The Sadgop (Bengali: সদগোপ) are Bengali Hindu caste, found in the few part of Bihar and West Bengal in India. [1]
Contents |
The Sadgop derive their name from the Sanskrit word sad meaning good and gopa meaning a milkman. They claim to be descendants of the Hindu god Krishna. According to chronicles, many members are adopted Hinduism in 11th century during Eastern Ganga dynasty after the Kurukshetra War and remaining members adopt hinduism in 15th century during Kamarupa Kingdom. Gaya and Vrindaban are their pilgrim centers. They Sadgop are divided into two groups, the Kulin and Mulika, with the former further sub-divided into the eastern and western Kulin. The western Kulin live in West Bengal, and are further sub-divided into the Ghosh and Sarhesia. The eastern Kulin left Midnapur in West Bengal, some part of East Bengal and moved to Bihar. The Sadgop speak Bengali but those of Bihar speak Hindi as well. [2]
The Sadgop consist of a number of sub-divisions, such as the Ghosh, Kuila, Dandapat, Mahapatra, Bera, Pal, Jana, Patra, Sarkar, Mondal and Ray. They are an endogamous group and practice gotra exogamy. The Sadgop are mainly a landholding community, but many Sadgop have settled in Kolkata and other cities of West Bengal. [3]
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||