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Yadavas
Classification: Caste/Kshatriya
Clans: Four
Significant populations in: India and Nepal
Language Hindi and its dialects
Religion Hinduism

Yadav is a Hindu caste which is referred to in ancient Hindu scriptures.They are among the few surviving ancient Indo-Aryan kshatriya clans known as panchjanya.

Major Yadav clans

Major Yadav clans currently include
  • Krishnauth
    (claiming direct lineage from Lord Shri Krishna)
  • Manjrauth
  • Gaur
    (also called Goriya, and mentioned in the Mahabharatha) derived from sanskrit "guh" meaning mystical and "ur" meaning home or abode (one who is the abode of mystical powers).
  • Ahirs
    (variously called Ahira and Abhira) are divided into three clans called Khanap:
  1. Yaduvanshi
    (desendants of Yadu)
  2. Nandavanshi
    (Descendants of Nanda}
  3. Gwalvanshi
    (Descendants of Holy Gwals)

Origins

According to Hindu mythology, Yadvas are the descendants of Yadu,the eldest son of king Yayati and was banished from ruling by his father because he refused to fulfil Yayati's wishes and became a rebel. Yadu and his descendants started ruling in places that are assumed to be referred to in the scriptures as Jambudwipa. Later on, the Yadus overthrew many Puru rulers. Presently they are known by many names. For example,'Gope' means mystique stemming from Shiva (Also called Gopeshwar or lord of mysticism) and emulated in Bhagavad Gita. Yaduvanshis are descendants of the ancient Yadavs.Scriptures referred to them as surasena too.

Abhira are assumed to be different from ancient Yadavas.Linkage is obscure and views vary from scholar to scholar.Term was used for cowherds initialy but has been extended to include Yaduvanshi and Nandavanshis too by its corrupt version Ahir.Abhira means fearless and have got most ancient historical references dating back to the Abhira kingdom of the Saraswati Valley who spoke Abhiri till buddhist period *. Abhiri (dialactal form of ancient sanskrit) has been found to be close to Hebrew language.Analysis of scriptural references of Abhira Kingdoms has tempted some scholars to conclude that it was merely a term used for Holy Yadava Kingdoms.

It is also suggested that biblical city or people called ophir is equivalent of indian Abhira.On this basis some scholars seek yadav and Jews connection.Yadavas were possesors of great mystical knowledge is confirmed in Bhagvad Gita itself which says-same knowledge was given to Manu (first man on earth),Surya and Ikshavaku (ancestor of Lord Rama) at very ancient time. It is believed Abhira were the link between eastern and western religions.There are Compelling proofs of both mauryan and Guptas being Abhirs * The Kshatriya religion was propounded by Krishna and no reference is found before him. We only find Rajnya as the term alternatively used for it (Bhagwad Gita is emaciated form of hidden knowledge-Gope-which has its root in Shiva). Later on many Kshatriyas were made based on the philosophy of this religion as revealed in Bhagavad Gita. Prominent members among the ancient Yadavas are:

Jarasandh, Kamsa’s father-in-law, and king of Magadha attacked Yadavas to avenge the killing of Kamsa. Yadavas had to shift their capital from Mathura (central India) to Dwaraka (on the western coast of India) on the Arabian Sea. Yaduvanshis are among the five most ancient Aryan groups of Bharata. They mostly follow Hindu religion, and are located in different parts of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

General profile

Yadavas are the single largest community in India, estimated to constitute more than 19% of the Indian population. In terms of sheer numbers, this translates to 200 million people, prompting some people to state that Yadavas are not merely a community but a "nation" in themselves. Through numerous political parties, such as the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), Janata Dal (Secular) and Tamil Makkal Desam (Tamil Nadu), this group has considerable political influence, especially in the governments of India's most populous states, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh.Because of their favourable social positioning and political clouts they have become source of inspiration and aspiration among other castes who see them as change factor of the society termed as catalyst of change .

Yadavs, though being Kshatriyas, in certain parts of India are classified by the respective governments as Other Backward Classes, or OBCs. This classification stems from their prevailing general economic and educational condition. The Yadavas are linked to Krishna and several ruling families, such as the ancient kings of Prayag, the Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri, the Nandas, the Wodeyars of Mysore and more recently that of Rao Tula Ram of Haryana, one of the leading figures of the First War of Independence (1857) in India.

They have gone through many ups and down throughout history.Their glorious past of Mahabharata era has a mismatch patch of islamic era which runs till British Colonial Period.After fall of Yadava Empires all around India the community started finding its lost roots during British Raj which infected other castes too,engineering a major social and political turnaround .Yadava resurgence was inspired by legendry leader of the community Dilip Singh Yadav whose words "World is full of change" proved prophetic in times to come.Nowadays they have become a formidable force in all walks of life and have distinguised place in Sports,Military Services and Indian Politics.

Yadava Martyrs of 1962 War

In the Indo-China War of 1962, the Ahirs (almost all of them hailing from the Ahirwal region of Southern Haryana) of 13 Kumaon Regiment set an unparallel example in the military history of India by defending their motherland at Rezang La in Ladakh district of Jammu & Kashmir.The battle of Rezang La, a ridge overlooking the strategic Chushul plains in Ladakh ,to defend the highest air strip in the world located at 16,000 feet - just across the Chinese claim line, is one of the most glorious chapters in the history of the Indian army and has been compared by some military historians with the famed Battle of Thermopylae.In the unequal war of 1962 against the Chinese where the Indian army rarely stood to fight, the Ahir Charlie Company from 13 Kumaon,decided that until they were alive the Chinese weren’t going to have a look-in on Chushul, at 17,000 ft. Of the 120 defenders, only three survived, seriously wounded. The rest, including Major Shaitan Singh (who was awarded Param Vir Chakra), were discovered after the winter, frozen, mostly holding their weapons but with no ammunition. This was a genuine ‘last man-last round’ defense and many times more Chinese were killed, the evidence again being frozen bodies on the slopes. Of the 120 soldiers, 114 were Yadavas from Haryana.


On this horrific battle, Major-General Ian Cardozo, in his book ‘Param Vir, Our Heroes In Battle’ writes,
“When Rezang La was later revisited dead jawans were found in the trenches still holding on to their weapons... every single man of this company was found dead in his trench with several bullet or splinter wounds. The 2-inch mortar man died with a bomb still in his hand. The medical orderly had a syringe and bandage in his hands when the Chinese bullet hit him... Of the thousand mortar bombs with the defenders all but seven had been fired and the rest were ready to be fired when the (mortar) section was overrun.”


General T.N. Raina said
"You rarely come across such example in the annals of world military history when braving such heavy odds, the men fought till the last bullet and the last man .Certainly the Battle of Rezang La is such a shining example."


General K S Thimayya remarked,
"I had said many years ago that the Army must have a Ahir Regiment. The supreme sacrifice of the Charlie Company has fulfilled my expectations. I hope a suitable memorial will be built in Ahirwal in their memory so that the generations to come may seek inspiration from the immense courage and valour of their forefathers."


The heroes who were awarded the Vir Chakra in 1962 defending Rezang La were Naik Hukum Chand (posthumous), Naik Gulab Singh Yadav, Lance-Naik Ram Singh (posthumous), Sub. Ram Kumar and Sub.Ram Chander. All hailed from the Rewari district of Haryana, where a Rezang La memorial has been placed in their memory in Gudiani village.

Ancient Yadava Kingdoms

Surasena Kingdom Native kingdom of Vasudeva Krishna
Dwaraka Kingdom Kingdom founded by Vasudeva Krishna
Kunti Kingdom Native kingdom of Kunti, the mother of the elder Pandavas, viz Yudhisthira, Bhima and Arjuna
Saurashtra Kingdom
Heheya Kingdom Kingdom of the Yadava king Kartavirya Arjuna
Nishadha Kingdom Kingdom of king Nala
Gurjara Kingdom
Karusha Kingdom
Chedi Kingdom Kingdom of Sisupala, enemy of Vasudeva Krishna
Dasarna Kingdom
Avanti Kingdom
Malava Kingdom
Anarta Kingdom
Youdheya Kingdom Kingdom of Yadava hero Satyaki

Famous Yadavs

Historical

Political

Literature

Spiritual

Distinguished Armymen

Sports

Others

Also Known as

External links

Ethnic groups in Nepal | Social groups of India | Indian family names | Social groups of Rajasthan

Yadav

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Yadav".

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