Religions Hinduism | Subdivisions Nandvanshi Ahir | |
Languages Hindi, Bhojpuri, Brajbhasha Populated states Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar | ||
Kamariya (or Kamaria, Kamariya Ahir, Kamariya Yadav, Kamariya Thakur) is a sub-caste of Ahir Community.
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Etymology
Kamaria (literally means Kambal, Blanket), is a sub caste of Ahirs. Anthropologist Kumar Suresh Singh observed that the terms Bahenia, Kamaria, and Uprelia Ahir are synonymous in Madhya Pradesh and their common surname is Singh.
Distribution
They are mainly found in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states in India. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the Gwala, Gopal, Ghosi, Mandal, Dharond, Dhuria, Gaoli, Kamaria, Ahir and Abhir castes all call themselves Yadavs.
In North Western Provinces, the Parganah of Ahrorah in district Mirzapur and ancient Ahirwara, derives its name from Ahir Zamindars. The Ain Akbari also mentions Ahir Zamindars in the districts of Nagina and Sirdhana.
In Madhya Pradesh, they are known as Kamaria Zamindars and are an agricultural community.
Classification
Kamaria of Uttar Pradesh and the Kamaria Ahirs of Jabalpur are considered to belong to the Nandvanshi group. However, some sources mention that in Madhya Pradesh they profess to be the descendants of Yadava, the Krishna lineage. The Nandvanshi and Yaduvanshi titles have fundamentally the same meaning. The Kamaria are further sub divided into several gotras (clans), Idkana being one of the clans. Bilhabaria, Diswar Sambharphula, Mujharanwa, Jinwariya, Barothe and Bhogita are the other clans of Kamariya Ahirs.
The Kamariyas, at present, are classified as Other Backward Class.
Politics
There are two types of Yadavs in Uttar Pradesh- Kamariya Yadav and Ghosi Yadav. The Ghosis who allegedly get less political advantages due to the fact that Mulayam Singh and top leaders of his party are from Kamaria sub caste, who do not favour Ghosis, The other political parties often try a split among Yadavs on the issue that the Ghosi Yadavs outnumber Kamaria Yadavs in Uttar Pradesh. and have traditionally been better off among Yadavs (Ahirs). In Uttar Pradesh, the Ghosi Ahirs are considered better among all the other groups of the Yadav caste. The Yaduvanshi and Nandvanshi share equal social status whereas, the Kamariya are of the lower social status among other Ahir groups.