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- Mohyal Brahmins are an Indian sub-caste of Saraswat Brahmins from the Punjab region, who are sometimes referred to as 'Warrior Brahmins'. Mohyal Brahmins were the ancient and one of the first Hindu rulers of Punjab and Afghanistan. Their texts claim that their center of origin was from the Ghandhara region of Ancient India (now a region divided between northeastern-Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Mohyal Brahmins were not priests in traditional sense as they abandoned their priestly duties. They were warriors, spiritual healers and preachers of different sects of Hinduism. Mohyal Brahmins are a caste and a sub-group of the Punjabi Hindu community. The members of this sub-caste originate from the broader Saraswat Brahmin group and comprise seven clans named Bali, Bhimwal, Chhibber, Datt, Lau, Mohan and Vaid. These each claim their lineage from one of seven different Brahmin rishis. Mohyal clans have the privilege of using prestigious courtesy titles like Bakshi, Raizada, Bhai, Chaudhri, Dewan, Malik, Mehta, Khan and Sultan; which were bestowed on them by the Mughal emperors and the Sikh rulers. These epithets have a Persian connotation and imply a high-class status. Mohyal Brahmins also have an association with Shia Muslims because they helped Imam Hussain in the Battle of Karbala, these Mohyal Brahmnins are called Hussaini Brahmins. Certain scholars have suggested a connection between Mohyals (Vaids in particular) and the Baidya (Vaidya) community of Bengal. Sena dynasty of Bengal is identified as Vaidya, and Brahmakshatriya (i.e., Warrior Brahmins). According to historian T.P. Russell Stracey, "Vaidya is a different rendering of Vaid". Panchanan Raya referred to the Lau clan as being descendants of a branch of Sena kings, and he also connected the Mohyals with Bengali Baidyas and stated that many families of the latter clan merged with the former clan. Dhanvantari gotra is found as the original gotra among the Bengali Baidyas, which is also the gotra of the Mohyal Vaids. The Mohyals Brahmin stopped practising priestly duties. The same tradition is seen amongst the Bhumihar Brahmins and the Bengali Baidya clan, who despite following Brahmin varna-rituals, are often considered as Semi-Brahmins for not performing priestly duties. Mohyal Brahmins, along with Tyagi Brahmins of Haryana, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh; Nambudiri Malayali Brahmins of Kerala; and Bhumihar Brahmins of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh are known as the Brahmarshi community of Brahmins, though they are a different section of Brahmins than the above-mentioned groups. The Mohyal Jati, is split into further clans with each family name tracing their origin myth to a certain Vedic figure. (en)
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