Rupial, Roopyal, Roopial, Ruplal, Rooplal
- Pronunciation: /rupja:l/
- Status: Jat, Rajput
- Religion: Islam
The Rupyal clan resides in District Mirpur, where they are recognised as Jats. They also have a presence in Tehsil Kallar Syedan and northern Jammu-Kashmir, where they are considered Rajputs and use the title Choudhary.
Origin
The Rupyal clan traces its lineage to Roopa or Roop Chand, from whom the clan name is derived. However, some believe the name means ‘handsome’ (roop-wala), others suggest ‘wealthy’ (roopey-wala), while another theory posits it as a corruption of ‘Alpial’.
All Rupyal in District Mirpur stem from the village of Chhatroh in Tehsil Dadyal. Their tradition states they originated from Chhappar near Arazi in Tehsil Kallar Syedan, or from Dheri Chakri in Rawalpindi. In Kallar Syedan and Chanam, the Rupyal associate with the Alpial of Chakri, and claim descent from the Manj Rajputs, specifically from Raja Salvahan’s son Bisal through Achhal, founder of Jaisalmer. Tulsi Das (Tulsi Ram) was the first of their line to convert to Islam in 1323 under the guidance of Pir Hazrat Makhdum Shah Jahaniya Jahangasht of Uch. Tulsi Ram adopted the name Sheikh Sirajuddin or Sheikh Chachu, and his descendants spread to Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Talwandi.
During Emperor Akbar’s reign, Rai Kamal Khan of the Rupyal clan was killed, leading his brother Rai Jalal Khan and family, including Rai Kamal Khan’s son Sultan Khan, to seek guidance from their spiritual leaders in Uch. Advised to move north into the Soan Valley, they settled in Rawalpindi. After Rai Jalal Khan’s death, his sons divided the land and requested their cousin, Rai Sultan Khan, to find land elsewhere. Consequently, Rai Sultan Khan travelled east of Rawat into the Kallar Syedan region and established the village of Chanam, naming it after his mother Rani Channo. Rai Sultan Khan, also known as Sheikh Sultan Khan, had five sons whose offspring settled in various places:
- Bahadur Ali Khan (Mohra Alpialan-wala or Mohra Rupyal and Chhappar in Tehsil Kallar Syedan)
- Nadir Ali Khan (Chhatroh, Mirpur)
- Sarandaz Khan (Chanam and Chountra)
- Isa Khan
- Manga Khan (Islamabad, Sehnsa, in Kotli)
An alternative family tree from the Mirasis gives Roop Chand as the father of these five brothers rather than Sultan Khan.
In northern Jammu-Kashmir, the Rupyal are documented as Ruplal or Rooplal. According to Fauq, they claim descent from Roop or Roopa, the sixth of Raja Salvahan’s fifteen sons. Raja Mal (twelfth in descent from Raja Roopa) was the first to convert to Islam, taking the name Rai Jalal Deen. In the 15th Century, Rai Jalal Deen Khan left his homeland of Makhiala in Pind Dadan Khan, Jhelum, and migrated to Poonch, settling in Dehra Khas in Sadhroon. The family used the title Choudhary. When the Mughal Emperor Jahangir visited Kashmir, the Ruplal provided him with excellent hospitality, and as a result, the Emperor granted them Sadhroon as a jagir.
Distribution
In Tehsil Mirpur, Rupyal villages include Palaak, Kotli Sarsawa, Pind Khurd (Thaathi, Mohra Densaran, Mohra Baarian, Mera, Mohra Rupyal, Apli Rupyal), Bughoar, Ganoi, Theekrian, Panyam, and Kaneli, while in Tehsil Dadyal, they are found in Chhatroh and Chalayar.
In District Kotli, they are in Rajdhani (Raipur), Nalla, Khadda, Anderwali, Bardla, Naar, Amban, Daryara, Chaloota, and Kaladab.
In Tehsil Haveli, Rupyal communities are present in Miani Basti, Chhoi, Degwar Maldyalan, and Chhaatra. A second cluster of Rupyal villages is found in Mang Dhangron, District Sudhnoti.
In District Rawalpindi, the Rupyal clan can be found in Doberan, Balimah, Nothia Sharif, Mohra Rupyal, Chhappran, Chapri Akkoo, Chanam Sharif, and Chauntra. In Jhelum, they are found in Makhiala.