Chunval Pargana | Chunval Pradesh | Chunval region | Chunwal Pradesh | Chuwal region | Koli of Chunval | Chunval area | Chunval Vistar

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The Chunval Pradesh (also spelled as Chuval pradesh, Chuwal pradesh, Chunwal pradesh) was a Koli region in Gujarat, consisting of 44 villages, ruled by the Chunvalia Kolis. The Koli kings of Chunval Pradesh were called Chunvalia Kolis. Today, Chunval Pradesh is known as Becharaji city (Bahucharaji Town). The Kolis of Chunval Pradesh have always been described as dangerous and ferocious in Muslim (Mughal) and British history. During Muslim rule in Gujarat, the Kolis of Chunval Pradesh were often involved in plundering and looting Muslim villages and travelers, or invading Muslim villages at night to terrorize them. The Koli king of Chunval Pradesh, Kanji Koli Chuwalia, was renowned for his Anti-Muslim activities and frequently looted Muslims.

Numerous references in the Mirat-i Ahmadi and other Persian chronicles indicate that the Koli Jagirdars (landowners) of Chunval were indeed very dangerous, and the Kolis of Chunval region did not pay taxes to the Sultan unless they fought the Mughal Sultan's royal army.

In 1622, Mughal Sultan Shah Jahan sent Raja Vikramaditya, the governor of Gujarat, with a Mughal army to suppress the Kolis of Chunval, as the Kolis of the Chuwal region had been plundering travelers for generations.

In 1636, according to Mughal historians, the Kolis of the Chunval region were agricultural farmers. However, the Koli farmers of Chunval were considered useless or waste farmers because they always carried weapons and were prone to violence and looting. Consequently, in 1636, Mughal Sultan Shah Jahan sent Mughal Subedar Azam Khan against the Kolis of Chunval. After defeating the Kolis in battle, he forced them to pay taxes on time and cultivate properly.

In 1662 and 1668, the Kolis of Chunval region gave shelter to Dara Sheikho, leading to war between Mughal commander Mahabat Khan and the Kolis of Chunval.

The Kolis of Chunval region frequently harassed the Nawabs of the Khambhat State. Consequently, in 1738, at the request of the Nawab of Khambhat, Maharaja Damajirao Pilajirao Gaekwad of the Baroda State attacked the Kolis' Chunval region. The Kolis of Chunval Pradesh also harassed the Nawabs of Radhanpur, leading to Nawab Bahadur Khan and his son Sher Khan attacking Chunval Pradesh in 1663 and taking control of Chunval.

In 1770, the Kolis of Chunval Pradesh defeated the Mughal governor and captured Viramgam, giving it to Raja Bhavsinghji of the Bhavnagar state. However, some time later, the governor of Ahmedabad defeated Bhavsinghji and seized and captured Viramgam.

Chunval Pradesh is known as Becharaji (Bahucharaji) because the region is famous for the goddess Bahucharaji Mata. Bahucharaji Mata was also killed by a Chunvalia Koli dacoit (bandit) Bapaiya Koli in Chunval Pradesh, and therefore, the Koli people also reverence her. Bapiya Koli was a famous Koli dacoit from Chunval Pradesh, who murdered Bahucharaji Mata in Shankhalpur while returning to Kathiawar. While Bahuchara and her two sisters were returning from Marwar to Gujarat, they were attacked by the Koli robber Bapiya in Shankhalpur (Chunval region). He killed Bahuchara's two sisters. To protect herself from rape and abduction, Bahuchara cut off her breasts with a sword and uttered a terrible traga on Bapaiya Koli, cursing him and prophesying that he would become impotent. Dacoit Bapaiyya Koli pleaded for forgiveness to the dying girl, Bahuchara, realizing that the curse could not be reversed, so she advised Bapaiya Koli dacoit to deify her as a goddess and worship her image. Bahuchara also promised that any eunuch who visited her temple disguised as a woman would be blessed by her. Therefore, even eunuchs today worship Bahuchara Mata. After the death of Bahuchara, the dacoit Bapaiya Koli, overcome with guilt, built a temple of Goddess Bahuchara under a Varakhada tree and spent his life worshipping Bahuchara, but he died on the way to Arnej and Balal and today the Chuwal region is known as Bechraji (Bahucharaji).

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