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Battle of Navsari, 737 AD – How Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin (Chalukyas of Navasarika) of Gujarat Defeated Arabs

Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin – the Chalukya ruler who saved Bharat from turning Islamic

Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin! Except in Gujarat and few parts of South India, the name of this brave son of Bharat Mata is in oblivion. Like hundreds and thousands of our valorous ancestors from the east to west, north to south, who don’t find a place in History books, his name is unsung. He is one of the earliest feudatory chiefs from Gujarat, who bravely repulsed attacks by Arabs. He defeated the Arabs in a fierce battle near Navsari in around 737 CE.

Think about Gujarat. The region’s ancient settlements are corroborated by archaeological evidences confirming existence of a prosperous city dating back to 4000-6000 years. This was Krishna’s Dwarka. Besides, there are numerous archaeological substantiations of Stone Age settlements in this region. And who isn’t familiar with the Indus Valley excavations in this area. Ancient ports here served as national and international trading centres. Nandas, Mauryas, Satavahanas, Guptas followed by Maitrakas, Gurjar Pratiharas, Rashtrakutas, Palas, and Solanki Chalukyas ruled the region. Islamic rule and settlements followed after this.

Vassals of the Chalukyas of Vatapi ruled parts of Gujarat with capital at Navasarika (modern Navsari) during 7th and 8th centuries. These kingdoms in southern Gujarat were subdued by a force sent by Chalukyan king. Numerous Chalukyan records and inscriptions find mention of this conquest. But these records find no mention of the defeated king. It was after the North Indian region relapsed into political instability immediately after Harsha’s death that led to attacks by powerful rulers. The early Chalukyas of Gujarat are different from the later Solanki Chalukyas.

Durga Prasad Dikshit’s Political History of the Chālukyas of Badami finds mention of the Chalukya conquests and inscriptions, “Vinayaditya also appears to have made an attempt to invade Northern India. The inscriptions belonging to the reigns of Vijayaditya, Vikramaditya II and Kirttivarman II refer to his victory over a ruler of all the regions of Uttarapatha, i.e., Northern India.”…. The earliest inscription which speaks of this conquest of Vinayaditya is the Kasar-Sirasi Plates dated in the Saka year 619 falling in the 1st regnal year of Vijayaditya, son of Vinayaditya. …. Several Chalukyan records confirm Vinayaditya’s conquest of North India and the defeat of an unnamed paramount ruler.”

Dharashraya Jayasimhavarman, brother of Vatapi Chalukyan king Vikramaditya I, was appointed governor of parts of the southern Gujarat region including other regions subjugated by the Chalukyas. He was succeeded by Jayashraya Mangalarasa followed by Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin. There is inscriptional evidence of all the three rulers. But there are no records of what happened to the early Chalukyas after the three rulers. Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin ascended the throne in 731 CE.

Evidence about Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin’s reign in Gujarat is attested by a Sanskrit inscription, termed the Navsari inscription. This inscription was found by a resident of Satem village in Navsari; he gave it to the Epigraphical Society of India. The inscription is dated year 490 of the Kalachuri era corresponding to 1 November 738 of the Gregorian calendar. Another estimated date is 21 October 739 CE.

Prior to and during the reign of Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin, the Umayyad Caliphate emerged powerful in the Arabian region. After the death of Muhammad, four major caliphates were established. Umayyad was the second of the caliphhates; they hailed from Mecca. Also termed Tajikas, another connotation for Arabs, they plundered few kingdoms of Akhand Bharat, especially Sindh and advanced inwards. Their empire stretched from Spain in the west to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east.

The Arabs heard a lot about the wealth of India. They were determined to expand their empire in the Indian regions. They advanced up to Navsari. In a fierce battle that followed, Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin badly defeated the Arabs. This fierce battle about Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin defeating the Arabs is described in the Navsari inscription. Going by the inscription of Navsari, the battle between the Chalukyas and Arabs might have taken place in 737 or 738 CE.

To quote Durga Prasad Dikshit from his book about description of the battle and victory evidenced by the Navsari inscription, “This record vividly describes the Arab invasion and the fierce fight that took place at Naysari. Further, it refers to the Mika army (Arab forces), which had plundered the Saindhavas (Sindhu kingdom), Kachchhelas (Cutch), Saurashtra (Kathiawada), Chavolakas…. Avanijanalraya Pulakegiraja gave him a fierce fight somewhere near his headquarters in which he emerged victorious.”

In recognition of this victory in battle against the Arabs, the then Chalukyan king of Vatapi, Vikramaditya II, bestowed upon Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin the following titles. (The inscription mentions Vikramaditya II as Vallabha Narendra):

1. ‘Dakshinapathasadhara’, which means ‘solid pillar of Dakshinapatha’
2. ‘Challukikulalathkara’, meaning ‘ornament of the Chalukya family’
3. ‘Prithivivallabha’ connoting ‘beloved of the earth’
4. ‘Anivartakanivartayitri’, which means ‘repeller of the unrepellable’.

The Arabs made several attempts to conquer India. It was a stiff resistance offered by individual rulers as well as unity of Indian rulers from north and south that helped in checking their advances and driving them out of the Indian soil. Junaid, the Arab governor of Sindh, attacked Kashmir following the orders of Caliph Hisham. Lalitaditya Muktapida, the then king of Kashmir, defeated Junaid and thus the Arab attempt of plundering Kashmir failed. A confederacy of North Indian and South Indian rulers under the leadership of Nagbhat I, the Gurjar Partihar king badly defeated the Arab forces in Rajasthan during the 8th century. Had the stiff resistances not been offered, India would have been under Islamic rule from the 8th century!

pdf 1. Download Battle of Navsari 737 AD – English
pdf 2. Download Battle of Navsari 737 AD – Gujarati
pdf 3. Download Battle of Navsari 737 AD – Hindi

નવસારીની લડાઈ, 737 એડી – કેવી રીતે ગુજરાતના અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિન (નવસારિકાના ચાલુક્યો) એ આરબોને હરાવ્યા

&nbspઅવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિન – ચાલુક્ય શાસક જેણે ભારતને ઇસ્લામિક બનવાથી બચાવ્યું

અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિન! ગુજરાત અને દક્ષિણ ભારતના કેટલાક ભાગો સિવાય, ભારત માતાના આ બહાદુર પુત્રનું નામ વિસ્મૃતિમાં છે. પૂર્વથી પશ્ચિમ, ઉત્તરથી દક્ષિણ સુધીના આપણા સેંકડો અને હજારો શૂરવીર પૂર્વજોની જેમ, જેમને ઇતિહાસના પુસ્તકોમાં સ્થાન મળતું નથી, તેમનું નામ અસંગત છે. તેઓ ગુજરાતના સૌથી શરૂઆતના સામંતવાદી સરદારોમાંના એક છે, જેમણે આરબોના હુમલાઓને બહાદુરીથી ઠપકો આપ્યો હતો. તેણે લગભગ 737 સીઇમાં નવસારી નજીકના ભીષણ યુદ્ધમાં આરબોને હરાવ્યા હતા.

ગુજરાત વિશે વિચારો. આ પ્રદેશની પ્રાચીન વસાહતો 4000-6000 વર્ષ પહેલાંના સમૃદ્ધ શહેરના અસ્તિત્વની પુષ્ટિ કરતા પુરાતત્વીય પુરાવાઓ દ્વારા પુષ્ટિ મળે છે. આ કૃષ્ણની દ્વારકા હતી. આ ઉપરાંત, આ પ્રદેશમાં પથ્થર યુગની વસાહતોના અસંખ્ય પુરાતત્વીય પુરાવા છે. અને આ વિસ્તારમાં સિંધુ ખીણના ખોદકામથી કોણ પરિચિત નથી. અહીંના પ્રાચીન બંદરો રાષ્ટ્રીય અને આંતરરાષ્ટ્રીય વેપાર કેન્દ્રો તરીકે સેવા આપતા હતા. નંદ, મૌર્ય, સાતવાહન, ગુપ્તો ત્યારબાદ મૈત્રક, ગુર્જર પ્રતિહાર, રાષ્ટ્રકુટ, પલાસ અને સોલંકી ચાલુક્યોએ આ પ્રદેશ પર શાસન કર્યું. તેના પછી ઇસ્લામિક શાસન અને વસાહતો.

વાતાપીના ચાલુક્યોના વસાલોએ 7મી અને 8મી સદી દરમિયાન નવસારિકા (આધુનિક નવસારી) ખાતે રાજધાની સાથે ગુજરાતના ભાગો પર શાસન કર્યું. દક્ષિણ ગુજરાતના આ સામ્રાજ્યો ચાલુક્ય રાજા દ્વારા મોકલવામાં આવેલા દળ દ્વારા પરાજિત કરવામાં આવ્યા હતા. અસંખ્ય ચાલુક્ય રેકોર્ડ અને શિલાલેખોમાં આ વિજયનો ઉલ્લેખ જોવા મળે છે. પરંતુ આ રેકોર્ડમાં પરાજિત રાજાનો કોઈ ઉલ્લેખ જોવા મળતો નથી. હર્ષના મૃત્યુ પછી તરત જ ઉત્તર ભારતીય પ્રદેશ ફરીથી રાજકીય અસ્થિરતામાં સપડાઈ ગયો હતો જેના કારણે શક્તિશાળી શાસકો દ્વારા હુમલાઓ થયા હતા. ગુજરાતના શરૂઆતના ચાલુક્યો પછીના સોલંકી ચાલુક્યો કરતા અલગ છે.

દુર્ગા પ્રસાદ દીક્ષિતના ચાલુક્યોના રાજકીય ઇતિહાસમાં ચાલુક્યના વિજયો અને શિલાલેખોનો ઉલ્લેખ જોવા મળે છે, “વિનયાદિત્યએ પણ ઉત્તર ભારત પર આક્રમણ કરવાનો પ્રયાસ કર્યો હોય તેવું જણાય છે. વિજયાદિત્ય, વિક્રમાદિત્ય II અને કીર્તિવર્મન II ના શાસન સાથે જોડાયેલા શિલાલેખો ઉત્તરાપથના તમામ પ્રદેશો, એટલે કે, ઉત્તર ભારતના શાસક પર તેમના વિજયનો ઉલ્લેખ કરે છે. સૌથી પહેલો શિલાલેખ જે વિનયદિત્યના આ વિજયની વાત કરે છે તે વિનયાદિત્યના પુત્ર વિજયાદિત્યના 1લા શાસન વર્ષમાં આવતા સાકા વર્ષ 619માં બનેલી કાસર-સિરાસી પ્લેટ્સ છે. …. કેટલાક ચાલુક્ય રેકોર્ડ વિનયાદિત્યના ઉત્તર ભારત પર વિજય અને અનામી સર્વોચ્ચ શાસકની હારની પુષ્ટિ કરે છે.

વાતાપી ચાલુક્ય રાજા વિક્રમાદિત્ય I ના ભાઈ ધારાશ્રય જયસિંહવર્મનને ચાલુક્યો દ્વારા તાબે થયેલા અન્ય પ્રદેશો સહિત દક્ષિણ ગુજરાત પ્રદેશના કેટલાક ભાગોના રાજ્યપાલ તરીકે નિયુક્ત કરવામાં આવ્યા હતા. તેમના અનુગામી જયશ્રયા મંગલરાસા અને ત્યારબાદ અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિન આવ્યા. ત્રણેય શાસકોના શિલાલેખીય પુરાવા છે. પરંતુ ત્રણ શાસકો પછી શરૂઆતના ચાલુક્યોનું શું થયું તેની કોઈ નોંધ નથી. અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિન 731 સીઇમાં સિંહાસન પર બેઠા.

ગુજરાતમાં અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિનના શાસન વિશેના પુરાવા સંસ્કૃત શિલાલેખ દ્વારા પ્રમાણિત છે, જેને નવસારી શિલાલેખ કહેવાય છે. આ શિલાલેખ નવસારીના સાતેમ ગામના રહેવાસી દ્વારા મળી આવ્યો હતો; તેણે એપિગ્રાફિકલ સોસાયટી ઓફ ઈન્ડિયાને આપી. આ શિલાલેખ ગ્રેગોરિયન કેલેન્ડરના 1 નવેમ્બર 738 ને અનુરૂપ કલાચુરી યુગના વર્ષ 490 નો છે. બીજી અંદાજિત તારીખ 21 ઓક્ટોબર 739 CE છે.

અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિનના શાસન પહેલાં અને તે દરમિયાન, ઉમૈયા ખિલાફત અરબી પ્રદેશમાં શક્તિશાળી ઉભરી આવી હતી. મુહમ્મદના મૃત્યુ પછી, ચાર મુખ્ય ખિલાફતની સ્થાપના થઈ. ઉમૈયાદ ખિલાફતનો બીજો હતો; તેઓ મક્કાના હતા. તાજિકાસ તરીકે પણ ઓળખાય છે, જે આરબો માટેનો બીજો અર્થ છે, તેઓએ અખંડ ભારતના કેટલાક રાજ્યોને લૂંટ્યા, ખાસ કરીને સિંધ અને અંદરની તરફ આગળ વધ્યા. તેમનું સામ્રાજ્ય પશ્ચિમમાં સ્પેનથી પૂર્વમાં અફઘાનિસ્તાન અને પાકિસ્તાન સુધી વિસ્તરેલું હતું.

આરબોએ ભારતની સંપત્તિ વિશે ઘણું સાંભળ્યું હતું. તેઓ ભારતીય પ્રદેશોમાં તેમનું સામ્રાજ્ય વિસ્તારવા માટે મક્કમ હતા. તેઓ નવસારી સુધી આગળ વધ્યા. ત્યારપછીના ભયંકર યુદ્ધમાં, અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશને આરબોને ખરાબ રીતે હરાવ્યો. અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશને આરબોને હરાવવા વિશેના આ ભીષણ યુદ્ધનું નવસારીના શિલાલેખમાં વર્ણન કરવામાં આવ્યું છે. નવસારીના શિલાલેખ દ્વારા જોઈએ તો, ચાલુક્યો અને આરબો વચ્ચેનું યુદ્ધ 737 અથવા 738 સીઈમાં થયું હશે.

નવસારી શિલાલેખ દ્વારા પુરાવા મળેલ યુદ્ધ અને વિજયના વર્ણન વિશે દુર્ગા પ્રસાદ દીક્ષિત તેમના પુસ્તકમાંથી ટાંકવા માટે, “આ રેકોર્ડ આરબ આક્રમણ અને નાયસરીમાં થયેલી ભીષણ લડાઈનું આબેહૂબ વર્ણન કરે છે. વધુમાં, તે મીકા સૈન્ય (આરબ દળો) નો ઉલ્લેખ કરે છે, જેણે સૈંધવ (સિંધુ સામ્રાજ્ય), કચ્છેલા (કચ્છ), સૌરાષ્ટ્ર (કાઠિયાવાડા), ચાવોલાકાઓને લૂંટી લીધા હતા…. અવનિજનલરાય પુલકેગીરાજાએ તેમને તેમના મુખ્યાલયની નજીક ક્યાંક ભીષણ લડાઈ આપી હતી જેમાં તેઓ વિજયી થયા હતા.

આરબો સામેની લડાઈમાં આ વિજયની ઓળખમાં, વાતાપીના તત્કાલીન ચાલુક્ય રાજા, વિક્રમાદિત્ય બીજાએ અવનિજનાશ્રય પુલકેશિનને નીચેના બિરુદો આપ્યા. (શિલાલેખમાં વિક્રમાદિત્ય II નો ઉલ્લેખ વલ્લભ નરેન્દ્ર તરીકે કરવામાં આવ્યો છે):

1. ‘દક્ષિણાપથસધારા’, જેનો અર્થ થાય છે ‘દક્ષિણાપથનો નક્કર સ્તંભ’
2. ‘ચાલ્લુકીકુલલથકારા’, જેનો અર્થ થાય છે ‘ચાલુક્ય પરિવારનું આભૂષણ’
3. ‘પૃથ્વીવલ્લભ’ અર્થાત્ ‘પૃથ્વીનો પ્રિય’
4. ‘અનિવર્તકનિવર્તયિત્રી’, જેનો અર્થ થાય છે ‘અનિવારણને દૂર કરનાર’.

આરબોએ ભારતને જીતવા માટે અનેક પ્રયાસો કર્યા. તે વ્યક્તિગત શાસકો દ્વારા આપવામાં આવેલ સખત પ્રતિકાર તેમજ ઉત્તર અને દક્ષિણના ભારતીય શાસકોની એકતા હતી જેણે તેમની પ્રગતિને તપાસવામાં અને તેમને ભારતીય ભૂમિમાંથી બહાર કાઢવામાં મદદ કરી. સિંધના આરબ ગવર્નર જુનૈદે ખલીફા હિશામના આદેશ બાદ કાશ્મીર પર હુમલો કર્યો. કાશ્મીરના તત્કાલીન રાજા લલિતાદિત્ય મુક્તપિદાએ જુનૈદને હરાવ્યો અને આ રીતે કાશ્મીરને લૂંટવાનો આરબ પ્રયાસ નિષ્ફળ ગયો. નાગભટ I ના નેતૃત્વ હેઠળ ઉત્તર ભારતીય અને દક્ષિણ ભારતીય શાસકોના સંઘે, ગુર્જર પાર્ટીહાર રાજાએ 8મી સદી દરમિયાન રાજસ્થાનમાં આરબ દળોને ખરાબ રીતે હરાવ્યા હતા. જો સખત પ્રતિકાર ન કરવામાં આવ્યો હોત, તો ભારત 8મી સદીથી ઇસ્લામિક શાસન હેઠળ હોત!

pdf 1. Download Battle of Navsari 737 AD – English
pdf 2. Download Battle of Navsari 737 AD – Gujarati
pdf 3. Download Battle of Navsari 737 AD – Hindi

BJP's Pro-Hindu Pitch Vs Secular Constitution? | Reality Check

Janhavi Dadarkar | We SHOULD Have Confidence in Modi’s Government | Oxford Union. UK

Urgent Action needed for protecting villages from rising sea levels because of Global Warming (Sea Barrier Conservation Project)

A. Introduction

An extensive portion of the land alongside the sea at Dandi and further south along the coastline in the Kantha Vibhag area has a problem of sea erosion and sea water overflowing into agricultural lands and over time this area has become unusable because of the saltiness of the land (know as Khanjar). This will continue to be a bigger problem because of rising oceans. Seasonal Monsoon flooding is another problem that has to be addressed, flooding in the villages during the rainy season disrupts life and it takes months to recover, proper draining and preparedness for the annual rains will alleviate the issue.

There is now an increasing need to protect the coastline and inner areas of our gams from sea water and erosion, especially because of rising waters due to global warming. Sea Water that has been flowing into the Khanjar areas over the years has been turning good arable farm land into unusable land caused by salty sea water and sea erosion. This can readily be reversed by erecting natural sea barriers where sea water overflows into the land in the form of sand and rock barriers and mangrove vegetation. Fish farmers who currently use sea water can continue doing so by piping sea water to the required pond areas.

Any solutions implemented should take into consideration monsoon rains together with the problems of drainage and runoff of much needed fresh water into the sea, it may be desirable to store this water perhaps in a lake. A feasibility study of all possible solutions should be presented before any project is started, this will all be done with the help and collaboration of the regional government departments.

As part of the Tree Planting Project, thousands of trees should be planted on the Dandi coastline as protection against natural calamities like cyclone, hurricane, Tsunami, etc.

B. Key Issues

– Severe sea erosion problems in some areas on the beachfront and further inland
– Sea levels rising every year due to climate change
– the solution of P.P. Gabions is not suitable
– Protection by using tetrapod mays be part of the solution, though high cost may be an issue
– If protection work is carried out by larger size stones, Gabions, Tetrapods, Beach will loose its
natural beauty
– a study needs to be conducted before a solution is implemented
– requires a permanent long term solution
– time is of the essence, if the government is unable to help with a timely solution then a community funded solution will be the only alternative.

C. Potential Solutions and Opportunities

The one solution is to put up barriers that will prevent sea water from overflowing into land areas, these barriers should be as high as the height of the highest watermark during high tide multiplied by two, this will ensure a permanent long term solution. Routine maintenance has to be planned on a periodic basis, perhaps quarterly to ensure that the barriers are not compromised due to soil erosion and wave action.

Land Reclamation – preventing sea water from overflowing into the area and reversing the saltiness of the Khanjar area will suddenly make hundreds of acres of land available for farming and other non-agricultural uses.

D. Challenges

1. Currently, sea water is used by the fishing industry in ponds, continuation of this supply is necessary by providing piping from the coastal area to the inland ponds on a limited basis.
2. Funding for the project
3. If nothing is done then there is a threat the entre Kantha Vibhag area may be overrun with sea water and it will result in loss of farmland and habitat.

E. Project Implementation

– All work that has to be done should be conducted with the help and permission of the relevant government authorities.
– A detailed project plan and timeline should be established
– Proper project management and controls to be in place

pdf 1. Download Kantha Vibhag Sea Barrier Project – English
pdf 2. Download Kantha Vibhag Sea Barrier Project – Gujarati
pdf 3. Download Kantha Vibhag Sea Barrier Project – Hindi

National Jal Shakti Abhiyan Project

*** Tree Planting Project
Tree Planting Project
pdf 1. Download Sanskrutik Vano – Gujarati
pdf 2. Download Sanskrutik Vano – English

*** Proposed Hotel and Supermarket Project
. Proposed Hotel and Supermarket Project

1. Download Gam Development Report – English

2. Download Gam Development Report – Gujarati

3A. Download Report – Kantha Vibhag Friendship Trust Report – English

3B. Download report Kantha Vibhag Friendship Trust Report – Gujarati

4. Download Brief History of Koli Samaj

5. Download Health and Healing, a series of articles on the Science of Health and Healing by Dr. Devananda Tandavan

1. Download Essence of Hinduism by Gandhi

2. Download 11 Vows of Gandhi

3. Download The Man Who Saved India – Sardar Patel (The Gospel of Selfless Action)

4. Download Gandhi’s book – From Yeravda Mandir

Download “We are Hindus” (illustrated) by Dineshbhai Patel (Swinden)

* Featured Sites:
. Green Message – Spirituality, Sanskrit and Nature
. Gujarat Online
. Gujarat State – NRI Site
. Divyabhaskar – Gujarati News/Samachar ePaper
. Divyabhaskar – Gujarati News/Samachar
. Gujarati One India News Site
. World Hindu News
. One India News Site
. Aksharnaad.com
. DeshGujarat.com
. India Barriers
. Gujarati Lexicon
. Gujarat Tourism
. Shodh Ganga – Reservoir of Indian Thesis
. PDF DRIVE – Download Free PDF Files
. News India Times
. The Better India
. State of the Planet

* Astrology:
. Ask Ganesha
. Drik Panchang (all year)
. Daily Panchang
. Vedic Calendar
. Download iCal, Outlook and Google calendar format Vedic Calendars
. Gujarati Calendars – Vikram Samvat Hindu Tithi Calendar

Old Banyan Tree – Matwad

Purpose of the Website:

First and foremost, is to recognize our roots and rich culture and heritage and social and community practices which is prevalent in all our communities around the world.
Valuing and drawing upÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â existing knowledge, skills and talents of the members of the Mandhata Community Globally.
Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â Networking with each other, helping and guiding members and affiliated associations to optimise their abilities in order to fulfil set objectives.
Addressing specific issues on their own merits and proven experiences.
Develop and enhance the quality of life in our village areas in India by promoting education and development in all spheres of life.
Record and Archive our roots and heritage and make it available globally.
Promote Hindu Religious, Spiritual, Cultural and Social Practices
Recognize and acknowledge achievements by our people around the world.
Network and share Best Practices to ensure a peaceful and sustainable future for our communities around the world by living in harmony with people and nature and to protect the environment.
Make positive contributions to society in general and to all the people and countries that we live in, around the world

[n.b. If you would like to contribute material for the site (photos or documents) or to become an Editor, please send a message to the email account [email protected]]

____________________________________________________________________

Mandhata Community – Who are We ???

Mandhata Community refers to all the Koli Patel Community people who originated from the Kantha Vibhag area in Navsari District of South Gujarat in India and also those who migrated to various overseas countries.

The first Koli Patel immigrants from Navsari District are recorded to have sailed for South Africa in 1860. Over the years since then many more joined them. Others traveled to Fiji and then to New Zealand as early as 1902. During the War years and later large numbers traveled to East Africa.

Initially they came to work on the plantations and to build roads and railways. As years passed the vast majority of them settled in the countries where they worked. The first immigrants were all young men who went back to their local villages to get married and return to be followed by their wives a little later.

It is these immigrants who identified themselves as Mandhata Community. It is estimated that they number over a hundred thousand. UK has over 40,000 settled mainly in large cities and are now involved in almost all professions and in every industry, as in other countries too.

A vast number of us settled overseas are now sixth and seventh generation. Even the later arrivals boast third and forth generation. Yet we have continued close relationship with our extended families in India. Most of us visit regularly and many have built homes on their ancestral land.

This site highlights the history and life of the Mandhata Patel Community.

Site Specifics

This site has been built using a web content management framework, this will enable many people around the world to contribute content without any programming skills, all that is required is basic computer skills, this will ensure that content is contibuted by our communities around the world and also will ensure independance, so that no one person is tasked with the responsibility of maintaining the site. If you’d like to become a contributor, simply send an eMail message to our group email address, mandhataglobal.com. (exclude the period).

The site has been kept as simple as possible. Anyone with a basic knowledge of computing and internet will be able to interact. We are aware that a large number of you have a fund of knowledge to contribute to this site so that it can become a comprehensive repository of our history and heritage illustrated in words and pictures. In years to come this site would develop into a resource that our coming generations would refer to learn about their roots. We invite you to volunteer yourself as an administrator.

This site will be bilingual. We shall use English and Gujarati to reach as many of our people as possible.

On this site you will be able to read shorter articles in full, and where need be a .pdf version to copy. Large articles and other printed material will be in .pdf format for copying and printing.

MigrationÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â History

Preamble

When in the quiet of the night the question arises in your mind as to who your forefathers were? Where did they come from? How did they live? And you desperately want to explore your roots, this website may help you..

Perhaps the obvious starting point of this inquiry could be our own first hand knowledge of the stories told by our fathers and grandfathers of their experiences in their villages and how they made it to the foreign lands all over the world.

From their own lips we have heard how a few young men from the villages found construction jobs building railways in Surat and other nearby cities. Back in village for holidays their offers of help led more youths to join them. At work they came in contact with other peoples and particularly the English who valued their construction knowledge. This broadened their horizon. When opportunities came their way to work for railways in East Africa, plantations in South Africa and New Zealand many volunteered and packed their bags.

My paternal and maternal grandfathers both came to Mombasa, in East Africa to work on the Railways in 1919/21. They were perhaps among the first there and in their own words life was terrible. They lived in tents and were always in fear of the wild animals. For the first year or two they survived on boiled lentils with some pepper and salt. Later they grew chillies and ginger. Apart from bhajan singing in the dim light of a lantern, other entertainment was zero. Life in South Africa or New Zealand was no different. This was soon after the First World War period. Political power struggle was intense among the European powers and British were digging in wherever they went.

Period prior to the Second World War was the 2nd wave of immigration for our people. Passports were easily available and hundreds of youths leaving their families behind boarded sea-going clippers and left in search of a better life. A number of them perished and for the many who made it, life was very, very hard in every respect. Homesickness gripped many.

Read further about our History in the articles below.

1A. Read/Download the story of India’s Historic People by Ashok U Patel – 2nd Edition (April 2021) – English

1B. Read/Download the story of India’s Historic People by Ashok U Patel – 2nd Edition (April 2021) – Gujarati

1C. Read/Download the story of India’s Historic People by Keshavbhai J Patel – 1st Edition (201)

2. Read/Download the Early Katha Migration in Gujarati by Maganbhai B Karadia

3. Read/Download ‘Our Finest Patriotic Years by Maganbhai B Karadia

4. Read/Download ‘Koli Samaj, a Historical Perspective’ by Dr. Arjun Patel

5. Read/Download ‘ History of Koli/Mandhata Patel People’

Sultanpur – Migrating Flamingos

Borifalia

Coastal Area near Dandi

Jalaram Bapa Mandir

Bridge near Aatgam

Karadi

Keshavbhai meeting school children

New Avdafalia Shiv Mandir (2017)

Karadi School

School Children during Assembly – Karadi School

School Children – Republic Day Celebrations

Youth Leadership and Educational Seminar

Shree Amratbhai Jerambhai Patel (in blue Shirt) And Shreemati Taraben Amratbhai Patel of Machhad are residents in USA. Both are generous donors of our Samaj. They visit Gam almost every year and sponsor a number of project in Machhad, other Kantha Vibhag gams. They are particularly interested in educational projects which we organise year after year. Their generous sponsorship help students with scholarships and various educational seminars for the students. This Leadership Seminar was hosted by them and was held on 12th April 2014.