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Ambalal Bulakhiram Jani has published details of the hand written manuscript of Forbes Gujarati Sabha of Ahmedabad. Some excerpts of the same are noted below:
‘this village was settled by Patidars and Garasias about five hundred years ago. Garasias were given some lands by the Patidars but on an occurrence of a fraud, garasias were driven out of the town. At Chaklashi Bhagol, Baroda’s Khanderao Gaekwad Sirkar signed the documents in Samvat1829 (on land documents) when land tax was raised, the total of the town used to amount Rs.26275.
expenditure of the temples and their upkeep is government’s responsibility. There used to be 5000 households in the town. At present this number seems to have gone up to 7521, out of which 1183 houses are of Brahmins, 1403 of Banias, 1621 of Patidars, and 3314 of Vasvais and other communities. It is understood from the dates written on the papers accompanying this documents that the date of this document may have been Samvat 1910.
Lotia Vora ni Bari
‘Kakarkhad ni bari’, located in front of the Dahi laxmi library was known as lotia vora ni bari in the past. Members of the Lotia Vora community lived here hence the name. There is a mosque too fill date. Banias and other community lived to the west of this ‘10’ shamaldas built houses where stood Ranchodbhai Vallabhbhai’s house during his ‘Amingiri’.
Where does the name Kakarkhad come from?
Once a royal camel was walking on the road where ‘Kakarkhad’ is today. There used to be a ditch there. The earth in the ditch used by slippery and oily. This ditch used to be outside the village. There was not much settlement then there. The camel’s foot slipped near the ditch and the beast’s leg was either dislocated or broken.
There were no dispensaries for animals those days. The camel just sat there as people went away with goods. The camel’s name was ‘Kakar’ and hence ‘Kakarkhad’. Kakar had died there without medicines. Vohras had settled in Kakarkhad, there was a Vohravad there. Other story has it that ‘kokas’ decendents had settled here hence the name ‘Kokakhad’ of ‘Kakarkhad’.
A note concerning Jetsi’s descendents
The lawyer of Kochatvaga, Govindbhai Ranchodbhai Patel has provided us with the following details: ‘Jetsi Patel came from Adalaj in samvat 1451 and settled first in ‘Bokad kyari’ in this area. After a while he settled at Kanipara near Kakarkhad. It is not known as to how long he may have stayed in that area but afterwards he is said to have come to live at today’s Amdavadi bhagoil.
His descendents went on to live in different places and ‘Bhagols’. Koka, the eldest son had three sons : Karamshi, Ramshi and Dharamshi. Ramshi went towards Satara and the other two stayed on in the same area of Nadiad. As this place was at a lower level, the name Kakarkhad was given to it. According to the information received from Bavaji Venibhai, to the north of this place Brahmins lived; to the south lived Vohras; to the east lived Shrimali Banias and to the west lived Sathodara and Vanias lived.
Family of Dharamshi
The family of the third son stayed on at the original place. There is a document in Sanskrit written in samvat1663 to validate a long transaction by Dharmshi family. As the descendants of Koka had settled in this area, this is known as ‘koka no bhag’ (kota’s share in land) which got perverted in to ‘Kochatvago’ to this day. A part of this was made into a trust that has a garden for growing flowers for the lord of Hatkeshwar Mahadev in Kochtvaga. (Samvat 1902 document date)
Ram Talavadi
Koka’s descendent ram too had settled in Kakarkhad. The lake road to Dabhan is ‘Ram Talavadi’ ( talavadi is a lake in Gujarati) after his name.
Bhoja Talavadi Bhoja Nar
Bhojaji was one of the sons of ram. The lake at Amdavadi Bhagol on the road to Biladara is called ‘Bhojani Talavdi’ after him. There also is Bhoja ni nar..
Manorbhai ni Khadki
On the fourth generation after Karamshi was. Ram had three sons : Galu, Varsad and Bhoj. Ram was the first to have come to settle in Kokrakhad area. Galu had five sons : Sango, Haridas, Valo, Narsang and Dungar. Suro Patel was at the fifth generation from the first son Sango. Dungar’s tenth generation is that of Manoradas. Thus Dungar’s descendants are the Patidars of the ‘khadki’. The above information was ascertained by seeing the signed document to this effect by Barot Himmatlal Kuvarji.
Brahmpol
Shamaldas, the son of Kakarkhad’s Vallabhdas Vaghji had gifted a plot of land Barots and Brahmin to settle. This is known as Brahmpol because Barots and Brahmins settled here.
Rankdeshwar Mahadev
Shamaldas’s son Ajubhai Shamaldas had constructed Ajuparu at Pij Bhagol ( Pj boarder of Nadiad)and also built Rankdeshwar Mahadev.
Lakhawad and nana Kumbhanath
On the eleventh generation of Jetsi wasLlakho Patel. Lakha Patel’s father was Varno Patel. It is guessed that Lakha Patel was living in Samvat 1630. Because signature of one of his sons kisabhai on a document exists. It is also apparent that Lakha Patel was a rich man. He had established small Kumbhnath temple. Lakha Patel was a contemporary of Govind Patel’s father Sura Patel Narandas Patel’s father Mahidas to was a contemporary of Lakha Patel.
Kandhalno narva
Jetsi Patel’s son Kandhal’s name is responsible for an area known as ‘kandhal no narva’. Documents 150-200 years old have seen writing on them. It is clear from this that ‘narva’ is known in Nadiad for almost 700 years.
Hirji pati and Santram vav
On the fourth generation from Jetsi in the Kelabhai branch and in today’s hirji pati’s ancestor. Boghbhai is said to have built ‘santram vav’. This ‘vav’ is responsible for providing waters to the Undeval lake.
Vishwakarma temple
Vishwakarma temple has been built recently in the ‘suthar dharmshala’ near Santram Mandir. The land of the ‘dharmshala ‘ ( a guest house) belonged to Ratanji Pati originally. Documents mention sanctions of various people.
Harakhjini Haveli
There is a ‘dahelu’ called ‘divankhana’ near the Narayandev temple. This ‘divankhanu’ is known as ‘Kahandasnu divankhanu’. Kahandas was a contemporary of Kakarkhad’s Ajubhai and Shamaldas as also of Desaivago’s Shankardas Desai. Harkhji Patel was the ancestor of Kahandas. The solid foundation, steps, small verandahs, water tanks and pillars of these buildings can be seen even today.
The area of Harakhji’s haveli extended all the way to the temple. Harakhj’s Haveli (grand house) was six storied in height; one can imagine its grandeur even by seeing the dilapidated remains of today. There used to be an underground cellar; it still exists. Woodwork done in the rooms is worth seeing. This Haveli must have been quite a place when it was in its prime.
Diamond trade
Harakhji Patel and Thamna’s Devji both dealt in diamonds at ‘zanna panna’ ( In modern M.P.?) He had amassed a great wealth out of which the haveli was made. He had married a woman in’ zanna panna’ and had children through her. The women is said to have killed Harakhji by poisoning as she was afraid that her children would not get their due. It is said that his descendants are still there in ‘zanna panna’. His sons had expressed desire to come to Nadiad and distribute gold utensils if re- admitted to the caste. Their request was not granted.
Devji’s haveli
Thamna’s Devji Patel too made a lot of wealth in ‘zanna panna’. He made three Havelis : one in Thamna, second in Dave ‘pol’ (In Nadiad) and the third in Umreth. Servants whose eyes were covered by devji patel hid his wealth in the grounds of his haveli.
Ghela Jani
One hundred and seventy five years age (from today 1925 AD) a nagar gentleman by the name Ghela Jani used to live at Kansarwad. He was a millionaire. Apparently generous to a fault, the proverb in Gujarati ‘Ghela ghee kha’ comes from his lavish lifestyle.
Nagar banker Keshavram
One famous Nagar banker by the name of Keshavram lived around Samvat 1812-13 in Nadiad. He was a contemporary of Sharaf Shankar Bada. He was banker to the Gaekwad too. He was the banker of the local Desai families which is why his name is seen in the documents of the period. He had helped the Gaekwad of Kadi at crucial time.
Hiding place of Malhavrao Gaekwad
When Kadi’s Malhavrao Gaekwad was about to be caught, he had hidden himself in the house of Achabhai Varajbhai’s house that stood near the house of Popatlal Yagnik.
Temple of Kalkamata
Vaghji Shamaldas bin savdas had built the temple of Kalkamata at Chaklashi Bhagol in Samvat 1798. there is an inscription to this effect on the gate of the lake near the temple. The left side of the inscription is destroyed therefore on the right side a copy of the same is inscribed.
Kuzadino havado
On his return from Kashi Lakha Patel had built the ‘havado’ (a place to save water for animals) and a well in Ranibag. This came in to the hands of a Khedawal over the years. Later on it came to the municipality.
Haveli of Shree Goswamiji
In Samvat 1928 in the month of vaishakh(may), balkrishna was brought on foot from Kota in Rajasthan?) and via Salun bazaar, accompanied by music, the idol was brought to the temple in the morning.
Chappan bhog in Nadiad
There was a ceremony of’ chappan bhog’ ( lavish food offerings to the God) in Samvat 1937 spring in the time of Vrajratanlalji. People had come from all over the area and villages had come to view this ceremony. Though the crowd was huge, the ceremony had concluded without any accident.
Temple of Goswami and Haveli of ‘saat’ Swarup
Goswami temple and ‘saat swarup’ Haveli both were constructed in Samvat 1920-28. The temple was gifted the land of the Haveli by Viharidas Desai on the occasion of birth of a son (Purshottam). Both these buildings were built by public funds and especially due to the efforts of one Narsinhbawa. The present Acharya of the temple follows the tradition of Harrayji.
Rupaji Meghjini Pol
Rupaji Meghji was a rich man. He used to have a horse –car for himself and family. Today, Brahmin ‘falia’ ( a residential enclosure in which there may be one or more houses) is located in the Shankardas Desai’s Khadki was known as Rupaji Meghjini Pol.
Sathodara Nagar Malji and Kantharia chaklu ( chaklu is a place or a small cross roads)
There used to be a Sathodara Nagar called Malji. He had settled Kantharia chaklu. In Narmada Shankar’s poem, Malji is referred to as a warrior.
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