Rajapur/Balawalikar Saraswat Brahmanas,as they are known, belong to the "Pancha (five) Gauda Brahmana" groups or "Gaudadi Panchakas" as Late Rashtrakavi Manjeshwar Govind Pai opined while delivering his inaugural address during the All India Rajapur/Balawalikar Saraswats Conference held on May 20, 1956 at Bantakal, Udupi district. The Saraswats of all subsects of today are said to have originated from the Saraswath region, from the banks of river Saraswati. In Rigveda, references to river Saraswati has been frequently made in the shlokas praising the river as the most mighty river and describe her as "limitless, undeviating, shining and swift moving". But the Saraswati vanished from the region it had been flowing centuries ago, but its course has been traced. From the Himalalayan mountains, the river passed through Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh and onwards through Rajasthan and Gujarath and joined the western sea in Kutch. The Brahmanas who lived and developed their life and culture they came to be known as Saraswaths.

Even in the Puranas, it is stated that the region between the Saraswati and Drishadvati was known as Brahmavartha. In course of time the Brahmavartha (the Saraswath region) underwent several geographical changes owing to several factors like drought and famine, the Saraswathi and tributaries dried up. Some say she changed her course and got merged with the Sindhu. This caused great hardship to the inhabitants of the region. Moreover the increase in the population also caused the migration from the region and thus the Saraswath Brahmanas spread to the eastern plains of North India.

As years passed by the descendants of those Saraswats spread to other parts of our holy land and came to be known by local names. But they were certainly responsible, even in hostile local conditions, for the spread of vedic knowledge and the way of life all over the country. Even in the days of great challenge from Buddhism and Jainism in early centuries, the Saraswats did play an important role in upholding and revival of the Vedic path of life and thought. In fact, the later centuries saw a renaissance of the Great Ancient knowledge derived from the Vedas and Vedic literature and has been kept alive till now by scholars belonging to both Gaudadi Panchakas and the Dravidadi Panchakas. But here again, we should remember that the spread of Brahminism as prescribed in the holy scriptures was mainly due to the effects of Saraswat Communities that migrated to different parts of India including Gomantak and its neighbourhood.

It is learnt that a section of Saraswats who migrated to the south came through Sindh, Rajasthan, Gujarath, Kutch, Kathewad after having settlements over those regions for short periods from about 5th century as certain historical episodes and evidences postulate. Further, they moved to Gomantak by sea route since the ports in Gomantak facilitated overseas trade as well as being important trading centre. Once they settled down in Gomantak region, they must have pursued trade and agriculture in which they were experienced even in the North. Those Saraswats who were intelligent and lucky also got royal patronage and positions in governance in due course of time. But they all along kept up their ancient Vedic way of life alive wherever they had their settlements performing vedic yajna-yagas, establishing their deities temples and thus continued their cultural traditions. Gomantak region is dotted with so many Kuladevata Temples which testify about this fact. These temples were the centres of socio-cultural activities of the Saraswat Brahmanas.

In circa 1314 AD the Devagiri Hindu Kingdom which included the Gomantak region also was conquered by Delhi Musalman Rulers. Later the Musalmans invaded the Gomantak and destroyed many temples and forced the Hindus to get converted. Thereupon, it is stated yhat two Goan Saraswats - Mayin Shenai and Vasanta Madhav by name urged the Vijayanagara Bukkaraya I to help drive out the invaders whereupon the King sent an army during 1367 under leadership of Minister Madhava who drove them out and annexed the province to the Vijayanagara Empire. The Minister also helped to reconstruct the destroyed temples in Gomantak and the forcibly converted Hindus where re-converted to the Hindufold by purification.

In later years Kashmiri Saraswath Pandiths and Saraswats from other parts of North India and come to Gomantak either at the invitation of native rulers or in search of better prospects on their own. So new Agraharas were founded. But, in course of several generations, for want of gainful employments as Vedic scholars, they naturally took to agriculture, trade and other professions, mainly jobs in government departments.

It is well known to us that His Holiness Gauda Padacharya was the originator of Ashram Mutt Parampara in Goa and all the sarawats were originally Smarthas following the Smartha philosophy. Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapathi, Shakthi, Suryanarayana are the Gods called as Panchayatana being worshiped by them. The present Kavale Mutt which had been originally founded at Kushasthali where (C.740 AD) by the third "yati" H.H.Shri Shri Vivaranananda Saraswathi Swamiji's who was one of the two disciples of H.H. Shri Shri Govinda Bhagavath Padacharya, the disciple of Shrimad Poojyapada Gaudapadacharya. The other disciple of H.H. Shri. Shri. Govinda Bhagawathpadacharya was the Adi Shankara Acharya, who was blessed and initiated into Sanyas Deeksha. He propagated the adwaitha Philosophy of Gaudapadacharya throughout the length and breadth of India and founded the four Mutts at Badari, Dwaraka, Puri and Shringeri, thus starting his own parampara. The original Gaudapadacharya Math founded at Kushsthali, was destroyed during the Portuguese rule in Goa during around 1564 AD. Later it was shifted to Kaivalyapura (Kavale) in and around 1630 AD.

The Kaivalya Math has a great parampara and history. All the Saraswats that is to say, the different sub-sects, as mentioned earlier, were the followers of this ancient Math and of Rigvedi Shakala Shakheeya Ashwalayana Sutris. They were of Smartha Tradition following the Math's adwaitha philosophy. The present sub-sect-Rajapur/Balawalikar Gaud Saraswath Brahmanas were the original settlers of Gomantak and are the integral part of Saraswath Brahmanas of "Saraswat Desh" who finally came to settle down there in "Agraharas" which mean the settlements of Brahmanas not only performing religious functions and pursuing academic activities but also guiding the community in various professions. These "Agraharas" were patronized by rulers, queens and generals and also by affluent sections of the community. Scholarly brahmanas were invited to these 'agraharas' to settle down by granting them lands, excavating tanks and building temples which act was considered as bringing one merit or 'punya'. These 'Agraharas' were situated amidst a cluster of villages to serve the people. No wonder Saraswat Brahmanas who were intelligent and scholars were also assigned governmental functions and others who were enterprising engaged themselves in trade, agriculture with the Satavahanas, Kadambas of Goan branch, down to Vijaynagar rulers and their subordinates. Thus many became ministers, Desais, Kulakarnis, Nadkarnies, village accountants (Shenais), Clerks, army generals and lesser officials in the army and some even became the heads of administration. Thus, it is believed that certain surnames of the Saraswat Brahmanas like Prabhu, Kamath, Nayak, Desai, Kulkarni, Nadkarni, Shenai etc. indicate their professional career names.

As noted earlier the Kingdom of Devagiri which included the Gomantak province also was ravaged and devastated by Delhi Khilji Sultans. In 1314 AD Gomantak came under the rule of the Musalmans. Then the Saraswats and Hindus had to face many a threat and danger to their very existence. From 1352 to 1366 AD Gomantak was under the Khilji Rule. In 1355, during Al-Uddin Khilji's son, Muhammad Shan I's rule Goa lost many beautiful temples by destruction. The main temple of Goa, Sapta Koteshwara was destroyed and the image of the Deity was cast away into morass. Besides, he oppressed the people inhumanly and forcibly converted them to Islam. Hence, to avoid these insults and religious persecution several Saraswat families fled secretly to neighbourhood Kingdom of Sonde; some others to Canara District and even to far off Kochi in Malabar Coast in order that they could save their life Dharma and Culture carrying with them the images of their worshipped deities. Some other Saraswat families fled to northern Kudal desh in Ratnagiri district (Maharashtra) and settled down in Lotli, Bardesh, Pedne, Rajapur, Balavali, Malwan, Vengurla etc. Naturally, with this exodus to distant areas and settling there, they lost contacts among themselves due to lack of communication facilities which in due course led to estrangement. In course of time, they came to be known by prefixing their new locality names and the subsequent generations could not identify themselves with different denominations.

Another important factor for estrangement among groups of Saraswats was that a change in Sampradaya of a sizable section of the Saraswath Community from the beginning of 14th century, from Smaartha Adwaitha sampradaya to that of Vaishnava Dwaitha Sampradaya of Acharya Madhwa. This incident did have its own impact on the cohesion and stability of the community and contributed in no small measure for bitter feelings in those orthodox times.

Later in the 16th Century AD Goan port Agoda was captured by the Portuguese general Alfonso Albuquerque on 26-2-1510 to be exact, following the death of Adil Shah ruler of Bijapur. The Goan island, Marmagoa and a part of Sasashti was occupied by them easily. But Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur, the successor drove Albu-querque on 14-5-1510 out of Goa. Finally Albuquerque returned with a bigger army and defeated Adil Shah and occupied the whole of Goa region. Thus the Portuguese rule was established there. Later he secured the permission of the Vijayanagara King Krishnadevaraya after promising the latter that he would respect the Hindu Traditions and the Brahmanas and that he would not resort to destruction of the temples and would respect the Hindu Kings etc. And it seems he kept up his word by issuing an edict to that effect.
But Albuquerque's successor governors did not live upto his work. Though Gomantak prospered owing to flourishing overseas trade, the Hindus, Saraswat brahmanas suffered untold miseries due to religious persecution. Hindu religious functions were banned, young unmarried girls were forcibly married to the Portuguese, beautiful and famous temples at Kelosi, Kushasthali (Mangesh, Shantadurga) and the Gauda Padacharya Math were razed to ground in about 1560 AD. The sacred books were burnt down and Konkani was banned. The Portuguese language was introduced, churches were built in place of temples destroyed earlier. Forced conversions to Christianity took place with the introduction of Inquisition in 1560 AD.
All this and more caused the Saraswat Brahmanas to flee from intolerable Portuguese Goa in groups to nearby Sonde, and towards north of Gomantak like Kudal, Sawanthwadi, Rajapur, Balawali, Ratnagiri and some even took shelter in Vijayanagar Kingdom as well as to the south and north Cannara coastal regions. Thus the Kelosi and Kushasthali Brahmanas came to settle down in new environments. All these events further led to new settlements of Saraswats and later to their prosperity in specific cases.

As noted earlier, the Saraswath Brahmanas, who are descendants of Saraswat Muni ancient brahmana tribe and original inhabitants of north-west of India on the banks of the famous Saraswati river, now vanished and centuries later they migrated to the south and finally their Agrahara settlements in Gomantak in the Konkan region of the west coast. They were according to Skanda Purana (Sahyadri Khanda Uttarardha), called Gauda Brahmanas since they had lived north of the Vindhyas. All of them who migrated to south at different periods in various groups, probably from different parts of North India, were called "Gauda Saraswath Brahmanas" and were one community of common traditions.

It is believed that owing to various factors, some of which are out-lined above in brief, were responsible for disintegration and it seems that from about the end of AD 14th century, nearly 7 distinet groups came into being and were known by their new locality names prefixing. They are: 1) Shenavi and Sasashtikars 2) Shenavi Paiki 3) Bardeshkars 4) Pednekars 5) Rajapur-Bhalawalikars 6) Lotlikars and 7) Kudaldeshkars. All of these are described as "Gaud saraswats" in every Rayasa issued by our Swamijis while they were an integrated community in Goa (Saraswat families Book I by S.S.Talamakki Page 22). It follows that Rajapur-Bhalavalikar Saraswat Brahmanas are one of the seven important Goa Gaud Saraswat Brahamanas and all the sub-sects belong to the same origin engaged in "Shat Karmas".

They are the Saraswats who had migrated from Gomantak to Rajapur Taluka of Ratnagiri District. The descendants of today have their surnames (Aad Nam) like Bandivadekar, Madkaikar, Borkar, Sakhalkar, Haldwanekar, Chimbalkar, Navelkar, Marathe, Lotlikar, Salwankar, Karlekar, Burake, Bhagav, Tendulkar, Patkar, Juvale, Dhonde, Shinkar, Shendre, Bokade, Takur, Gawade, Potkar, Askekar, Shenai, Gavalkar, Shembekar, Lanjolkar etc. which are the original local village names of Gomantak found there. Owing to a variety of causes like Muslim and Portuguese oppressions and persecutions and also internal squabbles, they must have left their Gomantak villages for Ratnagiri district and came to settle down in Rajapur Taluka. Rajapur is a town and Bhalavali is a village about 24 kms. from Rajapur town. The town was then a port and business centre. Some families took up agriculture and some others who stayed in the town became traders. When, in course of time, they spread to 22 other areas in the neighbourhood they came to acquire the name "Bavees Gaonchi Gadi". But their centre of "Koodugattu: was Bhalavali litself. In this region the Rajapur-Bhalavalikar Saraswats continued their Smartha tradition and established temples of their Kuladevathas at Sakalkarwadi near Rajapur Town (Mukhyaprana), Kodvali village (Datta Mandir) which is very beautiful. The Gajanana Mandir is another important and beautiful temple situated 24 kms. away from Rajapur Town. The famous Shrine Nava Durge Temple at Bhalavali is an ancient temple administered by Rajapur/Bhalavalikar Saraswat Brahmanas. The other temples at Bhalavali are Shri Ravalanath, Shri Lakshmi-Madhav, Shri Bhagavathi which are worshiped and maintained by these Saraswats.

At present, these Saraswats are well educated and have settled down in other parts of Maharashtra as well, including Pune, Mumbai, Thana, Dombivili, Kohlapur and are seen in every walk of life. This indicates their advancement in modern times.

From Rajapur-Bhalavali region, perhaps took place from the latter half of the 17th century, owing to frequent battles between Bijapur Adil Shah's sub-ordinates and the Marathas. Maratha Sawants of Mango were also in rebellion against their masters. Finally, they conquered the Kudal kingdom around 1697 AD after killing Narayana Prabhu desai, and made Sawanthwadi as their capital. During the rule of Maratha sawants Kudal Deshkars and their accomplices were serverly insulted and troubled by imposing restraints and special levies called Bammondand. Some of the Rajapur-Bhalavalikar Saraswats were then occupying governmental positions under the Desai as also in his armies. Following the political turmoil it is presumed, that a few families of the Rajapur-Bhalavalikar Saraswats had migrated to Dakshina Kannada District through the river that flows by the side of Rajapur Town and then by sea route according to Prof. D.P.Nayak - M.A. (Columbia) in his book "Kudaldeshkars" - Part 3. Since Rajapur was a commercial centre and coastal town, several of them must have been traders and had some definite information about this coastal region and that is why they chose to come down here. While migrating they had left behind all their belongings and property except their worshipful Kuladevatha images. Thus in the new region, they took shelter in Udupi, Karkala, Mangalore, Sullia, Buntwal, Puttur and Kasargod Taluks once they reached Hungarcutta, Malpe, Manjeshwar, Mangalore etc. ports.

Agriculture was the main occupation in those days and no wonder they had to be settled down on the vast uncultivated lands of the big land-lords, Maths, temples and others in different parts of the district. In the task of making the tracts of land cultivable, the Marathi tribals who had also migrated along with them, were of immense help. But the pity is that they were all tenants of the local land-lords who used to raise frequently their share of yields, called "geni" in their greediness. Thus their economic condition never improved for many years, despite their hard work and earnestness. This community had to struggle for eking out a living for a long time till the beginning of 2oth century, with the result, they could not make much progress in terms of education, trade and commerce etc., and majority remained poor. Yet they had not forgotten their religious customs and traditions which the forefathers used to follow in their earlier settlements for ages.

Despite the trials and tribulations, they had undergone in the new environments they kept up shodasha samskaras and smaartha sampradaya through Karhad Deshashth Brahamanas who had also migrated along the same period to Dakshina Kannada.

Rajapur-Bhalavalikar Saraswats are of 10 gothras, namely 1) Bharadwaja 2) Gauthama 3) Athri 4) Kashyapa 5) Vasishta 6) Vathsa 7) Kaundinya 8) Dhananjaya 9) Kaushika and 10) Jamadagni.

There are 66 Upanamas (surnames), all of them are not found in Dakshina Kannada District, but those found are mentioned in this paper earlier.

Mangesh, Nagesh, Mahalaxmi, Shantheri-Kamakshi, Ramanath, Navadurga, Sapta Kotishwara, Mahamayee, Lakshmi Ravalanath, Damodar, Ganapathi, Gajanan, Lakshmi Narasimha, Bhagavathi etc.

We speak Rajapur Konkani which is a slight variation of Gomantak Konkani. It has a few local Marathi words interspersed. This has ben due to local regional influence from where we had migrated. Even here is Kanara Districts we find the influence of local languages like Kannada on Konkani. This has been the case in other sub-sects as well. In a way, there are regional differences in accent and meanings in usage among the sub-sects of Saraswaths who speak the Konkani language in various parts. But this should not come in the way of mutual understanding and mutual respect among the sub-sects. For such differences do exist and persist. Though a common Konkani language may be desired, it waits for evolution over years ahead. Yet the need of the hour is to bring about emotional integration among the Saraswats on an equal footing so that the noble objects envisaged by AISCO can be brought to bear upon and fulfilled in due course of time.

Our sub-sect has been striving to make progress facing many problems and challenges of modern times. Our youths, in spite of backward rural conditions in which they live mostly, are certainly intelligent, honest and hard working to make way through, given proper encouragement, financial assistance and motivation. But a word of caution. Mere pursuit of modern education and entering into different walks of life, howsoever important it be "The traditional Saraswat inclination to altneism and social service as a process of Dharma" should not be overlooked.

The younger generations need to be inculcated to know and practice the traditional Vedic values of life in its true perspective lest they may lose interest in our culture heritage vis-a-vis western distractions. They should not be allowed to degenerate into mere ritualistic activities, but to be the torch-bearers of on-going process.

With the blessings and guidance of Revered Swamiji, H.H.Shri. Sachidanand Saraswathi Maharaj of Kavale Math, and his Patta Shishya Swamiji Shri Shivananda Saraswathi Maharaj our samaj will be further consolidated and, we hope, we will be able to contribute to continued progress and prosperity and to enrich the Saraswat Culture in the years to come. We beseech the blessings of Revered Swamiji of Kavale, Chitrapur, Kashi and Parthgali Maths and place our Pranams on their lotus feet.