Ahir clans
The Ahir clans are the various subsets of the Ahir community of India. They include those in the following list.
Ahir clans of North India
Yaduvanshi
The Yaduvanshi Ahir, also spelled Jadubansis, Jadubans, Yadavanshi, Yadavamshi) claim descent from the ancient Yadava tribe of Krishna.
Nandvanshi.
A legendary story of the origin of the Nandvanshi Ahirs narrates that on his way to kill the rakshasas, Krishna crossed the river Yamuna accompanied by the Gawlis; those that crossed the river with him became the Ahir Nandabanshi. Nandvanshi and Yaduvanshi titles are fundamentally synonymous[1][2][3]
Gwalvanshi
The Gwalvanshi Ahirs are historically associated with cowherding. According to history professor Rahul Shukla, the Gwalvanshi Ahirs had settled in Azamgarh, Varanasi, Gorkakhpur, Mirzapur etc., besides in Bihar. "They were cultivators or farmers in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. At the turn of the century, they evolved into business and other vocations in a big way.[4]
Ghosi
The Ghosi are a community found mainly in North India.[5] They were the Zamidaars and small kings of various parts of country.[6] The Ghosi claim descent from both the Gurjar and Ahir communities. Ghosi trace their origin to King Nand, the professed ancestor of Yaduvanshi Ahirs.[7]
Kamaria
Kamaria, a sub caste of Ahirs profess to be descendants from Yadav vansh (Lineage).[8] They are also known as Kamaria Zamindars.[9]
Phatak
The Phatak are a clan of Ahir herdsmen, one of the agricultural castes bearing considerable resemblance to Rajputs, claim to be descended from a Sisodia king of Chittore and the daughter of an Ahir king Digpal of Mahaban, to whom he was married.
Ahar
The Ahar are a Hindu caste of agriculturists.[10] The Ahar tribe are spread through Rohilkhand and other districts of N.W. provinces, following pastoral pursuits. They claim to descended from Yadu.[11]
Kishnaut
Kishnaut Ahir clan is dominantly found in the Saran district of Bihar province.[12] They are traditionally cowherders and cultivators and are Hindu by religion. Manjaraut, Goria and Kanaujia are the other Ahir clans in Saran.[13] Kishnaut claim that Krishna was born among their caste.[13] They worship Bir Kuar, a caste deity, for the protection of their cattle and lands. Bir Kuar was a Kishnaut Ahir,[14] who died protecting cattle from the attack of tigers.[15] They are known as Ahir Zamindars.[12]
Ahir clans in Gujarat and Maharashtra
Boricha Ahir
The Boricha's are a sub-division of the Ahir caste found in the state of Gujarat.
Pancholi
The Pancholi's are a sub-division of the Ahir caste found in the state of Gujarat.
The community is believed to have derived its name from the Panchal region in Saurashtra, their original homeland. According to their traditions, they migrated from Mathura along with Krishna to the Parathar region of Saurashtra.
Maschoiya
The Maschoiya are a sub-group of the Ahir caste found in the state of Gujarat in India. They settled along the banks of the Machhu-katia river, and the word Maschoiya literally means those from Macchu-katia.
Bhurtiya
The Bhurtiya are a sub-division of the Ahir community, and like other Ahirs, they claim descent from the god Krishna. They are said to have immigrated to Gujarat, where they were known as Gurjar Rajputs. About three centuries ago, these Gurjar Rajputs settled in Awadh. The etymology of the word Bhurtiya is that it is a corruption of the Hindi word phurti (quickness). According to their tribal legends, an ancestor of the community was in such a rush, that she left her jewellery, and was given the nickname phurti, and this name was given to her descendants, and over time corrupted to Bhurtiya. They are found mainly in the districts of Varanasi, Allahabad, Meerut and Mathura.
Paratharia
The community is believed to have derived its name from the Parathar region, their original homeland. According to their traditions, they migrated from Mathura along with Krishna to the Parathar region of Saurashtra. The Paratharia then migrated to Kutch around 1500–1600 AD. They are now distributed in eighty four villages in Kutch District, out of which thirty four are in Bhuj taluka, twenty four Anjar talukas and twelve villages in Nakathrana. A few are also found in Saurashtra. The Paratharia are a Gujarati speaking community. The Paratharia community consist of a number of clans, the main ones being the Batta, Gagal, Dheela, Dhangar, Chhangha, Varchand, Mata and Chad. Each of the clans are of equal status and intermarry. Like neighbouring Hindu communities, the community practice clan exogamy. The Paratharia are a community of small and medium-sized farmers. Milk selling is an important subsidiary of the community, while small number are now petty businessmen.
Sorathia
The Sarothia are a sub-group of the Yaduvanshi Ahir found in the state of Gujarat in India. The community is believed to have derived its name from the Sorath region, their original homeland. According to their traditions, they migrated from Mathura along with Krishna.
They are mainly found in Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Kutch and other all districts of Saurashtra prant. The Sorathia speak Gujarati. The Sorathia community consist of near about 60 clans: Utadia,Der,Bhuva, Bodar, Dangar, Chandravadiya, Varu, Ram, Solanki, Chavda, Chudasama, Solanki, Barad, Gojiya, Kandoriya, Karangiya, Ravaliya, Vadhiya, Vala, Garaniya, Bhammar,Suva and Pampaniya, Dangiya, Naiyaran. Each of the clans are of equal status and intermarry. Like neighbouring Hindu communities, the community practice clan exogamy.
The Sorathia are a community farmers and Landlords. Many of them are in transport business. Some of them earn a living as contractors. The Boxite Minining business in Jamnagar district is completely in hands of Sorathiyas. All Boxite Mine owners are Sorathiyas. Their looks quite vary compared to other castes like Caucasian, especially their straight nose, tall, thin lips, is believed to have Scythian origin.
See also
References
- ^ Michelutti, Lucia (2008). "The vernacularisation of democracy: Politics, caste, and religion in India": 114, 115. ISBN 9780415467322.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Lok Nath Soni (2000). The Cattle and the Stick: An Ethnographic Profile of the Raut of Chhattisgarh. Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture, Delhi: Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture, 2000 Original from the University of Michigan. p. 16. ISBN 9788185579573.
- ^ Gopal Chowdhary (2014). The Greatest Farce of History. Partridge Publishing. p. 119. ISBN 9781482819250.
- ^ Ratan Mani Lal (11 May 2014). "Azamgarh: Why Mulayam cannot take Yadav votes for granted". Ratan Mani Lal. firstpost.com. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ^ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part two by K S Singh page 542 to 545 Manohar Publications
- ^ Lucia Michelutti, Sons of Krishna: the politics of Yadav community formation in a North Indian town (2002) London School of Economics and Political Science University of London, p.90-98
- ^ Ravindra K. Jain (2002). Between History and Legend: Status and Power in Bundelkhand. Orient Blackswan,. p. 32. ISBN 9788125021940.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ Ramchandra Keshav Mutatkar (1978). Caste Dimensions in a Village. Shubhada-Saraswat. p. 26.
- ^ Ramchandra Keshav Mutatkar (1978). Caste Dimensions in a Village. Shubhada-Saraswat. p. 55.
- ^ Oliver Mendelsohn,Marika Vicziany (1998). The Untouchables: Subordination, Poverty and the State in Modern India Volume 4 of Contemporary South Asia. Cambridge University Press. pp. xi. ISBN 9780521556712.
- ^ Subodh Kapoor (2002). Indian Encyclopaedia, Volume 1. Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd. p. 108. ISBN 9788177552577.
- ^ a b National Geographical Society of India. (1975). The National Geographical Journal of India, Volumes 21-22. National Geographical Society of India., Original from the University of California. pp. 189–191.
- ^ a b L.S.S. O'malley (2007). Bihar And Orissa District Gazetteers : Saran. Concept Publishing Company,. p. 44. ISBN 9788172681364.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ William George Archer (1947). The Vertical Man: A Study in Primitive Indian Sculpture. G. Allen & Unwin, Original from the University of California. pp. 53, 104.
- ^ W. G. ARCHE (1948). The Vertical Man: A Study in Primitive Indian Sculpture. The Macmillan Company, New York. p. 122.