Yadavs in Bihar

2026-03-20T02:51:42Z

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{{Short description|Indian caste}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}
'''Yadavs in Bihar''' refers to the people of [[Yadav]] community of the Indian state of [[Bihar]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Yadav |first1=Kripal Chandra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jn3aAAAAMAAJ&q=ahir+yadav+bihar |title=India's Unequal Citizens: A Study of Other Backward Classes |last2=Singh |first2=Rajbir |date=1994 |publisher=Manohar |isbn=978-81-7304-069-6 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Jha |first=Makhan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&dq=majraut+goria&pg=PA34 |title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective |date=1997 |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. |isbn=978-81-7533-034-4 |language=en}}</ref> They are also known as [[Ahir]], [[Gopa (caste)|Gope]] and, Rai etc.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=Shish Ram |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T3PaAAAAMAAJ&q=Ahir+gope+rai+ |title=Protective Discrimination: Other Backward Classes in India |date=2002 |publisher=Raj Publications |isbn=978-81-86208-23-6 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Santosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SVu8CgAAQBAJ&dq=gope+rai+yadav&pg=PT112 |title=Ruled or Misruled: Story and Destiny of Bihar |date=2015-10-09 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-93-85436-42-0 |language=en}}</ref> The [[Yadav]]s form nearly 14% of the state's population and are included in the [[Other Backward Class]] category in the [[Bihar]] state of [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bihar Elections 2015: In Yadav strongholds, Lalu's charm still endures|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/standpoint-bihar-elections-2015-in-yadav-strongholds-lalu-s-charm-still-endures-2141744|access-date=2022-02-24|website=DNA India|language=en}}</ref>

{{Infobox caste
|caste_name=Bihari Yadav|languages={{unbulleted list|[[Hindi]], [[Bhojpuri]], [[Bajjika]], [[Magahi]], [[Maithili language|Maithili]] & [[Angika]]}}|religions=[[Hindu]]|state=[[Bihar]]|region=[[East India]]}}

==Origin and History==
===Origin===
The Yadavs claim to be descended from lord [[Krishna]] of ancient Yadu tribe.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pinch|first=William R.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uEP-ceGYsnYC&pg=PA91|title=Peasants and Monks in British India|date=1996-06-18|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-91630-2|language=en}}</ref>

===History===
According to [[Vishnu Purana]], [[Abhira tribe|Abhiras]] (modern day [[Ahir|Ahirs]]) conquered [[Magadha]] and regained there for several hundred years.<ref>{{Cite book |last=India) |first=Asiatic Society (Kolkata |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f20yAQAAMAAJ&dq=abhira+magadha&pg=PA169 |title=Journal |date=1902 |language=en}}</ref>

====List of chieftain and zamindari====
In [[Bihar]], there were many zamindars belonging to [[Yadav]]/Ahir community. These [[Zamindar|zamindars]] belonged to the difficult geographical regions, mostly diara land of the rivers. In the diara regions their rule continued with the help of their militia.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barik |first=Radhakanta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lGNuAAAAMAAJ&q=Militia+Kurmi |title=Land and Caste Politics in Bihar |date=2006 |publisher=Shipra Publications |isbn=978-81-7541-305-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Congress |first=Indian History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZfltAAAAMAAJ&q=ahir+ |title=Proceedings |date=1997 |publisher=Indian History Congress |language=en}}</ref> The Ahir zamindars were predominantly found in northern and eastern parts of Bihar.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=K. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mt9G1e6JF-QC&q=eastern+Bihar+landholders |title=People of India: India's communities |date=1992 |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India |isbn=978-81-85579-09-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fDUjw2kFwvIC&q=%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B5 |title=Bihar men samajik parivartan ke kuchh ayam |date=2001 |publisher=Vani Prakashan |isbn=978-81-7055-755-5 |language=hi}}</ref>

*Rati Raut, an Ahir chief of Rati Paragana in north Bihar.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Sachchidanand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Us08AAAAMAAJ&q=Rati+Raut+Ahir |title=Caste System: Myths, Reality, Challenge |date=1982 |publisher=Intellectual Publishing House |isbn=978-0-8364-0791-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Sachidanand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v_1DLeE9DnMC&dq=%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF+%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A4+%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0&pg=PA102 |title=Jati Vyavstha |date=2009-09-01 |publisher=Rajkamal Prakashan |isbn=978-81-267-1414-8 |language=hi}}</ref>
*Daso Ahir, Raja of Bhojpur.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAO2AAAAIAAJ&q=ahir++rajas |title=Historical Researches Series |date=1963 |language=en}}</ref>
*Ahir chief of Ruidas-Patna.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Prasad |first=R. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TmDRNTYw49EC&dq=ahir+chief+ruidas&pg=PA129 |title=Encyclopaedic Profile of Indian Tribes |date=1996 |publisher=Discovery Publishing House |isbn=978-81-7141-298-3 |language=en}}</ref>
*Ahir Rajas of Gawror Fort, Patna.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAO2AAAAIAAJ&q=ahir++rajas |title=Historical Researches Series |date=1963 |language=en}}</ref>
*Ahir Chieftain of [[Murho Estate]] (Madhepura).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Department |first=Bengal (India) Revenue |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n6s-AQAAMAAJ&q=murho+estate |title=Report on the Administration of the Wards, Attached and Trust Estates |date=1909 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A village that symbolises Bihar |url=https://www.rediff.com/election/2005/feb/11spec2.htm |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=www.rediff.com}}</ref>
*Kishnaut Ahir zamindars of Parasadi Estate and Parsauna (Saran).<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LP4sAQAAIAAJ&q=kishnaut+ahir+zamindar |title=The National Geographical Journal of India |date=1975 |publisher=National Geographical Society of India. |language=en}}</ref>
*Babu Girwar Narayan Mandal, Zamindar of Ranipatti (Madhepura).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jha |first=Shashi Shekhar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AVTMNbEDp8EC&q=ranipatti+ |title=Political Elite in Bihar |date=1972 |publisher=Vora |isbn=9780842603652 |language=en}}</ref>
*Zamindars of Pipra estate in erstwhile [[Munger district]] (Now in Shambhuganj block of [[Banka district]], Bihar).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Narayan |first=Jayaprakash |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4s8-AQAAIAAJ&q=pipra+zamindar |title=Jayaprakash Narayan: 1946-1948 |date=2000 |publisher=Manohar |isbn=978-81-7304-518-9 |language=en}}</ref>

===Occupation===
At one time the main occupation of the Yadavs of Bihar was [[Zamindar|zamindars]] and rearing cattle, but now most of them are cultivator.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mishra |first=Shiva Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0iWcAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Majhraut%22+-wikipedia |title=Educational Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India: From the Earliest Times to 1206 A.D. with Special Reference to Mithilā |date=1998 |publisher=Ramanand Vidya Bhawan |isbn=978-81-85205-71-7 |language=en}}</ref> While majority of Yadavs were peasants with minor landholdings in the Northern and Central parts of [[India]], a few Yadavs had taken over large tract of land in the newly reclaimed portion of Eastern Bihar ([[Purnia|Purnea]] and [[Saharsa]]) and had become big landholders.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=K. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mt9G1e6JF-QC&q=eastern+Bihar |title=People of India: India's communities |date=1992 |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India |isbn=978-81-85579-09-2 |language=en}}</ref>

==Subdivision==
There are four main sub-castes of Yadav/Ahirs in Bihar, [[Krishnaut|Kishnaut]], [[Majhraut (Ahir)|Majhraut]], '''Kannaujia''' or '''Kanyakubja'''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fx8NAQAAMAAJ&q=kanyakubja+ahir |title=Indian Journal of Physical Anthropology and Human Genetics |date=2006 |publisher=Ethnographic and Folk Culture Society, U.P. |language=en}}</ref> and '''Goria'''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jha |first=Makhan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&dq=majraut&pg=PA34 |title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective |date=1997 |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. |isbn=978-81-7533-034-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Pandey |first=Ramdin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BgIcAQAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE+ |title=Palāmū kā itihāsa |date=1979 |publisher=Pāṇḍeya |language=hi}}</ref> Apart from these four, Ahir sub-caste like [[Hindu Ghosi|Ghoshi]], [[Dhadhor]], [[Gwalvanshi|Gwal]] and [[Sadgop]] are also found in small numbers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pandey |first=Shyam Manohar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pJhjAAAAMAAJ&q=Gval |title=The Hindi oral epic Canainī: the tale of Lorik and Candā |date=1982 |publisher=Sahitya Bhawan |language=hi}}</ref> Among them the first three never sell either milk, ghee or butter, and have, to a large extent, became cultivator.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hunter |first=Sir William Wilson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qW5DAAAAYAAJ&q=krishnaut+never+sell+milk |title=A Statistical Account of Bengal: Districts of Bhágalpur and the Santál Parganás |date=1976 |publisher=D. K. Publishing House |language=en}}</ref>

===Title===
The titles generally used by the Yadav/[[Ahir|Ahirs]] community in Bihar are the Rai/Ray, [[Roy]], [[Chaudhary]], Gope, Mandal, [[Singh]], Raut, Bhagat, Mahto etc.<ref name=":0" />

==Culture==
=== Caste deities ===
In [[Kosi division]] of Bihar, people of the Yadav/[[Ahir]] caste worship their caste deity Bisu Raut, whose temple is situated on the banks of the Gogri river.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bihar (India)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DStuAAAAMAAJ&q=bisu+raut|title=Bihar District Gazetteers: Saharsa|last2=Choudhury|first2=Pranab Chandra Roy|date=1965|publisher=Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Byrne|first=Joseph|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ddsA_RIgg78C&dq=bisu+raut&pg=PA48|title=Bhagalpur|date=2011|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7268-203-3|language=en}}</ref>

Gobanai Baba is worshipped by Yadav/[[Ahir]] families of [[Darbhanga district]]. His temple is situated in village Mahulia.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qm4LAAAAIAAJ&q=gobanai+baba+darbhanga |title=Folk-lore |date=1974 |publisher=Indian Publications |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Vidyarthi |first1=Lalita Prasad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=veAiAAAAMAAJ&q=gobanai+baba+darbhanga |title=Bihar in Folklore Study: An Anthology |last2=Chaubey |first2=Ganesh |date=1971 |publisher=Indian Publications |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Sankar Sen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=20GBAAAAMAAJ&q=gobanai+baba+darbhanga |title=Folklore and Folklife in India ; an Objective Study in Indian Perspective |date=1975 |publisher=Indian Publications |language=en}}</ref>

===Ballad song===
[[Lorikayan]] is sung by Yadav/[[Ahir]] community of [[Bihar]], it is a folk song of veer rasa where events from the life of Lorik, a [[Ahir]] hero are described. This epic is more popular in [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]], [[Maithili language|Maithili]] and [[Magahi language|Magahi]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rannjan (IAS) |first=Dr Manish |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aQqMEAAAQBAJ&dq=lorik+ahir+maithili&pg=PA98 |title=Bihar General Knowledge 2023 |date=2022-09-26 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan |isbn=978-93-5488-490-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Experts |first=Arihant |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0BrzDwAAQBAJ&dq=maithil+ahir&pg=PA331 |title=Know Your State Bihar |date=2019-11-19 |publisher=Arihant Publications India limited |isbn=978-93-131-9975-5 |language=en}}</ref>

==Politics==
Around 1933–1934, the Yadavs joined with the Kurmis and Koeris to form the [[Triveni Sangh]], a caste federation that by 1936 claimed to have a million supporters. This coalition followed an alliance for the 1930 local elections which fared badly at the polls. The new grouping had little electoral success: it won a few seats in the 1937 elections but was stymied by a two-pronged opposition which saw the rival [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] wooing some of its more wealthy leading lights to a newly formed unit called the "''Backward Class Federation''" and an effective opposition from upper castes organised to keep the lower castes in their customary place. Added to this, the three putatively allied castes were unable to set aside their communal rivalries and the Triveni Sangh also faced competition from the [[All India Kisan Sabha]], a peasant-oriented socio-political campaigning group run by the Communists. The appeal of the Triveni Sangh had waned significantly by 1947<ref name="Jaffrelot197">{{cite book |title=India's silent revolution: the rise of the lower castes in North India |first=Christophe |last=Jaffrelot |edition=Reprinted |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-85065-670-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAkW94DtUMAC |pages=197–198}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |page=44 |title=Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar |first=Ashwani |last=Kumar |publisher=Anthem Press |year=2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=num2I4NFGqIC&pg=PA44 |isbn=978-1-84331-709-8}}</ref> but had achieved a measure of success away from the ballot box, notably by exerting sufficient influence to bring an end to the [[Veth (India)|begar]] system of forced unpaid labour and by providing a platform for those voices seeking reservation of jobs in government for people who were not upper castes.<ref>{{cite book |page=36 |title=Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar |first=Ashwani |last=Kumar |publisher=Anthem Press |year=2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=num2I4NFGqIC&pg=PA36 |isbn=978-1-84331-709-8}}</ref> Many years later, in 1965, there was an abortive attempt to revive the defunct federation.<ref>{{cite book |page=62 |title=Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar |first=Ashwani |last=Kumar |publisher=Anthem Press |year=2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=num2I4NFGqIC&pg=PA62 |isbn=978-1-84331-709-8}}</ref>

In the post Mandal phase Kurmi, Koeri and Yadav, the three backward castes who constitute the upper-OBC due to their advantageous position in the socio-economic sphere of agrarian society became the new political elite of the state.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kumar|first=Sanjay|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IVxODwAAQBAJ&pg=PT27|title=Post-Mandal Politics in Bihar: Changing Electoral Patterns|date=2018-02-19|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|isbn=978-93-5280-586-0|language=en}}</ref>

===Notable politician===
*[[B.P. Mandal]], ex-cm of Bihar.
*[[Daroga Prasad Rai]], ex-cm of Bihar.
*[[Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav]], former M.P
*[[Ram Jaipal Singh Yadav]], ex-deputy cm of Bihar.
*[[Lalu Prasad Yadav]], ex-cm of Bihar
*[[Rabri Devi]], ex-cm of Bihar.
*[[Tejashwi Yadav]], deputy cm of Bihar.
*[[Nityanand Rai]], M.P of BJP

==Present circumstances==
It is shown in the Bengal Census Report that 80 per cent of the Ahirs in Bihar are engaged in agriculture.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pillai |first=V. Kannu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pAVHffwgzW4C&dq=ahirs+in+bihar&pg=PA45 |title=Caste: Observation of I.C.S. Officers and Others Since 1881 |date=2007 |publisher=Gautam Book Center |isbn=978-81-905583-6-5 |language=en}}</ref>

According to a report of Institute Of Human Development Studies, among the upper-backwards, castes like [[Kushwaha]]s and [[Kurmi]]s earn Rs 18,811 and Rs 17,835 respectively as their average per capita income, which is slight lesser than those earned by upper-caste, who earn 20,655 as their average per capita income. In contrast, [[Yadav]]s’ income is one of the lowest among OBCs at Rs 12,314, which is slightly less than the rest of [[Other Backward Class|OBC]]s (Rs 12,617). According to this report, the economic benefits of the [[Mandal Commission|Mandal politics]] could be seen as affecting only few backward castes of agrarian background leading to their upward mobilisation. Yadavs, who are considered as politically most dominant caste in Bihar have failed to translate their upward mobilisation in other fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/bihar-elections-caste-obc-mandal-6929329/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122091426/https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/bihar-elections-caste-obc-mandal-6929329/ |title=Lower castes in Bihar have got political power, not economic progress|editor1=[[Christophe Jaffrelot]]|editor2=Kalaiyarasan A|website=Indian Express|access-date=22 January 2021|archive-date=22 January 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Ahir]]
*[[Ahir clans]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Ahir|Yadav]]
[[Category:Bihari Ahirs]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]

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Yadavs in Bihar