Gwalvanshi Ahir

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Gwalvanshi' or Gwala, whose main occupation is rearing of animals, production and selling of milk.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[1]

Manoharlal Yadav, a Gwalvanshi Ahir

Origin[edit]

In Bijnor the gual or Gwal have a low status because according to legend their lineage is linked to the servants (cattle herders) of the true Ahirs[2] Gual or gwala Caste' is also mentioned as the Scheduled Caste under the castes of Uttar Pradesh in the Schedule attached to the Government of India Act 1935[3]

The Gwalvanshi Ahirs claim their descent from the Abhira cowherds or the Gopas and Abhiris or the Gopis of Braj.[4][5]

History[edit]

Mirzapur[edit]

According to Ain-i-Akbari, they were zamindars of the Ahirwara pargana (present Ahraura) in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh.[6]

Varanasi[edit]

They also made Warren Hastings fled from Varanasi.[7]

Basti[edit]

In Gonda, as in Basti, the Gwalbans sub-division are careful and laborious husbandmen. Although more numerous in Gonda and basti than in any other part of Oudh, they own no land in this district.[8][9]

Due to big land-holdings they are called Bhumidar in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh.[10]

Ayodhya[edit]

Them in the Faizadad pargana (now Ayodhya) as landlords claim to be descended from an Ahir raja of Berat. Another account is, that they were settled there by Raja Chandra Sen.[11]

Military History[edit]

Gwalbans are found in lower doab Awadh and Bihar.Gwalbans septs no special military qualities, and are now only enlisted as bullock-drivers.[12][13]

From the United Provinces, they were also ones who were recruited in the First World War.[14]

Physical Appearance[edit]

gwala are more numerous in any villages and and blocks.Generally they have a dark colour, stout body and a medium height with small hair on the head. Their womenfolk have a fairer complexion as compared with the males. They do not observe purdah and work freely with their husbands in the field.[15] shahabad_hindu_gwala_aheer

In Shahabad division of bihar Gwala are more numerous
shahabad_hindu_gwala_ahir

Present circumstances[edit]

They were farmers and land-holders in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. At the turn of the century, they took up other occupations, including business in a big way.[16][17]

Notable people[edit]

Culture[edit]

The Goyala or gwala people celebrate a festival every year on the day of Diwali. This festival is called Gaidhar in the local language and Gokarira in Sanskrit. On this occasion the gwala people tie the legs of a pig and drive their cattle over it until it dies. After that they boil it in the fields and eat it.[23]

They sing Loriki and Birahas.[24] They have started the Ramleela at Chaukaghat (Nati Imli) in Varanasi.[25] They also actively participate in the Bharat Milaap done in the Ramleela.[25] They are great devotee of Radha-Krishna.[26] Most of the Ahir Birs (deities who died gloriously) in Eastern Uttar Pradesh were Gwalvanshi Ahirs only.[19][27]

Kuldevi[edit]

Their clan deity (Kuldevi) is Mata Vindhyavasini Jogmaya.[26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Singh, Bhrigupati (2015-04-06). Poverty and the Quest for Life: Spiritual and Material Striving in Rural India. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-19454-7.
  2. ^ https://books.google.co.in/books?id=NenzO2grTOMC&pg=PA54&dq=gual+ahirs&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwja4ebOlqOGAxXyzjgGHdOdAHAQ6wF6BAgJEAU#v=onepage&q=gual%20ahirs&f=false
  3. ^ https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2xSZqwkA5VwC&pg=PA69&dq=gual+ahirs&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJwqTYmaOGAxW-zDgGHUW1D_U4ChDrAXoECAkQBQ#v=onepage&q=gual%20ahirs&f=false
  4. ^ Ibbetson, Sir Denzil; Maclagan (1990). Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-0505-3.
  5. ^ Michelutti, Lucia (2020-11-29). The Vernacularisation of Democracy: Politics, Caste and Religion in India. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-08400-9.
  6. ^ Contemporary Social Sciences. Research Foundation of India. 1978.
  7. ^ "Historical episodes that PM spoke about in Kashi - Civilsdaily". 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  8. ^ https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.181585/page/n147/mode/1up?q=gwalbans
  9. ^ https://books.google.co.in/books?id=tPNrAAAAMAAJ&q=gwalbans+basti&dq=gwalbans+basti&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjbhJf91KKGAxWf9DgGHTg_CmYQ6wF6BAgNEAU#gwalbans%20basti
  10. ^ Desai, Akshayakumar Ramanlal (1986). Agrarian Struggles in India After Independence. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-561681-1.
  11. ^ Sherring, Matthew Atmore (1872). Hindu Tribes and Castes. Thacker, Spink & Company.
  12. ^ https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.5866/page/n49/mode/1up?q=gwalbans+jadubans
  13. ^ https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.5866/page/n56/mode/1up?q=gwalbans+jadubans
  14. ^ Roy, Kaushik (2018-06-29). Indian Army and the First World War: 1914–18. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-909367-0.
  15. ^ https://books.google.co.in/books?id=sekcAQAAMAAJ&q=dhandol+gwal&dq=dhandol+gwal&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiP7-yctqOGAxVSzDgGHZraAu4Q6wF6BAgGEAU#%20gwal
  16. ^ Ratan Mani Lal (11 May 2014). "Azamgarh: Why Mulayam cannot take Yadav votes for granted"
  17. ^ 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
  18. ^ "Moscow Olympic gold medallist former hockey player Ravinder Pal Singh succumbs to COVID". The Times of India. 2021-05-08. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  19. ^ a b Comar, Savitri (2018-09-07). "Bir Babas Of Banaras Diane Marjori Cocarie ( Thesis)". Bir Babas Of Banaras. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  20. ^ a b Division, Publications. WHO'S WHO OF INDIAN MARTYRS Vol 3. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 978-81-230-2182-9.
  21. ^ "मिला तेज से तेज- Mila Tej se Tej | Exotic India Art". www.exoticindiaart.com. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  22. ^ भारतीय शहीदों का परिचय (in Hindi). प्रकाशन विभाग, सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय, भारत सरकार. 2009. ISBN 978-81-230-1511-8.
  23. ^ https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.726/page/n215/mode/1up?q=goyalas
  24. ^ Beissinger, Margaret; Tylus, Jane; Wofford, Susanne Lindgren (1999-03-31). Epic Traditions in the Contemporary World: The Poetics of Community. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-21038-7.
  25. ^ a b Arya, Banarasi Lal (1975). Mahārāja Balavanta Siṃha aura Kāśī kā atīta (in Hindi). Āryā.
  26. ^ a b Saraswati, Baidyanath (2000). Bhoga-moksha samabhava: Kaśī kā sāmājika-sāṃskr̥tika svarūpa (in Hindi). Ḍī Ke. Prinṭavarlḍa. ISBN 978-81-246-0151-8.
  27. ^ Coccari, Diane Marjorie (1986). The Bir Babas of Banaras: An Analysis of a Folk Deity in North Indian Hinduism. University of Wisconsin--Madison.
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