Wikipedia

Gopal (caste)

"Gauda (caste)" redirects here. For similar name pastoralist society of Jharkhand, seeGour (caste).For its namesake other uses, seeGopal.

GopalorGoudais anIndian caste,[3][4][5]fromOdishaStateinEast India.Their traditional occupations include dairy farming, cattle herding, cultivation and carrying palanquins of deities.[6][7]They also worked as Paikas (soldiers) under the kings.[8][9]Gopal is the name of the milkmen or herdsmen caste in Odisha, which is known by other names (such asAhir,Yadav,Goalaetc.) in various parts of India.[10][11]

Gopal (Gauda)
ClassificationAhir(Yadav)
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesOdia
Populated statesOdisha
Population431,474 (1901 census)[1]
890,702 (1931 census)[2]
SubdivisionsMathurapuria
Gopapuria
Magadhaa
Related groupsAhir,Sadgope

According to 1931 census of India, they are second largest caste by numbers and comprise around 9% of Odisha's population.[12]

Etymology

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The word Gopal derived fromvedic"Gopala", which "Go"refers tocowand "Pala"refers to protector or herder. Hence" Gopala "literally means" cow herder "[13][14]

Origin and history

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The Gopalas (Gaudas) like all Yadavs claim that they are descendants fromKrishnaof the ancientYadavaclan after the Sanskritisation process by Arya Samaj in 1930.[6][15]In the Mahasabha held in 1930, Dairy faming castes such as Ahirs, Gaudas, Gopalas etc were advised to Identify themselves as "Son of Krishna" and hence they can identify themselves as martial caste.[16]

Since 1930 during theSanskritisationof castes in India, The Gopalas started to be incorporated into a newly established Yadav community, along withAhir,Gops,Goalas, andSadgops.[17]

Subdivisions

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The Gopalas (Gaudas) are three types:-Mathurapuria,GopapuriaandMagadhaa,[18]where Mathurapurias and Gopapurias are superior to Magadha classes.[19]Which symbolically refer to their ancestral land ofMathuraandGokul(Gopa) ofUttar PradeshandMagadhaofBihar.[20]While the Magadha Gauda are inhabitants of Singhbhum and western Mayurbhanj, they possibly represent an accretion of some aboriginal tribes.[21][22]There are minor differences among them, some area of odisha the Gopalas are also known as their other names including:Mahakud,Sholakhandia,SadgopeandGopal Baishnab[23][24][25]among them.

Culture

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Festival

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Peoples of Gopal community carries Bimana ofRadha KrishnaduringDola Purnimafestival
  • TheDola Purnima(Holi festival): is the Major festival of Gopalas (Gaudas),[26]It starts from the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Falguna (Feb-March) known as Fagu 'Dasami'. This festival is celebrated for five days in Odisha. In this festival they place the idols ofRadha Krishnain a Bimana (richly decorated palanquins), Smearing the heads withAbira(a violet coloured powder). Specially people of Gopala community carrying this palanquin and take round a procession with village Priest, drummers, pipers and the Sankirtana Mandalis. The procession halts in front of each household and the deity is offered Bhog. On the final day of the purnima the celebration culminates in a swing-festival for the deities.[27]
  • TheDahi-handi Jatra(curd-pot festival): The birthday ofLord Krishnaon the eighth day of Krushna pakshya is popularly celebrated throughout India asJanmastamion the ninth day. Lord Krishna along with his friends had broken the curd-pot in the house of theking Nanda.This tradition is maintained inParalakhemundias Dahi-handi-Jatra. On the ninth day or Nabami, the people tie a curd pot with a bamboo and place it between two poles. Traditionally, a Gauda-boy as the representative of Lord Krishna breaks the curd pot. The other boys throw the coloured water from a hand pump (pichakari). Then the people place theRadha Krishnaon a stage called 'Kunja’ and take a procession around the town.[28][29]

Tradition

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  • Laudi Badi Khelais a traditional dance with combination of martial art and folk dance (called Laudi Nacha & Badi Khela) of the Gaudas (Gopalas), which is performed during Dola Purnima. In this dance the young Gopala boys wearing a special clothes in associated with Krishna. At first they practice 'Badi Khela'(martial art) by one or two trained people of their community, who held a sword in the right hand and a stick in left hand. They perform this art for sometime and then played 'Laudi'(folk dance) by a group of minimum 9 to 12 boys. Each boys holding two stick in their hand, dance with striking each other's stick in a rhythmical manner in front of the Palanquin of Radha Krishna.[30][31]
  • Gopalilais a traditional puppet theatre, performed by Gopals (Cowherd boys) ofOdisha.They perform this theater on the occasion of Janmastami and Govardhan Puja. The concept of this theatre is associated with god Krishna's life.[32]

Titles

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The Gopalas uses surnames likeBehera,Das, Palei, Palai, Pandab, Yadav, Hati, Kabi, Bhutia, Mahakul, Mahakhud, Mahakud, Mohapatra, Sasmal, Rout, Parida, Barik, Podh, Jal, Bhujabal,[33]Khilar, Singh, Routray, Samantray, Pratihari,[34][35][36]Chaudhuri,Mandei,Senapati,Dalua, Apata, Nayak[37]Bagarti,Pradhan,Khuntia, Bag/Bagh, Hansha, Dalchhatra, Kharsel, Karuan, Nag and Shandh, Banchhor among others.[38]

Social Status

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Gopalas are followers ofVaishnavism.[39]Among them Gopapurias and Sadgops are the relics ofBala Gopala cult.[40]They are one of a caste ofPanikhia Jatigroup ofOdisha.[41]They assist Brahmins on ritual occasion and also serve as priests in some temples.[42][43][44]They are included in the SEBC/OBC list of the state.[45][46]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Gait, E. A.(1909).Census of India – 1901, Vol- VIA – The lower probinces of Bengal and their Feudatourie (Part II, The Imperial Tables).Bengal Secretariat Press. pp. 212–213.
  2. ^Lacey, W. g (1932).Bihar and Orissa – Census Of India 1931.Vol. 7. Part II, Tables. p. 137.
  3. ^Dipti Ray (2007).Prataparudradeva, the Last Great Suryavamsi King of Orissa (A.D. 1497 to A.D. 1540).Northern Book Centre. pp. 90–.ISBN9788172111953.
  4. ^Orissa (India) (1966).Orissa District Gazetteers: Cuttack.Superintendent, Orissa Government Press. p. 168.
  5. ^Nishamani Kar (2002).Animal Husbandry and Rural Development: Restructuring and Planned Development of the Bovine Economy.Deep and Deep Publications. pp. 206–.ISBN9788176293587.
  6. ^abRabindra Nath Pati; Jagannatha Dash (2002).Tribal and Indigenous People of India: Problems and Prospects.APH Publishing. pp. 196–.ISBN978-81-7648-322-3.
  7. ^Mahapatra, M. (1981).Traditional Structure and Change in an Orissan Temple.Indische Studien. Punthi Pustak.Retrieved27 November2022.
  8. ^Akio Tanabe (29 July 2021).Caste and Equality in India: A Historical Anthropology of Diverse Society and Vernacular Democracy.Routledge.ISBN978-1-00-040933-8.[page needed]
  9. ^Surajit Sinha; Centre for Studies in Social Sciences (1987).Tribal Polities and State Systems in Pre-colonial Eastern and North Eastern India.Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta.ISBN9788170740148.[page needed]
  10. ^Rolamba.Joshi Research Institute. 1982.
  11. ^Kumar Suresh Singh (1993).People of India: Bio-cultural Dimensions: a K.S. Singh Festschrift.Inter-India Publications.ISBN9788121003254.
  12. ^Kumar, Sanjay (2004). "JANATA REGIONALIZED: CONTRASTING BASES OF ELECTORAL SUPPORT IN BIHAR AND ORISSA". In Rob Jenkins (ed.).Regional Reflections: Comparing Politics Across India's States(PDF).Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 6.
  13. ^John A. Grimes (1 January 1996).A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English.SUNY Press. pp. 129–.ISBN978-0-7914-3067-5.
  14. ^Georg Feuerstein; Subhash Kak; David Frawley (1999).In Search of the Cradle of Civilization: New Light on Ancient India.Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 149–.ISBN978-81-208-1626-8.
  15. ^Rabindra Nath Pati (2008).Family Planning.APH Publishing. pp. 115–.ISBN978-81-313-0352-8.
  16. ^Michelutti, Lucia (2002)."Sons of Krishna: the politics of Yadav community formation in a North Indian town"(PDF).London School of Economics and Political Science.
  17. ^William R. Pinch (18 June 1996).Peasants and Monks in British India.University of California Press. pp. 91–.ISBN978-0-520-91630-2.
  18. ^Dr. Taradatt.ODISHA DISTRICT GAZETTEERS (KHORDA)(PDF)– via gopabandhuacademy.gov.in.
  19. ^Orissa (India) (1972).Orissa District Gazetteers: Sambalpur.Superintendent, Orissa Government Press.
  20. ^Prashant K. Mishra (1992).Harijans in Hindu and Tribal Social Structures.Discovery Publishing House.ISBN978-81-7141-165-8.
  21. ^Taradatt, Dr (1967).Mayurbhanj district Gazzetter(PDF).p. 99.
  22. ^Laeequddin, Muhammad (1937).Census of Mayurbhanj State 1931.Vol. I. Calcutta: Caledonin Printing Company. pp. 173–178, 197–198.JSTORsaoa.crl.25352830.OCLC496724918.
  23. ^Russell, R.V. (1916).The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India.Vol. II. Macmillan and Company, limited. p. 20.Retrieved17 June2023.Alt URL
  24. ^Nagendra Kumar Padhi (2007).Police and the Weaker Sections.APH Publishing. pp. 55–.ISBN978-81-313-0129-6.
  25. ^"stscodisha.gov.in"(PDF).
  26. ^Ramesh P. Mohanty (2003).Dalits Development and Change: An Empirical Study.Discovery Publishing House. pp. 38–.ISBN978-81-7141-696-7.
  27. ^"Dola Purnima (Holi)".Odisha Tourism.1 January 2010.Retrieved16 October2020.
  28. ^"magazines.odisha.gov.in"(PDF).
  29. ^The Orissa Historical Research Journal.Superintendent of Research and Museum. 2004.
  30. ^Nanda, Kanhu (6 April 2013)."Odihsa's folk dance 'Laudi Khela' during Dola fest loses its fame and charm".Odisha Views.Retrieved11 August2020.
  31. ^"gopabandhuacademy.gov.in"(PDF).
  32. ^James R. Brandon; Martin Banham (28 January 1997).The Cambridge Guide to Asian Theatre.Cambridge University Press. pp. 101–.ISBN978-0-521-58822-5.
  33. ^Patra, Patitapaban (1994).Archaeological remains of Dhenkanal(PDF)(Thesis). Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. p. 205.hdl:10603/118750.
  34. ^Singh, K.S. (1996).Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles.National series. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 1082.ISBN978-0-19-563357-3.Retrieved3 July2023.
  35. ^India. Department of Anthropology (1958).Memoir: (India. Dept. of Anthropology).Manager of Publications, Delhi.Retrieved30 June2023.
  36. ^Roy, S.C. (1964).Man in India.A. K. Bose.Retrieved3 July2023.
  37. ^Shyam Sunder Tripathy (1988).Buddhism and Other Religious Cults of South-east India.Sundeep Prakashan.ISBN978-81-85067-15-5.
  38. ^"gopabandhuacademy.gov.in"(PDF).
  39. ^Dilip Kumar Mukherjee (1970).Chaitanya.National Book Trust, India.
  40. ^Misra, B. (1986).Indian Culture and Cult of Jagannātha.Orissa studies project. Punthi Pustak.Retrieved3 December2022.
  41. ^Nava Kishor Das (2012).Odisha.Anthropological Survey of India by Seagull Books.ISBN978-81-7046-293-4.
  42. ^Prabhat Mukherjee (1981).The History of Medieval Vaishnavism in Orissa.Asian Educational Services. pp. 83–.ISBN978-81-206-0229-8.
  43. ^The Journal of the Anthropological Society of Bombay.Education Society's Press. 1925.
  44. ^Sarat Chandra Roy (Rai Bahadur) (1998).Man in India.A. K. Bose.
  45. ^"Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes".Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes.Retrieved24 August2023.
  46. ^Prasad, D. M. Ravi (2004).Eradication of Caste and Birth of New Humanity.Deep & Deep Publications. p. 29.ISBN978-81-7629-513-0.
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