Dhadhor
Dhindhor(ढिंढोर) or Dhadhor(ढढोर) or Dharhor(ढ़ड़होर) is a branch of the Ahir or Yadav caste[1] that resides in the districts of the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. They are also mentioned in the Mughal-era book "Tashrih-ul-Aqvam".[2] It is written that Dhadhor is a clan of the Ahir caste.[3][source?][source?][source?] Some of them live in the area between Etawah and Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh.[4]
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Physical Appearance
[change | change source]Dhadhor Ahirs are fair-skinned and are physically built better in comparison to other castes. They take pride in their strong physique.
On Nag Panchami day, around noon, Dhadhor Ahirs wrestle and practice sword fighting and stick fighting. Many people gather to watch their wrestling on this day.[5]
Profession
[change | change source]Dhadhor Ahirs have always been feudal lords and landlords. In Poorvanchal, Awadh, and Bundelkhand, they had several large and small estates. For example, the Bhiti Rawat estate in Gorakhpur, the Suryakudia estate in Siddharthnagar, the Babhulpur estate in Kanpur, the Mail estate in Deoria, the Kathoda estate in Ballia, the Mirpur estate, and the Barshudha estate, among others.[source?] They also made invaluable contributions to the freedom struggle.[source?] The revolutionary Bhagwan Ahir and Komal Ahir belonged to this lineage.[source?][source?] Ahbaran was an Ahir feudal lord of Khairigarh. He besieged Khiri (Khairigarh), which was under the Mughal Empire, and had a strong independent rule over the area. Akbar mentioned him as a cruel king.[6] The Ahirs of Pali and Bawan parganas were the owners in Awadh's Khairabad province.[7]
Population
[change | change source]According to the Uttar Pradesh Gazetteer, the number of Dhadhor Ahirs in Eastern Uttar Pradesh is low, while the number of Gwalbans is higher.[8]
Social Status
[change | change source]A survey conducted in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh found that, apart from former landlords and Mahants, a new class of wealthy farmers has emerged from the former tenant classes of Kurmi and Ahir, who have now reached the level of 'landowners' and exert strong pressure as a 'new wealthy class' on the agricultural processes in Basti.[9]
History
[change | change source]The origin of the Dhadhor Ahirs is from the Dhundhar region of Rajasthan. Their name, Dhadhor, comes from this region. The Dhundhar region refers to Jaipur district and its surrounding districts such as Deeg, Bayana, Karauli, and Dholpur. The Dhundhari language is also spoken here.[source?] During the period of Muslim invaders, Dhadhor people migrated from the Dhundhar region of Rajasthan and settled in Poorvanchal, Bundelkhand, Kanpur, and Madhya Pradesh in Uttar Pradesh, establishing small independent estates. In Maghar in Gorakhpur, they had a famous estate, whose landlord was Jhinnoo Rawat; it is now known as Bhiti Rawat estate.[source?] They also built temples in Ayodhya and Gorakhpur. There is a grand temple, Rawat Temple, in Ayodhya (Faizabad), which was constructed by them, and even today, the priests of the temple are appointed by their family. Their family originally lived in Faizabad. According to a report from 1872, some Ahir landlords of the Faizabad pargana claimed to be descendants of the Ahir king of Bairath (Jaipur). Another account suggests they were settled there by King Chandrasen.[source?][source?][source?][source?]
Dhindhor Ahirs claim that they were the first inhabitants of Senapur (Jaunpur) and may have been responsible for protecting the original Thakur residents.[10]
Notable People
[change | change source]Prominent Rulers and Landlords
[change | change source]- King Vijaypal Yaduvanshi (Bayana)
- King Hirachand Yadav (Jaunpur)
- Bhiti Rawat (Gorakhpur)
- Late Surajbali Rawat (Patna City)
- Thakur Ram Singh Yadav (Jabalpur)
- Late Lalvachan Chaudhary
Prominent Leaders
[change | change source]- The late Prime Minister of Mauritius, Praveen Jagannath (originally from Ballia, UP)
- Chaudhary Baleshwar Singh Yadav
- Yashpal Singh Rawat
- Late Jagatnath Chaudhary
- Sharda Prasad Rawat
Famous Warriors
[change | change source]- King Hirachand Yadav
- Martyr Bhagwan Ahir (Chauri Chaura Incident)
- Veer Lorik Dev
- Veer Dubari Singh
- Martyr Jamuna Prasad Rawat
- Baba Bagha Singh
- Chaudhary Komal Singh Yadav
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Maheshwari, Anil (2022-01-20). Uttar Pradesh Elections 2022: More than a State At Stake (UP Elections). Om Books International. ISBN 978-93-91258-48-1.
- ↑ Forbes, Duncan (2023-06-08). A Dictionary , Hindustani and English: Part I. BoD – Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3-382-33056-9.
- ↑ Crooke, William (1999). The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh. Public Resource. New Delhi : Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-1210-5.
- ↑ "Lok Sabha Elections 2014: Going over the great divide in Varanasi". DNA India. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ↑ https://archive.org/details/bwb_W8-BIB-991/page/468/mode/1up?q=Ahirs+dhanhors
- ↑ Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Sitapur. Government of Uttar Pradesh. 1964.
- ↑ Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Sitapur. Government of Uttar Pradesh. 1964.
- ↑ Pradesh (India), Uttar (1988). Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers. Government of Uttar Pradesh.
- ↑ Desai, Akshayakumar Ramanlal (1986). Agrarian Struggles in India After Independence. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-561681-1.
- ↑ Planalp, Jack M. (1956). Religious Life and Values in a North Indian Village. Cornell University.