Kamariya

Kamariya (Ahir)
Religions Hinduism
Languages Hindi, Bhojpuri, Brajbhasha
Populated States Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar
Subdivisions Gwalvanshi Ahir

Kamariya (or Kamaria कमरिया, Kamariya Ahir कमरिया अहीर,[1] Kamariya Yadav कमरिया यादव ,[2] Kamariya Thakur कमरिया ठाकुर),[3] is a sub-caste of Ahir Community .[4]

Etymology

Kamaria (literally means Kambal, Blanket), is a sub caste of Ahirs.[4] Anthropologist Kumar Suresh Singh observed that the terms Bahenia, Kamaria, and Uprelia Ahir are synonymous in Madhya Pradesh and their common surname is Singh.[1] According to Nesfield, Kur or Kor subdivision of Kamariyas of Central Doab can etymologically be connected to Kols of Vindhyan Plateau.[5]

Distribution

They are mainly found in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states in India. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the Gwala, Gopal, Ghosi, Mandal, Dharond, Dhuria, Gaoli, Kamaria, Ahir and Abhir castes all call themselves Yadavs.[6] In North Western Provinces, the Parganah of Ahrorah in district Mirzapur (ancient Ahirwara), derives its name from Ahir Zamindars. The Ain Akbari also mentions Ahir Zamindars in the districts of Nagina and Sirdhana.[7][8] In Madhya Pradesh, they are known as Kamaria Zamindars and are an agricultural community.[9][10] The Census reports of the time of British Occupation narrate that Kamariyas hold fifty seven villages in District Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh), the one called Paidhat, where a yearly festival is organised to commemorate valour of the village heroes Paindhat, a Brahmin and Jagaiya Ahir who fought a great battle in the time of Prithvi Raj.[11][12]

Classification

Kamaria of Uttar Pradesh,[8] and the Kamaria ahirs of Jabalpur are considered to belong to the Gwalvanshi group.[13] However, some sources mention that in Madhya Pradesh they profess to be the descendants of Yadava, the Lord Krishna lineage.[1][14] And since long it is believed that Nandvanshi, Gwalvanshi and Yaduvanshi titles have fundamentally the same meaning.[15] The Kamaria are further sub divided into several gotras (clans), Idkana being one of the clans.[14] Bilhabaria, Diswar Sambharphula, Mujharanwa, Jinwariya, Barothe and bhogita, are the other clans of Kamariya Ahirs.[16][17] The Kamariyas, at present, are classified as Other Backward Class.[18]

Politics

A high number of M.P.s and M.L.A.s are Yadavs from the districts Etah, Etawah, Kannauj and Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh. Their Leader and Mentor Mulayam Singh Yadav is also a Kamaria Gwalvanshi Yadav.[19] There are two types of Yadavs in Uttar Pradesh- Kamariya Yadav and Ghosi Yadav.[2] The Ghosis who allegedly get less political advantages due to the fact that Mulayam Singh and top leaders of his party are from Kamaria sub caste, who do not favour Ghosis,[20] The other political parties often try a split among Yadavs on the issue that the Ghosi Yadavs outnumber Kamaria Yadavs in Uttar Pradesh.[21] and have traditionally been better off among Yadavs (Ahirs). In Uttar Pradesh, The Ghosi Ahir's are considered better among all the other groups of Yadav caste.[20] The Yaduvanshi and Nandvanshi share equal social status whereas, the Kamariya are of the lower social status among other Ahir groups.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kumar Suresh Singh (1996). Communities, segments, synonyms, surnames and titles. Anthropological Survey of India, Original from the University of Michigan. p. 1390. ISBN 9780195633573.
  2. 1 2 Chandra, Kanchan (2007-02-15). "Why Ethnic Parties Succeed: Patronage and Ethnic Head Counts in India". ISBN 9780521891417.
  3. ↑ Ramchandra Keshav Mutatkar (1978). Caste Dimensions in a Village. Shubhada-Saraswat, Original from the University of Michigan. pp. 99, 165.
  4. 1 2 R. V. Russell (1997). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Volumes I and II). Library of Alexandria,. ISBN 9781465582942.
  5. ↑ An Ethnographical Hand-book for the N.-W. Provinces and Oudh. North-Western provinces and Oudh government Press, Original from the New York Public Library. 1890. p. 3.
  6. ↑ Akhtar Majeed, Jamia Hamdard (New Delhi, India). Centre for Federal Studies (2000). Coalition politics and power sharing. Manak Publications Pvt. Ltd., Original from the University of Michigan. p. 52. ISBN 9788186562963.
  7. ↑ Arvind Dass, Sita Deulkar (2002). Caste system: a holistic view. Dominant Publishers and Distributors, Original from the University of Michigan. p. 157. ISBN 9788178880297.
  8. 1 2 Sir Henry Miers Elliot Editor John Beames (1869). Memoirs on the history, folk-lore, and distribution of the races of the North Western Provinces of India: being an amplified edition of the original supplemental glossary of Indian terms. Trübner & co., Original from the University of Michigan. p. 3.
  9. ↑ Ramchandra Keshav Mutatkar (1978). Caste Dimensions in a Village. Shubhada-Saraswat, Original from the University of Michigan. pp. 55,62,99,110.
  10. ↑ Madhya Pradesh (India) (1977). Madhya Pradesh: District Gazetteers. Government Central Press,. p. 99.
  11. ↑ Oxford University (1867). Various Census of India. Oxford University. p. 77.
  12. ↑ Matthew Atmore Sherring. Hindu Tribes and Castes, Volume 1. Thacker, Spink & Company, Original from Oxford University. p. 336.
  13. ↑ R. V. Russell (1997). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Volumes I and II). Library of Alexandria. ISBN 9781465582942.
  14. 1 2 Ramchandra Keshav Mutatkar (1978). Caste Dimensions in a Village. Shubhada-Saraswat, Original from the University of Michigan. p. 26.
  15. ↑ Michelutti, Lucia (2008). "The vernacularisation of democracy: Politics, caste, and religion in India": 114, 115. ISBN 9780415467322.
  16. ↑ United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (India) (1911). District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, Volume 12. the University of California. p. 72.
  17. ↑ United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (India) (1911). District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, Volume 12. the University of California. p. 72.
  18. ↑ E. Chandran, India. Backward Classes Commission, (1990). Reservations for O.B.Cs: Mandal Commission report. Cosmos Bookhive, Original from the University of California. pp. 137, 146, 160.
  19. ↑ University of Oxford. Institute of Social Anthropology, Research Centre on Social and Economic Development in Asia (2004). Contributions to Indian Sociology, Volumes 38-39. Mouton,. p. 55.
  20. 1 2 "Crumbling Yadav Bastion". OPEN Magazine. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  21. ↑ "UP Polls: Congress trying to get caste calculus right; eyeing Kurmi and Muslim votes - Economic Times". articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
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