Bir Kuar

Bir Kuar or Birkuar (IAST: Bir-kuār), also known as Birnath, is a Hindu god worshipped by Yadavs of western Bihar in India.^[1] He is considered to be a form of god Krishna and was born in Krishnaut clan of Ahir.^[1] He is worshipped in form of wooden posts that depict him standing arms-akimbo. Bir Kuar is honoured as the protector of cattle.

Legend

Bir Kuar's legend deals with the opposition between the cattle and the tiger and also impalement themes. Bir Kuar is also called to as "Lord of the Forest".^[2]

The legend of Bir Kuar says that he was an Ahir youth, who used to go deep in the forest to graze his cattle, even at night. He killed a tiger and hence became known as Baghaut baba. As a tiger-ghost or tiger-god, Bir Kuar protects the cattle, grazing in the forests.

Ballads narrate the story of Bir Kuar or Birnath, who rescued the princess Madhumati from Mughal Empire soldiers. Madhumati was on her way to a pilgrimage to the Hindu holy city of Benaras, when she saw Mughal soldiers and cried. She requested a female-kite to inform her father that she was in danger, through a letter she wrote. When kite delivered the letter to the king - father of Madhumati, the king sent Madhumati's husband Birnath with his soldiers. Birnath rode a tiger and saved the princess.^[3] Ballads also narrate that Bir Kuar was born in the Hindu holy city of Ayodhya and reared in Palamau.^[4]

Worship

Bir Kuar is often worshipped in form of wooden posts, made by carpenters from the mixed Ahir-Brahmin class. This wooden post is erected in open field to "fertilize she-buffaloes".^[5]^[6] In these posts, he is depicted in standing arms-akimbo.^[1] Bir Kuar is offered goat sacrifices. He is also offered clay horses, on the fulfilment of a vow.^[5] Bir Kuar is also worshipped in times of distress.^[7]

He is worshipped in 16-day festival called Sohorai (in October), which corresponds to festival of Diwali, celebrated in honour of the Hindu goddess of prosperity - Lakshmi. Ballads describing his exploits are sung during the festival. Bir Kuar is worshipped by offering of milk and erecting his icons in open fields.^[8] On the new moon day in the festival, first goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. Following worship of Lakshmi, Bir Kuar is worshipped in a nearby field. The cows are milked by the Ahirs and a sweet called Kshir is prepared and offered to the deity.

Associations

Bir Kuar is often associated with Krishna. Bir Kuar is depicted as flute-playing cowherd like Krishna. He acts like a ferryman like Krishna, helping milkmaids cross the river and having dalliance with them.^[9]

Bir Kuar is sometimes associated with the god Vithoba of Maharashtra - who is believed to be a form of Krishna too and depicted in an arms-akimbo posture like Bir Kuar.^[1]^[10]^[11] Images similar to Bir Kuar are found in states of Maharashtra.^[12]^[1]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Tagare, Dr. G. V. (1988). "Mahipati - A General Survey". In Justin E. Abbott, Narhar R. Godbole (ed.). Stories of Indian saints. Motilal Banarsidass. p. xxxiv. ISBN 978-81-208-0469-2.
^ Starza p. 108
^ Karan pp. 62-64
^ Karan p. 65
^ ^a ^b Hiltebeitel, Alf (1991). The Cult of Draupadī: On Hindu ritual and the goddess. Vol. 2. University of Chicago Press. p. 126. ISBN 978-0-226-34048-7.
^ Starza p. 107, for images of wooden post of Bir Kuar.
^ Karan p. 67
^ Karan pp. 62, 65
^ Karan pp. 64-65
^ Eaton, Richard Maxwell (2005). A Social History of the Deccan, 1300–1761: Eight Indian Lives. Cambridge University Press. p. 139. ISBN 0-521-25484-1. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
^ Vaudeville, Charlotte (1987). Schomer, Karine; McLeod, W. H. (eds.). The Sants: Studies in a Devotional Tradition of India. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 223–24. ISBN 81-208-0277-2. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
^ Mahīpati; Justin Edwards Abbott; Narhar R. Godbole (November 1988). Stories of Indian Saints: Translation of Mahipati's Marathi Bhaktavijaya. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 34–. ISBN 978-81-208-0469-2. Retrieved 30 March 2018.

References

Karan, Sudhir Kumar (132). Thus Flows The Ganges. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-923-2.
Starza, O. M. (1993). The Jagannatha Temple at Puri. Brill Publishers. ISBN 978-90-04-09673-8.
Mahīpati; Justin Edwards Abbott; Narhar R. Godbole (November 1988). Stories of Indian Saints: Translation of Mahipati's Marathi Bhaktavijaya. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 34–. ISBN 978-81-208-0469-2.