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Kuldevat and Moolpurush of Dhongde, Walawalkar, Shirodkar, Phendre (Fendre), Waghmare. (Dhongdeshwar in walawal, Taluka Kudal )

Written by Prakash Shankar Phendre (Mumbai), please give feed back at by Click this and Submit the form or email me [email protected] , My Mobile No. 9892813886

Is this surname comes in other bhandari groups

Is this surname comes in other castes

Kuldevat

Kuldevat is Mountains (means Revali) made by our ancestors whose name is presently not known which is placed in Corridor of Dhongdeshwar Mandir, Walalwal. old peoples says that it is place of Nag who rarely appears. Our ancestors previously settled in Himalaya Mountains as our Devat Dev Ravalnath who also came from Himalaya Mountains. Thus it indicates that ancestors of Bhandaris must be residing in Himalaya Mountains who are originally Aryan Nomadic Tribes. Our Mool Purush and other Mool Purushs must have come with King Ravalnath who is called as Shiv Avatar. Mool Purush is group of peoples moving together which is whole family headed by Ganapati. There are many Mool Purush in Bhandaries under King Ravalnath.

(Click to download enlarged photograph)

Who is Moolpurush

Murti of Dhongdeshwar in Left and Pashan of Mahapurush in Center, Pashan of Satvi in Right. (Click to download enlarged photograph)

Closeup view of Dev Dhongdeshwar Murti

Photo of "Dhongdeshwar Murti" located in Walawal, Advalpal (Click to download enlarged photograph)

In Dhongdeshwar Mandir, The black stone carving of Dhongdeshwar, Mahapurush, Satvi. Dhongdeshwar is Shiv Gan, he carry Dhal in left hand and sword in right hand. Dhongdeshwar idol is approx 2 feet tall. Old peoples says by smiling that a "dhong kari to dhongdo"

Dev Ravalnath is also our Devat along with Dhongdeshwar in Walawal, Taluka Kudal, District Sindhudurg

(Click to download enlarged photograph)

How to reach Kuldevat and Mool Purush

After reaching Kudal railway station (approx 500 km south of Mumbai) take rickshaw near Kudal Bus Station and take laugh their (List of Hotels be given below for staying)

1. Hotel Gulmohar, Tel: (02362 ) 222702 ; near Kudal ST Stand, Hotel Gulmohar and Hotel Surya are close to each other ; Hotel Gulmohar is always packed.
2. Hotel Surya, Tel: (02362 ) 222440 ; Not good hotel
3. Hotel Dashavtar, Tel: (02362 ) 222637
4. Hotel Palace, Tel: (02362 ) 222136
5. Hotel Raj, Tel: (02362 ) 222825
6. Hotel Satyam, Tel: (02362 ) 222205
7. Hotel Sulabha, Tel: (02362 ) 222160
8. Hotel Yashdhara, BKG Road, Tel: (02362 ) 222718
9. Hotel Kirti ; Aadarsh park, Kudal, District Sindhudurg- 416520 Tel: (02362) 222605, 222677 (Charge Rs. 312 for 2 person + Rs. 50 per person extra). Hotel have slippery tiles in bathroom.
10. Hotel Omkar ; Adarsh park, Hindu Colony No. 2, Kudal, District Sindhudurg- 416520 Tel: (02362) 221697 Mobile: 9422396152 (same rates). It is to be noted that Hotel Kirti and Hotel Omkar are opposite to each other. From here I can easily catch ST from Kudal to Malvan

Take rickshaw to Dhongdeshwar Mandir located in Dhongde Wadi, near Prabhu Srushti MTDC Quarters, walwal-kudal road, Walawal, on border of Nerur Village, Taluka Kudal, District Sindhurdurg on mumbai - goa national highway (N.H. 17). Walawal is nearly 10 - 11 km from Kudal.

You can also stay in Hotels (MTDC Approved) near Dhongdeshwar Mandir
Prabhu Sristi (Owner : Purshotam Damodar Prabhu )
Rewaliwadi, Walawal, Taluka Kudal, District Sindhudurg (Hotel is 10 minutes walking distance from Dhongdeshwar Mandir and 1 km away from Laxmi Narayan Mandir)
Landline No.: (952362 ) 221898 (This is Local Line and not STD so you can directly phone from MTNL Landline from Mumbai)
Mobile No.: 9271093539 and 9821238564
Charges : Room is charged Rs. 700/- per family per day, if more person then Rs. 125 /- additional charge per person. Availability of Food is there.

Geography of Walawal or Valaval

Valaval (Kudal Peta, 16° 00' N, 73° 35' E; p. 3,320) lies six miles west of Kudal. The nearest railway station is Kudal. "Kupi" Dongar is at a distance of a mile from the village. There is a big talav in the village named Lakshmi - Narayan Talav. Water of the tank is used for cultivation in summer.

Valaval google map

History of Walawal or Valaval

Walawal was political capital. Once upon a time Pat, Walawal, Humartala was politically more important than Kudal and this Kudal Pradesh (including Sawantwadi) was ruled from this places. Walawal is surrounding by three mountains of "Kupi" and one side by Lakshmi - Narayan Talav. Tall Mountains, difficult "daries" and "Ghale" make village like fort. In difficult time Brahmins and Warriors took shelter in this difficult mountainous region.

Walawal is one of the oldest settlements in Konkan region. The Kudal Deshastha Gaud Saraswat Bramhin community, who supposedly immegrated from Bengal, rested here more than 800 years ago. Prior to that there were mainly the Kunabis & Bhandaris. After the takeover of earstwhile Prabhu kingdom, Kudal came under the rule of Sawantvadikar Khem Sawant Bhonsales'. This happened about 350 years ago. The Khems Sawants' brought the Gaud Saraswat and Vaishya communities from (today's) South Goa & North Karnataka. These communities were fleeing from Portuguese conquests.

Where this Peoples spread in various places

Dhongde's were fighting battle for Walawal, possibly for thousand's of year. As per saying from old people, our ancestors ran from Walawal where some war conflict was occurred. After war conflict to save their life they migrated to various places and changed their surnames as mentioned below.

1. Dhongde are staying in Walawal where our Kuldevat and Mool Purush is located. There are presently four houses. They migrated to various places such as taluka Chiplun without changing their surname.
2. Walawalkar -- Dhongde migrated from Walawal to Aravali, near Shiroda , Taluka Vengurla called there surnames as Walawalkar. Walawalkar also migrated to Goa and Vetore, near Shiroda, Taluka Vengurla.
3. Shirodkar or Kanage - Dhongde migrated from Walawal to Shiroda, Taluka Vengurla called there surnames as Kanage then they changed their surnames as Shirodkar. This Shirodkar also migrated to Vetore, near Shiroda, Taluka Vengurla
4. Waghmare – Dhongde migrated to other places by changing surnames to Waghmare. In past killing tiger was of great prestige so some body of Dhongde have hunted tiger and due that his surname must have changed to "Waghmare". Presently Waghmare are staying in ajgaon, near Shiroda, Taluka Sawantwadi, and also in Pune and also in Tak, near Aravali Taluka Vengurla.
5. Phendre (Fendre) -- Dhongde migrated from Walawal to Ajgaonbandwada, Ajagon, near Shiroda, Taluka Sawantwadi called there surnames as Phendre (Fendre). They also migrated to Talavade, Taluka Sawantwadi

Gramdevat in Walawal

The Gramdevat is walawal is Ravalnath and Laxmi-Narayan are located in same corridor. Mauli of Village Chendvan is located at border of Walawal and Chenvan village hence peoples of both village goes their.

Ravalnath in Walawal	Laxmi-Narayan in Walawal	Mauli in Chendvan (border of Walawal)

(Click to download enlarged photograph)

Festivals in Walawal celebrated by dhongde's

1. Birthday festival of our Kuldevata Dhongdeshwar is celebrated in Dhongdeshwar Mandir in big scale on Vaishak shudha dawadashita ( 6th May 2009). This date is confirmed by Me. The birthday date is declared on Ramanavami in Laxmi Narayan Mandir.
2. Mahashivratri festival is celebrated in Dhongdeshwar Mandir (not in big scale) i.e. on 23^rd February 2009.
3. Every year a fair is held in the Walaval village on Ramanavami day (Chaitra Sudha 9) i.e. April 3, 2009 in Laxmi Narayan Mandir. The fair which lasts for next 11 days from Ramanavami is attended by about four to five thousand people.
4. Yearly Jatra is held on Kartik Vaidya dashmi in Dhongdeshwar Mandir.

Tree followed while marriage
Kalam Tree

Kalam Tree Photograph (Click to download enlarged photograph)

Other Tree we pray is Pimpal and Wada

Pimpal Tree (Click to download enlarged photograph)

DEVAT KASAV
Our God is a Kasav which in Sanskrit called as Kashya. Hence a person who follow a Kasav as god is called as Kashyapa. Kashyapa was Semi Nomadic Tribe settled in South Konkan (today's it is south Konkan, Goa, North part of Karnataka. They belong to Arya race migrated from Central Asia.

Photographs of Walawal

 (Click to download enlarged photograph)

View of this Mandir from outside with Vanar wondering around.

Do you pray Bramhan Dev as Devat : Yes, as Ravalnath with various Moolpurush form Bramhan Rishes (where Rishes means clan of people). Bramhan dev is prayed in form of Shree Fal.