Gopal (caste)

Gopal or Gauda is an Indian caste, which is a synonym of the Ahir (Yadav) caste[1][2] from Odisha State in East India. Their traditional occupation is cattle-herding and cultivation.[3] They are the third largest caste in Odisha[4] and comprise more than 14% of population.[5]

Gopal (Gauda)
ClassificationAhir (Yadava)
Kuladevta (male)Shri Krishna
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesOdia
Populated statesOdisha
SubdivisionsMathurapuria,
Gopapuria,
Magadhaa
Related groupsKhandayat, Chasa

Origin and History

The Gopalas (Gaudas) claim that they are descendants from God Krishna of Yadu lineage.[6][7]

According to hindu mythology, during Mahabharata, the Gopalas had used to be warriors soldiers in god Krishna's Yadav Army (Narayani Sena). They fought against the Pandavas, on the side of the Kauravas, by decision of God Krishna.[8]

Subdivisions

The Gopalas (Gaudas) are three types:- Mathurapuria, Gopapuria and Magadhaa,[9] where Mathurapurias and Gopapurias are superior to Magadha classes.[10] Which symbolically refer to their ancestral land of Mathura and Gopa of Uttar Pradesh and Magadha of Bihar.[11] There are minor differences among them, some area of odisha the Gopalas are also known as their other names including: Sholakhandia, Gope and Gopal Baishnab[12][13] among them.

Culture

Festival
Peoples of Gopal community carries Biman of Radha Krishna during Dola Purnima festival
  • The Dola Purnima (Holi festival): is the Major festival of Gopalas (Gaudas),[14] 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 of Radha Krishna in a Bimana (richly decorated palanquins), Smearing the heads with 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.[15]
  • The Dahi-handi Jatra (curd-pot festival): The birthday of Lord Krishna on the eighth day of Krushna pakshya is popularly celebrated throughout India as Janmastami on the ninth day. Lord Krishna along with his friends had broken the curd-pot in the house of 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.[16][17]

Tradition

Laudi Khela is a traditional dance of the Gaudas (Gopalas), which is performed during Dola Purnima. In this dance the young Gopala boys wearing a special clothes, dance with striking each other's stick in a rhythmical manner in front of the Palanquin of Radha Krishna.[18][19]

Titles

Common surnames used by Gopalas are: Behera, Das, Nayak, Bhutia, Rout, Palai/Palei, Parida, Sasmal, Mahakud/Mohakud, Mohapatra,[20] Bagarti, Pradhan, Bag, Hansha, Dalchhatra , Kharsel, Karuan, Nag and Shandh, among others.[21]

Social Status

Gopalas are followers of Vaishnavism.[22] They are also known as Gopala Vaishnava, same type like- Karana Vaishnava[23] and considered as a ritually high status caste.[24] They are one of a caste of Panikhia Jati group of Odisha.[25] They assist Utkala Brahmins on the occasion of ritual works and somewhere they are also work as priest of some temple.[26][27][28] They have good relationship with all communities.

Reference
  1. Rolamba. Joshi Research Institute. 1982.
  2. Robert Vane Russell (1916). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Volumes I and II). Library of Alexandria. pp. 417–. ISBN 978-1-4655-8294-2.
  3. Ramesh P. Mohanty; Durgesh Nandini Biswal (2007). Culture, Gender and Gender Discrimination: Caste Hindu and Tribal. Mittal Publications. p. 39. ISBN 978-81-8324-199-1.
  4. Orissa (India) (1966). Orissa District Gazetteers: Cuttack. Superintendent, Orissa Government Press.
  5. "'Yadav regiment in army sought'". The New Indian Express. 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  6. Rabindra Nath Pati; Jagannatha Dash (2002). Tribal and Indigenous People of India: Problems and Prospects. APH Publishing. pp. 196–. ISBN 978-81-7648-322-3.
  7. Rabindra Nath Pati (2008). Family Planning. APH Publishing. pp. 115–. ISBN 978-81-313-0352-8.
  8. Lok Nath Soni (2000). The Cattle and the Stick: An Ethnographic Profile of the Raut of Chhattisgarh. Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture. ISBN 978-81-85579-57-3.
  9. "gopabandhuacademy.gov.in" (PDF).
  10. Orissa (India) (1972). Orissa District Gazetteers: Sambalpur. Superintendent, Orissa Government Press.
  11. Prashant K. Mishra (1992). Harijans in Hindu and Tribal Social Structures. Discovery Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7141-165-8.
  12. Nagendra Kumar Padhi (2007). Police and the Weaker Sections. APH Publishing. pp. 55–. ISBN 978-81-313-0129-6.
  13. "www.stscodisha.gov.in" (PDF).
  14. Ramesh P. Mohanty (2003). Dalits Development and Change: An Empirical Study. Discovery Publishing House. pp. 38–. ISBN 978-81-7141-696-7.
  15. "Dola Purnima (Holi)". Odisha Tourism. 2010-01-01. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  16. "magazines.odisha.gov.in" (PDF).
  17. The Orissa Historical Research Journal. Superintendent of Research and Museum. 2004.
  18. Nanda, Kanhu (2013-04-06). "Odihsa's folk dance 'Laudi Khela' during Dola fest loses its fame and charm". Odisha Views. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  19. "gopabandhuacademy.gov.in" (PDF).
  20. "shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in" (PDF).
  21. "gopabandhuacademy.gov.in" (PDF).
  22. Dilip Kumar Mukherjee (1970). Chaitanya. National Book Trust, India.
  23. People of India: India's communities. Oxford University Press. 1998. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2.
  24. "www.repository.cam.ac.uk" (PDF).
  25. Nava Kishor Das (2012). Odisha. Anthropological Survey of India by Seagull Books. ISBN 978-81-7046-293-4.
  26. Prabhat Mukherjee (1981). The History of Medieval Vaishnavism in Orissa. Asian Educational Services. pp. 83–. ISBN 978-81-206-0229-8.
  27. The Journal of the Anthropological Society of Bombay. Education Society's Press. 1925.
  28. Sarat Chandra Roy (Rai Bahadur) (1998). Man in India. A. K. Bose.
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