Relation to Ahirs =Abhira=Fearless
Ahirs synonyms are Yadav and Rao Sahab. Rao Sahab is only used in Ahirwal region consisting of territories of few villages of Delhi, Southern Haryana & Behrod area of Alwar district (Rajasthan). Historically, Ahir laid the foundation of Ahir Batak town which was later called Ahrora and Ahirwar in Jhansi district in A.D.108. Rudramurti Ahir became the chief of the Army and later on, the king. Madhuriputa, Ishwarsen and Shivdatta were well known kings from the lineage who mingled with Yadav Rajputs, Sainis, who are now found by their original name only in Punjab and in the neighbouring states of Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. They claim descent from Yaduvanshi Rajputs of the Yaduvanshi Surasena lineage, originating from Yadav King Shoorsen, who was the grandfather of both Krishna and the legendary Pandava warriors. Sainis relocated to Punjab from Mathura and surrounding areas over different periods of time.
All Yadav sub castes descent from the Yadu lineage, these include the Ahirs in the North and West India; The Ghosh or the "Goalas" and "Sadgopa" or Gauda in Bengal and Orissa; Dhangar in Maharashtra; Yadav and Kurubas in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and dayan and Konar in Tamil Nadu. There are also several sub-regional names such as hetwar and Rawat in Madhya Pradesh, and Mahakul (Great Family) in Bihar. The traditional occupation of most of these castes relates to cattle.
The Ahirs, also referred to as Abhira or Abhir, also claim descent from Yadu through Krishna, and are identified with the Yadavs. In the 1881 census records of the British empire, Yadavs are identified as Ahirs.
Besides Scriptural origin, historical evidence exists for identifying the Ahirs with the Yadavas. It is argued that the term Ahir comes from Abhira (Behandarkar, 1911; 16), who where once found in different parts of India, and who in several places wielded political power. Ancient Sanskrit classic, Amarkosa, calls gwal, gopa & ballabh to be the synonym of Abhira. A Chudasama prince styled Grahripu and Ruling at Vanthali near Junagarh described in the Dyashraya kavya of Hemachandra, describes him both as a Abhira and a Yadav. Further, in their Bardic traditions as well as in popular stories Chudasmas are still called Ahir Ranas.[ Again, many remains of Khandesh (historical stronghold of Abhiras) are popularly believed to be of Gawli Raj, which archaeologically belongs to the Yadvas of Devgiri. Hence, it is concluded that Yadvas of Devgiri were actually Abhiras. Moreover, there are sufficient number of clans within Yadav, who trace their lineage from Yadu and Lord Krishna, some of which are mentioned in Mahabharata as Yadav Clans, like Gaur, Krishnauth etc. Vātsyāyana also mentions the Abhira kingdoms in the Kama Sutra.
Ahir’s also ruled beyond the geographical borders of present day India, as king of the hilly terrain of Nepal. Eight kings of the first Yadav dynasty ruled Nepal, the first being Bhuktaman and the last Yaksha Gupta. Owing to pastoral disputes, this dynasty was then replaced by another Yadav dynasty. This second Yadav dynasty had a succession of three kings, they were Badasimha, Jaymati Simha and Bhuban Simha and their rule ended when the Kirati invaders defeated Bhuban Simha, the last Yadav king of Nepal.
It is argued that the term Ahir comes from Abhira who were once found in different parts of India, and who in several places wielded political power. The Abhiras are equated with Ahirs, Gopas and Gollas, and all of them are considered Yadavas.
Abhira means "fearless" and appear in most ancient historical references dating back to the Abhira kingdom of the Saraswati Valley, who spoke Abhiri until the Buddhist period. Analysis of Hindu scriptural references of the Abhira kingdoms has led some scholars to conclude that it was merely a term used for Holy Yadava Kingdoms. In Bhagavatam, the Gupta dynasty has been called Abhir.
It is also stated that the Allahabad iron pillar inscription of Samudragupta (fourth
century AD) mentions the Abhiras as one of the states of west and south west India. A fourth century AD inscription found in Nashik speaks of an Abhira king and there is proof that in the middle of the fourth century the Abhiras were settled in eastern Rajputana and Malwa. Similarly, when the Kathis arrived in Gujarat in the eighth century, they found the greater part of the country in the possession of the Ahirs. The Mirzapur district of the United Provinces has a tract known as Ahraura, named after the Ahir and another piece of country near Jhansi was called Ahirwar. The Ahirs were also kings of Nepal at the beginning of the Christian era. Khandesh and the Tapti valley were other regions where they were kings. The Gavlis rose to political power in Deogarh, on the Chhindwara Plateau in the central provinces. The Saugar traditions traced down the Gavli supremacy to a much later date, as the tracts of Etawa and Khurai are said to have been governed by the chieftains till the close of the seventeenth century.
Scholars, such as Robert Sewell believe that the rulers of Vijayanagara Empire were Kurubas (also known as Yadavas). Some early inscriptions, dated 1078 and 1090, have implied that the Hoysalas of Mysore were also the descendants of the original Yadava clan, by referring to the Yadava vamsa (clan) as Hoysala vamsa. The founder of the Wodeyar dynasty, Vijaya, also claimed descent from the Yadu and took on the name Yadu-Raya.
Many ruling Rajput clans of India traced their origin to the Yaduvanshi lineage, a major branch of the Chandravanshi Kshatriyas. These include the Banaphars and the Jadejas. The Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri also claimed descent from the clan of Lord Krishna.
Legends of the cowherd Krishna and his dances with cowherdesses are mentioned in the Sangam classics. The term Ayarpati (cowherd settlement) is found in Cilappatikaram. It is argued that the term Ayar has been used for the Abhiras in ancient Tamil literature, and V. Kanakasabha Pillai (1904) derives Abhira from the Tamil word Ayir which also means cow. He equates the Ayars with Abhiras, and scholars treat this as evidence of migration of the Abhiras to the south in the first century AD.
All Yadav sub castes descent from the Yadu lineage, these include the Ahirs in the North and West India; The Ghosh or the "Goalas" and "Sadgopa" or Gauda in Bengal and Orissa; Dhangar in Maharashtra; Yadav and Kurubas in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and dayan and Konar in Tamil Nadu. There are also several sub-regional names such as hetwar and Rawat in Madhya Pradesh, and Mahakul (Great Family) in Bihar. The traditional occupation of most of these castes relates to cattle.
The Ahirs, also referred to as Abhira or Abhir, also claim descent from Yadu through Krishna, and are identified with the Yadavs. In the 1881 census records of the British empire, Yadavs are identified as Ahirs.
Besides Scriptural origin, historical evidence exists for identifying the Ahirs with the Yadavas. It is argued that the term Ahir comes from Abhira (Behandarkar, 1911; 16), who where once found in different parts of India, and who in several places wielded political power. Ancient Sanskrit classic, Amarkosa, calls gwal, gopa & ballabh to be the synonym of Abhira. A Chudasama prince styled Grahripu and Ruling at Vanthali near Junagarh described in the Dyashraya kavya of Hemachandra, describes him both as a Abhira and a Yadav. Further, in their Bardic traditions as well as in popular stories Chudasmas are still called Ahir Ranas.[ Again, many remains of Khandesh (historical stronghold of Abhiras) are popularly believed to be of Gawli Raj, which archaeologically belongs to the Yadvas of Devgiri. Hence, it is concluded that Yadvas of Devgiri were actually Abhiras. Moreover, there are sufficient number of clans within Yadav, who trace their lineage from Yadu and Lord Krishna, some of which are mentioned in Mahabharata as Yadav Clans, like Gaur, Krishnauth etc. Vātsyāyana also mentions the Abhira kingdoms in the Kama Sutra.
Ahir’s also ruled beyond the geographical borders of present day India, as king of the hilly terrain of Nepal. Eight kings of the first Yadav dynasty ruled Nepal, the first being Bhuktaman and the last Yaksha Gupta. Owing to pastoral disputes, this dynasty was then replaced by another Yadav dynasty. This second Yadav dynasty had a succession of three kings, they were Badasimha, Jaymati Simha and Bhuban Simha and their rule ended when the Kirati invaders defeated Bhuban Simha, the last Yadav king of Nepal.
It is argued that the term Ahir comes from Abhira who were once found in different parts of India, and who in several places wielded political power. The Abhiras are equated with Ahirs, Gopas and Gollas, and all of them are considered Yadavas.
Abhira means "fearless" and appear in most ancient historical references dating back to the Abhira kingdom of the Saraswati Valley, who spoke Abhiri until the Buddhist period. Analysis of Hindu scriptural references of the Abhira kingdoms has led some scholars to conclude that it was merely a term used for Holy Yadava Kingdoms. In Bhagavatam, the Gupta dynasty has been called Abhir.
It is also stated that the Allahabad iron pillar inscription of Samudragupta (fourth
century AD) mentions the Abhiras as one of the states of west and south west India. A fourth century AD inscription found in Nashik speaks of an Abhira king and there is proof that in the middle of the fourth century the Abhiras were settled in eastern Rajputana and Malwa. Similarly, when the Kathis arrived in Gujarat in the eighth century, they found the greater part of the country in the possession of the Ahirs. The Mirzapur district of the United Provinces has a tract known as Ahraura, named after the Ahir and another piece of country near Jhansi was called Ahirwar. The Ahirs were also kings of Nepal at the beginning of the Christian era. Khandesh and the Tapti valley were other regions where they were kings. The Gavlis rose to political power in Deogarh, on the Chhindwara Plateau in the central provinces. The Saugar traditions traced down the Gavli supremacy to a much later date, as the tracts of Etawa and Khurai are said to have been governed by the chieftains till the close of the seventeenth century.
Scholars, such as Robert Sewell believe that the rulers of Vijayanagara Empire were Kurubas (also known as Yadavas). Some early inscriptions, dated 1078 and 1090, have implied that the Hoysalas of Mysore were also the descendants of the original Yadava clan, by referring to the Yadava vamsa (clan) as Hoysala vamsa. The founder of the Wodeyar dynasty, Vijaya, also claimed descent from the Yadu and took on the name Yadu-Raya.
Many ruling Rajput clans of India traced their origin to the Yaduvanshi lineage, a major branch of the Chandravanshi Kshatriyas. These include the Banaphars and the Jadejas. The Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri also claimed descent from the clan of Lord Krishna.
Legends of the cowherd Krishna and his dances with cowherdesses are mentioned in the Sangam classics. The term Ayarpati (cowherd settlement) is found in Cilappatikaram. It is argued that the term Ayar has been used for the Abhiras in ancient Tamil literature, and V. Kanakasabha Pillai (1904) derives Abhira from the Tamil word Ayir which also means cow. He equates the Ayars with Abhiras, and scholars treat this as evidence of migration of the Abhiras to the south in the first century AD.
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