Gopa (caste)

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Gopa (Ahir)
Kuladevta (male) Shri Krishna
Religions Hinduism
LanguagesVaries depending on region
Populated states India and Nepal
Subdivisions Krishnaut, Majhraut, Sadgop, Kannaujia, Gauriya etc

Gopa or Gop or Gope is a synonym of the Yadav (Ahir) caste. [1] [2] [3] [4] It is generally used as a title by the Ahir caste in the states of Bihar, [5] Jharkhand and West Bengal of East India [6] [7] and even in Terai region of Nepal. [8]

Contents

Etymology

The Sanskrit word Gopa, [9] originally meant only a cowherd; it then came to mean the head of cowpen and lastly the chief of a tribe. [10] [11]

Origin and history

Kingdom

Gopegarh in Midnapore. Gopegarh Fort.jpg
Gopegarh in Midnapore.

Gop Jatiye Mahasabha

Gop Jatiye Mahasabha was formed by Babu Ras Bihari Lal Mandal in 1911, It was the regional organization of Gope caste of Bihar, Bengal & Orissa. [23] [24] [25]

Later, the All-India Yadav Mahasabha was formed by merging the Gop Jatiye Mahasabha and Ahir/Yadav Kshatriya Mahasabha. AIYM first National Conference was held in Purnea, Bihar on 17 to 20 April 1924. [26]

Present circumstances

Gopa or Ahir are mainly a landholding community and they are rich cultivators in Indian state of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

Ahir or Aheer are a community of traditionally non-elite pastoralists in India, most members of which identify as being of the Indian Yadav community because they consider the two terms to be synonymous. The Ahirs are variously described as a caste, a clan, a community, a race and a tribe.

Ror is a caste found primarily in the Indian state of Haryana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agrahari</span>

Agrahari, Agraharee or Agarhari is an Indian Vaishya community, They are the descendants of legendary king Agrasena. Predominantly, they are found in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Terai region of Nepal.

Bhumihar, also locally called Bhuinhar and Babhan, is a Hindu caste mainly found in Bihar, the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, and Nepal.

Yadav, Jadam, or Jadav refers to a grouping of traditionally non-elite, peasant-pastoral communities or castes in India that since the 19th and 20th centuries have claimed descent from the legendary king Yadu as a part of a movement of social and political resurgence. The term Yadav now covers many traditional peasant-pastoral castes such as Ahirs of the Hindi belt and the Gavli of Maharashtra.

This is a list of notable people using Yadav surname.

Sadgop, also spelled as Sadgope, is a Bengali Hindu Yadav (Gopa) caste. Traditionally they are engaged in cultivation. Since late mediaeval period Sadgops had established themselves as dominant political power in peripheral lateritic forest areas of Rarh region, now included in Birbhum, Burdwan and Midnapore districts. Karnagarh, Narajole, Narayangarh and Balarampur in Midnapore and several other zamindari estates in Burdwan, Hooghly, Birbhum belonged to them. As of late nineteenth century they were one of the fourteen castes belonging to 'Nabasakh' group.

Ahir is a caste found in the Indian subcontinent, mainly modern-day India, Nepal and Pakistan. The Ahir clans are spread almost all over country. Historians such as P. M. Chandorkar, using both literary and epigraphic sources has argued that the modern Ahirs should be identified with the Yadavas of the classical Sanskrit texts.

The Koeri, also referred to as Kushwaha and more recently self-described as Maurya in several parts of northern India are an Indian non-elite caste, found largely in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, whose traditional occupation was agriculture. According to Arvind Narayan Das they were horticulturists rather than agriculturists. They are also recorded as performing the work of Mahajan in credit market of rural parts of Bihar and Bengal in 1880s. Koeris have attempted Sanskritisation— as part of social resurgence. During the British rule in India, Koeris were described as "agriculturalists" along with Kurmis and other cultivating castes. They are described as a dominant caste in various opinions.

Aguri, also known as Ugra Kshatriya, is a Bengali Hindu agricultural caste or community found in the districts of Bardhaman, Birbhum, Hooghly and Bankura in the state of West Bengal in India. Aguris are now considered as a middle-caste group and according to Gail Omvedt, constitute "more prosperous owner-peasants" among the peasant communities of Bengal.

The Paswan, also known as Dusadh, are a Dalit community from eastern India. They are found mainly in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. The Urdu word Paswan means bodyguard or "one who defends". The origin of the word, per the belief of the community, lies in their participation in the battle against Siraj-ud-daulah, the Nawab of Bengal at the behest of British East India Company, after which they were rewarded with the post of Chowkidars and lathi wielding tax collector for the Zamindars. They follow certain rituals such as walking on fire to assert their valour.

Mahto or Mahato is a surname used by several castes and communities in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha in India. Mahato is also a popular surname in Nepal. In the zamindari villages, "Mahto" was a title given to the headman of a village ward. The mahto's duties were to maintain peace in his area, and collect revenue for the zamindar. In Chotanagpur plateau region of Jharkhand, including in the Oraon tribal society, Mahato was historically a title of the village chief. In Bihar, the surname Mahto is primarily used by people belonging to Kushwaha caste. While in Jharkhand, it is a term most often associated with Koeri and Kurmi caste.

Rajputs in Bihar are members of the Rajput community living in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. They traditionally formed part of the feudal elite in Bihari society. Rajputs were pressed with the Zamindari abolition and Bhoodan movement in post-independence India; along with other Forward Castes, they lost their significant position in Bihar's agrarian society, leading to the rise of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Gopal or Gouda is an Indian caste, from Odisha State in East India. Their traditional occupations include dairy farming, cattle herding, cultivation and carrying palanquins of deities. They also worked as Paikas (soldiers) under the kings. Gopal is the name of the milkmen or herdsmen caste in Odisha, which is known by other names in various parts of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murho Estate</span> Zamindari Estate of British India

The Murho Estate was a Chieftaincy and later a Zamindari (estate) of Yadav (Ahir) in erstwhile Bhagalpur district of Bihar.

Krishnaut or Kishnaut Ahir is a clan of the Yadav (Ahir) caste found in Bihar, Jharkhand and Nepal. The term Krishnaut which to them denotes their descent from Lord Krishna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rash Bihari Lal Mandal</span> Indian zamindar and politician from Bihar

Raja Rash Bihari Lal Mandal (1866-1918) was a zamindar, philanthropist and a leader of Indian Independence Movement. He wrote a book named 'Bharat Mata Ka Sandesh' during Bang Bhang movement.

Yadavs in Bihar refers to the people of Yadav community of the Indian state of Bihar. They are also known as Ahir, Gope, etc. The Yadavs form nearly 14.26 % of the state's population and are included in the Other Backward Class category in the Bihar state of India. Ahirs are among the land owning caste in the plains of Bihar.

The Majhraut or Majraut is a clan of Ahir (Yadav) that inhabits the Indian state of Bihar and Jharkhand. They are also found in different parts of Nepal. They claim to be descendants of the Yadava king Madhu of Mathura.

Yadavs of Nepal, also known as Ahir or Gope are one of the prominent caste of Nepal. According to the 2021 Nepal census, 1,228,581 people are Yadav.

References

  1. ↑ Singh, K. S. (2008). People of India: Bihar (2 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN   978-81-85579-09-2.
  2. ↑ Rao, M. S. A. (1987). Social Movements and Social Transformation: A Study of Two Backward Classes Movements in India. Manohar. ISBN   978-0-8364-2133-0.
  3. ↑ Madhusudan Das (1980). Madhusudan Das, the Legislator: His Speeches. Pragati Utkal Sangha.
  4. ↑ Dalip Kumar (2007). Rural Development and Social Change: Thoughts of Swami Sahajanand. Deep & Deep Publications. pp. 106–. ISBN   978-81-8450-000-4.
  5. ↑ Singh, Santosh (9 October 2015). Ruled or Misruled: Story and Destiny of Bihar. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-93-85436-42-0.
  6. ↑ Singh, Kumar Suresh (2008). People of India: Bihar, including Jharkhand (2 pts). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN   978-81-7046-303-0.
  7. ↑ Singh, Kumar Suresh (1998). India's Communities. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-563354-2.
  8. ↑ Yadav, Sohan Ram (1992). Rural and Agrarian Social Structure of Nepal. Commonwealth Publishers. ISBN   978-81-7169-174-6.
  9. ↑ Alexander, James Bradun (1893). The Dynamic Theory of Life and Mind: An Attempt to Show that All Organic Beings are Both Constructed and Operated by the Dynamic Agencies of Their Respective Environments. Housekeeper Press.
  10. ↑ Humboldt library of science. no. 131 | pt. 2, 1890. Humboldt Publishing Company. 1890.
  11. ↑ Rogozin, Z. A. (2005). Vedic India: As Embodied Principally In The Rigveda. Cosmo Publications. ISBN   978-81-307-0085-4.
  12. ↑ "Gopegarh Eco Park: Where nature is your only companion". www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  13. ↑ Nepālī Saṃskr̥ta abhilekhoṃ kā Hindī anuvāda (in Hindi). Īsṭarna Buka Liṅkarsa. 1985. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  14. ↑ Satyal, Yajna Raj (1988). Tourism in Nepal: A Profile. Nath Publishing House. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  15. ↑ Bengal (India), West (1965). West Bengal District Gazetteers: Barddhamān. State editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers.
  16. ↑ Smith, William L. (1980). The One-eyed Goddess: A Study of the Manasā Maṅgal. Almqvist & Wiksell International. ISBN   978-91-22-00408-0.
  17. ↑ McLane, John R. (25 July 2002). Land and Local Kingship in Eighteenth-Century Bengal. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-52654-8.
  18. ↑ McLane, John R. (25 July 2002). Land and Local Kingship in Eighteenth-Century Bengal. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-52654-8. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  19. ↑ Bandyopadhyay, Sekhar (1 July 2004). Caste, Culture and Hegemony: Social Dominance in Colonial Bengal. SAGE Publications India. ISBN   978-81-321-0407-0.
  20. ↑ "A village that symbolises Bihar". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  21. ↑ "Murho". wikimapia.org. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  22. ↑ "This Ancient Rajbari Might Soon Be Listed On The Heritage Tourism Map of Incredible India". Whats Hot. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  23. ↑ Madhusudan Das (1980). Madhusudan Das, the Legislator: His Speeches. Archived 2023-03-17 at the Wayback Machine Pragati Utkal Sangha.
  24. ↑ Banerjee, Supurna; Ghosh, Nandini (17 September 2018). Caste and Gender in Contemporary India: Power, Privilege and Politics-Google Books. ISBN   9780429783951. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  25. ↑ Alam, Jawaid (January 2004). Government and Politics in Colonial Bihar, 1921-1937. ISBN   8170999790. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  26. ↑ Banerjee, Supurna; Ghosh, Nandini (17 September 2018). Caste and Gender in Contemporary India: Power, Privilege and Politics. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-0-429-78395-1.
  27. ↑ Bandyopadhyay, Suraj; Rao, A. R.; Sinha, Bikas Kumar; Sinha, Bikas K. (2011). Models for Social Networks With Statistical Applications. SAGE. ISBN   978-1-4129-4168-6. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
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