Ahar caste
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| • India • Nepal | |
| Languages | |
| • Hindi • Khari boli | |
| Religion | |
| • Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Ahir• Yaduvanshi Ahirs |
The Ahar are a Hindu caste in India. The term "Ahar" was historically associated with the Yadav caste, along with the term "Ahir". At the start of the 20th century, the group labelled Ahar were generally found in a few west-central districts of India, but in the 1931 census of India appeared in large numbers recorded in the north-central districts, though not in any of the districts between the former and latter.[1] They claim to be descended from Yadu Race.[2]
Ahar, also called Ahir or Yadav is a peasant or agricultural caste of North India.[3][4]
The Yadava Movement in nineteenth century has successfully attempted to merge the regional caste identities like Ahar, Ahir, Gwala, Gop and so on, in favour of a generic term Yadava.[5] According to 1931 census, the population of Ahar, Ahir, Gopi, Ghoshi, Gwala, Gowari, Gaura, Kavindan, Idaiyan like pastoral communities was 14,170,032.[6]
"Ahar" and "Ahir" are variant of the Sanskrit term Abhir, which means nomad, "one who wanders about".
References
- ↑ Burger, Angela S. Opposition in a Dominant-Party System. University of California Press. p. 26. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
- ↑ Garg, Gangaram (1992). Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World, Volume 1. Concept Publishing Company. p. 239. ISBN 9788170223740. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ↑ Mendelsohn, Oliver; Vicziany, Marika (1998). The untouchables : subordination, poverty and the state in modern India (1. publ. ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. xi. ISBN 9780521556712. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ↑ Singh, Mohinder (1947). The Depressed Classes: Their Economic and Social Condition. Hind Kitabs. p. 130. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ↑ Jassal, Smita Tewari (2012). Unearthing gender : folksongs of North India. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press. p. 213. ISBN 0822351307. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ↑ Singh, H. D. 543 faces of India: guide to 543 parliamentary constituencies. Newmen Publishers. p. 19. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
;