Hindu Ghosi | |
---|---|
Religions | Hinduism |
Subdivisions | Rawat, Mukhia, Ghurcharhe, Charia, Kasab, Mukhia, Rautele, Saundele, Mattha, Dahiya & Phatak etc. |
The Hindu Ghosi or Ghosi Thakur[1] are a community of Ahirs (Yadav) in India.[1] They are divided into various sections and lineages.[2] The Ghosis have a system of panches and hereditary chaudhris. If one of the latter's line fail, his widow may adopt a son to succeed him, or, failing such adoption, the panch elects a fit person.[2]
The Hindu Ghosi claim descent from Nanda the foster father of Krishna.[2]
They also claim their importance saying that the sacred texts have mentioned them under the name of Ghosas.[3] The term Ghosa refers to a settlement of the Abhira people[4] or a temporary encampment of cowherds, which was the occupation of those people.[5]
The largest subdivisions of Ahir in Braj region are the Ghosis, Kamarias, Phataks and Nandvanshis. However today they all recognise themselves to be Yaduvanshi or Krishnavanshi Yadavs.[6][7]
In the Braj region, the Ghosi and other subdivisions of Ahirs were gradually absorbed into the Nandvanshi category of landlords and into the Yaduvanshi subdivision as a consequence of British so-called "official" ethnographies and racial theories. The landlords liked the Yaduvanshi title because they considered it to be prestigious.[8][7]
In the Braj area, the Ghosis are among the largest subdivisions of Ahirs along with the Kamariyas, Phataks, Gwalvanshis and Nandvanshis.[9][7]