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Revision as of 06:13, 21 September 2006 by SHIVANANADA (talk | contribs) (HISTORY)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Rajapur/Balawalikar Saraswat Brahmans,as they are known, belong to the "Pancha (five) Gauda Brahmana" groups or "Gaudadi Panchakas".Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins are a branch of the saraswat brahmins, who were supposed to have resided on the banks of the legendary river saraswathi. They got their name from their village of origin namely RAJAPUR in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra state in India.
The members of this community follow the hindu religion and speak konkani. The konkani spoken by them is a mixture of marathi and goan konkani, with a bigger percent of marathi mixed in it. They consider the Swamiji of KAVALE MUTT of Goa as their spiritual guru.
HISTORY
They are the Saraswats who had migrated from Gomantak to Rajapur Taluka of Ratnagiri District. The descendants of today have their surnames (Aad Nam) like Bandivadekar, Madkaikar, Borkar, Sakhalkar, Haldwanekar, Chimbalkar, Navelkar, Marathe, Lotlikar, Salwankar, Karlekar, Burake, Bhagav, Tendulkar, Patkar, Juvale, Dhonde, Shinkar, Shendre, Bokade, Takur, Gawade, Potkar, Askekar, Shenai, Gavalkar, Shembekar, Lanjolkar etc. which are the original local village names of Gomantak found there. Owing to a variety of causes like Muslim and Portuguese oppressions and persecutions and also internal squabbles, they must have left their Gomantak villages for Ratnagiri district and came to settle down in Rajapur Taluk. Rajapur is a town and Bhalavali is a village about 24 kms. from Rajapur town. The town was then a port and business centre. In this region the Rajapur-Bhalavalikar Saraswats continued their Smartha tradition and established temples of their Kuladevathas at Sakalkarwadi near Rajapur Town (Mukhyaprana), Kodvali village (Datta Mandir) which is very beautiful. The Gajanana Mandir is another important and beautiful temple situated 24 kms. away from Rajapur Town. The famous Shrine Nava Durge Temple at Bhalavali is an ancient temple administered by Rajapur/Bhalavalikar Saraswat Brahmanas. The other temples at Bhalavali are Shri Ravalanath, Shri Lakshmi-Madhav, Shri Bhagavathi which are worshiped and maintained by these Saraswats.