Majhraut (Ahir)

The Majhraut[1] or Majraut[2] is a clan of Yaduvanshi Ahir that inhabits the Indian state of Bihar and Jharkhand.[3][4][5][6] They are believed to be descended from the Yadav king Madhu who ruled Mathura.

Majhraut Ahir
JātiAhir (Yadav)
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesAngika, Bajjika, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magadhi
CountryIndia, Nepal
Original stateBihar
Populated statesBihar, Jharkhand, Uttarpradesh
EthnicityBihari
Related groupsKrishnaut, Dhadhor

Like Krishnaut even Majhraut Ahirs never sold either milk, ghee or butter and have, to a large extent, were cultivators.[7][8] Some of them were landlords of large estates.

Origin and History

The Yadavs who migrated from Mathura (Braj) to Bihar and its surrounding areas came to be known as Mathraut or Majrauth.[9]

List of Rulers and Chieftain

In Bihar and Jharkhand there were many rulers and zamindars belonging to Ahir (Yadav) caste.[10] During British Raj, the Ahir zamindars were predominantly found in northern and eastern parts of Bihar. Most of them belonged to Krishnaut and Majhraut clans of Ahir[11][12]

Distribution and Title

Distribution

Majhrauts are found all over Bihar but numerically they exceed other sub-caste in Saharsa and it's adjoining district of Bihar.[21] While most Yadavs were small scale peasants in North and Central India, a small number of them acquired land in newly reclaimed area of Eastern Bihar (Purnea and Saharsa) and became big land holders.[22][23]

Titles

The titles generally used by Majhraut and other sub-caste of Ahirs in Bihar are Yadav, Raut, Gope, Ray, Rai, Roy, Mandal, Singh, etc.[24][25][26]

Notable persons

  • Rash Bihari Lal Mandal, zamindar of Madhepura and founder of Yadav Mahasabha.[27]
  • Mahendra Gop, a freedom revolutionary.[28]
  • Bhupendra Narayan Mandal, a socialist leader.[29]
  • Shivnandan Prasad Mandal, a Politician.[30]
  • B.P. Mandal, Chief Minister of Bihar and chairman of the Mandal Commission.[31]

Culture

Lorikayan is sung by Ahirs of Bihar, it is a folk song of veer rasa where events from the life of Lorik are described. This is more popular in Bhojpuri, Maithili & Magahi.[32][33]

References

  1. Mishra, Shiva Kumar (1998). Educational Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India: From the Earliest Times to 1206 A.D. with Special Reference to Mithilā. Ramanand Vidya Bhawan. ISBN 978-81-85205-71-7.
  2. The National Geographical Journal of India. National Geographical Society of India. 1975.
  3. Bihar (India); Choudhury, Pranab Chandra Roy (1957). Bihar District Gazetteers: Bhagalpur. Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar.
  4. Singh, Rana P. B. (1977). Clan Settlements in the Saran Plain (Middle Ganga Valley): A Study in Cultural Geography. National Geographical Society of India, Banaras Hindu University.
  5. Bihar (India); Choudhury, Pranab Chandra Roy (1962). Bihar District Gazetteers: Hazaribagh. Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar.
  6. Siddiqui, M. K. A. (1993). Inter-caste and Inter-community Relationship: Developing Patterns. Commonwealth Publishers. ISBN 978-81-7169-260-6.
  7. Hunter, William Wilson (1877). A Statistical Account of Bengal. Trübner & Company.
  8. Hunter, Sir William Wilson (1976). A Statistical Account of Bengal: Districts of Bhágalpur and the Santál Parganás. D. K. Publishing House.
  9. Sinhā, Mīnākshī (1993). Mithilā ke Yādava (in हिन्दी). Mahārājā Lakshmīśvara Siṃha Risarca Sosāiṭī.
  10. Barik, Radhakanta (2006). Land and Caste Politics in Bihar. Shipra Publications. ISBN 978-81-7541-305-4.
  11. Singh, K. S. (1992). People of India: India's communities. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2.
  12. Bihar men samajik parivartan ke kuchh ayam (in हिन्दी). Vani Prakashan. 2001. ISBN 978-81-7055-755-5.
  13. Caudharī, Abhayakānta (1977). Aṅgikā sāhitya kā itihāsa (in हिन्दी). Śekhara Prakāśana.
  14. Sharma, R. S. (1992). A Comprehensive History of India: A.D. 985-1206. People's Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7007-121-1.
  15. Department, Bengal (India) Revenue (1909). Report on the Administration of the Wards, Attached and Trust Estates.
  16. "A village that symbolises Bihar". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
  17. Jha, Shashi Shekhar (1972). Political Elite in Bihar. Vora.
  18. Singh, Santosh (2015-10-09). Ruled or Misruled: Story and Destiny of Bihar. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-85436-42-0.
  19. Commission, Great Britain Indian Statutory (1930). Report of the Indian Statutory Commission ... H.M. Stationery Office.
  20. Narayan, Jayaprakash (2000). Jayaprakash Narayan: 1946-1948. Manohar. ISBN 978-81-7304-518-9.
  21. Singh, K. S. (2008). People of India: Bihar (2 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2.
  22. Singh, Kumar Suresh (1998). India's Communities: H - M. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2. While most Yadavs were small scale peasants in North and Central India, a small number of them acquired land in newly reclaimed area of Eastern Bihar (Purnea and Saharsa) and became big land holders
  23. Gajrani, S. (2004). History, Religion and Culture of India. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-8205-063-1.
  24. Singh, K. S. (2008). People of India: Bihar (2 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2.
  25. Singh, Kumar Suresh (2008). People of India: Bihar, including Jharkhand (2 pts). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-7046-303-0.
  26. Singh, Santosh (2015-10-09). Ruled or Misruled: Story and Destiny of Bihar. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-85436-42-0.
  27. "समाज-सुधारक रास बिहारी लाल मंडल के सारे विचार आज भी प्रासंगिक हैं- डॉ.मधेपुरी | Madhepura Abtak Online News Portal of Madhepura District Bihar". www.madhepuraabtak.com. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  28. Srikrishan 'Sarala' (1999-01-01). Indian Revolutionaries 1757-1961 (Vol-4): A Comprehensive Study, 1757-1961. Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-87100-19-5.
  29. Sabha, India Parliament Lok (1962). Parliament of India, Third Lok Sabha: Who's who 1962. Lok Sabha Secretariat.
  30. "शिवनंदन प्रसाद मंडल : साधना एवं संघर्ष विषयक व्याख्यान आयोजित - Madhepura live News-मधेपुरा लाइव न्यूज़". www.madhepuralivenews.com. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  31. Maheshwari, Shriram (1991). The Mandal Commission and Mandalisation: A Critique. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-7022-338-2.
  32. Bihar (India); Choudhury, Pranab Chandra Roy (1965). Bihar District Gazetteers: Saharsa. Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar.
  33. Experts, Arihant (2019-11-19). Know Your State Bihar. Arihant Publications India limited. ISBN 978-93-131-9975-5.