Gwalvanshi

Gwalvanshi is a term for those who claim descent from the Gwala or herdsman dynasty and the Gopis, who danced with the god Krishna in the woods of Vrindavan and Gokul. The term indicates an association with sacred cows.

Original word Gaur becomes and then Gwal. Gaur, Gor or Gorya, a very ancient Yadav clan of Epic Mahabharata. The term Gwal was derived from Gopal or "protector of cows".Amarkosa, an ancient Sanskrit text treats them as synonym of Abhira.

Krishna was raised between Gwals who were his childhood friends. Mahabharata says Gaurs are part of Yaduvanshi Kshatriyas. The Gwallas of Bengal, Yadavs of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are Gwalvanshi. According to British historian Elliot, Gwalvanshi do not have gotras (Clans or sub divisions).

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.

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