Gopal (caste)

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

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

Gopal or Gouda is an

Yadav, Goala etc.) in various parts of India.[10][11]

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

Etymology

The word Gopal derived from

cow and "Pala" refers to protector or herder. Hence "Gopala" literally means "cow herder"[13][14]

Origin and history

The Gopalas (Gaudas) like all Yadavs claim that they are descendants from Krishna of the ancient Yadava clan 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 the Sanskritisation of castes in India, The Gopalas started to be incorporated into a newly established Yadav community, along with Ahir, Gops, Goalas, and Sadgops.[17]

Subdivisions

The Gopalas (Gaudas) are three types:- Mathurapuria, Gopapuria and Magadhaa,[18] where Mathurapurias and Gopapurias are superior to Magadha classes.[19] Which symbolically refer to their ancestral land of Mathura and Gokul (Gopa) of Uttar Pradesh and Magadha of Bihar.[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, Sadgope and Gopal Baishnab[23][24][25] among them.

Culture

Festival

Dola Purnima
festival
  • The
    Abira (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]
  • The
    king Nanda. This tradition is maintained in Paralakhemundi as 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 the Radha Krishna on a stage called 'Kunja’ and take a procession around the town.[28][29]

Tradition

  • Laudi Badi Khela is 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]
  • Gopalila is a traditional puppet theatre, performed by Gopals (Cowherd boys) of Odisha. 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

The Gopalas uses surnames like

Behera
, Das, Palei, Palai, Pandab, Yadav, Hati, Kabi, Bhutia, Mahakul, Mahakhud, 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

Gopalas are followers of Vaishnavism.[39] Among them Gopapurias and Sadgops are the relics of Bala Gopala cult.[40] They are one of a caste of Panikhia Jati group of Odisha.[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

References

  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. ISBN 9788172111953
    .
  4. ^ Orissa (India) (1966). Orissa District Gazetteers: Cuttack. Superintendent, Orissa Government Press. p. 168.
  5. ISBN 9788176293587
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-81-7648-322-3
    .
  7. ^ Mahapatra, M. (1981). Traditional Structure and Change in an Orissan Temple. Indische Studien. Punthi Pustak. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  8. ISBN 978-1-00-040933-8.[page needed
    ]
  9. ISBN 9788170740148.[page needed
    ]
  10. ^ Rolamba. Joshi Research Institute. 1982.
  11. ISBN 9788121003254
    .
  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. ISBN 978-0-7914-3067-5
    .
  14. ISBN 978-81-208-1626-8
    .
  15. ISBN 978-81-313-0352-8
    .
  16. London School of Economics and Political Science
    .
  17. ISBN 978-0-520-91630-2
    .
  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. ISBN 978-81-7141-165-8
    .
  21. ^ Taradatt, Dr (1967). Mayurbhanj district Gazzetter (PDF). p. 99.
  22. OCLC 496724918
    .
  23. ^ Russell, R.V. (1916). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India. Vol. II. Macmillan and Company, limited. p. 20. Retrieved 17 June 2023. Alt URL
  24. ISBN 978-81-313-0129-6
    .
  25. ^ "www.stscodisha.gov.in" (PDF).
  26. ISBN 978-81-7141-696-7
    .
  27. ^ "Dola Purnima (Holi)". Odisha Tourism. 1 January 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  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. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  31. ^ "gopabandhuacademy.gov.in" (PDF).
  32. ISBN 978-0-521-58822-5
    .
  33. hdl:10603/118750
    .
  34. ISBN 978-0-19-563357-3
    . Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  35. ^ India. Department of Anthropology (1958). Memoir: (India. Dept. of Anthropology). Manager of Publications, Delhi. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  36. ^ Roy, S.C. (1964). Man in India. A. K. Bose. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  37. ISBN 978-81-85067-15-5
    .
  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. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  41. ISBN 978-81-7046-293-4
    .
  42. ISBN 978-81-206-0229-8
    .
  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. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  46. ISBN 978-81-7629-513-0
    .
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