Other Names : Gopes, Gaurs, Yadavas, Ahirs, Kurubas, Abhirs, Surabhirs, Suras, Surasena, Souryasaini, Ghosals, Rawals, Bhatis, Goudas, Pradhans, Rauts, Raos, Ahirrao and Yaduvanshis
Clans : Major Yadav clans include:
Religion : Hindu
Varna : Kshatriyas but in certain states of India Yadavs are classified amongst Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Language : Hindi
Regional Spread : Bihar, Uttar.Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
Traditional Occupation : Farming and Cow-herding
Founder : King Yadu, son of Yayati and Devayani
Food Habits : Most are vegetarian
Marriage Preference : Prefer intra - caste marriages
Lord Krishna, Shivaji, Rao Tula Ram (1857 freedom fighter), Veera Pandya Katta Bomman, the Wodayars of Karnataka, Yadavas of Deogiri now Daulatabad, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Rajendra Yadav, Raghuvir Yadav, Rajpal Yadav, B P Mandal, Babulal Gaur, Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev
Hindu mythology states that Yadava are a descendant of Yadu, one of the five Aryan clans mentioned in the Rig-Veda. The founder of this race, Yadu was the son of Yayati and Devayani, and ruled over the country west of the Jamuna River, adjoining the Kurus. Yadu is also said to be the half-brother of Puru - the founder of the Paurava line of the Chandravansa (lunar dynasty) - to which Kurus and Pandus belonged..
The greatest of the Yadavas in Hindu story was Krishna (hence he is called Yadava, "son of Yadu"). Krishna established the Yadavas in Gujarat. He brought all the inhabitants of the city of Mathura to his capital city was Dwaraka after he had slain his wicked cousin Kansa who had usurped the throne. Krishna wanted to protect the people from the wrath of Jarasandh, Kamsa's father-in-law, and king of Magadha who attacked Yadavas to avenge the killing of Kamsa.
It is said that after Krishna's death (3102 BC), a catastrophe occurred at Dvaraka in which the city and all its inhabitants were engulfed by the ocean. Only a few members of the race who were absent from the city were saved. The present rajas of Vijaya-nagara maintain that they are living descendants of the Yadavas.