Gavli
Encyclopedia
Gavli is a pastoral community found in the states of Goa
and Maharashtra
in India. The word Gavli means a milkmen or herdsmen in the Marathi
language, and refers to a number of communities that practice, or at one time practiced pastoralism
in western India
.
, the Gavli community have four sub-divisions, the Yadav or Ahir Gavli, Yadavanshi Gavli, Nandvanshi Gavli and Lingayat Gavli. Each of these groups is of a distinct origin, and do not intermarry, and have their own particular customs and traditions.
s and Muslim
s, they left their ancestral village of Kharpa in Kannauj District
of Uttar Pradesh
. The community continue speak Hindi among themselves, but most also speak Marathi
. They have been granted other backward caste status in Maharashtra
. Historically, the community was involved in selling of milk, but now many are daily wage labourers.
Like most Hindu
castes, they are strictly endogamous
, and practice clan exogamy
. The Ahir are further divided into twenty five exogamous clans, the main ones being the Mandlewale, Bareteis, Bhaktalwale, Kaliwale, Tagatwale, Panaiwale, Japhrabada, Kotawal, Kolhapuri, Walasarapi, Kabali, Bhurewale, Pariwale (Gokhle), Sundeerwale, Kiaraiwale, Jaghre, Bankuwale, Lachnowale and Sonia Surute. The fist seven clans are said to be of higher status, while the rest are of equal, and both give and take brides. The community perceives itself to be of equal status to the Kunbi
caste
.
. In support of their claim, the Yadav Gavli cited their legendary descent from Krishna, a history of Yadav kings in North India, Gujarat, and the Deccan, their Kshatriya practices, and their frequent service in the British military, to include the Maratha regiments.
and they are Shaivik (disciple of Shiva
), their main profession is to feed cattle and buffalo
es and to sell their milk to earn their livelihood.
for their cattle from place to place, which enabled them to earn their livelihood, and they have been hardly integrated in the society. King Shivaji during his reign in 17th century makes use of the people of Veershaiv Gavali tribe community to spy for him. Gavali people use to collect important information while selling milk and curd in Mughal Dynasty and forward the same to Shivaji. In the 18th century Gavali people use to wander in the early Nizam state later on that was shared by Andhra Pradesh
, Maharashtra
and Karnataka
after the Independence of India in 1947. Following Independence, the people of this community separated among the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kartanaka and Goa
.
s now. They have remained backward economically and socially, apart from the constitutional safeguards which are enjoyed by the Scheduled Tribes. Still 80% of Gavali community people are buffalo feeders and are in the same milk vending business and some people have private jobs. Their earnings are meager, they are hardly able to meet the expenditure of their daily needs and they don’t have any other source of income. Due to lack of information, knowledge, education and financial support, neither they able to do any other business nor they get any good jobs. 95% of Gavali community people are uneducated and live under very drastic condition irrespective of modern life style. Still most of the families wander from place to place in hope of getting good livelihood.
and Baroda districts. Most of the community now speak Gujarat
, although a significant number still understand Marathi
. Marital ties are still maintained with Gavli communities in Maharashtra. The Gavli community is further divided into a number of exogamous clans such as the Hiranwar, Hajari, Bania, Phulsung and Phenwar. Each of these clans maintains their own tribal deities, such the Bania Gavli, who worship Ajottmata. Historically, the Gavli were cattle herders, although they maintained a distance from Gujarati pastoral communities such as the Ahir and Charan
. Many have given up their traditional occupation, and begun to settle down in towns and cities.
. Their localities are called as , such places are found in many places in Goa.
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
and Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
in India. The word Gavli means a milkmen or herdsmen in the Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
language, and refers to a number of communities that practice, or at one time practiced pastoralism
Pastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
in western India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Ethnonym
Alternate spellings include Gowli, Gowlu, Gawli, Gavali, Gawali, Gauli, Gavadi, Gouli, Goalla, Gwala, Gwalla, Gopa, Godla.In Maharashtra
In MaharashtraMaharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, the Gavli community have four sub-divisions, the Yadav or Ahir Gavli, Yadavanshi Gavli, Nandvanshi Gavli and Lingayat Gavli. Each of these groups is of a distinct origin, and do not intermarry, and have their own particular customs and traditions.
The Yadav Ahir Gavli
The Ahir are one of the four sub-divisions of the Gavli found in Maharashtra, and are found through out the state. They are also known as Ahire, Golkar, Goalar, and Rawat. According to their tradition following a communal riot between HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, they left their ancestral village of Kharpa in Kannauj District
Kannauj District
Kannauj District is an administrative district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, along the river Ganges. The historic town of Kannauj, northwest of Kanpur, is the administrative center.-Geography:...
of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. The community continue speak Hindi among themselves, but most also speak Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
. They have been granted other backward caste status in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Historically, the community was involved in selling of milk, but now many are daily wage labourers.
Like most Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
castes, they are strictly endogamous
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
, and practice clan exogamy
Exogamy
Exogamy is a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group. The social groups define the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. In social studies, exogamy is viewed as a combination of two related aspects:...
. The Ahir are further divided into twenty five exogamous clans, the main ones being the Mandlewale, Bareteis, Bhaktalwale, Kaliwale, Tagatwale, Panaiwale, Japhrabada, Kotawal, Kolhapuri, Walasarapi, Kabali, Bhurewale, Pariwale (Gokhle), Sundeerwale, Kiaraiwale, Jaghre, Bankuwale, Lachnowale and Sonia Surute. The fist seven clans are said to be of higher status, while the rest are of equal, and both give and take brides. The community perceives itself to be of equal status to the Kunbi
Kunbi
Kunbi is a generic term applied to castes of traditionally non-elite tillers in Western India. These include the Dhonoje, Ghatole, Hindre, Jadav, Jhare, Khaire, Lewa , Lonari and Tirole communities of Vidharbha. The communities are largely found in the state of Maharashtra but also exist in the...
caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
.
Yadav Gavli Association
The first Yadav Gavli association was founded in 1903, and in the early 1920s it petitioned the Southborough Committee to recognise the caste as MarathaMaratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
. In support of their claim, the Yadav Gavli cited their legendary descent from Krishna, a history of Yadav kings in North India, Gujarat, and the Deccan, their Kshatriya practices, and their frequent service in the British military, to include the Maratha regiments.
Lingayat Gavli
Veershaiv Gavali Samaj is a Gavali tribe" community is also denoted as Veershaiv Gavali, Lingayat Gavali and Veerhaiv Lingayat Gavali, which is recognized as a nomadic tribe. Their mother tongue is MarathiMarathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
and they are Shaivik (disciple of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
), their main profession is to feed cattle and buffalo
Water Buffalo
The water buffalo or domestic Asian water buffalo is a large bovine animal, frequently used as livestock in southern Asia, and also widely in South America, southern Europe, northern Africa, and elsewhere....
es and to sell their milk to earn their livelihood.
History
They have been in this profession from generation to generation, they use to wander traditionally in search of fodderFodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...
for their cattle from place to place, which enabled them to earn their livelihood, and they have been hardly integrated in the society. King Shivaji during his reign in 17th century makes use of the people of Veershaiv Gavali tribe community to spy for him. Gavali people use to collect important information while selling milk and curd in Mughal Dynasty and forward the same to Shivaji. In the 18th century Gavali people use to wander in the early Nizam state later on that was shared by Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
and Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
after the Independence of India in 1947. Following Independence, the people of this community separated among the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kartanaka and Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
.
Lifestyle
The Gavali now live in some parts of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa since last 400 years and their population is in multiple lakhLakh
A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
s now. They have remained backward economically and socially, apart from the constitutional safeguards which are enjoyed by the Scheduled Tribes. Still 80% of Gavali community people are buffalo feeders and are in the same milk vending business and some people have private jobs. Their earnings are meager, they are hardly able to meet the expenditure of their daily needs and they don’t have any other source of income. Due to lack of information, knowledge, education and financial support, neither they able to do any other business nor they get any good jobs. 95% of Gavali community people are uneducated and live under very drastic condition irrespective of modern life style. Still most of the families wander from place to place in hope of getting good livelihood.
In Gujarat
In Gujarat, the Gavli are an immigrant community, having immigrated in the 18th Century from Maharashtra. They are found mainly in RajkotRajkot district
Rajkot district is one of the 26 districts of the Indian state of Gujarat. Rajkot city is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is the third-most advanced district in Gujarat....
and Baroda districts. Most of the community now speak Gujarat
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
, although a significant number still understand Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
. Marital ties are still maintained with Gavli communities in Maharashtra. The Gavli community is further divided into a number of exogamous clans such as the Hiranwar, Hajari, Bania, Phulsung and Phenwar. Each of these clans maintains their own tribal deities, such the Bania Gavli, who worship Ajottmata. Historically, the Gavli were cattle herders, although they maintained a distance from Gujarati pastoral communities such as the Ahir and Charan
Charan
Chāraṇ is the term for a caste living in the Gujarat and Rajasthan states of India. According to Shrimada Bhagwata Skand Charans were created along with other divine forms such as Yaksha, Gandharvas, Kinnara, Sidhdhas, Apsara, etc. and lived with them in Heaven...
. Many have given up their traditional occupation, and begun to settle down in towns and cities.
In Goa
Goan Gavlis are generally vegetarians and speak a creole between Konkani and MarathiMarathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
. Their localities are called as , such places are found in many places in Goa.
Notables
- B. P. Mandal, Bihar politician, born to a Gwala family in Banaras