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Gwalvanshi

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Gwalvanshi is a term for those who claim descent from the Gwala or herdsman dynasty and the Gopis, who danced with the god Krishna in the woods of Vrindavan and Gokul. The term indicates an association with sacred cows.

Contents

Etymology

Original word Gaur becomes and then Gwal. Gaur, Gor or Gorya, a very ancient Yadav clan of Epic Mahabharata. The term Gwal was derived from Gopal or "protector of cows". Amarkosa, an ancient Sanskrit text treats them as synonym of Abhira.

Structure

Krishna was raised between Gwals who were his childhood friends. Mahabharata says Gaurs are part of Yaduvanshi Kshatriyas. The Gwallas of Bengal, Yadavs of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are Gwalvanshi. According to British historian Elliot, Gwalvanshi do not have gotras (Clans or sub divisions).

Distribution

  • Uttar Pradesh Azamgarh, Banares, Bhadohi, Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, Allahabad, Gorkakhpur and Mirzapur District.
  • Bihar has Gopalganj, Banka, Darbhanga, Siwan, Sahabad, Sasaram, Gaya, Rohtas, Palamau, Hazaribag Chhapra, Madhubani, Munger. According to history professor Rahul Shukla, the Gwalvanshi Ahirs had settled in Azamgarh, Varanasi, Gorkakhpur, Mirzapur etc., besides in Bihar. "They were cultivators or tenants in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. At the turn of the century, they evolved into business and other vocations in a big way.

    • Caste politics

    The transformation of all Ahirs (Yaduvanshi Ahirs, Nandvanshi and Gwalvanshi) into Yaduvanshi Yadavs was promoted by the All India Yadav Mahasabha which was founded in 1927.

    References

    Gwalvanshi Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA