Gopa (caste)

Gopa or Gop or Gope is a synonym of the Yadav (Ahir) caste.[1][2][3][4] It is generally used as a title by the Ahir caste in the states of Bihar,[5] Jharkhand and West Bengal of East India[6][7] and even in Terai region of Nepal.[8]

Gopa (Yadav)
Kuladevta (male)Shri Krishna
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesHindi and Bengali
Populated statesBihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal

Etymology

The sanskrit word Gopa, a king,[9] originally meant only a cowherd; it then came to mean the head of cowpen and lastly the chief of a tribe.[10][11]

Origin and History

In Rigved Dasam Mandal Maharaj Yadu is mentioned as Gopa.[12][13] The Gopa and Gopati were epithets given to the King.[14][15]

The Yadavas of the Mahabharata period were known to be the followers of Vaishnavism, of which Krishna was the leader: they were Gopas (cowherd) by profession, but at the same time they held the status of the Kshatriyas, participating in the battle of Kurukshetra. The present Ahirs are also followers of Vaisnavism.[16][17]

In Harivamsa Purana, it has been said that Gopas and Yadav are generic of same lineage and they are called Gope or Yadav.[18]

Mahabharat's Narayani (Gopayan) Army

Narayani Sena (Gopayan)[19][20] or Yadav(Ahir) Sena, the army of Lord Krishna of Dwarka Kingdom is called as the supreme Sena of all time. It is described in the Mahabharat as being all of the Abhira caste.[21] They were the basic threat to the rival kingdoms. Fearing Narayani Sena, many Kings did not try fighting against Dwaraka. Because Dwaraka sorted most of the threats through Krishna's politics and talent of Yadavas. Using Narayani Sena, the Yadavas extended their empire to most of India.[22][23][24]

Krishna had offered Arjuna, the choice of selection between him or his whole army of Narayani Sena against Duryodhana. He possessed 10 million fighting Gopes who were brave fighters and were famous by the name of Narayan. In Harivansa Purana, it has been said that Gope or Yadav are generic of the same lineage.[25]

Before the war started in the Kurukshetra battlefield in Mahabharat (one of the two major epics of ancient India), both sides – the Kauravas and the Pandavas started out in all directions to meet various kings to solicit support. Incidentally, both Duryodhana (from Kauravas side) and Arjuna (from Pandavas side) reached Dwarika, the kingdom of Shree Krishna together. Lord Krishna put forward a condition in front of both – you can have either me on your side or my entire army, the Yadav army – known as the Narayani Sena. He also told both that he wouldn't take to any arms during the entire war. So when Krishna first asked Arjun what he wanted, much to Duryodhana's delight, he opted for the Lord- 'Narayan' and Duryodhana got these great warriors of the strong army-'the Narayani Sena. When Narayani Sena was fighting for Kauravas, only Kritavarma and his army unit fought for the Kauravas. Satyaki fought for the Pandavas. The rest of the Atirathas and Maharathis were withheld from the Kurukshetra war on the advice of Balram and Krishna.[26][27][28][29]

These Gopas, whom Krishna had offered to Duryodhana to fight in his support when he himself joined Arjuna's side, were no other than the Yadavas themselves, who were also the Abhiras.[30][31][32] They were the supporters of the Duryodhana[33][34] and Kauravas, and in the Mahabharata,[35] Abhir, Gopa, Gopal[36] and Yadavas are all synonyms.[37][38][39] They defeated the hero of Mahabharatha war (Arjuna), and spared him when he disclosed the identity of the members of the family of Sri Krishna.[40]

Sanskritisation

Since 1930 during the Sanskritisation of castes in India, The Gopas started to be incorporated into a newly established Yadav Kshatriya community, along with Ahir, Gops, Goalas, and Sadgops.[41]

Kingdoms
Gopegarh in Midnapore.[42]

Culture

In Kosi division of Bihar, people of the Gopa or Ahir (Yadav) caste worship their caste deity Bisu Raut, whose temple is situated on the banks of the Gogri river.[50][51]

Gop Jatiye Mahasabha

Gop Jatiye Mahasabha was formed by Babu Ras Bihari Lal Mandal in 1911, It was the regional organization of Gope or Ahir caste of Bihar, Bengal & Orissa.[52][53][54]

Later, the All-India Yadav Mahasabha was formed by merging the Gop Jatiye Mahasabha and Ahir/Yadav Kshatriya Mahasabha. AIYM first National Conference was held in Purnea, Bihar on 17 to 20 April 1924.[55]

See also

References
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  16. Shashi, Shyam Singh (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian Tribes: The tribal world in transition. Anmol Publications, 1994. p. 76. ISBN 9788170418368. The Yadavas of the Mahabharata period were known to be the followers of Vaisnavism, of which Krsna was the leader: they were gopas (cowherd) by profession, but at the same time they held the status of the Ksatriyas, participating in the battle of Kurukshetra. The present Ahirs are also followers of Vaisnavism.
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