Bir Kuar

2021-05-18T08:02:11Z

2405:204:5484:A492:A4A7:8263:46D4:6189:

{{short description|Regional Hindu cattle god}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
'''Bir Kuar''' or '''Birkuar''' ([[IAST]]: Bir-kuār), also known as '''Birnath''', is a [[Hindu]] cattle-god worshipped by [[Yadav|Yadavs]] of western [[Bihar]] in India.<ref name = "Tagare">{{cite book|last=Tagare|first=Dr. G. V.|title=Stories of Indian saints|editor=Justin E. Abbott, Narhar R. Godbole|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=xxxiv|chapter=Mahipati - A General Survey|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EQDyZA1y2nMC&pg=PP42&dq=Vitthala&as_brr=3&sig=4xZo-r5na8f90Tns18N4gHL89_Y#PPP13,M1 | isbn=978-81-208-0469-2|year=1988}}</ref> He is considered to be a form of god [[Krishna]] and was born in [[Krishnaut]] clan .<ref name = "Tagare"/> He is worshipped in form of wooden posts that depict him standing arms-akimbo. Bir Kuar is honoured as the protector of cattle and the god who infuses fertility in cattle.<ref>Winstedt, R. (1948). India Antiqua. A volume of Oriental Studies presented to Vogel J. P., C.I.E. 12½ × 9½, pp. 329, pls. 20. Leyden: Kern Institute, 1947. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 80(3-4), 198-199. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00102357</ref>

==Legend==
Bir Kuar's legend deals with the opposition between the cattle and the tiger and also [[impalement]] themes. He is attended by a [[Muslim]] attendant and a dog.<ref name="H126">{{cite book|last=Hiltebeitel|first=Alf|authorlink=Alf Hiltebeitel|title=The Cult of Draupadī: On Hindu ritual and the goddess |publisher=University of Chicago Press|year=1991|series=The Cult of Draupadī|volume=2|pages=126|url = https://books.google.com/?id=ZmWLsI7gbI0C&pg=PA126&dq=Bir+Kuar | isbn=978-0-226-34048-7}}</ref> Bir Kuar is also called to as "Lord of the Forest".<ref>Starza p. 108</ref>

The legend of Bir Kuar says that he was an Ahir youth, who used to go deep in the forest to graze his cattle, even at night. Once, he was killed by a tiger or a tigress and became a "tiger-ghost" or "tiger-god" (''Bagh-bhut'' or ''Baghaut'') himself. As a tiger-ghost or tiger-god, Bir Kuar protects the Ahir cattle, grazing in the forests. Bir Kuar is believed to have the power to fertilize a she-buffalo and against his wishes, no bull can copulate with a she-buffalo.<ref name = "K62ff">Karan pp. 62, 65</ref> Other folk-tale narrate different versions of his death. In some, Bir Kuar is killed by 7 witches directly, in others, a tigress kills him on the orders of the witches. In still other tales, he is killed by his own sister, who is a witch. Other tales record his death at the hands of the [[Mughal Empire]]s.<ref name = "K67"/>

Ballads narrate the story of Bir Kuar or Birnath, who rescued the princess Madhumati from [[Mughal Empire]] soldiers. Madhumati was on her way to a pilgrimage to the Hindu holy city of [[Benaras]], when she saw Mughal soldiers and cried. She requested a female-kite to inform her father that she was in danger, through a letter she wrote. When kite delivered the letter to the king - father of Madhumati, the king sent Madhumati's husband Birnath with his soldiers. Birnath rode a tiger and saved the princess.<ref>Karan pp. 62-64</ref> Ballads also narrate that Bir Kuar was born in the Hindu holy city of [[Ayodhya]] and reared in [[Palamau]].<ref>Karan p. 65</ref>

A folk-tale about Bir Kuar tells that he was so attached to a she-buffalo called Pararia that on his wedding-night, instead of sleeping with his bride, he went to the forest with the buffalo and impregnated her. This tale defines Bir Kuar's role as a god of fertility and protector of cattle, who fertilizes female cattle.<ref name = "K67"/> Once, Bir Kuar was given a choice between his wife and his herd. His wife accuses him of treating the she-buffalo as her co-wife. Bir Kuar answers that he would rather sell his wife than part his buffalo. He further says, he has to nod when his wife talks, but the buffalo nods when he talks. If the buffalo would not nod, then he will sell the buffalo too and become an [[sadhu|ascetic]] and go to a strange land.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kolff|first=Dirk H. A.|title= Naukar, Rajput, and Sepoy|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2002|page=80|url = https://books.google.com/?id=SrdiVPsFRYIC&pg=PA80&dq=Bir+Kuar | isbn=978-0-521-52305-9}}</ref>

==Worship==
Bir Kuar is often worshipped in form of wooden posts, made by carpenters from the mixed Ahir-[[Brahmin]] class. This wooden post is erected in open field to "fertilize she-buffaloes".<ref name="H126"/><ref>Starza p. 107, for images of wooden post of Bir Kuar.</ref> In these posts, he is depicted in standing arms-akimbo.<ref name = "Tagare"/> Bir Kuar is offered goat sacrifices. He is also offered clay horses, on the fulfilment of a vow.<ref name="H126"/> Bir Kuar is also worshipped in times of distress.<ref name = "K67">Karan p. 67</ref>

The Ahirs' main livelihood is cattle-breeding and thus, Bir Kuar has become a culture-hero and a village god of the Ahirs. He is worshipped in 16-day festival called ''Sohorai'' (in October), which corresponds to festival of [[Diwali]], celebrated in honour of the Hindu goddess of prosperity - [[Lakshmi]]. Ballads describing his exploits are sung during the festival. Bir Kuar is worshipped by offering of milk and erecting his icons in open fields.<ref name = "K62ff"/> On the new moon day in the festival, first goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. Following worship of Lakshmi, Bir Kuar is worshipped in a nearby field. The cows are milked by the Ahirs and a sweet called Kshir is prepared and offered to the deity. The Ahirs then pray to Bir Kuar to impregnate their female cattle.<ref>Karan p. 66</ref>

==Associations==
Bir Kuar is often associated with Krishna. Bir Kuar is depicted as flute-playing cowherd like Krishna. He acts like a ferryman like Krishna, helping milkmaids cross the river and having dalliance with them.<ref>Karan pp. 64-65</ref>

Bir Kuar is sometimes associated with the god [[Vithoba]] of Maharashtra - who is believed to be a form of Krishna too and depicted in an arms-akimbo posture like Bir Kuar.<ref name = "Tagare"/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=DNNgdBWoYKoC&pg=PA139&dq=God+Pandurang+Vithoba#PPA139,M1|title=A Social History of the Deccan, 1300–1761: Eight Indian Lives|author=Eaton, Richard Maxwell|page=139|year = 2005|isbn = 0-521-25484-1|publisher = Cambridge University Press|accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=OkKhOivXrhgC&pg=PA223&dq=Vitthala#PPA223,M1|author = Vaudeville, Charlotte|title = The Sants: Studies in a Devotional Tradition of India|editor1=Schomer, Karine |editor2=McLeod, W. H. |pages= 223–24|year= 1987|publisher = Motilal Banarsidass Publ|isbn = 81-208-0277-2|accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref> Images similar to Bir Kuar are found in states of Maharashtra.<ref name="MahīpatiAbbott1988">{{cite book|author1=Mahīpati|author2=Justin Edwards Abbott|author3=Narhar R. Godbole|title=Stories of Indian Saints: Translation of Mahipati's Marathi Bhaktavijaya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EQDyZA1y2nMC&pg=PR34|accessdate=30 March 2018|date=November 1988|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0469-2|pages=34–}}</ref><ref name = "Tagare"/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=Karan|first= Sudhir Kumar|title=Thus Flows The Ganges|publisher=Mittal Publications|date=132|url = https://books.google.com/?id=1-i-MDQGopYC&pg=PA62&dq=Bir+Kuar | isbn=978-81-7099-923-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Starza|first=O. M.|title=The Jagannatha Temple at Puri|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|year=1993|url = https://books.google.com/?id=v4bV3beb0n8C&pg=RA2-PA108&dq=Bir+Kuar | isbn=978-90-04-09673-8}}
* {{cite book|author1=Mahīpati|author2=Justin Edwards Abbott|author3=Narhar R. Godbole|title=Stories of Indian Saints: Translation of Mahipati's Marathi Bhaktavijaya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EQDyZA1y2nMC&pg=PR34|date=November 1988|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0469-2|pages=34–}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Archer|first=William George |title=The vertical man: a study in primitive Indian sculpture|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281129|year=1947}}

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Regional Hindu gods]]
[[Category:Religion in Bihar]]
[[Category:Culture of Bihar]]
[[Category:Forms of Krishna]]
[[Category:Animal gods]]
[[Category:Ahir]]

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Bir Kuar