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Gowala (caste)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gowala/ Goala
ClassificationAhir/Yadav
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesAssamese  • Bengali • Himachali  • Hindi  • Punjabi
Populated statesAssam, West Bengal, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Punjab

Gowala[1][2][3] (also spelled as Goala)[4] is a subcaste of Ahir/Yadav community, [5][6] found from Indian state of Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and Himachal Pradesh[7] and the neighbouring states of Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab and Chandigarh.[8][9] Traditionally they are herdsman or milkman and considered as a prosperous community.[10]

Mythological Origin

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The Gowalas are closely associated with Krishna and consider themselves to be descendants of Raja Yadu. By 1910s they became the part of Yadav community as part of Sanskritisation.[11]

References

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  1. ^ India. Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (1950). Marketing Series. The Directorate.
  2. ^ The Indian Journal of Adult Education. R.M. Chetsingh. 1977.
  3. ^ "Politics at the Margin: A Tale of Two Villages". Economic and Political Weekly. 50 (23): 7–8. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  4. ^ Bhuban Mohan Das (1987). The Peoples of Assam. Gyan Publishing House. pp. 30–. ISBN 978-81-212-0093-6.
  5. ^ "'Madhepura' of Assam braces for electoral battle where caste lines run deeper". Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  6. ^ RE; Review of Ethnology. E. Stiglmayr. 1974.
  7. ^ Kumar Suresh Singh (1996). Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-0-19-563357-3.
  8. ^ Census of India, 1981: Arunachal Pradesh. Controller of Publications. 1984.
  9. ^ Shankarlal C. Bhatt (2006). Land and People of Indian States and Union Territories: In 36 Volumes. Punjab. Gyan Publishing House. pp. 83–. ISBN 978-81-7835-378-4.
  10. ^ Dayabati Roy; Daẏābatī Rāẏa (2014). Rural Politics in India: Political Stratification and Governance in West Bengal. Cambridge University Press. pp. 67–. ISBN 978-1-107-04235-3.
  11. ^ William R. Pinch (18 June 1996). Peasants and Monks in British India. University of California Press. pp. 91–. ISBN 978-0-520-91630-2.