Ahir-Rajput Connection

(Redirected from Ahir Rajput)

The Ahir Rajputs (Yaduvanshi Rajputs later word) is a term used for describing various descendants of Ahirs who assimilated with Rajputs so these groups claim descent from the ancient king Yadu.[1][2][3][4] According to distinguished historians, the Yaduvanshi Rajputs are derived from the Yaduvanshi Ahirs.[5][6][7][8] Some scholars regard the Chudasamas and Jadejas as Ahirs.[9]

Painting of Jahal, sonbai and Devat Bodar, an Yaduvanshi Ahir, who is killing his own son Uga to save Ra Navghan

Several such dynasties, like the kalachuris, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, and later the Yadavas, trace their origin to Abhira (pastoralist) clans.[10]

Some historians believe Yaduvanshi Rajputs are Banjaras or Muslims who started claiming they are Yaduvanshi to increase their Social status.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

Mr. Bhattacharya, a distinguished historian, writes in his book the "Indian Castes and Tribes": The Rajputs generally repudiate all connection with the Ahirs, though it seems very probable that the Yaduvanshi Kshatriyas were originally Ahirs.[20] The present Ahirs or Yadavs also repudiate all connection with Rajputs. Accoording to some authors, the Ahirs, Jats Gurjars etc are not Rajputs at all. They are tribes of Kshatriyas. The Rajput word for the ruler has not been used from the time of Ramayana and Mahabharata upto 600 A.D. in the history books or puranas, and after 600 A.D. to 1200 A.D. Rajput is not a word found in books such as Jain Granths.[21][22]

Footnotes change

The main points to remember are that the Kshatriya or Rajput group of castes is essentially an occupational group, composed of all clans following the Hindu ritual who actually undertook the work of government; that consequently, people of most diverse races were and are humped together as Rajputs; and that most of the great clans now in existence are descended either from foreign immigration of the fifth or sixth century of the Christian era, or from indigenous races such as the gonds and bhars.[23]

References change

  1. S S Narula. Scientific History Of The Hindi Language S S Narula. p. 37. According to Mahabharata, where we find the earliest reference to the Abhiras, these tribes were living in the Panjab. Near about the beginning of the Christian era, they migrated to Gujarat, Kathiawar and the neighbouring areas under the pressure of fresh waves of invaders from the north-west. This is confirmed by minor edict of 181 A.D. found in Kathiawar which contains a reference to Abhira commander Ruderbhuti. An inscription at Nasik of 300 A. D. makes a mention of the Abhira king Ishwarsen. From an inscription on Samuder Gupta's iron pillar at Allahabad, it appears that Abhiras had by then come to dominate over Malwa, Rajasthan and had spread as far as Jhansi. Some of these tribes seem to have later reached further east and south. Ahirora in Mirzapur got its name from Abhiras and so also the area from Tapti to Devgarh. There were settlements of Abhiras in Khandesh, where they seem to have set up several clan-guilds. In course of time Sakas and Gurjaras seem to have got mixed up with the Abhiras. Hunas too later got absorbed into them, after they had dispersed the earlier tribes of Rajasthan and settled in their places. These tribes provided some of the strongest dynasties of the middle ages and most of the present Rajput clans seem to have arisen from them.
  2. Bhatia, Harbans Singh (1984). Political, Legal, and Military History of India. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 21. It would appear that Brahmans, Bhars, Ahirs, Jats, Gujars, and Huns have all contributed to the Rajput clans.
  3. Soni, Lok Nath (2000). The Cattle and the Stick: An Ethnographic Profile of the Raut of Chhattisgarh. Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture. pp. 19–13. ISBN 978-81-85579-57-3. the Abhira were divided into thirty-six lineage groups. It has also been described in 'Nagvansa' written by Pradyumn Singh (quoted by Singh 1945), as thirty-six' Kuris. It shows that the Abhira are the Kshatriya and were called both Kshatriya and Rajput. In the old literature thirty-six sections of the Kshatriya caste have been mentioned'. Chand Bardai, a Kshatriya, was one of the eminent persons in the Prithviraj Chauhan's cabinet and a well-known poet, who has written "Prithviraj Raso". At one place, he has mentioned the 'Abhira' as a section of the Kshatriya caste. The above writings show that the Abhira is a section of Kshatriya caste.
  4. Williams, Laurence Frederic Rushbrook (1958). The Black Hills: Kutch in History and Legend: a Study in Indian Local Loyalties. London. p. 80.
  5. Soni, Lok Nath (2000). The Cattle and the Stick: An Ethnographic Profile of the Raut of Chhattisgarh. Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture. ISBN 978-81-85579-57-3. Bhattacharya (1995: 237) has written," The Rajput generally repudiate all connections with the Ahir, though it seems very probable that the Yadubansi Kshatriyas were originally Ahirs".
  6. India, United Service Institution of (1911). Journal of the United Service Institution of India. Mr. Bhattacharya advances the proposition that Jadubans Rajputs are descended from Ahirs.
  7. Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Thacker, Spink. The Rajputs generally repudiate all connection with the Ahirs, though it seems very probable that the Yadu Bansi Ksatriyas were originally Ahirs.
  8. commission, Great Britain Indian statutory (1930). Report of the Indian Statutory Commission ... H. M. Stationery Office. Mr. Bhattacharya, a distinguished historian , writes in his book the "Indian Castes and Tribes" : "It seens very probable that the Yadubansi Rajputs are derived from the Yadubansi Ahirs. The Narayani Army which the Krishna organised and which made him so powerful that his friendship was eagerly sought by the greatest kings of his time, is described in the Mahabharata as being all of the Ahir caste .
  9. Munshi, Kanaiyalal Maneklal (1943). The Glory that was Gūrjaradeśa: The pre-historic west coast. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Some scholars, however, regard the Cūḍāsamās, Jāḍejās and Devagiri Yadavas as Ābhīras.
  10. Mubayi, Yaaminey (2022-09-13). Water and Historic Settlements: The Making of a Cultural Landscape. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-64163-9.
  11. Elliot, Sir Henry Miers (1962). The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians: the Posthumous Papers of the Late Sir H.M. Elliot. Susil Gupta. Sam, the son of Sambut Raja, had a son named Jadam. Jadam had four sons:-1. Haibat, whose son was Sind Samma; 2. Gajpat, whose son was Chughda; 3. Bhupat, from whom the tribe of Bhattis sprung; 4. Chura Samma. His son was Ráí Daiyách, who became chief of Gimnál, a fort in the district of Sorath, and famous for the pomp of his retinue. He sacrificed his head as a religious offering.
  12. Deogaonkar, Shashishekhar Gopal; Deogaonkar, Shailaja Shashishekhar (1992). The Banjara. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-7022-433-4. The Banjara are divided into five main clans Rathod, Panwar, Chauhan, puri and Jadon
  13. Edwardes, Stephen Meredyth; Bombay (Presidency) (1909). The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island ... Printed at the Time Press. the name Bhati or Bhatia being derived from the Sanskrit bhat.
  14. Iyengar, Venkatesa (1932). The Mysore. Mittal Publications. Banjaras are derived from the Charan or Bhat caste of Rajputana.
  15. Bombay (Presidency) (1901). Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency. Government Central Press. BAÁTIS or Bhattis Rajputs, probably of Turkish origin. Both Bhátias and Jats claim to be Yadavas. But Bhátias are probably Turks and seem to have no claim to the name Yadava.
  16. Gujarat. Popular Prakashan. 2003. ISBN 978-81-7991-106-8. The Chudasama are an offshoot of the Samma tribe, probably of Turk origin who entered India during the seventh or eighth century and are found in Kachchh, Junagadh and Jamnagar districts.
  17. Shail Mayaram (6 May 2011). Kamala Visweswaran (ed.). Perspectives on Modern South Asia: A Reader in Culture, History, and Representation. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 18–. ISBN 978-1-4051-0062-5. Helena Basu points out that the Jadeja Rajputs of Gujarat who were described as 'half Muslim' employed African Sidi(Muslim) slaves as cooks
  18. Ahmad, Imtiaz; Reifeld, Helmut (2017-08-03). Lived Islam in South Asia: Adaptation, Accommodation and Conflict. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-38432-2.
  19. Cotton, James Sutherland; Burn, Sir Richard; Meyer, Sir William Stevenson (1908). Imperial Gazetteer of India ... Clarendon Press.
  20. Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Thacker, Spink.
  21. Rahi, Javaid (2012-01-01). The Gujjars Vol: 01 and 02 Edited by Dr. Javaid Rahi. Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture , Languages , Jammu. p. 708.
  22. Warikoo, Kulbhushan; Som, Sujit (2000). Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya. p. 22.
  23. Sen, Sailendra Nath (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. ISBN 978-81-224-1198-0.