↑ Jhunu Bagchi (1993). The History and Culture of the Pālas of Bengal and Bihar, Cir. 750 A.D.-cir. 1200 A.D. Abhinav Publications. p. 37. ISBN   9788170173014.

See also

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.