Somvanshi Kshatriya
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[edit] Introduction
Somvanshi Kshatriya is the name of a small community residing on the outskirts of Mumbai (formerly Bombay), on the western shores of India. The settlements are mostly around Vasai, Virar, Agashi, Saphale, Kelve Road, Palghar,Mahim, Kelawa, Boisar, Tarapur, Chinchani, Vangaon, Bordi, Gholvad and Dahanu Road. This community is also known as Panch Kalshi, Vadval or Panmali. They are also found in Pratapgarhin U.P & Satna in M.P thus indicating their migration from the north.The word Kshatriya indicates that this community must have been warriors as per the now defunct caste system. Somvanshi literally translates to descendants of the Moon. The more colloquial names Vadval and Panmali are a more current indication of the occupation, that of agriculture.Common surnames in this community are Raut, Patil, Save, Mhatre, Kawli, Vartak, Gharat, Thakur, Chaudhari, Churi. Few of the people in this community also stay in Mahim,Dahisar and Borivali area of Mumbai.The population of this community is around 40,000 allover.
[edit] Occupation
Proximity to the commercial hub of Mumbai has seen a majority of the population taking up jobs in the manufacturing as well as service industries.This community has few people who stay in interior parts of Maharashtra who are related to business in different industries.
[edit] History
Vocabulary The word "Somavanshi Kshatriya" means the 2 nd caste in the hierarchy of the Hindu Varna System."Soma" means "Moon" , thus these kshatriyas belong to the "Chandra Vansha" i.e. "'Moon Dynasty of Warriors".
Somavanshi Kshitriya Alias. Vadval/Pachkalshi/Panmali/Paan Bhandari:
Sopara and Mahim are said to be the land of confluence of the Somavanshi Kshatriya clan, one from Utkala and other from Gujarat and still other from Magadha and Mahishmati. The Somavanshis of Vasai & Palghar taluka have a unique history.
1)The history of Somavanshis in Vasai date back to B.C.2000 to the rule of Utkal (now Orissa) Naresh Guhashaya. Raja Guhashaya ruled Shurparak during 2000 B.C. Since then Shurparak was the place ruled by able Kshatriyas of Somvansha. 2) Later during 14 th century B.C. Somavanshis Maurya clan ruled Sopara , thus bringing in some Somvanshi Kshatriyas from Magadha Pradesha. 3)Later the clan of Somavanshi Raja Sudhanva of Mahishmati and Laat ruled Sopara from B.C.600 to B.C.200. Thus some Somavanshi families from Mahishmati too came to Sopara. 4) Later around 280 A.D. Ramachandradev Yadav of the Somavanshi Yadav Clan of Telangana start rule in Shurparak. Now the Yadav rule starts and lasts till 1071 A.D. for around 9 centuries. During this rule many Telangana Somavanshi Kshatriyas migrated to Sopara. 5) Later around 1138 A.D., King Pratap Bimba Chalukya, brother of Govardhan Bimba, of the Somavanshi Kshatriya clan from Dekkhan raids Shurparak from northern side of Vaitarana. Captures Shurparak and remakes the old city of Mahikavati i.e. Kelve Mahim. Thus Somavanshi Kshatriyas from Dekkhan starts residing in Shurparaka (Sopara), but mainly in Mahim. 6) Around 1161 A.D. Senapati Ambud, a Somavanshi Kshatriya from Gujarat, from Anhilvaad, whose lineage runs back to orissa somavanshis, tried to attack Mallikarjun Shilahaar and for this settles near Dahanuka river (Dahanu).At the same time Mohamedeans attack Anhilvaad and thus the somavanshi sena stays near Dahanuka, later called Vadval .They help Yadavs to conquer North Konkan and defeat Shilahaaras. In return Yadavs accommodate these Somavanshi kshatriyas in Dahanu. 7) Raja Bimbadev Rana in 1204 A.D. gift the Simhasan and 5 Kalashis to the Somavanshi Kshatriyas of Sopara, Mahim and Dahanu as a mark of encouragement to Kshatriyas. But the Somavanshis of Sopara, who belonged to the royal clan of Samrat Sudhanva were only allowed to carry “Panchachattris” on their heads during marriage.
Thus Vasai carried Somavanshi Kshatriyas from Utkala, Magadha, Mahishmati, Dekkhan, and Anhilvad(Gujarat).Later all these Somavanshi Kshatriya clan got united and there started the marriages between the Somavanshis of Sopara, Mahim and Dahanu. Thus now all of them are called either Somavanshis , Vadval or Panchkalshis. All of them consider Jagadguru Shankaracharya as their traditional Guru and visit Nirmal often. They worship Goddess Bhuvaneshwari Mahalakshmi or Vajrabai (Vajreshwari) or Ekvira Devi or Mahikavati Mata as their Kulaswamini. Those who worship Bhuvaneshwari Mahalakshmi belong to the Somavanshi Clan of Utkala (Orissa). Those who worship Vajreshwari Mata belong to Magadha and Anhilvad. Those who worship Ekvira Mata are descendants of Dekkhan Somavanshis belonging to Devgiri or Mungi Paithan. Those who worship Mahikavati Mata are descendants of Mahishmati’s Somavanshis.
Normally the surnames of Somavanshis are Thakur, Raut, Chaudhari, Mahapatra (Mhatre), Save (Saave) and Gharatha. These are the six important families of Somavanshi Kshatriyas. Of these Thakurs were locatedin Mahim, Rauts in Bajipur, Chaudhari’s in Sopara, Mahapatra (Mhatre) in Nirmal region, and Saave in Kelva. Later some of these clans were segregated and were named as Vartak, Patil and those who went to Mumbai region were called Churi.
These Somavanshis , consult Brahmin Purohits during the marriage. This was according to the orders given to Kshatriya clan by Bimbadev Rana in Shake 1124. (See Bimbakhyana).After the consent of Brahmins the marriage process starts. During marriage the “Varaja” (Bridegroom) sits on a Sinhasana, made of wood. The size of Sinhasana was 3.5 ft*3.5. ft. The four sides of Sinhasana were decorated by 4 Kalshis or 4 Banana branches decorated with 4 green coconuts. Beside the “Varaja” a big Banana Trunk of height around 3 feet used to be kept and on it a Coconut figure made from Banana trunk was kept as 5th Kalasha. On this kalasha “6 Kamtyas” used to be kept as the mark of 6 Surnames, 6 Villages of Somavanshis and 6 faces of Brahmachari God Kartikeya. A dome (Ghumat) was made on the Sinhasana. Thus the “Naval” used to start for the Marriage procession. Somavanshis of Sopara used “Panchachattris” also. The bridegroom used to wear “Raanav Patta” (given by Bimbadev Rana), “Veer Kankan”,and “Todar” (ornament of Feet). The bride cladded with various customary ornaments like Putala Haar, Lahaan Shiran, Vajrateek, Dole, Paashi Haar, Ketak and Gulaab Phule, Thushi, Sonyachi Kanthi and Kot, Duledi, Bormaal, Chude, Navale, Dandakade, Vaalaa, Gof, Toda and would arrive in marriage tent seated on a well decorated bullock cart. After marriage the “Varaja” gives her Mangaal Sutra and all such soubhagya alankaara including green bangles and Kimkum (Pinjar).The “Mangalsutra” is traditionally made in Somvanshi community with a gold pendent woven in a Haldi Dhaga and embedded with “Moti” and “Pachu”. At the passage of times, when the Shurparak lost to the hands of Mohamedeans and later to Portuguese, such use of Sinhasanas were thought to be useless. People felt shame to use them since they felt themselves shy to use Sinhasans who were unable to defend their region from the foreign adharmic invaders. Thus only horse was used for bridegroom in coming times. Later at the advent of Peshwa rule , Peshwas promoted Somvanshis to use Sinhasanas and till 1926 A.D. Sinhasana was used for marriage. The last marriage when Sinhasana was used was of Panduranga Bhaurav Patil” whose descendants now reside in Dadar-Mumbai.
Now this community is engaged in business of flowers, agriculture and jobs in Mumbai region. Many Somvanshi women are employed as teachers in various BMC School and Zilla Parishad Schools. The present generation has acquired higher educational qualifications and are more and more of them are preferring jobs abroad.
The prominent people of this community include Padmashri Bhausaheb Vartak and the present politician Hitendra Thakur who has been consecutively been the MLA of Vasai Taluka since last 15 years. But his work has got the praise from wider areas, though there is hardly any crime which is not charged on him.
The present new trend in Somvanshi community is that , since they are called “Panmalis”, they have started acquiring OBC Reservation facilities of the Government. But the real history shows that they were not Backward classes nor they were Economically Backward. Some Somvanshis call this politico-selfish trend of acquiring Government reservations for Job and Studies as shame on the community name.
Thus Somavanshis were customarily and historically very nice and cultured.
[edit] Sister Communities
This community shares its history with Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare (SKP) and Somvanshi Pathare Kshatriya (SPK)communities.(Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare and Somvanshi Pathare Kshatriya are two different sister communities ).This community parted from its sister community, the Pathare Prabhu on the issue of widow remarriage, which the Pathare Prabhus opposed. Somvashi Kshatriya are also found in Pratapgarh(village,pureazmersaha,vishwanathgang.) & hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh and Gonda.
