Ahirs

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An Ahir woman harvesting wheat in Nadapa, east of Bhuj

Ahir (a corruption of the word, Abhira "fearless") is a subgroup of the Dhangar caste of India.

The people of the Ahir tribe are traditionally cow herders and shepherds. They are a subcaste of Dhangar and are not only found in the Kaatch (Kutch) area of western Gujarat, but also in Rajasthan,Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Nepal ^[1]. The Ahirs also share most gotras with the Gujjars and Jats (Abhars) and have the same physical appearance as them. This led to the theory they being of the same stock.

According to tradition^{[citation needed]}, the Abhiras had the distinction of founding the first recorded kingdom on the banks of the sacred river Saraswati. On the other side of the river was the kingdom of the Suras. The Sarswati gradually went underground, and the Suras were blamed for the mishap and charged with sins with which the river was burdened. Both the Suras and Abhiras had to migrate away from their kingdom and were alienated from the rest of society.

Hindu writers ^{[2] [3] [4] [5][citation needed]} have described the Ahirs as living in the north and west, the quarter varying according to the locality of the writer.The Sabha-parva and Bhisma-parva sections of the Mahabharata mention the province of Abhira, situated near what once was the Sarasvati River in ancient Sind .Suras and Abhira has together been referred to as Surabhiras in scriptures and later works does not discriminate between the two.Many scholars have sought link between Indian Abhira and Surabhir with Biblical equivalent Ophir and Sofir.Ptolemy says there was a country called Abhira at the mouth of the River Indus.Sreemad Bhagwatam gives similar account and location matches with Sind.Christian Lassen (1800-1876) author of Indische Alterthumskunde vol I p. 354, thinks “Ophir” was a seaport on the south west coast of India. Mrs.Manning says it was situated on the western coast of India.Gesenius, Sir Emerson Tennent, and Max Muller appear to agree with Christian Lassen .Because of so many views in favour sometimes Abhira is regarded as equivalent of Ophir, mentioned in the Bible and sofir (also the coptic name of India) refers to surabhir .

According to the Markandeya Purana, all the Haiheya aggressors (warrior caste) were killed in a massacre led by Parshuram. In that time, the Ahirs were either a sub-clan of the Hayheya or sided with the Hayheya. Only the Abhiras survived by escaping into the craters between mountains. The sage Markandeya remarked that "all Haiheya have been killed but Abhira have survived; they will surely rule the earth in Kaliyuga." The Ahirs also attacked Arjun as he entered the Ahirvati and launced attacks against the Yadus.^[6] Vātsyāyana also mentions the Abhira kingdoms in the Kama Sutra[1].References of Abhira being residents of kingdom ruled by Yudhisthira is found in Bhagwatam. ^[7]

Shreemad Bhagwatam, which gives detailed account of dynasties ruling after great war of Mahabharata, talks in detail about Abhira rulers

Then will follow seven kings of the Abhira race from the city of Avabhrti, and then ten Gardabhis. After them, sixteen kings of the Kankas will rule and will be known for their excessive greed.Eight Yavanas will then take power, followed by fourteen Turuskas, ten Gurundas and eleven kings of the Maula dynasty.These Abhiras, Gardabhis and Kankas will enjoy the earth for 1,099 years.

Gupta Dynasty's account exactly matches with the Abhira Kings mentioned in the Bhagwatam.Many believe both Guptas^[8] and Mauryas were abhir^[9].

They are identified by different names in different regions of the country:

Andar, Ahiyaru , Ahir, Appugol, Maldhari / Bharwad / Rabari, Bharavadaru, Dhangar, Dhangad / Dhanwar / Dhanka /Dhangod, Doddi Gowda, Gadhariya, Gadaria, Gowda, Gaddi, Gadri, Gollavadu, Gounder,Halumatha, Heggades, Idyar, Khuruk, Kuda, Kuruba, Kuruba Gowda, Kurumba, Kurmar, Kurumbar, Kalavar, Kuruma, Kurumavaaru, Kurkhi, Kurupu, Naikers, Nikhers, Oraon, Pal / Pala, Palaru, Paalakyatriya, Poduvar, Yadavalu.

The Ahirs were also one of the more militant Hindus, including in the modern era. For example, in 1930 about 200 Ahirs marched towards the shrine of Trilochan and performed puja in response to tanzeem processions.^[10]

The original cult of Lord Krishna, especially the aspect dealing with Krishna's boyhood in Vrindavan, and his dalliances with the Gopis, has been attributed to the Ahir or Abhir tribe. The merging of this Lord Krishna with the hero of the Mahabharat did not occurr until about 4th century a.d..^{[11] [12]}

[edit] Language

The spoken language among Abhiras, was known as Ahirani ^[13] or Abhiri ^[14] as described in Bharata's Natyasastr {Kavyamala No. 42}.

[edit] Indian Classical Music (Abhiri Raaga)

Now, raga Kambhoji is stated to be deshi raga and a jana raga. According to ancient references, the name of deshi ragas originated from the name of the countries or deshas (of their origin). The author of Sangit-Ratnavali also attests that:

   Deshi-Ragah……….deshnamsamudbhavah | (Sangit-Ratnavali) [15] 

Narada, the author of Sangit-Makarand also hints on the uniqueness of the raga-nomenclaturing. On close study of Narada's Sangit Makrand, one learns of three distinct stages on the nomenclaturing of the Indian ragas.

In the second stage, the Ragas were named after different jana (tribes or the clans) dwelling in different geographical locations. For example, after Shaka tribe was named Shakatilak Raga or Shakamishrat variants of Shaka Raga; after Pulinda tribe was named the Pulinda Raga; after Abhira clan was named Abhiri Raga; after Savara tribe was named Saviri or Saverka. Similarly after Malava, Andhra, Gurjar, Kambhoja (Kamboja) tribes were named Ragas Malvika, Andhrri, Gurjari and Kambhoji (Kamboji) respectively, with all their variants ^[16]..

Front ranking Indian historian, Dr Romila Thapar, while writing on the Barbarians of north-west, also refers to the respective melodies or tunes of the Gandharas, Kambojas and the Sakas etc ^[17].

[edit] See also

• Dhangar
• Gadhvi
• chudasama

[edit] References

[edit] External links

1. Death of the Aryan Invasion Theory
2. Ophir-Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
3. Abhira Located in Sind-Shrimad Bhagwatam
4. Krishna, as Abhira-boy to Radha, Sri Caitanya Caritamta Antya 1.154
5. History of Antiquity – By Max Dunker volume IV
6. Ancient Indian Commerce
7. Puranic Literature
8. Newletter142

1. Pandulena, Nasik Maharashtra
2. Maharastra History
3. Vaishnava