Yadav (Devnagari: ; Y dav) refers to a group of communities or castes found in India and Nepal.

The caste was historically devoted to cowherding.[1] Many clans within Yadavas claims descent from the ancient King Yadu of the Chandravanshi Kshatriya clan, and thus claim Kshatriya varna for themselves.[2][3][4] However, their varna status is contested, as at times Yadavs have been labeled within the Shudra (cultivator) varna as "upper Shudra".[5][6][7][8] Genetically, Yadavs comes under Indo-Caucasoid family.[9]

Contents
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1 Legendary origin 2 Subdivisions 3 Modern India o 3.1 Delhi National Capital Region o 3.2 In Maharashtra o 3.3 In Tamil Nadu o 3.4 Kerala 4 Caste politics o 4.1 All-India Yadav Mahasabha 5 Military o 5.1 World War II o 5.2 Kargil War o 5.3 Maoist movement in Bihar 6 Religious seats 7 Notables 8 See also 9 References

[edit] Legendary origin

Main article: Yadu Yadavs claim to be the descendants of Yadu, believed to be an ancestor of the god Krishna. Yadu was the eldest son of King Yayati.[10][11] It is written in the Vishnu Puran that he did not inherit his father's throne, and therefore retired towards Punjab and Iran. He had five sons, of whom only Satjit and Krishna produced children. Satjit had three sons: Bibai (Biveya), Hai (Heya) and Ahai (Aheya), the claimed ancestor of the Ahir community.[12][13]

[edit] Subdivisions

The Yadavas of Eastern India are traditionally divided into three major clans[citation needed] or shakhas (branches):
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Krishnaut or Kishnauth, the descendants of Krishna[14] Madhauth or Majhauth, the descendants of Madhu, ancestor of Yadu.[citation needed] Gaur, Gor or Gorya, a very ancient Yadav clan of the Mahabharata.[15]

Yadavas of Western India (whom Denzil Ibbetson also terms as Ahir) are traditionally divided into three major khanap (clans):[16]
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Yaduvanshi Ahirs - descendants of Yadu Nandvanshi - descendants of Nand Baba who was Ahir Gwalvanshi - descendants of Holy Gwals (Gwalvanshis Ahirs claim to have descended from the Gwala, friends of Krishna).[17]

[edit] Modern India

[edit] Delhi National Capital Region

Swami Ramdev (Ramkishan Yadav) born in Mahendragarh Haryana See also: National Capital Region (India) and Ethnic groups in Delhi Rao Birender Singh Yadav was the second chief minister of Haryana and Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Yadav was the first chief minister of Delhi. Devender Yadav is the only Yadav Legislature in Delhi. In Marubhumi (Marwar), Saurashtra and Maharashtra they served the local rulers and established their own rule. Ishwarsena, a great Ahir general, became master of Western Deccan in place of the famous Satava-hanas. He took the title of Rajan and an era was named after him. His descendants continued to rule for nine generations.

Pran Sukh Yadav (18021888) was an military commander and close friend of Hari Singh Nalwa and famous Punjab ruler Ranjit Singh. In his early career he trained the Sikh Khalsa army. After the death of Ranjit Singh he fought in both the First and Second Anglo-Sikh Wars. Due to his extreme hatred towards British after the defeat of Sikhs he started giving military training to the farmers of Narnaul and Mahendragarh region. King Rao Tula Ram of Rewari was born on 9 December 1825 in a Royal Rao Bhadur Nirpur Yadav family which belonged to "Rao Bhadur Ghari-Bolni" in village Rampura (Rewari). His father was Puran Singh and his mother's name was Gyan Kaur who was daughter of Great Jat ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In 1857, Rao Tula Ram led the rebellion in Haryana along with his brother Rao Bhadur Tula Ram of Ghari Bolni and Rao Gopal Dev of Nirpur. For centuries the Ahirs were eclipsed as a political power in Haryana until the time of the Pratihara dynasty. In time they became independent rulers of Southwest Haryana. Although the Ahirs and Yadavas form one group, the former are an important community of Haryana, but numerically they constitute less than 10% of the total population.[18] Most of them live in the region around Rewari, Narnaul, Mahendragarh and Gurgaon which is therefore known as Ahirwal or the abode of Ahirs.[19][20]

[edit] In Maharashtra
The 1881 census records of the British India state that "the Yadavas, who in their turn are identified with the Gaolis and Ahirs, were the dominant race at that time."[21][22] Among the claimed Yadav clans of Maharashtra are the Solaskar of Satara district, the Dhangar, and the Jadhav.

[edit] In Tamil Nadu

The Konar (also known as Idaiyar, Ayar, or Tamil Yadavar)[23] are a caste from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and a sub-division of the Yadava. When Yadavas became the rulers of the south, the "eer" of Aheer was sufixed with Aya making it Ayeera or Aiyar.[24] Ilango Adigal had mentioned Konars of Madurai in his Tamil epic Silapathikaram, which is considered to be one of the five famous epics of Tamil literature. According to this epic, they gave accommodation for Kannagi. They occupied grasslands known as Mullai in the ancient Tamil country. Konars traditionally raise cows, goats and sheeps and sell milk.[25]

[edit] Kerala
Maniyani is a caste of Kerala that claims descent from Krishna. Maniyanis are also known as Kola-Aya or Kolayars. They are the Yadavas of Kolathnadu and Thulunad. They are found in Kannur and Kasargod Districts.[citation needed] Ayar is a common surname for Yadavas throughout India. They settled in north Kerala about 3000 years back. Kola is the name of a Yadava clan who settled in North Kerala and Southern Karnataka.[citation needed]

[edit] Caste politics

[edit] All-India Yadav Mahasabha
The transformation of all Ahirs (Yaduvanshi Ahirs, Nandvanshi and Gwalvanshi) into Yaduvanshi Yadavs was promoted by the All India Yadav Mahasabha which was founded in 1927.[26] The emergence of an educated and religiously orthodox elite among the Yadavs, after the religious movements of Arya Samaj and Janeu movements led to the formation of the AllIndia Yadava Mahasabha in 1923 in Allahabad. The AIYM immediately engaged itself in two issues. It appealed to its castemen in all regions to add Yadav to their names and at the same time launched on a major programme of social reform. The regional organisation of the Hyderabad Rashtra Yadav Mahajana Samajam, for example, appealed to the Census Commission that their caste name Ahir be changed to Yadava. All India Yadav Mahasabha also pressed Indian government for the formation of Yadav regiment in Indian Army after they showed their bravery in the 1965 Indo-China war. In 1966 the AIYM held its annual conference in Etawa, with Mulayam Singh Yadav as chairman of the reception committee and Rao Birender Singh the scion of the Rewari dynasty as president.[27][28][29] After Independence, the Yadavs have emerged as the leaders of the other backward classes. Professor Raos study of the Yadava elite in the various states (based on the members and supporters of the All India Yadav Sabha and not on those of the rival All India Yadav Mahasabha) reveals the growth of varied business and professional groups within the caste category. Heading the list are businessmen who comprise roughly 21% of the elite. They include dairy owners, contractors, tobacco and timber merchants, wholesale grass dealers, owners of engineering firms and other industries as well as restaurant owners. They are followed by the large farmers who comprise around 21 per cent of the Yadav elite. Politicians (MPs, MLAs, ministers, municipal councillors, district board members, office-bearers of political parties) constitute 17% of the elite and school and college teachers, doctors, lawyers and engineers together another 20%.[30]

[edit] Military
The Yadav have served the British and Indian armed and defense forces in numerous conflicts. Some prominent conflicts fought by Yadav soldiers are the 1962 India-China War, the Kargil War,[31] and the 2001 Parliament attacks.[32] Yadavs have also played a role in the Maoist insurgencies in Nepal and India.

[edit] World War II

Namdev Jadhav received the Victoria Cross during the Burma Campaign of the Second World war. Havaldar Umrao Singh,[33] a gunner, won the Victoria Cross in hand to hand combat with the Japanese infantry raiding his gun position in the Kaladan Valley. He killed ten with his bare hands armed only with the gun bearer (a heavy metallic tool). He was found exhausted and bleeding in the morning but still alive amidst a pile of Japanese corpses littered around the gun, which was found to be still fit for immediate firing.

[edit] Kargil War

Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav of the Indian Army was awarded the highest Indian military honour, Param Vir Chakra for his actions during the Kargil War on 4 July 1999.[34]

[edit] Maoist movement in Bihar

On 3 November 2005, Yadavas aligned with the Indian Maoist movement attacked Anandipur police outpost, under Chandan police station. Of the 12 Maoists involved, 5 of them, all from the Yadav community, were arrested and then sentenced to death in 2007.[35]

[edit] Religious seats

Besides chiefdoms and jagirs, the Yadavas had peethams (seats) granted to them by virtue of their religious powers. For instance, there were fourteen seats (peethams) among the Yadavas of Warangal according to a sanad granted in 1425 (Shaka Samvat), by Sree Pratapa Rudra, Maharaja of Warangal, to Sree Kondiah Guru, as the head of the fourteen seats. Subsequently when Bhagyanagar was founded by Sultan Abdulla of Qutub Shahi in AD 1560 the rights of the Yadavas were acknowledged and recognized, and the name Golkonda was substituted for Manugal.[36] According to the charter awarded by the Sultan Abdullah of Qutb Shahi dynasty in 1071 Hijri, Kondiah built the fort for the sultan by using his charisma in resolving the mystery of the site, and also discovered for him gold coins buried underground. In return, the sultan gave him the Charter conferring upon Kondiah the rights and privileges due to the head of the fourteen seats, and of twelve classes of Gollas and two classes of shepherds (Kuruba Gollas). Kondiah, although a follower of Basaveshwara (Lingayat), was the head of the Yadava Peethams. Perhaps the Gollas at this time were under the influence of Veerasaivism, although they were incorporated into the Yadava category.[37]

[edit] Notables
Main article: List of Yadavs
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Sher Singh, participated in the Axis-allied Indian National Army in World War II.[38] Rao Tula Ram, served in the 1857 Indian War of Independence Pran Sukh Yadav, fought along with Rao Tula Ram Yadav at Nasibpur Baba Ramdev, yoga guru Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, Param Vir Chakra recipient, Kargil War Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, Param Vir Chakra recipient, Kargil War.[39] Captain Umrao Singh, Victoria Cross recipient, World War II, Burma Front. Commodore Babru Bhan Yadav, Maha Vir Chakra recipient, 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.[40] Vikas Krishan Yadav 2010 Asian Games gold medalist boxer from Bhiwani. Joginder Rao, cricketer. J. N. Singh Yadav Santosh Yadav, mountaineer, only woman to have climbed Mount Everest twice.