Paratharia Ahir

The Paratharia Ahir is a clan of the Ahir caste found in the Kutch District of Gujarat state of India. The Paratharia Ahir community consists of a number of clans, the main ones being the Dangar, Bala, Batta, Jatiya, Kerasiya, Chad, Chhanga, Chavada, Gagal, Dheela, Mata and Varchand.

According to the Archaeology Survey of IndiaAhirs are aware of the Hindu Varna system and regard themselves as belonging to the Kshatriya Varna.¹

Paratharia Ahir is a branch of the Ahirs. The community is believed to have derived its name from the Parathar region, their original homeland. According to their traditions, they migrated from Mathura to the Parathar region of Saurashtra with Krishna. The Paratharia then migrated to Kutch about four to five hundred years ago. They are now distributed in eighty four villages in Kutch District, out of which thirty four are in Bhuj Taluka, twenty four Anjar Taluka and twelve villages in Nakathrana. A few are also found in Saurashtra. The Paratharia Ahir has a distinct dialect (language), which is more like Hindi and Gujarati and it is specific to Paratharia Ahir. Other Ahir like Machhoya, Boricha Ahir, Sorathiya Ahir and Naghera Ahir, etc. in Gujarat Speaks Gujarati language.

The Paratharia Ahir community consist of a number of clans, the main ones being the Dangar, Bala, Batta, Jatiya, Kerasiya, Chad, Chhanga, Chavada, Gagal, Dheela, Mata and Varchand. Each of the clans are of equal status and intermarry. Like neighboring Hindu communities, the community practice clan exogamy. Some of them are now businessmen in real estate and transportation industry.