Ahir (a corruption of the word, Abhira "fearless") is a subgroup of the Yadav caste of India.

Ahir is one of the most ancient martial tribe of India. They are found in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Nepal . The Ahirs also share most gotras with the Gujjars and Jats (Abhars) and have the same physical appearance as them. This led to the theory of they being of the same stock.

Origin of Ahir

The Ahirs today claim descent from Krishna. Their origin, however, is controversial. Some historians hold that they were a powerful race of nomad cowherds from eastern or central Asia who entered India from the Punjab in large hordes about the same time as the Sakas and the Yuechis in the first or second century BC and gradually spread over large parts of Northern, Eastern and Central India.

Other views are that they came from Syria or Asia Minor about the beginning of the Christian era; lived in India long before the Aryan invasion; were descendants of the Yadavas of the Lunar family of Pururavas Aila; and that their original habitat was the region between the Sutlej and the Yamuna from where they migrated beyond Mathura in the East and beyond Gujjarat and Maharashtra in the South.

The name of the State of Haryana may have been derived from its ancient inhabitants: Abhlrayana. The name `Abhira` may stem from a-bhira meaning fearless.

According to tradition, the Abhiras had the distinction of founding the first recorded kingdom on the banks of the sacred river Saraswati. On the other side of the river was the kingdom of the Suras. The Sarswati gradually went underground, and the Suras were blamed for the mishap and charged with sins with which the river was burdened. Both the Suras and Abhiras had to migrate away from their kingdom and were alienated from the rest of society.

Hindu writers have described the Ahirs as living in the north and west, the quarter varying according to the locality of the writer.The Sabha-parva and Bhisma-parva sections of the Mahabharata mention the province of Abhira, situated near what once was the Sarasvati River in ancient Sind .Suras and Abhira has together been referred to as Surabhiras in scriptures and later works does not discriminate between the two.Many scholars have sought link between Indian Abhira and Surabhir with Biblical equivalent Ophir and Sofir.Ptolemy says there was a country called Abhira at the mouth of the River Indus.Sreemad Bhagwatam gives similar account and location matches with Sind.Christian Lassen (1800-1876) author of Indische Alterthumskunde vol I p. 354, thinks “Ophir” was a seaport on the south west coast of India. Mrs.Manning says it was situated on the western coast of India.Gesenius, Sir Emerson Tennent, and Max Muller appear to agree with Christian Lassen .Because of so many views in favour sometimes Abhira is regarded as equivalent of Ophir, mentioned in the Bible and sofir (also the coptic name of India) refers to surabhir .

According to the Markandeya Purana, all the Haiheya aggressors (warrior caste) were killed in a massacre led by Parshuram. In that time, the Ahirs were either a sub-clan of the Hayheya or sided with the Hayheya. Only the Abhiras survived by escaping into the craters between mountains. The sage Markandeya remarked that "all Haiheya have been killed but Abhira have survived; they will surely rule the earth in Kaliyuga." The Ahirs also attacked Arjun as he entered the Ahirvati and launced attacks against the Yadus. Vātsyāyana also mentions the Abhira kingdoms in the Kama Sutra References of Abhira being residents of kingdom ruled by Yudhisthira is found in Bhagwatam.

Shreemad Bhagwatam, which gives detailed account of dynasties ruling after great war of Mahabharata, talks in detail about Abhira rulers

Then will follow seven kings of the Abhira race from the city of Avabhrti, and then ten Gardabhis. After them, sixteen kings of the Kankas will rule and will be known for their excessive greed.Eight Yavanas will then take power, followed by fourteen Turuskas, ten Gurundas and eleven kings of the Maula dynasty.These Abhiras, Gardabhis and Kankas will enjoy the earth for 1,099 years.

Gupta Dynasty's account exactly matches with the Abhira Kings mentioned in the Bhagwatam.Many believe both Guptas and Mauryas were abhir.

The Ahirs were also one of the more militant Hindus, including in the modern era. For example, in 1930 about 200 Ahirs marched towards the shrine of Trilochan and performed puja in response to tanzeem processions.

The original cult of Lord Krishna, especially the aspect dealing with Krishna's boyhood in Vrindavan, and his dalliances with the Gopis, has been attributed to the Ahir or Abhir tribe. The merging of this Lord Krishna with the hero of the Mahabharat did not occur until about 4th century a.d..

History Of Ahir

At the beginning of the Christian era, the invading Scythians and Kushans forced most of them out of their land to lower Rajasthan in the Arbuda (Aravali region). In Marubhumi (Marwar), Saurashtra and Maharashtra they served the local rulers and established their own rule. Ishwarsena, a great Ahir general, became master of Western Deccan in place of the famous Satava-hanas. He took the title of Rajan and an era was named after him. His descendants continued to rule for nine generations. For centuries the Ahirs were eclipsed as a political power in Haryana until the time of the Pratihara dynasty. In time they became independent rulers of Southwest Haryana. In 1150, Vighararaja IV, a Chauhan from Rajasthan forced them to become his feudatories. In 1181 they were defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan but only after they had put up a tough resistance. According to some of the chronicles Ahirs also ruled the Nepal for some 491 years.

Society Of Ahir

The Ahirs preserve their associations with the country lying between the Sutlej and the Yamuna. In many districts like Badaun, Etah, Mainpuri, Hissar, Rohtak and Gurgaon, the Ahirs are still in a majority. Ahirs also form majority in various districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, like Azamgarh, Madhepura etc. Most of the Haryanvi ahirs live in the region around Rewari and Narnaul. This place is therefore known as Ahirwal or `the abode of Ahirs.` In medieval times the Ahirs gave up their arms and took to agriculture. In early British settlement reports they are spoken of highly as farmers. They stand on an equal footing with the Jats, Rajputs and Gujjars in the caste hierarchy and though they eat with them, they do not intermarry. In appearance, they proclaim their Aryan descent. They are tall and wiry, have dark eyes, long noses, black hair and their complexion varies from wheatish to dark brown. Though mostly agriculturists, they also make good soldiers. Ahirs have been serving the Indian military right from the British period and won the highest of gallantry awards the Victoria Cross and the Parma Veer Chakra. In the annals of Indian military history there is sufficient proof of Ahir bravery that is immortalized in the ballads of Alah and Udal of Bundelkhand.

Famous People

Politicians

• Ram Baran Yadav First President of Nepal

• Babu Shri Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav Member of Bihar Assembly for six terms. Former Union Minister and Member of Parliament. Former President, All India Yadav Mahasabha.

• Yoga Guru Ramdev

• Lalu Prasad Yadav, Indian Railway Minister & President of RJD Party

• Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ex.CM, Uttar Pradesh & President of SP

• Rabari Devi, Ex. CM, Bihar

• Sharad Yadav, politician

• Subhas Yadav, politician

• Dr. Karan Singh Yadav, Veteran Heart Sergeon & M.P., Alwar(Rajasthan)

• Rao Birendera Singh Yadav, Ex CM, Haryana

• Rao Inderajeet Singh Yadav, Minister for State for Defence, India

• Babulal Gaur, Ex. CM, Madhya Pradesh

Military

• Subedar Suresh Chand , Akasrdham Hero, Ashok Chakra recipient

• Pran Sukh Yadav, military commander in Anglo-Sikh wars

• Umrao Singh, Victoria Cross recipient, World War II, Burma Front

• Yogendra Singh Yadav, Param Vir Chakra recipient, Kargil War

• Saheed Jagdish Prasad Yadav Ashok Chakra Parliament Attack

• Suresh Chand Yadav, Ashok Chakra Akshar Dham, Gandhi Nagar

Police

• Rajbir Singh Yadav, Delhi encounter specialist President’s Police Medal for Gallantry 2003

• Saumitra Yadav, SP - U.P Police

Artists

• Raghubir Yadav (film actor)

• Rajpal Yadav (film actor)

• Rajendra Yadav (Hindi novelist and editor of "HANS")

References

External links

1. Death of the Aryan Invasion Theory
2. Ophir-Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
3. Abhira Located in Sind-Shrimad Bhagwatam
4. Krishna, as Abhira-boy to Radha, Sri Caitanya Caritamta Antya 1.154
5. History of Antiquity – By Max Dunker volume IV
6. Ancient Indian Commerce
7. Puranic Literature
8. Newletter142

1. Pandulena, Nasik Maharashtra
2. Maharastra History
3. Vaishnavachavda are the leadears in ahir, in taking inacatives for their moment fron rajastan to gujarat and at last getting setteled towards the sea cost of gujarat