Abhira people

TheAbhira peoplewere a legendary people mentioned inancient Indian epicsandscriptures.A historical people of the same name are mentioned in thePeriplus of the Erythraean Sea.TheMahabharatadescribes them as living near the seashore and on the bank of theSarasvati River,nearSomnathinGujaratand in theMatsya regionalso.^[1]^[2]

History

Sunil Kumar Bhattacharya says that the Abhiras are mentioned in the first-century work ofclassical antiquity,thePeriplus of the Erythraean Sea.He considers them to be a race rather than a tribe.^[3]Scholars such asRamaprasad Chandabelieve that they wereIndo-Aryan peoples.^[4]But others, such asRomila Thapar,believe them to have been indigenous.^[5]ThePuranicAbhiras occupied the territories ofHerat;they are invariably juxtaposed with the Kalatoyakas and Haritas, the peoples of Afghanistan.^[6]

In the Padma-puranas and certain literary works, the Abhiras are referred to as belonging to the race of Krishna.^[7]

There is no certainty regarding the occupational status of the Abhiras, with ancient texts sometimes referring to them as warriors, as pastoral cowherders, but at other times as plundering tribes.^[8]

Along with theVrishnis,theSatvatas,and theYadavas,the Abhiras were followers of the Vedas, and worshippedKrishna,the head and preceptor of these tribes.^[9]^[7]

In archaeological inscriptions, Abhiras are mentioned as belonging to the race of Krishna.^[10]^[7]

Rule of the Konkan

From 203 to 270 theAbhirasruled over the whole of the Deccan Plateau as a paramount power. The Abhiras were the probably successors of the Satvahanas.^[11]

Connection to modern Ahirs

According to Ganga Ram Garg, the modern-dayAhircaste are descendants of Abhira people and the termAhiris thePrakritform of theSanskrittermAbhira.^[7]Bhattacharya says that the termsAhir,AharandGaoliare current forms of the wordAbhira.^[3]

M. S. A. Raoand historians such as P. M. Chandorkar and T. Padmaja have explained that epigraphical and historical evidence exists for equating the Ahirs with the ancient Abhiras.^[12]^[13]^[14]

Abhiras of Gupta empire

During the reign ofSamudragupta(c. 350), the Abhiras lived inRajputanaandMalavaon the western frontier of theGupta empire.HistorianDineshchandra Sircarthinks of their original abode was the area of Abhiravan, betweenHeratandKandahar,although this is disputed.^[15]Their occupation ofRajasthanalso at later date is evident from theJodhpurinscription ofSamvat918 that the Abhira people of the area were a terror to their neighbours, because of their violent demeanour.^[15]Abhiras of Rajputana were sturdy and regarded asMlecchas,and carried on anti-Brahmanical activities. As a result, life and property became unsafe.Pargiterpoints to the Pauranic tradition that the Vrishnis and Andhakas, while retreating northwards after theKurukshetra Warfrom their western home in Dwarka and Gujarat, were attacked and broken up by the rude Abhiras of Rajasthan.^[16]

The Abhiras did not stop in Rajasthan; some of their clans moved south and west reachingSaurashtraandMaharashtraand taking service under theSatavahana dynastyand theWestern Satraps.^[17]Also founded a kingdom in the northern part of theMarathacountry, and an inscription of the ninth year of the Abhira kingIshwarsena.^[18]^[19]

References

^Garg, Gaṅgā Rām (1992).Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World.Concept Publishing Company.ISBN 978-81-7022-374-0.
^Garg, Gaṅgā Rām (1992).Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World.Concept Publishing Company. p. 113.ISBN 978-81-7022-374-0.
^^a ^bBhattacharya, Sunil Kumar (1996).Krishna — Cult in Indian Art.M.D. Publications. p. 126.ISBN 9788175330016.
^Chanda, Ramaprasad(1969).The Indo-Aryan races: a study of the origin of Indo-Aryan people and institutions.Indian Studies: Past & Present. p. 55.
^Thapar, Romila(1978).Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations.Orient Blackswan. p. 165.ISBN 978-81-250-0808-8.
^Miśra, Sudāmā (1973).Janapada state in ancient India.Bhāratīya Vidyā Prakāśana.
^^a ^b ^c ^dGarg, Dr Ganga Ram (1992).Encyclopaedia of Hindu world.Concept Publishing. p. 113.ISBN 9788170223740.
^Malik, Aditya (1990)."The Puskara Mahatmya: A Short Report".In Bakker, Hans (ed.).The History of Sacred Places in India As Reflected in Traditional Literature.Leiden: BRILL and the International Association of Sanskrit Studies. p. 200.ISBN 9789004093188.
^Radhakrishnan, S. (2007).Identity And Ethos.Orient Paperbacks. pp. 31–32.ISBN 978-8-12220-455-1.
^T, Padmaja (2002).Ay velirs and Krsna.University of Mysore. p. 34.ISBN 9788170173984.
^Numismatic Society of India (1991).The Journal of the Numismatic Society of India.Vol. 53. the University of Michigan. pp. 91–95.
^Guha, Sumit (2006).Environment and Ethnicity in India, 1200–1991.University of Cambridge. p. 47.ISBN 978-0-521-02870-7.
^Rao, M. S. A. (1978).Social Movements in India.Vol. 1. Manohar. pp. 124, 197, 210.
^T., Padmaja (2001).Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: History, Art, and Traditions in Tamilnāḍu.Archaeology Dept., University of Mysore. pp. 25, 34.ISBN 978-8-170-17398-4.
^^a ^bSharma, Tej Ram (1989).A political history of the imperial Guptas: from Gupta to Skandagupta.Concept Publishing Company. p. 87.ISBN 978-81-7022-251-4.
^Jain, Kailash Chand (1972).Ancient cities and towns of Rajasthan: a study of culture and civilization.Motilal Banarsidass.ISBN 9788120806696.
^Haryana: studies in history and culture.Kurukshetra University. 1968. p.44.
^Bhattacharya, Sunil Kumar (1996).Krishna-cult in Indian art.M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 10.ISBN 978-81-7533-001-6.
^Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra; Altekar, Anant Sadashiv (1967).Vakataka – Gupta Age Circa 200–550 AD.Motilal Banarsidass. p. 143.ISBN 978-81-208-0026-7.

Sources

"Durga - Hindu mythology".Encyclopedia Britannica.19 February 2015.Retrieved15 February2017.
Laura Amazzone (2011). Patricia Monaghan (ed.).Goddesses in World Culture.ABC-CLIO.ISBN 978-0-313-35465-6.
Wendy Doniger (1999).Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions.Merriam-Webster.ISBN 978-0-87779-044-0.
David R Kinsley (1989).The Goddesses' Mirror: Visions of the Divine from East and West.State University of New York Press.ISBN 978-0-88706-835-5.
Donald J LaRocca (1996).The Gods of War: Sacred Imagery and the Decoration of Arms and Armor.Metropolitan Museum of Art.ISBN 978-0-87099-779-2.
June McDaniel (2004).Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal.Oxford University Press.ISBN 978-0-19-534713-5.
Charles Phillips; Michael Kerrigan; David Gould (2011).Ancient India's Myths and Beliefs.The Rosen Publishing Group.ISBN 978-1-4488-5990-0.
Paul Reid-Bowen (2012). Denise Cush; Catherine Robinson; Michael York (eds.).Encyclopedia of Hinduism.Routledge.ISBN 978-1-135-18979-2.

[1] Garg, Gaṅgā Rām (1992).Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World.Concept Publishing Company.ISBN 978-81-7022-374-0.

[2] Garg, Gaṅgā Rām (1992).Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World.Concept Publishing Company. p. 113.ISBN 978-81-7022-374-0.

[Bhattacharya1996p126-3] Bhattacharya, Sunil Kumar (1996).Krishna — Cult in Indian Art.M.D. Publications. p. 126.ISBN 9788175330016.

[4] Chanda, Ramaprasad(1969).The Indo-Aryan races: a study of the origin of Indo-Aryan people and institutions.Indian Studies: Past & Present. p. 55.

[5] Thapar, Romila(1978).Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations.Orient Blackswan. p. 165.ISBN 978-81-250-0808-8.

[6] Miśra, Sudāmā (1973).Janapada state in ancient India.Bhāratīya Vidyā Prakāśana.

[garg-7] Garg, Dr Ganga Ram (1992).Encyclopaedia of Hindu world.Concept Publishing. p. 113.ISBN 9788170223740.

[8] Malik, Aditya (1990)."The Puskara Mahatmya: A Short Report".In Bakker, Hans (ed.).The History of Sacred Places in India As Reflected in Traditional Literature.Leiden: BRILL and the International Association of Sanskrit Studies. p. 200.ISBN 9789004093188.

[9] Radhakrishnan, S. (2007).Identity And Ethos.Orient Paperbacks. pp. 31–32.ISBN 978-8-12220-455-1.

[10] T, Padmaja (2002).Ay velirs and Krsna.University of Mysore. p. 34.ISBN 9788170173984.

[India1991-11] Numismatic Society of India (1991).The Journal of the Numismatic Society of India.Vol. 53. the University of Michigan. pp. 91–95.

[12] Guha, Sumit (2006).Environment and Ethnicity in India, 1200–1991.University of Cambridge. p. 47.ISBN 978-0-521-02870-7.

[13] Rao, M. S. A. (1978).Social Movements in India.Vol. 1. Manohar. pp. 124, 197, 210.

[14] T., Padmaja (2001).Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: History, Art, and Traditions in Tamilnāḍu.Archaeology Dept., University of Mysore. pp. 25, 34.ISBN 978-8-170-17398-4.

[google10-15] Sharma, Tej Ram (1989).A political history of the imperial Guptas: from Gupta to Skandagupta.Concept Publishing Company. p. 87.ISBN 978-81-7022-251-4.

[16] Jain, Kailash Chand (1972).Ancient cities and towns of Rajasthan: a study of culture and civilization.Motilal Banarsidass.ISBN 9788120806696.

[17] Haryana: studies in history and culture.Kurukshetra University. 1968. p.44.

[18] Bhattacharya, Sunil Kumar (1996).Krishna-cult in Indian art.M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 10.ISBN 978-81-7533-001-6.

[19] Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra; Altekar, Anant Sadashiv (1967).Vakataka – Gupta Age Circa 200–550 AD.Motilal Banarsidass. p. 143.ISBN 978-81-208-0026-7.

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