Note 79 — G

Golapûrab.79—An interesting caste of agriculturists found only in the Agra District, where they occupy several villages in the southern parganas, and a few in the northern pargana of Ihtimâdpur. The former claim to be the earlier residents; but they have no traditions as to the period of their emigration. They are, however, unanimous in fixing the village of Birthara, about 28 miles south of Agra, as the head-quarters of their ancestors; and this assertion is corroborated by the fact that one of their most influential gotras is called Birthariya, though they have been residing for generations a long way from that place. The caste is known by no other name than that of Golapûrab. In Khairagarh they attribute their origin to Dholpur. According to Râja Lachhman Sinh, their correct and original name seems to be Golak Pûrna Brâhman, which is equivalent to Golak Brâhman or “bastard” Brâhman. The adverb pûrna is often inserted between the two component parts of a compound word, when periphrastically expressed in Sanskrit. As for Gola, which is evidently a corruption of Golaka, “a bastard,” it is well known that the sons of concubines among the higher castes are known as Gola or Chela, and in Sholapur there is a tribe known as Gola, who say that they were originally Brâhmans who were degraded for killing cows. The tribal tradition which derives their name from the Rishi Galava, who, according to the Harivansa, was the son, and, according to the Mahâbhârata, the pupil of Visvamitra, rests on no authority, and no rule of syllabic mutation would convert the descendants of Galava into Golapûrab. This Rishi, some say, was married to a low caste widow; according to others to Sukseni, the daughter of the Chandrabans Râja Chandra Sen.