Ahir clans#Majhraut
{{Short description|Caste of the Indian subcontinent}}
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{{Merge|Ahir
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
Ahir (Sanskrit: Abhira){{Cite book |last=Shashi |first=Shyam Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=duIjAQAAIAAJ&q=Ahir |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Tribes: The tribal world in transition |date=1994 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-836-8 |language=en}} is a caste found in the Indian subcontinent, mainly modern-day India, Nepal and Pakistan.{{Cite book |last=Shashi |first=Shyam Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=duIjAQAAIAAJ |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Tribes: The tribal world in transition |date=1994 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-836-8 |pages=76 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Heath |first1=Anthony F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-IQ0AQAAIAAJ |title=Diversity and Change in Modern India: Economic, Social and Political Approaches |last2=Jeffery |first2=Roger |date=2010 |publisher=OUP/British Academy |isbn=978-0-19-726451-5 |pages=223 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Gurung |first=Harka B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9tSBAAAAMAAJ |title=Faces of Nepal |date=1996 |publisher=Himal Books |isbn=978-99933-43-50-9 |pages=80 |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=33xmAAAAMAAJ&q=Ahir+landlord |title=Biographical Encyclopedia of Pakistan: Millennium 2000 |date=2001 |publisher=Research Institute of Historiography, Biography and Philosophy |language=en}} The Ahir clans are spread almost all over country.{{Cite book |last=Fox |first=Richard Gabriel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FHEcBTmxlOEC&pg=PA19 |title=Kin, Clan, Raja, and Rule: Statehinterland Relations in Preindustrial India |date=1971 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-01807-5 |language=en}} Ahirs are also known as Yadav, a surname they adopted following Sanskritisation in the 20th century.{{cite book|last1=Jassal|first1=Smita Tewari|author2=École pratique des hautes études (France). Section des sciences économiques et sociales|author3=University of Oxford. Institute of Social Anthropology|title=Contributions to Indian sociology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jA0tAQAAIAAJ|year=2001|publisher=Mouton|pages=319–351|chapter=Caste in the Colonial State: Mallahs in the census}} Quote: "The movement, which had a wide interregional spread, attempted to submerge regional names such as Goala, Ahir, Ahar, Gopa, etc., in favour of the generic term Yadava (Rao 1979). Hence a number of pastoralist castes were subsumed under Yadava, in accordance with decisions taken by the regional and national level caste sabhas. The Yadavas became the first among the shudras to gain the right to wear the janeu, a case of successful sanskritisation which continues till date. As a prominent agriculturist caste in the region, despite belonging to the shudra varna, the Yadavas claimed Kshatriya status tracing descent from the Yadu dynasty. The caste's efforts matched those of census officials, for whom standardisation of overlapping names was a matter of policy. The success of the Yadava movement also lies in the fact that, among the jaati sabhas, the Yadava sabha was probably the strongest, its journal, Ahir Samachar, having an all-India spread. These factors strengthened local efforts, such as in Bhojpur, where the Yadavas, locally known as Ahirs, refused to do begar, or forced labour, for the landlords and simultaneously prohibited liquor consumption, child marriages, and so on."{{cite book |title=Society in India |volume=2 |first=David Goodman |last=Mandelbaum |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |year=1970 |isbn=978-0-520-01623-1 |page=443 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=igfd9YYCqf8C}}{{cite book|last=Jaffrelot|first=Christophe|title=India's silent revolution: the rise of the lower castes in North India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qJZp5tDuY-gC&pg=PA210|year=2003|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-12786-8|pages=210–211}} Quote: "In his typology of low caste movements, (M. S. A.) Rao distinguishes five categories. The first is characterised by 'withdrawal and self-organisation'. ... The second one, illustrated by the Yadavs, is based on the claim of 'higher varna status' and fits with Sanskritisation pattern. ..." The Ahir clans are spread almost all over country.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FHEcBTmxlOEC&pg=PA19 |title=Kin, Clan, Raja, and Rule: Statehinterland Relations in Preindustrial India | isbn=9780520018075| last=Fox| first=Mr.| year=1971|pages=19|publisher=University of California Press }}
Etymology
The word "ahir" is derived from the Sanskrit word "abhira."{{Cite web |title=People of Maharashtra |url=https://www.gazetteers.maharashtra.gov.in/cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/land_and_people/L%20%26%20P%20pdf/Chapter%20II/2%20Major%20Castes%20and%20Tribes.pdf?}}
Clans
=Nandvanshi Ahirs =
The Nandvanshi Ahirs are a section of Ahirs.{{cite book |last=Gupta |first=Dipankar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pviHAwAAQBAJ&dq=ahir+yaduvanshi&pg=PA58 |title=Caste in Question |publisher=SAGE Publication |year=2021 |isbn=9788132103455 |page=58 |quote=Their original caste title was Ahir. The idea of a unique Krishnavanshi kinship category which fuses traditional subdivisions Yaduvanshi, Nandavanshi and Goallavanshi into a single endogamous unit}} Kamarias{{Cite book |last=Mutatkar |first=Ramchandra Keshav |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XW7aAAAAMAAJ&q=Kamaria+Ahir |title=Caste Dimensions in a Village |date=1978 |publisher=Shubhada-Saraswat |language=en}} are also a sub-clan of Nandvanshi Ahirs{{Cite book |last=Dass |first=Arvind |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VAhuAAAAMAAJ&q=Kamaria+Ahir |title=Caste System: Caste commentaries and documentation |date=2002 |publisher=Dominant Publishers and Distributors |isbn=978-81-7888-029-7 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Dipankar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bgpEIb4tNjgC&q=Kamaria+Nandavanshi&pg=PA54 |title=Caste in Question: Identity Or Hierarchy? |date=2004-12-08 |publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=978-0-7619-3324-3 |language=en}} in Uttar Pradesh.
= Gwalvanshi Ahirs =
Gwalvanshi Ahirs have migrated to other parts of Uttar Pradesh from Mathura and they claim descent from gopis and gopas of Krishna's time.{{Cite book |last=Michelutti |first=Lucia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sOYJEAAAQBAJ&dq=Goallavanshi&pg=PT82 |title=The Vernacularisation of Democracy: Politics, Caste and Religion in India |date=2020-11-29 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-08400-9 |pages=22 |language=en}}
=Ghosi=
{{for|Main article|Hindu Ghosi}}
The Ghosi are a division of Ahir community found mainly in North India. The Ghosis are found in both Hindu and Muslim religion.{{Cite book |last=Russell |first=Robert Vane “ Sir D. Ibbetson says that in the Punjab the name Ghosi is used only for Muhammadans, and is often applied to any cowherd or milkman of that religion, whether Gujar, Ahir or of any other caste, just as Goala is used for a Hindu cowherd. It is said that Hindus will buy pure milk from the Musalmān Ghosi, but will reject it if there is any suspicion of its having been watered by the latter, as they must not drink water at his hands.“ |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6h2Gm1gPZZQC&dq=ghosi+ahirs+hindu&pg=PT1064 |title=The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Complete) |date=2020-09-28 |publisher=Library of Alexandria |isbn=978-1-4655-8294-2 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Hasnain |first=Nadeem “ Ghosi is a Muslim caste of herdsmen. The name of this community is derived from the word 'ghosh' meaning 'to shout' while herding the cattle. Crooke (ibid) mentions that they are converts like the Gaddi from the Ahir community. They belong to the Sunni sect of Islam. They use Urdu as mother tongue and also speak Hindi.” |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fjO6DQAAQBAJ&dq=muslim+ghosi&pg=PA61 |title=The Other Lucknow |date=2016 |publisher=Vani Prakashan |isbn=978-93-5229-420-6 |language=en}} They were the zamidars and small rulers of various parts of country.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
=Phatak=
=Dauwa=
In Bundelkhand, Dauwa Ahirs were allied with Bundela Rajputs and Dauwa women served as wetnurses for Bundela princes as part of a symbolic ritual.{{cite book | last=Jain | first=R.K. | title=Between History and Legend: Status and Power in Bundelkhand | publisher=Orient Blackswan Private Limited | year=2002 | isbn=978-81-250-2194-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fghQhiowlycC&pg=PA32 | access-date=2024-12-01 | page=32}}
=Dhadhor=
{{main|Dhadhor}}
Dhadhor is a subcaste of Ahirs.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LHEZAQAAMAAJ&q=dharhor |title=India Today |date=1994 |publisher=Aroon Purie for Living Media India Limited |language=en}}
=Krishnaut=
Krishnaut or Kishnaut are Ahirs that inhabits the state of Bihar.{{cite book|last1=Bihar (India)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uCZuAAAAMAAJ&q=Kishunaut|title=Bihar District Gazetteers: Bhagalpur|last2=Choudhury|first2=Pranab Chandra Roy|date=1957|publisher=Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar|language=en}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rwgsAAAAMAAJ&q=Kishnaut|title=The National Geographical Journal of India|date=1975|publisher=National Geographical Society of India.|language=en}}
=Majhraut=
They inhabit the Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand.{{Cite book |last1=Bihar (India) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uCZuAAAAMAAJ&q=Majhraut |title=Bihar District Gazetteers: Bhagalpur |last2=Choudhury |first2=Pranab Chandra Roy |date=1957 |publisher=Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Rana P. B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=py-UTg8GaJIC&q=majraut+ahir |title=Clan Settlements in the Saran Plain (Middle Ganga Valley): A Study in Cultural Geography |date=1977 |publisher=National Geographical Society of India, Banaras Hindu University |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Bihar (India) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WyduAAAAMAAJ&q=majraut+ahir |title=Bihar District Gazetteers: Hazaribagh |last2=Choudhury |first2=Pranab Chandra Roy |date=1962 |publisher=Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Siddiqui |first=M. K. A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fMHkAAAAMAAJ |title=Inter-caste and Inter-community Relationship: Developing Patterns |date=1993 |publisher=Commonwealth Publishers |isbn=978-81-7169-260-6 |language=en}}
=Sorathia=
Sorathia is an Ahir clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. According to B.S Suryavanshi, they are the descendents of chief Rao Navaghana of Junagadh.{{Cite book |last=SurvaVanshi |first=Bhagwansingh |url=http://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.36138 |title=Abhiras their history and culture |date=1962 |pages=84}}