Ahir
Ahirs are most numerous in the NW Provinces, spread through the Central Doab, in
the Upper Doab, on the west of the Jumna, and in the Lower Doab and provinces of
Benaras. They are alsoy found in the south of Delhi, Gurgaon and Rohtak and the
Phulkiabn bordering upon these districts and it their limited tract they form a
considerable proportion of the whole population. Various folk etymologies are current
concerning the origin of their name are present. They are disguinshed as 2 tribes’
khanps who acknowledge no other connection than the name of Ahir. These are the
Nanbansa and the Goala (bansa).
- Nandbansi - offspring of Nanda, foster-father
of Krishna.
- Gualbansi - Guala or 'herdsmen' dynasty
and Gopis, danced with Krishna in woods of Brindavan and Gokul. Includes the Reddy
of Andhra.
- Abar- mainly found in the Panjab.
Another subsection of the Nandbansi is called Bania!! (Not the banias described
above). There are other minor groups such as Kushbansi etc.
The first are more numerous in the Central Doab and in the last in the Lower Doab
Immense numbers of Ahirs seek the high grazing grounds of Central India and Western
Bengal, where they form encampments in houses made of large bamboo mats, residing
until the neighbourhood is exhausted. The Abhiras mentioned in the Dharmasastra
have no connection with them.
The Ahirs are mostly Hindus but in spite of their traditional connection with Krishna,
they affect Shivaji, Devi and Thakarji. They also worship Bandeo. Ahir women dress
differently to those of Jat tribes, wearing red and yellow striped gowns, with a
shawl of red muslin. But in jind they are said to wear a shawl of blue cloth. The
Ahirs were probably by origin a pastoral caste, but in the Punjab they are now almost
exclusively agricultural and stand in quite the first rank as husbandmen being as
good as the Kamboh and somewhat superior to the Jat. They are of the same social
standing as the Jat and Gujar, who will eat and smoke with them. They are industrious,
patient and orderly and though they are ill spoken of in the proverbs of the country
side, yet that is probably only because the Jat is jealous of them as being even
better cultivators than himself.
Thus they say in Rohtak: "Kosli (the head village of the Ahirs) has fifty brick
houses and several thousand swaggerers."So in Delhi:"Rather be kicked
by a Rajput or stumble uphill, than hope anything from a jackal, spear grass or
an Ahir." Their birth, death and mariage ceremonies are like those of the Malis,
Gujars and Jats. Kerewa is permissible. They eat kachchi and pakki with all Brahmans
and Vaisyas but the latter groups do not eat kachchi from them.They will eat kachchi
with Rajputs, Jats, Hindu Gujars, Rors, Sunras and Tarkhans.They do not eat flesh.
Ahirs are to be met with throughout the country especially in Haryana. They include
the Ahirs of northern India, Raos of Haryana, Gwallas of Uttar Pradesh, Mandals
of Bihar, Pradhans of Orissa, Ghoshals of Bengal, Gopas and Reddis of Andhra Pradesh
and Wadeyars of Karnataka. The Yadava contribution to the composite culture of India
is immense:
The nomadic art forms, the Raslila and certain ragas life Ahir-Bhairav,
Abhirika, Gopixa, Kannadaguala and perhaps most of all, the Krishna cult. Most
of them live in the region around Rewari and Narnaul which is therefore known as
Ahirwal or the abode of Ahirs. Their origin is controversial. Its is said that the
name of the State of Haryana may have been derived from its ancient inhabitants:
Ahirayana.
In Marubhumi (Marwar), Saurashtra and Maharashtra they served the local rulers and
established their own Raj. Ishwar Sena, a great Ahir general, became master of western
Deccan in place of the famous Satavahanas. He took the title of Rajan and an era
was named after him. His descendants continued to rule for nine generations. For
centuries the Ahirs were eclipsed as a political power in Haryana until the time
of the Pratihera dynasty. Three kings of the Ahir dynasty ruled over Nepal. They
were Badasimha, Jaymati Simha and Bhuban Simha.
The Gopal and Ahir dynasties are supposed to be the beginning of the historical
dynasty in Nepal.
The Palli dynasty in Bengal form the 9th to the 11th century are supposed to have
been Ahir by Sir Henry Elliot. Asirghar is said to have been so called after the
Asa-Ahir. There are about 10 million Ahirs in India. At the present in India they
do not keep sheep, and in this they are imitated by the bodies of cowherdsmen in
the deccan. The engagement of an Ahir girl is formalized when the groom's parents
present a gift to the bride's family.
Those sections of the Jats (Indic = farmer) who are Vania, are called Abar, the
general name of their hode. The Jats claim to be the descendants of the Gatae, one
of the Saka tribes the Massagetae, and Thyssagetae of Herodotus, meaning the "Great
Jats" and "The Little Jats" respectively, but their is no evidence
for this. Todd assigns Saka origin of Rajputs (and Jats). It is estimated
that almost 40% of Punjab are rajput and the various branches of their race such
as Awans, Khokars, Ghokars, Khattars, Janjuas, Arains, Kamboh, Ranghars, Meos etc.
They Abars related to the Gujars, Malhi = boatsman, Mali =gardeners and Sindhu (corrupted
Sandhu or Siddhu) farmers. They are mainly found in Panjab. It my be noted that
those of the above tribes that follow Sikhism are classed as Jats and not Rajputs.
The clan name Sindhu, corruptions: Sidhu or Sandhu is from the Indus river. Sandhus
are very large Jat tribe. Found all over Punjab, but probably mainly in Amritsar
area of Tarn Tarn. They are probably from Sialkot area as the Sandhus of Karnal
worhsip Kala Mahar whose chief shrine is found in Sialkot. They are said to have
fought with Mahmud Ghaznavi and possibly has came to Punjabi via Ghajni or Ghazni,
Afghanistan. They have similar customs as Sahi Jats (worship some Jhand tree),
which too were once in Afghanistan.
Grewal or Garewal:
This clan holds 75 villages in Ludhiana Area. Many Grewals
freely entered British service and made great soldiers. They claim descent from
Raja Rikh or Rick as per Barstow. The other Jats in Ludhiana area called these Grewal
"Sahu" meaning they were of more nobility probably since they were
generally more well-to-do.Grewals are generally confined to the areas mention in
Ludhiana block of 75 villages.
Dhillons, Gills, and Sidhus can be found all over Punjab. Major Barstow writes in
1928, "The Garewal families of Kila Raipur, Gujarwal, and Naurangwal has a
sort of local authority at the close of the 18th Century and are in consequence
the proudest of the Jats." Part of the Sindhu clan of Punjab.
Mr. E. Balfour: "Jats: caste, clan, tribe, occupation. Jat-bhai, a fellow countryman,
one of the same sect or clan. When a Rajput has children by a Shudra woman, they
are called Jat."
The Abar are divided into 12 clans and numerous gotras. Some gotras coincide with
other Rajput gotras and some bear the name of Rajput clans. The gotra denotes descent
from an ancestor with that personal name and thus the gotra is not the same as a
clan or tribe. The main gotras are Gatwallas, Dahiya, Ahlawat, Rathi, Dalal, Sahrawat,
Kadian, Jakhar, Golia and Deswal.
The main Abar tribes are: (among them the original 12).
Alpials, Bajwa (=Baswaal), Bangyaal, Chatta, Cheema, Dhillon, Dhuhra, Gill, Gondal,
Her, Joura, Kahlon, Kang, Khar (=Kher, Kharral) , Lajwa, Langah (=Langriwal),
Randhawa (=Ranjha), Sarweya (or Saroya), Sehota, Sochi, Sukhera, Taror (= arraar
and Tharthaal), Waraich (= Virk, Varya or Brar).
Gill: This is one of the largest and most important Jat tribes. They are
found throughout Punjab. They are said to be descend from the Raja of Garh Mithila.
The Shergills are said to have come from this tribe. In Afghanistan they are known
as Ghil or Ghilzai.
Bajwa or Bajju Bajwa is said to be a name of a Rajput prince who liked Falcons,
i.e. Bazwala or Bajwala, later on butchered by Jats. Others (Ibbetson) say that
the joint Jat-Rajput Bajwas claim descent from Bajwat Hills in Sialkot, which is
also highly likely, as Bajwat may have been named after the Falconer. Bajwas
are still found mainly in Sialkot, but have spread all the way to Patiala
Sihota or SahotaAccording to some sources is said to be a lion, but this
is doubtfull.
Warraich Are Jats. Their home is the northern part of the district of Gujrat
in West Punjab but are also found in big numbers in parts of Gujranwala district
and Gujrat town.
Brar or BararBarar is said to have come from Sidhu. Sidhu-Barar say to have
descended from Bhattis. They are known by some as the most aristocratic of
Jat due to their Rajas; Patiala, Nabha, and Jind States. Also many famous Sidhu-Barars
Sham Singh Attariwala, Dalla Brar, Sant Jarnail Singh Binderanwala
etc.
Varya (Brah, Baria, Warah) Name derived from Sanskritic: varaha which means
boar. This tribe is said in Jalandhar to be Rajputs descendend from Raja Karan of
the Mahabharat. Their ancestor Mal came from Jal Kahra in Patiala about 600 years
ago. The tribe is practically confined to Patiala and Nabha. The Warah are descendants
of Warah, whose grandson Raja Banni Pal is said to have founded Bhattinda, after
conquering Bhatner and marrying the daughter of the Raja. Banni Pal's son Udasi
was defeated by a king of Delhi but received a jagir. His son Sundar had seven sons,
of whom the eldest founded Badhar in Nabha.
Virk To some refer to the Central Asian town of Sarai-Birke, this
is doubtfull. Found mainly in Lahore, Amritsar, and Gujranwala, with over
132 villages in Gujranwala. They claim their ancestor Virak was descended from Mal,
which could make them related to the Malli of Alexander. Name probaly derived from
varka, a wolf.
Soray, Sari, Sarvaya, Surai, Saroya,Sarai it breaks down into two parts:
Sur - lord or possibly Rai - from Rao brave possibly. Found chiefly
in Sialkot and Gurdaspur though also other areas such as Jullundar. Some of them
say they are related to Sandhus.
Dhillon Very large Jat tribe. Found in Gujranwala and Lahore and
also large amounts in Delhi area, but everywhere. They could be named after Delhi.
The Dhillons call themselves the descendants of King Kama.
Kang Kang are found in Ambala and Ferozpure, but
also in Doaba. We all know the famous Tara Singh Gheba who was Kang Jat. They too
trace origins to Afghanistan. Known as Kank in Maharashtra.
Chatta or Chhadar They claim to descend from Pritvi Raj Chauhan.
Found in Gujranwala. Related to Chimas.
Chimas Related to Chauhans and Chattas. Found in Sialkot, Gujranwala
etc. Nagras are said to be offshoot of Chimas. Some found in Doaba.
Kahlon They have marriage customs similar to Sahi Jat thus Afghanistan
and are found in Gurdaspur and Sialkot.
Ghumman Same customs as Sahi Jats, also found in Sialkot.
Tarar Descended from Bhattis, found mainly in Gujranwala.
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