Dr. Suryanath Kamath is the chief Editor of Karnataka Gazetteer.He is a well known scholar of history having several titles to his credit. He presented a paper on the origin and spread of Gowda Saraswats at the Seminar at Partagali Mutt (Goa) in February 1992 organized by the Sanyas-Deeksha Silver Jubilee Celebrations of H.H.Shreemad Vidyadhiraj Teerth Shreepad Vader Swamiji. Here is the text of his paper.

I have ventured to undertake this writing at the kind invitation extended by the Sri Gokarna Parthagali Matha as a love's labour. But this is not written with a view to create any empty pride among the members of the community to make them consider that we as brahmins are a superior race, or that Saraswats are superior to other brahmins. Such an attitude is meaningless in the modern world. History is written to help us only to know at what stage of the evolution of the human society we live, and whether we are progressing. History is studied to learn lessons, help us understand ourselves and our surroundings and to examine whether the institutions (social, religious and communal) that we have evolved are better ones. At times, the past may inspire us to aspire for higher things. It may provide us inspiration to lead a better life by being more useful to the community, society and the country. It may also help us know in case we are leading a life far inferior than our be gone generation, how we can improve ourselves. Let us not even for a moment take pride in our past unnecessarily, without being worthy of that past and thus tread the slippery path of our fall. Empty pride is a symptom of mental sickness. Let us not be victims of such a disease. > My interest in the subject is as old as thirty years. When I was a student in Bombay, my Professor who was a Catholic Christian, claiming to be the successor of the Saraswat brahmin converts wanted me to collect some information of the history of Saraswat brahmins. Whatever may be the cause of his curiosity, it helped me to think over the subject and also undertake some serious study. One conclusion I could reach in this field of study is that, the Gowda Saraswats have nothing to do with Gauda Desha or Bengal. Many people, depending on various traditional accounts felt that our ancestors hailed from Trihotra or the modern Bihar region and from there they went to Gaudadesha and from where they emigrated to Goa and Konkan. I met a Bengali scholar, one Mr. Pain, who was the headmaster of Bengali High school at Naigaum, Bombay, and after much discussion with him, came to the conclusion that neither our religious practices nor social practices have anything to do with aspects that are exclusive to the Bengalis The practice of taking fish by certain sections of our community is only a superfluous comparison with the Bengalis. Nor the fact that our ancestors having accepted some of the Shakti deities as their kuladevatas be taken as a sign of our connection with Bengal. Shakti is a part of Panchayatana worship propounded by Shankara. Shakti worship was neither propounded only by Shankara nor was it exclusive to Bengal. My conclusion over the matter has been strengthened by the writings of outstanding Sanskrit scholars of Goan origin, Pandit Mahadeva Shastri, who has also rejected this Bengal origin theory. Later I was also happy to read the book by V. N. Kuduva in 1972 and find out that he too has rejected this Bengali origin theory (p. 78).

Then how did this word 'Gauda' enter into the name of the community? The Brahmins in general have been divided into two broad groups. According to Skandapurana (Sahyadri Khanda, Uttarardha 1-3), the brahmins that lived in the North of the Vindhyas were called Gauda brahmins and those from the South the Dravidas. Each group was divided into five sections according to the regions of their settlement. The five (Pancha) Gauda brahmin groups were: the Saraswats (from the banks of the Saraswathi river), Kaanyakubjas (from Kanauj), Gaudas (from the banks of the South Ganga or Bengal), Utkals (from Orissa) and the Maithilas (from Mithila in Bihar). The five (pancha) Dravida groups were: the Maharashtras, Andhras, Dravidas (from Tamilnadu), Karnata (from Karnataka) and the Gurjaras (from Gujarat). As the southern brahmins had domiciled in the South for long the Saraswats, who came to the South newly were described by the local brahmins as Gauda Brahmins and thus the prefix Gauda was added to the Saraswats. They were from the Saraswat region. from the banks of the Saraswathi river; where the Saraswathi was, we shall see later.

Now let us pause for a moment and try to understand who the brahmins are. Brahmins are a professional group, expected to engage themselves in shat karmas or six-fold duties. The shat or six karmas enjoined on them are

1) Yajnya or performing sacrifices by officiating as priests.

2) Yaajana or causing the performance of the sacrifice by being the financier or the yajaman (These sacrifices were performed for the spiritual benefit of the whole human society).

3) Adhyayana or engaging oneself in academic pursuits.

4) Adhyapana or teaching.

5) Daana or giving gifts.

6) Prateegraha or accepting gifts. The gift given, however small, must be acceptcd with all humility ( In Marathi the priestly profession is callcd 'bhikshuki').

In good old days agraharas (settlements) were founded to help the brahmins to engage themselves in these six-fold duties by donating land grants to them and providing them houses. These agraharas were separate brahmin settlement villages or streets of brahmins called brahmapuris in existing villages or t:owns. Such agraharas were found all over the country, and the lands granted were 'sarvamanya' free from the commitment of revenue payment, or were subjected to a quit-rent or nominal revenue. Brahmins did not till or cultivate these lands, but enjoyed a part of its products and thus earned their livelihood. Goa also had a number of such agraharas. The brahmins who received such grants were called mahajanas. Salgaon was an agrahara, the name derived from Shalagrama, Marcella or Mashel too, the name being derived from the word Mahashala, Madagaon also, being derived from the word Mathagrama, matha being an institution where the teacher and the taught stayed together. Agarvada, Carmali-Brama (there is a Carmali Budurk to distinguish it from this nearby place), Maisal, (Mahashala), Odshel (Hodil Shala), Salavali, Saleli, Sal etc. are some names which clearly indicate their being centres of learning or agraharas. Stone epigraphs announcing the founding of such agraharas in Goa have been destroyed as most of these inscriptions were in the premises of ancient temples, which were also destroyed on a large scale. > The scholarly brahmins invited to settle down in these agraharas were expected to be well-versed in Chaturdasha Vidyas or 14 branches of learning including the four Vedas. Such scholars were invited from far off places to settle down in the agraharas founded by kings, queens, generals and the rich. Founding of an agrahara, like the building of a temple or excavating of a tank, was considered as an act of bringing one merit or punya. In Mysore, there are instances of founding of agraharas by the royal family for the merit of a deceased member of a royal family even during this century, and in the very city of Mysore, you have Ramavilasa Agrahara. founded in the name of a queen. An agrahara served as a centre of learning like a modern uriversity or college. They not only performed religious functions, but also engaged themselves in teaching, and also guiding the whole community in all its pursuits like agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and various professions like carpentry or blacksmithy. The mahajanas in the agraharas were learned in all branches of learning, and these were also specialised in Ayur-veda, pashuvaidya, gajashastra. ashwashastra, astronomy, astrology, metallurgy, botany etc. Even to-day a brahmin is consulted by an agriculturist regarding details of rainy nakshatras to start his farm operations. In good old days, the brahmins guided men of all professions in all areas. The agraharas were founded amidst groups of villages to serve as light to that particular group of village. That is how, Saraswat Brahmins were invited to settle down by the various rulers, perhaps beginning with the Shatavahanas to the Goa Kadambas, and at least in a few cases, even by the Vijayanagar rulers and their feudatories. By the time of the Vijayanagara rulers, the settlers in the agraharas must have multiplied to such an extent that the lands that were granted to the families several centuries ago must have been insufficient to support all family mernbers. Thus many youngmen must have taken to pursuits like trade and government service. Land was limited in Goa, and it was not so very fertile too. But there was ample scope for trade as Goa and the Konkan coast had many ports, and foreigners like the Arabs, Persians, Chinese, Phoenicians and later the Europeans could communicate with these people as they were intelligent, and could learn the foreign language quickly. They also became village accountants, clerks, interpreters and even higher officials like Desais, ministers and administrators as they were the literati. Religious and vedic learning could not support all to earn their livelihood. Naturally there must have been hundreds of agraharas. Graduates, unemployed and considerable young men must have found it fruitless to pursue the career of mastering the vedas, and must have found it easy to pursue the career of a trader or a clerk at an early age by learning the three R's or a little more than that. Who wants to get up at the brahmi muhurta, take a bath in cold water early and learn so many things by heart for so many long precious years under stern discipline?. Anyway Goa was full of such agraharas, and the Saraswats once engaged themselves in academic pursuits for hundreds of years in that area. The Saraswats are from the banks of the Saraswati. This is a famous Vedic river. In the Vedas as nearly as six shlokas are devoted to sing the praise of this river, and there are even 30 references to the river in the Rigveda.

This river is found to be more important in vedic period than other rivers including the Ganga. The vedas were composed mostly on her banks, and it is described as the most mighty river, and the veda describes her as "limitless, undeviating, shining and swift-moving". Now the river has vanished. But while saluting the holy rivers, the Rigveda speaks of them in this order from the east to west Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Shutudri, Parushnya and so on. Thus the Saraswati was in between the Yamuna and Shutudri or the Sutlej. With the help of a satellite picture, recently scientists traced the course of the Saraswati. The Central Arid Zone Research Institute of Jodhpur has traced its course and said that the river dried up several centuries ago. From the Himalayan mountains, the river passed through Haryana and Wastern U. P. and via Rajasthan she joined the Ocean at Cutch on the West Coast. Dr. R. Mann of the Dept of Geography, Govt. College, Chandigarh, says that the Kurukshetra University's Ancient History Department had conducted an archaeological survey and had reached the conclusion, that the dried up Saraswati was the present drain called Sarsuti near Kurukshetra and the survey unearthed much valuable information on the river's course. This survey made the author [Dr.Mann] conduct a further survey. He concludes that "on the basis of several geological, geomorphological, geographical, archaeological, historical, political and religious factors, the author has proved that the present Ghaggar is the Saraswati of ancient times and the Chautang torrent of today should be accepted as the Drishadvati of Rigvedic time" (Dr. R.S.Mann: "Two Lost Rivers of the Indo-Gangetic Doab", Haryana Review). A part of this mighty river became the small river Ghaggar and one of the tributaries of the Saraswati became the Sutlej, now a tributary of the Sindhu. The Mahabharata and Shrauta Sutra speak of the disappearance of this mighty holy river. "On the banks of the Saraswati the ancient rishis performed sacrifices. Together they sung vedic hymns and together they collected various kathas, gathas and richas" say Mrinalini Sarpotdar of the Nehru Centre of Bombay.

The rivers dried, draught followed. The Vedic brahmins were forced to emigrate to the West (Sind), North (Kashmir), East (U. P.) and to the South towards Gujarat and Konkan. In our own times, Brahmins like Kripalani from Sind, Dr. Raghunatha Airi from Haryana and the Kashmir Pandits are identified as belonging to the group of Saraswat brahmins. Somaya from Cutch and Rawal from Rajasthan are all Saraswat surnames. Padmashri Dr. Wakankar of the Ujjain University has called the Harappan or the lndus Civilization as Saraswat Civilization. The authors of the Veda spread all over. A site connected witll the so-called Harappan culture has been located at Kalibangan on the banks of the Ghaggar, the banks of the old Saraswati. Of late many scholars are coming to the view that the Harappan culture is post-Vedic, and if in the Vedic period writing was not practised, it was in the Harappan times as testified by the seals. The Vedic people could not have totally given up or forgotten writing if the Vedic period was post Harappan. Any way this is only a point to ponder over. But the important point is that the Vedic brahmins started migrating from the Saraswati Mandala to other places. First they migrated to save their lives as the river had dried, perhaps more than 3000 years ago. Later they were invited to settle down in the agraharas in Konkan and Goa during the subsequent centuries, from the days of the Shatavahanas (2000 years ago) and subsequent rulers like the Mauryas of Konkan, Kalachuris of Konkan, the Bhojas, Kadambas of Banavasi, Chalukyas of Badami, Rashtrakutas, the Yadavas of Devagiri, Shilaharas of Konkan and Kadambas of Goa.

The tradition preserved by Saraswat brahmins from Gujarat, recorded in the Baroda State Gazetteer (1923) can be quoted here: "The Saraswat is a very ancient Brahman tribe which still inhabits a tract in the north-west of India beyond Delhi, once watered by the famous Sarswati river. It is said that they are descendants of Saraswati Muni. They came from Punjab to Gujarat by way of Sindh and Cutch with their yajamans, patrons, the, Luhanas, Bhansalis and Bhatias. In religion they are Shaiva and also worship the Goddess Saraswati". One thing to be noted here is that the Saraswats moved southwards mostly through sea routes, and did not come via Trihotra or Videha as described by some texts like the Skandapurana.

In the Sahyadrikhanda of skandapurana, it is stated that Rishi Parashurama brought the Panchagauda brahmins from Trihotra (Tirhut) and settled them at Panchakrosha in Kushasthali of Goa. Such stories are also narrated about settlements of brahmins in Konkan Kanara Coast and Kerala. This story need not be taken seriously as Parshurama, had he been a historical figure, should have lived far earlier than the time of Saraswat migration. In the same work, it is stated that Parashurama founded temples of Mangirisha, Mahadeva, Mahalakshmi, Mhalasa, Shantadurga, Nagesh, Saptakotishwar and others. But none of the Kohetrapuranas of various temples in Goa associate them with Parashurama. The Saraswat Brahmins who were originally associated with Vedic rituals of sacrifices must have the founded the temples later or accepted the the various local gramadevatas as their Kuladevatas. One must note of that most of the temples here are not from the original Vedic pantheon and many had as their priests brahmins who had earlier settled down in Goa and Konkan like the Karhades. Some have even non-Brahmin priests as at the Mallikarjuna at Kanakon.

We see mention of Saraswats in inscriptions, clearly from as early as the tenth century. It is possible to identify them from this century onwards because of their names which are common among Saraswats. They might have received grants and positions in the agraharas even earlier, but we are not in a position to identify them.

We hear of Sangalya Pai and his son Anna Pai in a Silahara Copper Plate of 997A.D. in North Konkan. The Marcella Plates of Goa Kadamba ruler Chatta or Shashta II dated 1038 speak of men and officers like Pradhana (Prime Minister) Shriya Pai, Dama Pai, Mav Pai, Mahalla (Mahalkar) Khallapai and sandhvigrahi (Foreign Minister), Mallapai (G. Moraes, Kadambakula. P.389) (Kudva give a long list of similar inscriptional references, but he has failed to give his sources). The first record of the yadavas of (Sevunas) of Devagiri, the Sinner[Sindhiner] plates dated 1000 A.D. announces grants to twenty one brahmins and the donees include Maalpaiya, Dandapaiya Bhikkapai, Vachch Pai mostly Saraswats. The first group of Saraswats who came to Goa were called Sashtikars because they settled down in eight villages of Sashti taluk and Sashtikars means people from eight villages says B.D.Satoskar in Bharatiya Samskritikosh [marathi Vol. IX p.753]. Those who came later settled at Keloshi and Kuthal and were named after those villages. These two latter groups came to be known after those villages as Keloshikars and Kutthalkars. From here they spread to other villages. New agraharas were founded and new settlers came. As all Vedic scholars could not find gainful employment in course of several generations, they naturally concentrated on agriculture, trade and other professions, mainly government jobs.

They were later identified as Shenvis. The word Shenvi is interpreted variously. But as most of the Saraswats were working as village accountants or clerks, the word Shenoy stuck, derived from Sanskrit Shanbhaga and is used even now as surname, has various forms such as Shanbhag, Shanubhoga, Shenoy and Shenvi. The Chitrapur Saraswats who came to be appointed as village accountants in almost all villages in South and North Canara during British rule are known as Shenaipanche or Shenapanche by other Saraswats. Noted scholar Gunjikar has said that the word Shenvi is derived from Sharman, Raobahadur Talmakki and Prof. Malshe felt that it is from 'Shane' or the wise and Rajwade, Bhandarkar, Shenoy Goybab etc. feel that it must from Senapati or Shrenipathi. Ganesh Sharma feels that it is derived from the 96 villages "shannavi" from the total number of villages in Teesvadi and Sashti (interpreted as sashasti or 66). But the word is definitely derived from the word shanbhag or Shenoy which literally means a writer, teacher or scholar, a word equal to Pandit or Sharma, as used by brahmins elsewhere. Here I am accepting the view expressed by Satoskar (in Bharateeya Samskriti Kosh,p. 735). Another word used for Shanbhag was karana or karani and the word Nadkarni found among many Saraswats stands for accountant of a nadu or desha (a group of villages) and Deshpande is a word similiar to Nadkarni.

I must specify here that all the Saraswats are Rigvedis and they follow Ashwalayana Sutra and are of Shakala Shaka. they were originally Smartas, following the Smartha Bhagavatha Sampradaya. The Smarta traditions strenthened by Adi Shankara was the religion followed by them by the time of their migration. Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapathi, Suryanarayana and Shakti are the gods called as Panchayatana, being worshipped by this system. The Kavale Matha, supposed to have been founded originally at Kutthali orKaushasthali was the matha of the whole community. Swami Vivarananda of the Gaudapada tradition from Kashmir is believed to have founded the Matha originally. Gaudapada was the teacher of Govinda Bhagavatpada, who in turn had initiated Acharya Shankara. The matha was founded in about 740 A.D at Kuttali or Kaushasthali and later shifted to Kavale. From the 13th century onwards many Saraswats accepted the Dwaita Vaishnava school propounded by Acharya Madhwa, but they did not discard their attachment to the Panchayatana, and the Shaiva gods. Many of their Kuladevatas are Shaivate (Nagesh, Ramanath) and also connected with Shakti {Shanteri Kamakshi, Mahalasa etc}. Though they were initially attatched to the mathas at Udupi and Kumbhakonam, later two separate Vaishnava Mathas, the Gokarna-Partagali and the Kashi Matha were founded. During the early part of the 18th century, some of the Smartas from the canara region established the Chitrapur or Shirali Matha, and another group of Smartas in Konkan founded the Dabholi Matha near Vengurla in the Sindhudurg district. A brief history of each of the major mathas will be discussed later. We shall now survey the achievements of the Saraswat communities in various areas.

Saraswats because of their academic achievements, industry and sharp intellect, flourished as scholars, administrators and traders. They stuck to their Konkani language of Konkan and Goa even after reaching far off places in Kerala like Cochin. They must have reached the place as early as during the 14th century. Goa was twice attacked by Muslims,once in 1328, when the army of Delhi Sultans (Tughluqs) captured the Kadamba capital Chandrapur (Chandor or Chandargao) and ransacked it. Again Goa was conquered by the Bhamani Sultans of Gulbarga in 1472. The commotion created during this period must have forced many to leave Goa and settle down in Kerala and other places on the Canara Coast. The Kerala district Gazetteer (Ernakulam 1965) states "The Gowda Saraswaths locally called Konkanis, are immigrants from Goa the Southernmost part of Konkan. They are also known as Sasastikars as it is believed they belonged to Sasati (modern Salsete) in Goa". The Gazetter also informs that "Even today there is a plot of land in Mattancheri called Sasati Parambu to commomerate the fact that the Saraswats of Cochin belonged originally to Sasati"(pages240-41). But P.Purushottam Mallya says that "These are pieces of evidence to prove that stray members of the community had their settlement in Cochin since the early part of the 13th century A.D.". He also quotes a letter written by the Dewan of Cochin to the British resident in 1858, in which it is stated that the konkanis immigrated into Cochin State in 1294. Of course more people came during the 14th century and also during the 16th century after the entry of Portuguese into Goa when they pursued religious persecution and proselytisation activity vigorously.

It is also stated in Madhwavijaya that acharya Madhwa had visited the Anantheshwara temple at Manjeshwar during the 13th century, and the temple belonged to Saraswats. Thus it is clear that Saraswats had migrated from Goa during the 13th and 14th centuries, but the exodus became thicker after the entry of the Portuguese from the 16th century, "Swadharme nidhanam shreyah" was the only motive that guided them. Some of them walked across the Kali. Many more sailed along the coast.

The Saraswats competed with the Jaina traders of West Coast and successfully competed with the Muslim Mopla and the Nawayat traders on the West Coast in their overseas trade. The Europeans especially the Dutch, and the Portuguese, who disliked the local Muslims for their close alliance with Arabs who were the rivals of these Europeans in oceanic trade, maintained special relations with the Saraswats in their commercial transactions. But the Saraswats had to face many trials and tribulations in their new homes. Business always involves competition and jealousy.

The Dutch who founded their factory at Cochin and monopolised the trade of the port relied on the Saraswats for securing goods like pepper, rice, forest products etc. According to the Grandavari records in Cochin Archives, the Dutch company had secured in 1663 the privilege of extra-territoriality for the Konkanis and Christians in the Cochin kingdom. The privilege permitted thc Konkani and the local Christian subjects of the Cochin prince for trial of all suits filed by these people or against these people, in the Courts of the Dutch Company. The Konkanis were saved from lot of harassment thus. They secured this privilege because they were the people whose help the Dutch needed most for their commercial transactions, and the local Christians because they were the co-religionists of the Dutch. Purushotham Mallya has listed many prominent details regarding the Saraswats in the Cochin state, based on records. A rent-free site was granted by the Cochin prince to build the Tirumala temple at Mattancherry in 1599. In 1648, the Cochin prince permitted the Saraswats civil and criminal powers to be exercised by them within a well-defined boundary of their settlement. The Saraswats could secure all these privileges in Cochin because of their skill and ability as overseas traders. The Arakkal Raja in North Malabar sought the help of a Saraswat merchant, Babani Shenoy, to save his overseas commercial interests and permitted the Saraswats to open their commercial establishments called "Pandikaalas" in Cannanore by gifting them extensive land in the town during the 17th century.

The Konkani traders were invited by the Jaina ruler of Karkala (the Bhairarasas or Santaras), Mulky (the Savantas) and Bilgi (Uttara Kannada) and they were provided with lands and also assisted by the princes for building their temple at Karkala and Mulky. The Bilgi rulers had Madgaonkar Shenoys as their "Raja Vaidyas". The Sonde rulers had 'mantris' (this surname is still prevalent among the descendants of this family at Yellapur) and the Keladi (Nagar) rulers had their officers, ministers and ambassadors from among the members of this community. During Vijayanagara times Cochin, Cannanore, Tellichery, Kumble, Ullala, Mangalore, Mulki, Malpe (Udupi), Basrur, Gangoli, Bhatkal, Tadadi, Mirjan, Kumta, Honavar, Ankola etc., all major ports on the West Coast had Saraswats dominating in the overseas trade and they were also playing a dominant role in political activities in the area. Local records both paper and epigraphical and foreigner's accounts are replete with details of these achievements of the Saraswats. Bhatkal was an important port in Vijayanagar times. It has a predominant Muslim (Nawayat) population engaged in trade from centuries. Even here the Saraswats had their own prestigious position. A Jaina feudatory family under Vijayanagara of the Saluvas, branching out from the Gersoppa family ruled over Bhatkal, having Haduvalli (Sangitapura) as its capital. The Portuguese Governor De'Souza in 1542 destroyed Bhatkal town causing lot of bloodshed as he was angry with the ruler of the place, Chennadevi. The new town with the extension Mudabhatkal arose soon after. By then many Saraswats had settled down at the place and one Chinnavarada (Jeweller) Khetappayya (Khet Pai) hailing from Kudatiri in Goa built the most beautiful Khetappayya Narayana temple at the place in about 1545-46. Queen Chennadevi made grants to this temple in 1548. This is a beautiful granite temple in Vijayanagara style with a series of Ramayana friezes around the temple's adishthana and unique secular sculptures of great variety on the sides of the Jagati around the pauli attached to its compound or prakara. On the lower part of the dhwaja stambha of the temple there is the figure of Khet Pai and his wife engraved adorned like any noble person of the Vijayanagara times, and below that are the engravings of his five sons and their spouses, all bhaktha Vigrahas standing with folded hands. Atleast four records speak of grants made by these five sons of Khet Pai, namely Damappayya, Vamanappayya, Timmappayya, Naranappayya and Krishnappayya between 1554 and 1567 and for various services in the temple. The suffix appayya here stands for Pai, as seen in many other records. Pai is the Konkani or Prakrit form of pati, pati being an officer, and inscriptions of the Rashtrakutas speak of Gramapati or village head, Vishayapati or district head and Rashtrapati or provincial head. To the same temple, one Ganapathi Padiyar (pratihara or palace door-keeper), son of Vithala Padiyar has made a grant in 1568. This is a small but magnificent temple built and maintained by a prosperous merchant family of Saraswats at Bhatkal. There are six epigraphical records on the temple. But this is not the only temple built by Saraswats at the place.

Mudhabhatkal has almost a dozen temples. Next to this is the Joshi Shankara-Narayana temple in the same style, ascribed to another Saraswat by the local people. The Santappa Nayaka Tirumala temple is ascribed to Santappa Nayaka, described as the brother-in-law of Khet Pai. The Adike Narayana, ascribed to one adike or aricanut merchant, the Virupaksha Narayana ascribed to one Jeevana Nayaka (1565), the Narasakini Narasimha temple (1538) assigned to Narasakini, the Lakkarasakamati Lakshminarayana temple ascribed to one Lakkarasa Kamath (built in 1550) and the Raghunatha temple ascribed to one Bala Kini (built in 1590) [All the inscriptions from Bhatkal are published in the Annual Report of Kannada Research 1965-66 Nos. 365 to 374, Dharwad]. This Narasa Kini must be the same person mentioned in a record in the Partagali Matha. He is described as from Lotali in Goa, and made grants to the Gokarna Mahabaleshwara and Lakshminarayana temple of Bhatkal. All these temples are built in granite and in classical style, and the existence of almost a dozen temples in this extension of Bhatkal with hardly a 1,000 population at present proves that it must have been a very prosperous commercial town filled with houses of hundreds of Saraswats during the 16th century. The builders of these temples were prosperous traders of the place. The place has the Kashi Matha, where the first Swamy of the Matha, Yadavendra Teertha attained Samadhi during the 16th century. There is also the Odeyara Matha of the Gokarna Parthagali Peetha, ascribed to Narayana Teertha, the first Swami of the Matha. This shows how important a town Bhatkal was as a centre of the Saraswats, during the 16th and 17th centuries. This was the main port of the Vijayanagar empire and Barbosa and Paes, the Portuguese travellers who visited Vijayanagara during the 16th century, have described it as the most important commercial port of the empire, having a highway leading to the imperial capital, Vijayanagara. The Saraswats had a lion's share in its overseas trade despite it being a major centre of Nawayat Muslims, and later when the area came under Keladi (Nagar) rule after 1600 too, Saraswats continued to have their dominating position. The ruler of Mulki (Karnad) invited Saraswats from Bhatkal to Mulki and built for them, the Venkataramana temple at Mulki.

Very near Bhatkal is another coastal village Venkatapur (in the revenue village of Heble). The place has a beautiful temple of Venkataramana raised by one Ganapati Malle (Mallya). He was an officer under the Keladi Nayakas, and Venkatappa Nayaka II of Keladi has made a grant to this temple in the year 1660. The grant deed, a copper-plate is found in the Parthagali Matha and the site where the temple is built was then called Donidore, and revenue amounting to 50 gadyanas and two hanas derived from lands in the same village was donated to the temple.

I must draw your attentlon to the important position enjoyed by the Saraswats at the Court of Keladi or Nagar Samsthan, a feudatory dynasty of Vijayanagara founded in 1499, and later became a sovereign state from around 1600.

The Keladi (Nagar) rulers not only used the Saraswats trading on the West Coast which had a flourishing overseas trade in rice (a quality rice in Mangalore region is called 'muscati' because it was always exported to Muscat), pepper (pepper from Canara was far superior to that from Malabar), textiles, cinnamon, teak and sandalwood tree and other forest products. Imports were horses, quick silver, foreign wines, coral and bullions. There was a very favourable balance of trade. This was mostly handled by the Saraswats, the Muslims being their only rivals. Shivappa Nayaka (1645-60), the great Keladi ruler who is renowned for his highly useful land settlement called 'sistu' had invited to his new capital Bidanur (also called Venupura) among other trading communities, Konkanis and gave them sites to raise their market, according to Keladinripa Vijayam, a quasi-historical work. The title 'wadeyar' was also conferred by the Keladi rulers on the Gokarna Parthagali Matha Swamy Sri Narayana Teertha, according to the work called Guruparamparamritam.

According to a copper plate found in Shimoga taluk, a minister of Virabhadra Nayaka ( 1629-45) called Ramakrishna Prabhu is described as equal in virtues and scholarship to Brihaspati and Shukra in a royal land grant to him. There is also land grant to the same person in Tirthahalli taluk. His father Purushothama Prabhu and grand-father Ramakrishna Prabhu and great-grand-father Narayana Prabhu are also addressed as 'Mantris' and the family must have held the position right from the middle of the 16th century or even earlier at the Keladi court.

Many of the Saraswats were engaged as ambassadors, mediators and interpreters. Pietro Della Valle, an Italian traveller who came to India in 1623 speaks of one Vithula Senai who was sent as an ambassador from Keladi to the Portuguese and the Italian praises him in superlative terms for his intelligence and skill in negotiations. He was deputed by Venkatappa Nayaka. Venkatappa Nayaka had later sent one Ramappayya (Rama Pai) in 1633 to Goa for negotiations wlth the Portuguese. In a negotiation between the English and Keladi in 1649 over some transactions at the Mirjan port, involving an attempt to push debased coins by one Capt. Durson, an English trader, an officer called Devaraya Shenoy (Devarsa shenai) was deputed by the Keladi court, this is reported in the records edited by William Foster (Factory Records).

When Bhadrappa Nayaka (1662-64) met with untimely death, Mallappa Mallo (Mallya) was engaged in some crucial talks with the Portuguese in Goa over the Keladi kingdom's relations with the Portuguese following a war. Another officer called Narana Mallo (Mallya) crowned the young prince Somashekhara Nayaka at the capital, and had tightened the administration at this crucial juncture when the palace was full of conspirators and intriguers. Later Somashekhara came of age and Narayana Mallya functioned as regent till that time.

The important commercial treaty between the Portuguese and the Nayakas dated 1671 was signed on behalf of the Keladi Nayakas by Vithal Mallo (Mallya) and Gopana Shenoy. The embassy sent by Basavappa Nayaka in 1704 to Goa for important political negotiation was headed by a brahmin Damarsa Prabhu described as highly talented by the Portuguese records. Later in 1707 when the Portuguese trled to capture Mangalore, the Keladi rulers repulsed them and retained the town after stiff resistance, the same Damarsa Prabhu was sent for diplomatic discussions with the Portuguese by the Keladi rulers. In 1734 Somashekhara II had sent one Narna Prabhu as an ambassador to Goa. A private report from the English East Company while speaking of Keladi administration names four notable diplomats at the Court and they included the Governor at Honavar Venkata Malo (Mallya), Har Kamati, a trader from Honavar and Subbu Shenoy, a customs officer. (More instances and details on the positions held by Saraswats in this principality can be had from two books, K.D.Swaminathan, Nayakas of Ikkeri and B. S. Shastri, Keladiya Nayakaru hagu Portugisaru , Kannada ,Karnataka University.

The Keladi Nayakas were Veerashivas. But brahmins, especially the Saraswats, had a prominent place in the administrative machinery of the dynasty. A very interesting development during this period was the emergence of the Chitrapur Matha of the Saraswats. The details, mentioned in various accounts, have been well narrated by Frank F. Conlon (A Caste in the Changing World: The Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmans 1700- 1935 University California Press, 1977).

A note on the Chitrapur Saraswats may not be out of place here. There have been efforts to claim that these Saraswats are no way connected with Gauda Saraswats. Dr. R. N. Saletore (Vide Dr. Gopal C. Hattangadi (Ed.), Fifty Years of Bliss, Bombay 1965) while speaking of Gauda Saraswats as 'Konkanas' and distinguishing them from the Chitrapur Saraswats holds that, "These two communltles are quite distinct" (p.269). But the arguments he extends to support this view in his writing hold no water. In fact, the very documents of the Chitrapura Matha speak of its followers as Gauda Saraswats and Conlon, who has written a scholarly book on the Chitrapur Saraswats has accepted that they belong to the Gauda Saraswat stock. The Deity worshipped by the Swamis of Kavale Matha and of Chitrapur Matha is Bhavanishankar, and the followers of the Chitrapur Matha were originally the followers of the Kavale Matha. "The ancestors of the Saraswat jati were descendants of brahman families of Goa. These families were part of the cluster known collectively in later times as Gaud Saraswat Brahmans (Conlon, p. 14).

In Goa the Kushasthalikars had continued to remain fo11owers of the Kavale Smarta Matha, and they too had migrated to Canara and other places in the South. They had been gainfully employed in the administrative machinery of the Keladi rulers together wlth the Vaishnava Saraswats. The Dravida brahmins, in the scramble for posts and positions, developed antipathy towards the Gauda brahmins, and this rivalry had its manifestation in various places. (In Maharashtra, the Saraswats were looked down upon and were described as not Shatkarmis but only Trikarmis, being not entitled to officiate as priests, to teach and accept gifts - danas. But the Bombay High Court during the 19th century decreed that they were qualified to perform all the six karmas) .

This rivalry did manifest at the Keladi Court, and the Karnataka Brahmans maintained that the Shenvis were not vegetarian and therefore of uncertain status. The rivals claimed that these Saraswats (Smartas) had no guru. For long the Swamijis of Kavale Matha lived at Banaras, and when the guru returned to Konkan and Canara around 1630, many refused to recognise his holiness and his two sanyasi shishyas. This resulted in the excommunication of many Saraswats from the Matha. Thus, when posed with this criticism that they had no guru at a later date, they accepted a North Indian Saraswat Scholar who was on his visit to Gokarna, as their guru in about 1708 and he was named Parijnanashram. The Sringeri Matha, the Smartha Peetha, extended recognition to the new Swami, and a Matha was founded at Gokarna. Basavappa Nayaka also accepted the new guru as the head of the Smarta Saraswaths in his territory, which then extended till the Sharavathi in the North (in Uttara Kannada). The headquarters of the Matha was shifted to Chitrapur in 1757 where the second Swamy of the Matha, Shankarashrama had attained samadhi.

During British rule in Kanara district (from 1799) the people of this Chitrapur community came to be appointed as Shanbhags in most of the villages in South and North Canara, and thus, the Chitrapur Saraswats have almost as many surnames as the villages in these two districts, and the surnames like Ullal, Udyavar, Beltangady, Honavar. Chandavar, Kodkani etc. represent the place where the ancestors of the holders of these surnames had been Shanbhags or village accountants. Due to certain peculiar historical and social reasons, this group of people took to English education earlier than all other communities in Canara and came to dominate in the civil service under the British in these two Canara districts. (Vide Conlon for details).

Anyway this emergence of a new matha was due to the fact that Saraswats, both Vaishnava and Smarta, had a lion's share in the bureaucracy of the Keladi State and the envy generated among other groups over this phenomena is testified by the creation of the Chitrapur Matha. In other states of princes too, Saraswats did not lag behind.

The Chitrapur Saraswats being close to the corridors of power in Canara took to English educatlon earlier than others. They were hospitable to new thoughts and some of them were very much moved by the propoganda of the Basel Mission who were the first to bring English education to South Canara. Many were upset by the criticism of the Hindu religion by the Christian missionaries. Some of the points raised by the missionaries in their criticism were right, some others wrong, but on the whole directed towards maligning Hinduism. Some newly educated Chitrapur Saraswat young men at the Mangalore Mission High School even thought of embracing Christianity. But a book by Raja Ram Mohan Roy made them think in new directions and they accepted the tenets of Brahma Samaj and started its branch at Mangalore. It was one such noble spirit Kudmul Ranga Rao who took up the cause of the depressed classes and started the Depressed Classes Mission at Mangalore in 1877. Some of the Chitrapur Saraswats were also influenced by the Theosophical Society and rendered yeoman service to the cause of female education in Mangalore. They included members of the Benagal famliy. (A Gauda Saraswat placed in almost similiar circumstances-associated with both the Brahma Samaj and the Theosophical Society at Mangalore was Ammembal Subraya Pai. the founder of Canara Hlgh School Canara Hostel, Canara Girls School and the Canara Bank, originally termed as the Hindu Mutual Aid Fund )

I shall say something more about the Chitrapur Saraswats before I proceed towards other issues. From Mangalore, where many Chitrapur Saraswats were concentrated due to their getting some key jobs at the Collector's and other district offices, they also moved to Honavar where there was Deputy Collector's office in the undivided Canara. They also came to Karwar in 1863 when it was made the new headquarters of the newly created North Canara. As they were the earliest to take to new English educatlon and had influential positions at various government offices, they could get appointments as village accountants for their castemen. They were in a better position to educate their children than others like traders (which most of the other Saraswats had been), craftsmen or agriculturists. By the close of the 19th century the Chitrapur Saraswats were an educationally advanced community having taken to new English learning and the Cotton Boom of the American Civil War days (1863-64) helped them secure positions in cotton business and industry at Kumta, Hubli, Dharwar and later Bangalore. The railway headquarters which was at Dharwar was shifted to Madras and with that many Chitrapur Saraswats reached Madras. New education helped them to reach Bombay and Madras by getting positions in the administrative set up also and in Bombay many private firms also provided them footing before 1900 (vide Conlon for details).

Of the men settling down in Bombay, Shamrao Vithal Kaikini from Karwar (after whose name Shamrao Vithal Co-op Bank functions) and his sister's son Narayan Chandavarkar from Honavar became very important public men, social reformers (being associated with Prarthana Samaj) and academic personalities. Chandavarkar became the President of Indian National Congress (Lahore, 1900), the Vice-Chancellor of Bombay University and Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. Veteran Freedom fighters Karnad Sadashivrao, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, Krishnabai Panjekar and Umbabai Kundapur belong to this section. Mention must be also made of noted Kannada writer Panje Mangesh Rao among others.

Let me go back to the history of Gauda Saraswats centuries earlier. Noted researcher on the Saraswats RB. Gunjikar has pointed out that the grant by the Vijayanagara Governor over Goa and Konkan, Madhava Mantri, who created an agrahara at Kochare (then called 'Kuchchara') by naming it as Madhavapura to 25 brahmin scholars and the recepients were Saraswats. Madhava Mantri had repaired the temple of Saptanatha (saptakotishwar at Narve) whlch had been damaged by invaders, and created this agrahara. (vide Saraswati Mandala, 1884). (Details on many earlier agraharas in Goa are totally lost as stone inscriptions which could have contained details on creation of agraharas as seen elsewhere in neighbouring districts of Belgaum, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada etc. housed in the premises of old temples were lost together with the total destruction of the temples in Goa).

During Portuguese atrocities evidenced in Goa in the 16th century, people not only left by sea, but also by land to Belgaum, Kolhapur, Dharwad and Uttara Kannada districts and later took service under the Bijapur rulers, Marathas and the rulers of Sonda. Many took service under the Desais who were subordinates of the Adilshahis and many Deshpandes like those of Kittur under the Lingayat Desais of Kittur and many neighbouring villages were Saraswats. Many more were found in similiar positions in Khanapura, Chandgad and Belgaum areas. The rulers of Bijapur appointed mostly Marathi people in their court and kingdom as against the Kannada men as the Kannada speakers were expected to have sympathy with the Vijayanagara empire, the rivals of Bijapur. The Bijapur rulers could not find many Muslim literates to man their civil service and importing men from Persia and the Middle-Eastern countries led to many serious problems at the court like thie Deccani-Paradeshi rivalries which proved dangerous. Many Saraswats, taken to be Marathi men, also took service under the Bijapur rulers directly together with their being appointed by the Desais under them as already noted. Sabaji Anant, a Saraswat, called as 'Chatur' was one of them working at Bijapur. He later served under the Nizamshahis of Ahmednagar, and was appointed administrator of Daulatabad pargana.

The Marathas also appointed Saraswats as officers under them, and Shivaji himself had deputed Pitambar shenvi as the envoy to the Savantavadi Court. Naro Ram Mantri worked as Wakhanavis (Archivist or Record Keeper) under Chatrapati Shahu and Ramachandra Baba (Malhar Sukthankar) worked under Peshwa Baji Rao and later also as Dewan under Ranoji Sindhia at Ujjaini, where he also repaired the famous ancient Mahakala temple, which had been damaged earlier. Later, Sadashiva Bhau, noted commander under the Peshwa recalled him to Pune, where he looked after both financial and diplomatic matters of the Peshwa Court till 1754.

With the rise of the Maratha power and destruction of Bijapur in 1686, many Saraswats were attracted to Satara and later to Pune. But the Peshwas being Chitpavans, the Chitpavans had a lion's share in the state service, and others were discriminated against in appointments and promotions. Thus following the foot-steps of Ramchandra Baba, many Saraswats went to Sindhia's Court at Gwalior and occupied many important positions there. They included Jivbadada Kerkar who became the Bakshi, Lakhbadada Lad, Lalaji Gulgule (who was in charge of collection of tribute from Kotah) etc. Jivbadada kerkar hailed from Keri (Querim) in Goa, and fought at the Battle of Panipat (1761) in the Sindhia's army. He survived this disastrous battle. After the Battle, he played a notable role in restoring peace in the Gwalior territory which was highly disturbed.Two other Saraswats, Baloba Tatya and Sadashiva Malhar, assisted him in organising the administration of the Gwalior State. Jivba's activities during the later part of the 18th century are remarkable in the history of India. He defeated the English in many engagements. He defeated the Nizam in 1795 leading the Maratha army.

Even at the court of Haidar was Appaji Ram, who was the creator of the modern commercial town of Davanagere in Karnataka. The place was granted as jagir to him by Haider. This gentlemen hailed from Ankole with the surname Wagle Nadkarni and he was sent by Haider to the Peshwa Madhavarao's Court for many important negotiations, and also by Tipu to Bombay for negotiating with the British before the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784. Even in Bombay, Ram Kamati was a leading officer of the East India Co. of the English. He held the position of Overseer-General of the Company and also of the Mint Master during l8th century, and had a prominent position in Bombay when it was growing as a commercial centre.

Francis Buchanan, while speaking of the Saraswats of Manjeshwar in 1801 says that "They are in flourishing circumstances, and I saw some of their marraige processions passing to-day, attended by a number exceedingly well-dressed people and very handsome girls". J. Sturrock states in South Canara District Manual in 1894 that "a great bulk of the Konkanis are shop-keepers and are to be found in almost every bazaar throughout the district" and also states that they were wealthy land owners in the district. He further states that "some occupy very high positions in government service for whlch they have of late years taken more care". The same author while speaking of Chitrapur Saraswats says that " They are an active and progressive class and their intelligent readiness to adapt themselves to the requirements of the day has led to positions of influence both in Government service and professions belng held by them in numbers altogether out of proportion to their numerical standing in the community".

The Saraswats in South India, wherever they are, have made rich contribution to the society whether as government servants, scholars, industrialists, plantation owners, literary figures or as men, well-versed in various arts and sports. They have imbibed modern spirit by accepting modern ideas, both in social and technical matters. Though speaking Konkani, they have made solid contribution in the field of literatures of the languages of their adopted States. In Kerala, Sheshagiri Prabhu wrote a modern grammar of Malayalam and is called "Sahitya Kushala". Hari Sharma and Turavoor Madhava Pai are other famous Malayalam wrlters. In Kannada, Govinda Pai, Panje Mangesh Rao, M. N. Kamath, Yeshwant Chittal and Dinkar Desai are reckonable names. No small is the contributlon of Saraswats to Konkani literature, mostly in Goa. There is no point in listing too well known contemporary names. There are many Marathi writers too.

Three banks from South Kanara included in the 20 Nationalised banks were built up by Saraswats viz., Canara, Syndicate and Corporation. In freedom movement Karnad Sadashivarao, Hiriyadka Ramaraya Mallya, the Pangal Nayak family, Thimmappa Nayak, Vaman Hodke, Shankar Gulvadi, Sriranga Kamat and' Kaka Kalelkar are reckonable names. From a single family of Madgaonkars in Bilgi, 12 people including two women had gone to jail by participating in the No-tax campaign of 1932. This is regarding Karnataka and I have mentioned only the outstanding. Equally important Saraswat names can be called out from the history at the freedom movement in Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra. Manjeshwar Govinda Pai, Maheshwar Bhat Sukhtankar, Dharmananda Kosambi, Kaka Kalelkar, R.G. Bhandarkar were some of the remarkable Saraswat scholars. Bhau Daji of Bombay and the Saletore brothers were noted historians. In the field of Karnatic Music, Bidaram Krishnappa was a renowned vocalist of the Mysore Court. Kudmul Ranga Rao, R.G.Bhandarkar, Narayan Chandavarkar, and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya were in the forefront of social reforms. Men like V.S. Kudva, T.M.A. Pai, T.A. Pai, Dinkar Desai, V. M. Sonde, Vithala Mallya and Shirur brothers played a prominent role in the field of modern industry, education and other fields aimed at the betterment of our llfe. The Dempos, Timblos and the Salgaoncars of Goa are reckonable names.

The Bharateeya Samskriti Kosh (Marathi, Vol. IX) says that by the efforts of Narayanateerth, a Vaishnava Swamy from Udupi during the 15th Century extensively conducted propaganda in Goa, that the Saraswats in Sasashti region became Vaishnavas and Gokarna-Parthagali Math was founded for them. The Smarta and Vaishnava (Maadhwa) Saraswats for some times stopped inter-dining and inter-marrying. The Vaishnavas in Goa mostly took to agriculture and trade. Some Vaishnavas from Bardesh went to Bhatgram to engage themselves in agriculture. That they took cooked food with them across the river in a boat and ate it was consldered as against accepted tradition, and some sections complained to the Bijapur governor over the area named Sukhthankar, and he subjected such people to bahishkar. Thus a sub-caste called Bardeshkars was created around l500 A. D.

Similarly there is a sub-group called Pednekars who are Smarthas, originally from Pedne (Pernem) and it is said that they claimed that they were not Saraswats but Adyagaudas, or early Gauda Brahmins. Similarly, there are Kudaldeskars from Kudal in Sindudurga dt. Of Maharashtra, who separated themselves from the other Smartas, as a result of a quarrel that arose on the occasion of a marriage, and they too call themselves as Adyagaudas, according to the Vishwakosh. They have their Matha at Dabhol as pointed out earlier.

The Ratnagiri District Gazetteer (1962) states that "Senavis who claim to be Gaud Saraswat Brahmans of the Panch Gaud order are found all over the district, but chiefly in Malvan and Vengurla. Goa was their original Konkan settlement". In addition to the Smarta and Vaishnava groups (the latter known as Sashtikars), the Gazetteer points out that there are seven local divisions viz., Bardeshkars, Kudaldeshkars, Bhalavalkars, Pednekars, Lotlikars, Divadkars and Khadpekaujules "each claiming superiority over the others" (p.202). The volume further says that now they freely interdine, and social restrictions on inter-marriage are much lessened (p. 203). It is pointed out that only Sasastikars and Bardeshkars are Vaishnavas and the rest Smartas. The Gazetteer comments that "Eager to educate their children, and ready to follow any promising calling or profession Senavis seem likely to keep their high place as one of the most intelligent and prosperous classes of West Indian Hindus" (P. 203). This view is repeated from Campbell's writing in the same district Gazetteer published during the l9th century.

Till now an effort is made to trace the origin, spread and activities of the community with a birds eye-view. Next, an effort will be made to trace the history of the mathas and list the major temples and their role in our social life.

A tree is considered useful by the beautiful or sweet smelling flowers or the tasty fruits it yields. Similarly a community's greatness is to be decided by the great men and women it has contributed. There is no need for me to list the names of social workers, patriots, scholars (like historians, economists, scientists) artistes and other such persons that the community has created through the centuries. By building educational institutions, temples, industries etc., the community has immensely benefited the country .Our community, it is felt, has become worshipper of wealth, and measures everybody by the salary he draws or property he has amassed. We have totally neglected Sanskrit learning, and also humanities. There are scientists, engineers and doctors, and then merchants. The greatest Sanskrit scholars in India now are not from among our community, nor is there an effort to teach our children, even rudiments of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the store-house of our knowledge, whether religion, chemistry and humanities like soclology or history are taken into account. Our young men and women must feel attracted towards flne arts llke music and dance. We must have men who can interpret our past properly and hold a brief for our own religion, philosophy and other aspects of our culture, so that we can review it, criticise our past practices wherever there is a need, give up not-so-flner aspects of our tradition and live in this modern world as a modern society.

If our attachment to dharma had been really strong, we would not have thought of ill-gotten artha like dowry. This I am quoting only as one instance. Our community, though great, is not so very great like the communities of Chitpavan or Srivaishnava (Iyengar) brahmins, when we think of great men these communities have produced. These communities have not said good-bye to Sanskrit learning as we have done. We must remember that our community has great intellectuals because hundreds and hundreds of our ancestors had pursued this learning for generations and for centuries. We must do something to keep our young men in touch with this learning. How it has to be done, I leave it to the elders here. It is only a small number of purohlts and bhats who pursue this learning, and be real worshippers of Saraswati, not to earn only their livelihood, but elrn knowledge for its own sake. Such an enlightened community will create thinkers and creative men, who can guide the community better and take it to greater heights.

I have been asked to speak on this occasion when Sri Swamili Vidyadhira Wodeyar iQ complcting 25 years of life as a sanyasl. This Matha has done a lot to keep the Saraswat community together despite-the community getting itself scattered from its original homeland centuries ago. The Swami of the Matha have not only led a life of piety, scholarship and tapasya, but also a life providing inspiration to those thrown out of home, depressed and crest-fallen. Thc present Swami, though young, and was also ailing, has many achievements to his credlt. The Panchashatabdhi or the flfth centenary of the founding of the Matha was celebrated with great pomp during 1977. He has been responsible for renovating the Mathas of the Samsthan at Bhatkal, Varanasi (Kashi), Revan, Basrur, Ankola and Venkatapur and raising new Mathas at Manki and Yellapur. The Matha at Parthagli has been expanded and so is the Matha at Bangalore. He ha_ urged the renovation of many temples and reuvinating the daily services in them. The startlng of Sanskrit Pathashala at Parthagali and a large library are really notable achievements. His starting of Vidyadhira Puraskars annually to honour one outstanding person of the community is also a unique venture, which inspires the community members. I pray the Almighty that Sri Swamil will continue to 'insplre the community for a longer period, so that the community will serve the country and the world better.

I deem it a matter of priviledge that whole thing was done in a hurry and under great stress. It is only the blessings of Sri Swarniji which has made it possible. I am sure I could have done better and there are scholarly men who could do the task far better. I know the shortcomings of this effort and also the shortcoings in my capacity. But I have not tried to say something sensational, and have presented an honest picture.

A tree is considered useful by the beautiful or sweet smelling flowers or the tasty fruits it yields. Similarly a community's greatness is to be decided by the great men and women it has contributed. There is no need for me to list the names of social workers, patriots, scholars (like historians, economists, scientists) artistes and other such persons that the community has created through the centuries. By building educational institutions, temples, industries etc., the community has immensely benefited the country .Our community, it is felt, has become worshipper of wealth, and measures everybody by the salary he draws or property he has amassed. We have totally neglected Sanskrit learning, and also humanities. There are scientists, engineers and doctors, and then merchants. The greatest Sanskrit scholars in India now are not from among our community, nor is there an effort to teach our children, even rudiments of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the store-house of our knowledge, whether religion, chemistry and humanities like soclology or history are taken into account. Our young men and women must feel attracted towards flne arts llke music and dance. We must have men who can interpret our past properly and hold a brief for our own religion, philosophy and other aspects of our culture, so that we can review it, criticise our past practices wherever there is a need, give up not-so-flner aspects of our tradition and live in this modern world as a modern society. If our attachment to dharma had been really strong, we would not have thought of ill-gotten artha like dowry. This I am quoting only as one instance. Our community, though great, is not so very great like the communities of Chitpavan or Srivaishnava (Iyengar) brahmins, when we think of great men these communities have produced. These communities have not said good-bye to Sanskrit learning as we have done. We must remember that our community has great intellectuals because hundreds and hundreds of our ancestors had pursued this learning for generations and for centuries. We must do something to keep our young men in touch with this learning. How it has to be done, I leave it to the elders here. It is only a small number of purohlts and bhats who pursue this learning, and be real worshippers of Saraswati, not to earn only their livelihood, but elrn knowledge for its own sake. Such an enlightened community will create thinkers and creative men, who can guide the community better and take it to greater heights. I have been asked to speak on this occasion when Sri Swamili Vidyadhira Wodeyar iQ complcting 25 years of life as a sanyasl. This Matha has done a lot to keep the Saraswat community together despite-the community getting itself scattered from its original homeland centuries ago. The Swami of the Matha have not only led a life of piety, scholarship and tapasya, but also a life providing inspiration to those thrown out of home, depressed and crest-fallen. Thc present Swami, though young, and was also ailing, has many achievements to his credlt. The Panchashatabdhi or the flfth centenary of the founding of the Matha was celebrated with great pomp during 1977. He has been responsible for renovating the Mathas of the Samsthan at Bhatkal, Varanasi (Kashi), Revan, Basrur, Ankola and Venkatapur and raising new Mathas at Manki and Yellapur. The Matha at Parthagli has been expanded and so is the Matha at Bangalore. He ha_ urged the renovation of many temples and reuvinating the daily services in them. The startlng of Sanskrit Pathashala at Parthagali and a large library are really notable achievements. His starting of Vidyadhira Puraskars annually to honour one outstanding person of the community is also a unique venture, which inspires the community members. I pray the Almighty that Sri Swamil will continue to 'insplre the community for a longer period, so that the community will serve the country and the world better. I deem it a matter of priviledge that whole thing was done in a hurry and under great stress. It is only the blessings of Sri Swarniji which has made it possible. I am sure I could have done better and there are scholarly men who could do the task far better. I know the shortcomings of this effort and also the shortcoings in my capacity. But I have not tried to say something sensational, and have presented an honest picture.

Our temples of the Kuladevatas were originally villages deities of various villages. Life centered round these temples and Utsavas in Kartika, Shravana and during Rathasaptami, take place here with all grandeur, and the Utsava murthy is taken round in a procession. They include the Mangesh at Priol, Damodar at Jambavali (Zambaulim), Devakikrishna Ravalnath at Mashel (Marcella), Ramnath, Mahalakshmi and Nagesh at Bandora, Navadurga at Borim, Mallikarjuna at Canacona, Bhagavati at Chandola, Shantadurga at Fatorpa, Navadurga at Madkai (Marcaim), Bhagavati at Pendne( Pernem), Vijayadurga at Keri (Querim), Shantadurga at Kavale (Queula), Kamakshi at Siroda and Lakshmi-Narasimha at Velinga. In addition, some of the Saraswats while leaving Goa carried their Kuladevatas with them and founded temples in North Canara too. Thus there are the Mahalasa Narayani and the Kundadari temples at Ankola, Mahamayi-Mahaganapati at Shirali and the Katyayani Baneshwar at Aversa. Rathotsava during Rathasaptami, Sharannavaratri, Shishirotsav in Phalgun, and also Holi in the same month, Mahashivaratri, Kartika Purnima, etc., are some of the important utsavas held in these temples.

As most of the Saraswat migrants settled down in Vijayanagara times on the West Coast and as a majority of them were Vaishnavas, they became devotees of Venkataramana of Tirupati. Some of them being connected with the Kumbhakonam Matha in Tamilnadu (which is nearer to Tirupathi) from which the Kashi Matha later branched out also helped to popularise this deity in Cochin, which was not in the Vijayanagara empire. The Venkataramana temple at Mattancheri in Cochin is one of the biggest temples of the Saraswats, and it is believed to have been founded during the 16th century. The Ananteshwara temple at Manjeshwar is more than 700 years old and the Rathothsava here is celebrated on Margashira Shasti. Venkataramna temples are also founded at Cannanore, Kasargode, Ernakulam, Thuravoor, Alleppey, Kottayam etc. in Kerala, Mangalore, Bantval, Udupi, Uppinangadi, Karkala, Gangolli, Kundapur, Mulki etc., in South Kanara, Venkatapur, Honavar, Kumta, Siddapur, Yellapur, Murdeshwar, etc, in North Kanara and also at Nagar in Shimoga dt. All managed by the Saraswats. The Chitrapur Saraswats have the Ananteshwara at Vitla, Uma-Maheshwara at Mangalore and the Seeta-Ram at Bantval.They have their temples in Uttara Kannada also. Some of these temples have darshan or possession of a person by Kalabhairav who delivers oracles through the possessed as at Gurpur or Mulky. Temples of Krishna, Rama, Vithala and Anjaneya are also founded by the Saraswats in many places. Rathotsava, Kartika Poornima with vanabhojana. and Kartika Ekadashi are some of the festivals commonly organised at these temples.

Temples are centres of social congragation. Harikatha, pravachanas, musical recitals etc. are organised in them. Community feeding is a part of many festivals like Rathotsava and Kartika Poornima. Kartika Ekadashi is preceded by non-stop (week-long) bhajana saptaha when bhajan songs in Kannada, Marathi and even Hindi are sung in groups. These bhajana saptahas are the most important samskaras to which the community is subjected as these songs are replete with devotion to god and moral teachings of the saints like Purandaradas, Kanakadasa, Tukaram, Meera and Kabir make indelible impressions on the minds of the participants. Their continuous singing is echoed into the ears and hearts of the people. Bhajans are regularly performed in many homes daily.

The Mukhyaprana temple at Gundabala in Uttara Kannada has a special method of of granting boons of the devotees. To have one's desire fulfilled, the devotee will take a vow to finance a Yakshagana performance in the presence of the God in the temple. Such performances are held on almost every alternate day except during the rainy seasons at this Gundabala temple.

Temples have helped the Saraswats all over to maintain social unity by providing the fora for congregations. The rathotsavas are occasions when people who have left their native place for far off towns, to visit their native town annually and meet friends and relations. They have helped people not only to strengthen theistic ideas, but also work in unision and uphold the dignity of labour by serving food, removing the plates (plaintain leaves) and cleaning, carrying palanquins and undertaking other menial works for the success of the festivals. The programmes in temples have fostered voluntary spirit and leadership qualities in the young men. They have encouraged fostering of love for fine arts like music, dance, etc. They have helped the growth of the love for culture and for nobler aspects of life in their minds.

Many of these temple like the Gopalakrishna at Sirsi, or the Sri Rama at Tirthahalli, hosted all meetings during the days of freedom movement.

In bigger cities and towns like Bangalore, Mysore, Bombay or Pune, the community associations (Samajas) play the role of temples by organising Ganeshotsava, Rama Navami and other such religious and cultural programmes. In Shravana exclusive programmes for women to exchange Chudi (bouquets) of Umbra (threshold) Puja are organised.

KAVALE MATHA

No doubt, the earliest Matha of the community is the present Kaivalya or Kavale Matha. It has been already noted that Vivaranandaswamy, disciple of Govinda Bhagavatpada founded the Matha in about 740 A.D. at Kushasthali near Keloshi in Goa. He is believed to have come from Kashmir. He followed the Smartha Shaankara Sampradaya. Govinda Bhagavatpada who was the disciple of Gaudapada Acharya, had also initiated Adi Shankara to sanyasa. The early history of the Matha is lost as the original Matha at Kushasthali (Kuthal) was destroyed in Saka 1486 (1564 A.D.) by the Portuguese according to Karande Shastri (Vide Shri Samsthana Kaivalaya Mathacha Itihas, 1910). The 57th guru Vidyananda Saraswathi and his two successors stayed at Golvan in Ratnagiri Dt. (Malvan tq.) and the 60th guru at Chindar (in Malvan tq). According to Saraswata Bhushana (by Ganesha Ramachandra Sharma, 1950) Ramananda Saraswati's Samadhi is at Chindar, and his two successors Sadananda Saraswati and Bhavananda Saraswati stayed and attained samadhi at Varanasi. The disciples earlier approached Bhavananda Saraswati and pleaded with him to come back to Goa. Bhavananda Swamy (the 62nd Guru) sent his disciple Sachchidanandaswamy to revive the matha in Goa. The matha was revived at Kavale in about 1630. He was the 63rd Guru. The Swamis worship Bhavani Shankar, and a shrine of this deity is seen near the Matha at Kavale.

A Sammati Patra signed by the Pandits of Varanasi was issued in the cyclic year Pramoda by the Guru Bhavananda Saraswati at Varanasi, authorising Sachchidananda Swamy to take charge of the samstha n in Goa. The Swamy stayed at Sonavade in Ratnagiri dt. till the time the Matha at Kavale was ready. It was raised near the Shantadurga temple. The samadhi of this swamy is at Sonavade. One of his shishyas Atmananda Saraswati founded the Matha at Walkeshwar, Bombay and his samadhi is at this place. Another shishya initiated by Sachchidananda Saraswati attained samadhi at Kavale itself. The next Swami was Ramananda who had taken four shishyas, and the first three must have attained samadhi prematurely. The samadhi of Ramananda is at Kavale and of his Shishyas were, the first Jyotirananda (Agapur ?), the second Leelananda (Nasik). the third Sadananda (Sonavade) and the fourth Purnananda (Sankhali, Goa), and the places mentioned in the brackets are places where their samadhis are seen. Ramananda Saraswati initiated by Purnananda perhaps founded the Khanapur Matha in Belgaum and attained samadhi there. the subsequent Swamis appear to have found it uneasy to stay at Kavale. The next Swamy, Shivananda Saraswati initiated two shishyas and then attained samadhi at Walkeshwar. Of his two shishyas. the Samadhi of Sachchidananda Saraswati is at Walkeshwar and that of Atmananda is at Khanapur, Purnanand (Kavale), Sadananda (Sonavade), Ramananda (Khanapur), Shivananda (Sadashivgad-near Karwar), Atmananda (Kavale) and Purnananda (Khanapur) were the next Swamis in succession and Ramananda (Khanapur) though selected to succeed 'by his guru' did not live to become the head of the Matha. (The places mentioned in brackets are places where the samadhis of respective Swamis are found). The list given by the "Shri Gaudapadacharya Samsthan Kaivalyapura Mahamathacha Samagra Itihas" in Marathi by Gaitonde and Dhume mention only 13 Swamis including the present Swami, Sri Sachchidananda Saraswati. But the list presented by Ganesha Ramachandra Sharma contains a list of 19 Swamis with the places where their samadhis are found. I have found that to be more authentic and relied on that.

Sri Sachchidananda Saraswati was initiated by Purnananda Saraswati as his second shishya in 1950 as the first shishya Ramananda passed away prematurely. "Ordained as a lad of thirteen, he was denied the customary apprenticeship as a shishya. the Guru having attained Mahasamadhi soon after", says S. V. Pikale about the present Swamiji. The Matha has its branches at Kashi (Varanasi), Brahmavartha near Allahabad, Nasik, Walkeshwar (Bombay), Khanapur, Sankhali (Goa), Sonavade, Chinder, Golvan, Sadashivgad, Halage (near Karwar), Gokarn, Panaji and Belgaum. The Smartha Gauda Saraswats called as "Advis" (people with aad nama) in South Kanara are the followers of the Matha -though their number is small in South Canara, considerable in North Canara, is very large in Goa and Maharashtra.

CHITRAPUR MATHA

It has already been stated how the Smarta Saraswats in the Keladi Kingdom (between the Chandragiri and the Sharavathi ) were forced to create a new Matha at Gokarna in about 1708 and how the first guru, Parijananasharma Swamy was succeeded by Shankarasharma Swamy (1720-57) and his samadhi at Chitrapur near Shirali in Uttara Kannada became the nucleus of the new Matha. The Swamis worship Bhavani Shankar. He was succeeded by Parijnanashram II. ( 1757) and in his life term initiated Shankarashram II. The latter wielded all authority when his guru was alive, and headed the Matha till 1785. His samadhi is at Malapur near Chandravar. Keshavashram the next Swamy was initiated in 1781, and succeeded to the Matha in 1785. "He adopted a policy of vigorous promotion of the matha and emphasised its centrality in defining the boundaries of the caste" says Conlon. The Swamy toured extensively in South Kanara, and Conlon further says that "He took the occasion of these visits to urge his flock to foreswear any accretions of Vaishnava practice in their ritual lives" (P.42). His successor Vamanashram (1823-39) followed in turn by Krishnashram (183-64), Panduranagshram (1864-1915) and Anandashram (1915). Vamanashram had consecrated the Sita Ram temple at Bantwal in 1839. Pandurangashram, by expelling some of the followers and their relations from the Matha for undertaking oceanic travel had to face lot of opposition from the community, as those expelled included men like Shamrao Vithal, Narayan Chandavarkar and the Shirurs of Hubli, men of high standing in the community and the society at large. This bahishkara was withdrawn in 1934. Anandashram Swamy was succeeded by Parijnanashram swamy. The Matha was well developed by the last-named Swami by restarting the rathotsava at Chitrapur, organising a Museum in the Matha premises and initiating many other socio-cultural programmes. This Swamy left the Matha and later passed away in 1991 without appointing a successor.

GOKARNA PARTAGALI MATHA

Guruparamparamritam' by Narasimha Puranik of Kumta is the major source of information on this Matha. Ramachandra Tirtha of the Udupi Phalimar Matha initiated a Saraswat boy as sanyasi. calling him as Narayana Tirtha in 1475, and new Matha for Vaishnava Saraswats was started at Bhatkal in 1476 where the samadhi of the Swamy can be seen. This Matha enjoyed the patronage of the Keladi rulers and the Vaishnava Saraswats of Goa and most of those from undivided Canara were its followers. Though the Phalimar Swamy, Ramachandra Tirtha wanted Narayana Tirtha to succeed to his Matha, it was not liked by the Tulu Vaishnava brahmins who were followers of the Matha, and the new Matha for Vaishnava Saraswats was founded. Vira Vithala is the deity worshipped by the Swamis of the Matha. The next Swami Vasudeva Teertha, whose samadhi is at Pandharpur was succeeded by Jeevottama Teertha, by whose fame and capacity, the Matha came to be also known as Jeevottama Matha. Jeevottama Teertha also attained samadhi at Bhatkal. It was perhaps in the days, or soon after his time, by Purushottama Teertha that the Matha was shifted to Gokarna where his samadhi is found. Jivothama Teertha II who succeeded Purushottama Teertha has his samadhi at Dicholi in Goa. Dated records of Ramachandra Teertha the next swamy ranging from 1634 to 1666 are seen. There are orders of the Bijapur officers against molestation by Dravida brahmins of Ramachandra Vader and his retinue when they went to sea shore at Gokarna for bathing and reciting mantras, issued in 1634; another order of 1645, restraining the Dravida brahmins from obstructing Ramachandra Teertha and his followers from performing vedic rites and observances. The village Megare had been granted to Jivottama Teertha by Narasa Kini of Bhatkal. But this village had gone into the hands of the Sonde Matha wrongly. This village was restored to Ramachandra Teertha by an order in 1666. This pontiff, after his long term, took samdhi at Revan in Goa. His successor Digvijaya Ramachandra, the next Swamy attained samadhi at Ankola and his successor Raghuchandra Teertha at Honavar. Maratha ruler Sambhaji and his Commander Prahlada Niraji invited Lakshminarayana Teertha, the next Swamy to visit Maharashtra in the 1680s and the Swamy took Samadhi on the banks of the Godavari in Maharashtra during his sojourn in that region.

The next Swamis were Lakshmikanta Teertha, followed by Ramakanta Teertha and they attained samadhi at Honavar and Ankola respectively. Kamalakant Teertha, the next pontiff's samadhi is seen at Gokarna. Partagali has the samadh of Shrikanta Teertha Oder, and it is from this time that Partagali must have become the headquarters of the Matha. Bhoovijaya Ramateertha, the next pontiff also took samadhi at the same Matha. His successor Ramanatha Teertha's samadhi is to be seen at Venkatapur near Bhatkal. The next pontiff Lakshminatha Teertha passed away at Baroda in Gujarat where his samadhi was raised. The next pontiffs, Ananda Teertha, his shishya Poorna Prajnya, the latter's successor Padmanabha and his shishya Indirakanta Teertha Vader all took samadhi at Partagali itself. Indirakanta Teertha accepted Kamalanatha as the shishya, but the latter passed away prematurely, and later Indirakanta initiated Dwarakanatha Teertha. The samadhis of all these are at Partagali. Dwarakanath Swamy built the Dwarakanath Bhavan at Bangalore and similar building and Rama Mandira at Wadala, Bombay. Vidyadhiraj Teertha who succeeded to the Peetha in 1973 has been vigorously pursuing his religious duties despite his failing health in initial years. He had initiated Vidyadhiraj Puraskar to honour outstandiing Saraswats annually for their notable achievements. This writing is mostly based on G. H. Khare's report to Indian Historical Records Commission in 1951 on the Partagali Matha Archives and information furnished by the late Sri P. S. Kamath of Karvar. The Matha has its establishments at Bhatkal, Gokarn, Basrur, Dicholi, Partagali, Revona, Mangalore, Ankola, Karvar, Varanasi, Wadala (Bombay), Vasco, Gangolli, Venkatapur, Honavar, Yellapur, Badrinath and Siddapur.

KASHI MATHA

The Kashi Matha is one of the two Vaishnava Mathas of the Saraswats with its headquarters at Varanasi or Kashi. Dr. V. A. Shenai has done considerable research on the history of the Matha by looking into many original records including those in Persian, of the Matha. Acharya Madhwa (1238-1318) who had propagated the Dwaita philosophy and Vaishnava bhakti had visited Goa, Kerala in addition to Canara and brought into his fold many Saraswats. Later missionaries like Vadiraja Teertha (1480-1600) had also continued the work. In addition to the eight Mathas at Udupi, Acharya Madhwa had also founded the Uttaradi matha with Padmanabha and Jayateertha being its Peethadhipatis in successlon. They too had visited Gomantak and had won many followers to the new religion. During the 15th century Ramachandra Teertha had initiated two sanyasis and of the two Vibhudendra Teertha founded a new Matha in the far South at Kumbhakonam. This was known as Poorvadi Matha and great saint Raghavendra of Mantralaya fame belonged to this matha, though later. Saraswats living in Kerala and part of Canara till Bhatkal started owing allegiance to this new Matha.

When Surendra Teertha was the head of the Matha at Kumbhakonam, one of his disclples, Vijayeendra was invited by Cochin Saraswats to undertake Chaturmasya at Cochin. and there Vijayeendra was persuaded to initiate a Saraswat boy to sanyasa. Vijayeendra agreed and the vatu selected was taken to Varanasi (Kashi) and initiated to sanyasa with the name Yadavendra Teertha and a Matha was founded at Kashi. Surendra Teertha presented Vyasa and Raghupathi images to Yadavendra, and these deities are being worshipped even to-day. A copper plate charter issued by Surendra Teertha in 1542 defines his jurisdiction over the Saraswats (Epigraphia Indica, XII, P. 340). Yadavendra Teertha attained samadhi at Bhatkal in circa 1608. His successors were Keshavendra Teertha (samadhi at Basrur, circa 1670), Upendra Teertha (Kashi, 1674), Yadavendra Teertha II (Hemmadi 1711), Raghavendra Teertha (also initiated by Upendra Teertha, samadhi at Kashi, 1725) and Devendra Teertha ( 1734 ? Bantval). Raghavendra Teertha founded the Lakshmi Narasimha temple in the precincts of the Matha at Kashi. The next Swamy, Madhavendra Teertha entered sajeeva samadhi at the Walkeshwar Matha, Bombay in 1775. Jnanendra Teertha (Nasik) Yadavendra Teertha III (Honnavar, 1783,) Upendra II (Kashi, 1791), Rajendra Teertha (Tharavoor-Kerala, 1799), Surendra Tirtha (Alleppy -1831), Vishnu Teertha (Kashi ?) and Vibhudendra Teertha (Manjeshwar, 1834) were the next peethadhipatis. Vibhudendra was also initiated by Surendra Teerth as Vibhudendra Teertha had met with death prematurely.

The famous swamy Bhuvanendra, a great scholar in Vedic studies and Ayurveda was the shishya of Sumateentra Teertha (samadhi at Alleppy, 1852) and the latter had also initiated another shishya earlier to Bhuvanendra Teertha named Vasudendra Teertha (Samadhi at Manjeshwar, 1859). Bhuvanendra Teertha was a patron of arts like sculpture and he attained samadhi at Basrur in 1886. Varadendra Teertha attained samadhi at Walkeshwar (Bombay, 1914) and Sukriteendra at Cochin (1949).

Sudheendra Teertha, the present Swamy will be ever remembered for the great temple of Vedavyasa he built at Haridwar and the Mathas at Tirupathi, Bangalore, Calicut and Bhagamandala. The Kashi Matha has its branches and establishments at Kashi, Prayag, Haridwar, Bhatkal, Basrur, Hemmady, Bantwal, Panambur (Suratkal), Manjeshwar, Rameshwaram, Karkala, Nayampalli near Udupi, Bhagamandala (Kodagu), Bandora (Goa), Pallipuram (Kerala), Manchakal, Naravi (near Belthangady), Alleppey, Konchady, Hangarakatte, Tirupathi, Bangalore and Calicut. The Kashi Matha is also running schools to foster Sanskrit learning and train purohits at Karkal, Basrur etc.

Kashimatha has a wide following in Kerala and South Kanara.

The Mathas have been inculcating good samskaras on the community. Together vith spiritual values, they have been upholding moral values too in a world steeped in materialism. The Swamijis have been repeating the traditional values by saying that while amassing wealth (Artha) and fulfilling desires (Kama), Dharma should not be forgotten, and the final goal, Moksha should not be neglected. The community has the benefit of learning these lessons regularly at the feet of these Swamys. Many other communities do not enjoy this benefit.

A tree is considered useful by the beautiful or sweet smelling flowers or the tasty fruits it yields. Similarly a community's greatness is to be decided by the great men and women it has contributed. There is no need for me to list the names of social workers, patriots, scholars (like historians, economists, scientists) artistes and other such persons that the community has created through the centuries. By building educational institutions, temples, industries etc., the community has immensely benefited the country .Our community, it is felt, has become worshipper of wealth, and measures everybody by the salary he draws or property he has amassed. We have totally neglected Sanskrit learning, and also humanities. There are scientists, engineers and doctors, and then merchants. The greatest Sanskrit scholars in India now are not from among our community, nor is there an effort to teach our children, even rudiments of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the store-house of our knowledge, whether religion, chemistry and humanities like soclology or history are taken into account. Our young men and women must feel attracted towards flne arts llke music and dance. We must have men who can interpret our past properly and hold a brief for our own religion, philosophy and other aspects of our culture, so that we can review it, criticise our past practices wherever there is a need, give up not-so-flner aspects of our tradition and live in this modern world as a modern society.

If our attachment to dharma had been really strong, we would not have thought of ill-gotten artha like dowry. This I am quoting only as one instance. Our community, though great, is not so very great like the communities of Chitpavan or Srivaishnava (Iyengar) brahmins, when we think of great men these communities have produced. These communities have not said good-bye to Sanskrit learning as we have done. We must remember that our community has great intellectuals because hundreds and hundreds of our ancestors had pursued this learning for generations and for centuries. We must do something to keep our young men in touch with this learning. How it has to be done, I leave it to the elders here. It is only a small number of purohlts and bhats who pursue this learning, and be real worshippers of Saraswati, not to earn only their livelihood, but elrn knowledge for its own sake. Such an enlightened community will create thinkers and creative men, who can guide the community better and take it to greater heights.

I have been asked to speak on this occasion when Sri Swamili Vidyadhira Wodeyar iQ complcting 25 years of life as a sanyasl. This Matha has done a lot to keep the Saraswat community together despite-the community getting itself scattered from its original homeland centuries ago. The Swami of the Matha have not only led a life of piety, scholarship and tapasya, but also a life providing inspiration to those thrown out of home, depressed and crest-fallen. Thc present Swami, though young, and was also ailing, has many achievements to his credlt. The Panchashatabdhi or the flfth centenary of the founding of the Matha was celebrated with great pomp during 1977. He has been responsible for renovating the Mathas of the Samsthan at Bhatkal, Varanasi (Kashi), Revan, Basrur, Ankola and Venkatapur and raising new Mathas at Manki and Yellapur. The Matha at Parthagli has been expanded and so is the Matha at Bangalore. He ha_ urged the renovation of many temples and reuvinating the daily services in them. The startlng of Sanskrit Pathashala at Parthagali and a large library are really notable achievements. His starting of Vidyadhira Puraskars annually to honour one outstanding person of the community is also a unique venture, which inspires the community members. I pray the Almighty that Sri Swamil will continue to 'insplre the community for a longer period, so that the community will serve the country and the world better.

I deem it a matter of priviledge that whole thing was done in a hurry and under great stress. It is only the blessings of Sri Swarniji which has made it possible. I am sure I could have done better and there are scholarly men who could do the task far better. I know the shortcomings of this effort and also the shortcoings in my capacity. But I have not tried to say something sensational, and have presented an honest picture.