Banaphar is the name of a clan that claims to belong to the Yaduvanshi lineage of Rajput

Rajput

A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...

.According to Alf Hiltebeitel Like Krishna, Udal (and the rest of the Banaphars) is susceptible to "mean caste" slurs and slights because of his combined Rajput and Ahir background.

History and origin

Their traditional seat of power was Mahoba

Mahoba

Mahoba is a city and Mahoba District of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, in the Bundelkhand region. Mahoba is known for its closeness to Khajuraho, Laundi and other historic places like Kulpahar, Charkhari, Kalinjar, Orchha, and Jhansi...

 in Bundelkhand

Bundelkhand

Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...

. They were either vassals or allies of the Chandela

Chandela

The Chandela is a Rajput clan found in North India. A section of the Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region of central India for long periods between the 10th and the 13th centuries AD. The Chandela dynasty is famous in Indian history for King Vidyadhar, who repulsed the attacks of Mahmud...

s, and fought for them against the Chauhan

Chauhan

Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...

s, in the Chauhan-Chandela war. After the defeat of the Chandela

Chandela

The Chandela is a Rajput clan found in North India. A section of the Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region of central India for long periods between the 10th and the 13th centuries AD. The Chandela dynasty is famous in Indian history for King Vidyadhar, who repulsed the attacks of Mahmud...

s, the tribe dispersed. They belong to the kashyap

Kashyap

Kashyapa was an ancient sage , who is one of the Saptarshis in the present Manvantara; with others being Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja...

 gotra

Gotra

In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...

.

The Rajput

Rajput

A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...

 hereos, Alha

Alha

Alha of Banaphar Rajput clan was the famous general of great Chandela King Paramdidev or Parmal who fought Prithviraj Chauhan in 1182 CE.Alha's mother Devaki was Ahir...

 and Udal belonged to this tribe and their mothers were Ahirs..

Distribution

They are found mainly in Hamirpur

Hamirpur

Hamirpur is the name of two cities and two districts in India:* Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, the administrative headquarters of Hamirpur District, Himachal Pradesh* Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh...

, Banda

Banda District

Banda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is...

, Jalaun

Jalaun

Jalaun is a city and a municipal board in Jalaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The town was formerly the residence of a Maratha governor, but never the headquarters of the district, which are at Orai.-History:...

, Benares and Ghazipur

Ghazipur

Ghazipur , or Ghazipur City, previously spelt Ghazeepore, is a city/town and a municipal corporation and headquarter of Ghazipur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Ghazipur Division and Sub-division...

 districts of Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

.
udal is the Banaphar Rajput

Rajput

A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...

officer of rajput army (chendela) in bundelkhand