Gopal (caste)

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Gopal (Gauda)
Classification Ahir (Yadav)
Religions Hinduism
Languages Odia
Populated states Odisha
Population431,474 (1901 census) [1]
890,702 (1931 census) [2]
SubdivisionsMathurapuria
Gopapuria
Magadhaa
Related groups Ahir, Sadgope

Gopal or Gouda is an Indian caste, [3] [4] [5] from Odisha State in East India. Their traditional occupations include dairy farming, cattle herding, cultivation and carrying palanquins of deities. [6] [7] They also worked as Paikas (soldiers) under the kings. [8] [9] Gopal is the name of the milkmen or herdsmen caste in Odisha, which is known by other names (such as Ahir, Yadav, Goala etc.) in various parts of India. [10] [11]

Contents

According to 1931 census of India, they are second largest caste by numbers and comprise around 9% of Odisha's population. [12]

Etymology

The word Gopal derived from vedic "Gopala", which "Go" refers to cow and "Pala" refers to protector or herder. Hence "Gopala" literally means "cow herder" [13] [14]

Origin and history

The Gopalas (Gaudas) like all Yadavs claim that they are descendants from Krishna of the ancient Yadava clan after the Sanskritisation process by Arya Samaj in 1930. [6] [15] In the Mahasabha held in 1930, Dairy faming castes such as Ahirs, Gaudas, Gopalas etc were advised to Identify themselves as "Son of Krishna" and hence they can identify themselves as martial caste. [16]

Since 1930 during the Sanskritisation of castes in India, The Gopalas started to be incorporated into a newly established Yadav community, along with Ahir, Gops, Goalas, and Sadgops. [17]

Subdivisions

The Gopalas (Gaudas) are three types:- Mathurapuria, Gopapuria and Magadhaa, [18] where Mathurapurias and Gopapurias are superior to Magadha classes. [19] Which symbolically refer to their ancestral land of Mathura and Gokul (Gopa) of Uttar Pradesh and Magadha of Bihar. [20] While the Magadha Gauda are inhabitants of Singhbhum and western Mayurbhanj, they possibly represent an accretion of some aboriginal tribes. [21] [22] There are minor differences among them, some area of odisha the Gopalas are also known as their other names including: Mahakud, Sholakhandia, Sadgope and Gopal Baishnab [23] [24] [25] among them.

Culture

Festival

Peoples of Gopal community carries Bimana of Radha Krishna during Dola Purnima festival Image Gopala dolayatra.jpg
Peoples of Gopal community carries Bimana of Radha Krishna during Dola Purnima festival

Tradition

Titles

The Gopalas uses surnames like Behera, Das, Palei, Palai, Pandab, Yadav, Hati, Kabi, Bhutia, Mahakul, Mahakhud, Mahakud, Mohapatra, Sasmal, Rout, Parida, Barik , Podh, Jal, Bhujabal, [33] Khilar, Singh, Routray, Samantray, Pratihari, [34] [35] [36] Chaudhuri, Mandei, Senapati, Dalua, Apata, Nayak [37] Bagarti, Pradhan, Khuntia, Bag/Bagh, Hansha, Dalchhatra, Kharsel, Karuan, Nag and Shandh, Banchhor among others. [38]

Social Status

Gopalas are followers of Vaishnavism. [39] Among them Gopapurias and Sadgops are the relics of Bala Gopala cult. [40] They are one of a caste of Panikhia Jati group of Odisha. [41] They assist Brahmins on ritual occasion and also serve as priests in some temples. [42] [43] [44] They are included in the SEBC/OBC list of the state. [45] [46]

See also

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References

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  2. ↑ Lacey, W. g (1932). Bihar and Orissa – Census Of India 1931. Vol. 7. Part II, Tables. p. 137.
  3. ↑ Dipti Ray (2007). Prataparudradeva, the Last Great Suryavamsi King of Orissa (A.D. 1497 to A.D. 1540). Northern Book Centre. pp. 90–. ISBN   9788172111953.
  4. ↑ Orissa (India) (1966). Orissa District Gazetteers: Cuttack. Superintendent, Orissa Government Press. p. 168.
  5. ↑ Nishamani Kar (2002). Animal Husbandry and Rural Development: Restructuring and Planned Development of the Bovine Economy. Deep and Deep Publications. pp. 206–. ISBN   9788176293587.
  6. 1 2 Rabindra Nath Pati; Jagannatha Dash (2002). Tribal and Indigenous People of India: Problems and Prospects. APH Publishing. pp. 196–. ISBN   978-81-7648-322-3.
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  8. ↑ Akio Tanabe (29 July 2021). Caste and Equality in India: A Historical Anthropology of Diverse Society and Vernacular Democracy. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-00-040933-8.[ page needed ]
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  12. ↑ Kumar, Sanjay (2004). "JANATA REGIONALIZED: CONTRASTING BASES OF ELECTORAL SUPPORT IN BIHAR AND ORISSA". In Rob Jenkins (ed.). Regional Reflections: Comparing Politics Across India's States (PDF). Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 6.
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  23. ↑ Russell, R.V. (1916). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India. Vol. II. Macmillan and Company, limited. p. 20. Retrieved 17 June 2023. Alt URL
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  32. ↑ James R. Brandon; Martin Banham (28 January 1997). The Cambridge Guide to Asian Theatre. Cambridge University Press. pp. 101–. ISBN   978-0-521-58822-5.
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  34. ↑ Singh, K.S. (1996). Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles. National series. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 1082. ISBN   978-0-19-563357-3 . Retrieved 3 July 2023.
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  37. ↑ Shyam Sunder Tripathy (1988). Buddhism and Other Religious Cults of South-east India. Sundeep Prakashan. ISBN   978-81-85067-15-5.
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  39. ↑ Dilip Kumar Mukherjee (1970). Chaitanya. National Book Trust, India.
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  43. ↑ The Journal of the Anthropological Society of Bombay. Education Society's Press. 1925.
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  46. ↑ Prasad, D. M. Ravi (2004). Eradication of Caste and Birth of New Humanity. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 29. ISBN   978-81-7629-513-0.
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