What is "Goud Saraswat Brahmin" means

Goud Saraswat Brahmin

Goud (also written as Gowd or Gaud) Saraswat Brahmins are a Konkani or Marathi speaking Hindu Brahmin community in India and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community. They are popularly referred to as GSBs.

History

Saraswats are people of Aryan descent who settled on the banks of the Saraswati River. The river eventually dried up and this led to the migration of the Saraswats from the plains of northern India. Though the exact dates of this migration are unknown, the Rig Veda eulogises the river Saraswati as being huge. It is believed that Lord Parshuram, a Brahmin, also counted as an avatar of Lord Vishnu brought the Saraswats from the northern Indian plains to Goa for the purpose of religious functions.
 
Lord Parshuram with Saraswat brahmin settlers commanding Lord Varuna to make the seas recede to make the Konkan .
96 families of the Goud (meaning northern) Saraswats came to the southern half of India and hence carried the appellation of 'northern' in the form of the word Goud. In view of the 96 families who formed 96 settlements in Goa - Sasashti (66) (Salcette) + Tissuari (30) (Tiswadi), they were also called Shenoy or sinai or shenvis. There were further settlements in Baradesh (12 settlements) (Bardez), Goa.
The Gowd Saraswats have built many temples in Goa like the Ramnathi temple in Loutolim, and the Mangueshi and Shantadurga temples in Kushasthali and Quellosim along with people from the other Hindu castes. Muslim invasions in the 14th century disrupted their peaceful existence. However, peace was regained when Goa came under the sway of the Hindu Vijaynagar kingdom. This period lasted for about 150 years, until the first European settlers, the Portuguese, landed on India's western coast. The Portuguese, for religious and political motives annexed Goa in 1510. During the Portuguese rule, due to forced conversions to Christianity and extreme oppression by the Jesuits and the Franciscans, the Gowd Saraswats along with their kunbi and gavde Hindu brethren fled to the Canara (in Karnataka), Kerala and Maharashtra. The temples of the Saraswats were destroyed by the Portuguese; however, some courageous people carried the idols of their deities across the Agranashini river (Zuari) into the territory of the Sonde Rajas. Here, they were slowly rebuilt. The Portuguese eventually took over these territories of Antruz Mahal, but their religious zeal had weakened and the temples stood firm.
The Gowd Saraswats have sub-communities such as the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmins, who were Saraswats from the villages of Kushasthali and Quellossim in Goa. They follow the Chitrapur Mutt. Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins/Balavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmins from Rajapur and Balavali village who follow the Kavle Mutt (Ponda, Goa), they are spread over coastal Karnataka, Coorg and Kasaragod taluk in Kerala.
The Gowd Saraswats consider Konkani and sometimes Marathi as their mother tongue, though their generations of sojourn in Karnataka (Kannada) and Kerala (Malayalam) have made them fluent in the major languages of their adopted provinces.
There are many GSB families in Maharashtra [migrated from Goa during Portuguese rule in the 16th century] scattered across the Konkan and all the other major cities - who have "Marathi" and/or "Malwani/Vengurla Konkani"as their mother tongue. GSBs from the southern Konkan region of Maharashtra can, in addition to their mother-tongue Marathi, speak very fluent Malwani Konkani, while those from north Konkan and non-Konkan regions speak only Marathi. Maharashtra has the maximum number of Marathi-speaking GSB's. GSBs from Goa consider Konkani as their true mother-tongue.

The sub-sects of the Goud Saraswats

1. Shenavi and Sasashtikars [Rajadhyaksha,Gavaskar,Ginde,Satoskar,etc]

2.  Shenavi Paiki

3.  Bardeshkars [Vengsarkar,Asgaonkar,etc]

4. Pednekars

5.  Lotlikars

6.  Kudaldeshkar Adya Gaud Brahmins(Ajgaonkar, Khanolkar,Samant, Bawkar, Desai,dabholkar....etc.)

7.  Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins/Bhalavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmins[Sakhalkar, Tendulkar,...etc]

Rajapur-Bhalavalikars call themselves RSB's. Kudaldeshkars call themselves Kudaldeshkar Brahmins.

GSB Mutts

•  Sri Goudapadacharya Kavale Mutt (Kavlem, Goa)

•  Sri Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Mutt (Partagali, Poinginim (Canacona Taluka, Goa); Gokarn, in Karnataka)

•  Sri Chitrapur Mutt (Chitrapur, Bhatkal, Karnataka)

•  Sri Kashi Mutt (Varanasi,Uttar Pradesh)

kudaldeshkar community have their Mutt in dabholi in vengurla.

GSBs in Pune

Many GSBs migrated to Pune during period of Maratha rule. They even established a large settlement colony at Somwar Peth in Pune which is known as the Saraswat colony. During the period of British colonial rule, Pune became a major center of education, military and administration of the Deccan (Desh) region. Many GSBs played a role in the transformation of City which is evident from institutions such as the BORI founded by Prof. Bhandarkar, the newspaper Sakal by Dr. Parulekar. Many GSBs in Pune at that time were hailed from Kolhapur district of south Maharastra and Northern Karnakata,which is nothing but the "Desh" region thus, the British counted them as "Deshastha bramhins" in the census of 1885.

Present

There are about 340,000 GSBs in India and all over the world. The GSB population is declining due to a high number of marriages outside the community as well as emigration have led to this decline.

Surnames

GSB Surnames include

•  Acharya

•  Ajgaonkar

•  Akerkar

•  Asgaonkar

•  Bale/Baliga

•  Bhadri

• Bhagat

•  Bhandarkar

•  Bhandare

•  Bhandary

•  Bhat

•  Bhaktha

•  Bhende

•  Bhise

•  Bhobe

•  Bhujle

•  Chitnis

•  Deshpande

•  Desai

•  Diwadkar

•  Dubhashi

•  Galvankar

•  Gavaskar

•  Gangokar

•  Ghanekar

•  Ghotage

•  Gole/Goli/Goli-Shanbhag

•  Gude

•  Hegde

•  Joshi

•  Kaisare

•  Kamat(h)

•  Kaamat

•  Kakodkar

•  Kanvinde

•  Kaplish

•  Karande

•  Karnataki

•  Kasbekar

•  Kotnis

•  Kudva

•  Kulkarni

•  Kini

•  Laud/Lad/Laad

•  Mathkar

•  Mhalsekar

•  Mallya/Mahale

•  Mulgaonkar/ Mulgaokar

•  Muzumdar

•  Nabar

•  Nadkarni

•  Neurekar

•  Nevrekar

•  Nerurkar

•  Nayak

•  Padiyar

•  Padukone

•  Pai

•  Pai Angle

•  Palekar

•  Prabhu

•  Prabhudesai

•  Phene

•  Puranik

•  Rajadhyaksha

•  Rao

•  Rege

•  Sonde

•  Sabnis

•  Salgaonkar

•  Samant

•  Sambari

•  Sanzgiri

•  Saraf*

•  Sardesai

•  Shanbhag/Shenoy

•  Senai

•  Shenvi

• Shenoy 
• Shetye

•  Shinkar

•  Shirodkar

•  Sinari

•  Sukhtankar

•  Telang/Patil

•  Tendulkar

•  Usgaonkar/Usgaokar

•  Wagh

•  Wagle

•  Warty*

•  Zantye

Famous GSBs

•  K. V. Kamath - Ex. CEO, ICICI Bank

•  Dr. Vijay Mallya - Chairman, United Breweries/ Kingfisher Airlines

•  Shrimati.Shirish Atre-Pai Marathi writer (GSB by marriage - she is Deshastha from her paternal side, daughter of Acharya Atre)

•  Dilip Prabhavalkar

•  Madhur Bhandarkar

•  Nandan Nilekani - co-chairman and co-founder of Infosys Technologies Ltd.

•  Dr. M. V. Bhatt - world-renowned organic chemist (retd.) from the Indian Institute of Science

•  P L Deshpande - most popular Marathi author

•  Sunil Gavaskar - legendary batsman and cricket captain

•  Ashok Saraf - popular Marathi cinema actor

•  Gurudas Kamat - Mumbai Indian National Congress politician, & Minister of State, GOI 

•  Guru Dutt - famous hindi film star was born Gurudutt Padukone. He dropped his surname in films

•  Suresh Prabhu - Shiv Sena leader, former Power Minister

•  Vitthal Mallya - father of Vijay Mallya

•  Dr. M. V. Kamath - Indian journalist, editor and columnist

•  V. S. Kudva

•  Mr. Alke Shantharam Pai - philanthropist, communist politician

•  Dr. T. M. A. Pai - educationist, banker, huminatarian, founder of Manipal Group

•  N.K.Shinkar - Former Chairman Life Insurance Corporation of India

•  U Srinivas Mallya - Indian politician and Member of Parliament

•  Ulhas R. Padiyar

•  Amol Palekar

•  C.T. Khanolkar - popular Marathi poet from Vengurla

•  Dilip Vengsarkar

•  Purushottam Shivram Rege - Marathi poet, author & educationalist

•  Dadasaheb Rege

•  Madhav Mantri

•  Shyam Benegal

•  Late Bipin Warty- actor/producer of Marathi movies

•  Priya Tendulkar-Razdan

•  Prakash Padukone Famous badminton player

•  Meena Prabhu - noted Marathi writer

•  Rashtrakavi M. Govinda Pai(KB)

•  Ammembal Subba Rao Pai - founder of Canara bank and Canara group of academia

•  Dr V A Pai Panandiker - founder of Inter National Centre Delhi and Goa)

•  Kotacheri Manmohan Shenoi - Chairman UCo Bank 1986-1990)

•  Shri R V Deshpande - former Karnataka Minister)

•  Late Bantwal Srinivasa Dayanand Baliga (BSD Baliga) - former Chairman Railway Board

•  Shobha De nee Rajadhyaksha

•  Dr. T Ramdas M Pai - son of Dr. TMA Pai, founder of Manipal

•  Sachin Tendulkar

•  Late Shri Ramdas Nayak

•  Kamalakar Rajaram Rege (K.R.Rege)- A scholar graduate of J.J.Architecture in 1952- went to London on govt.scholarship in Town Planning and RIBA. Worked on many prestigious architectural projects. One of the last remaining architect from the 'Old School of thoughts'.

History
Brahmins of India were divided into two sections, "Pancha Gowda" and "Pancha Dravida". Saraswats belong to the "Pancha Gowda" category.

Kuldevs of GSBs

Normally Saraswats believe in the concept of "Panchayatan" - worshipping 5 gods like form of Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, Surya and Ganapati. Some GSB Temples still maintain this concept, while others have a single deity instead of five. "Kuldev" or "kuldaivat" are the deities which a set of families primarily worship. Their temples are built and maintained by these families, also called "Mahajans" (or Kulavis) of their respective temple.
Many Kuldevs/Kuldevatas are situated in Goa. However, during the early Portuguese persecutions, many GSBs and Saraswats fled Goa along with their Kuldevs to nearby regions of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. Hence, besides Goa, there are many GSB Temples in Karnataka (South & North Canara), in Maharashtra (Konkan side like Malwan, Vengurla, Savantwadi, Kudal, Ratnagiri, etc.), in Kerala (Purakkad, Cochi, etc.).
The Popular kuldevs of Gouda Saraswats are:
Kuldevtas located in Goa:

•  Shri Mangesh Mahalakshmi,Ponda,Goa

•  Shri Mangesh Maharudra (Mangeshim/Priyol, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Shantadurga (Kavalem, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Navadurga (Madkai, Goa)

•  Shri Mahalakshmi (Bandiwadem/Bandora, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Nagesh Maharudra (Nageshim, Bandiwadem/Bandora, Ponda Goa)

•  Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Mardhol, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Ganapati Khandola (Khandola, Goa)

•  Shri Kaveri Kamakshi Rayeshwar (Shiroda, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Ramnath Shanteri Kamakshi (Ramnathim, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Shantadurga Ravalnath (Mulgaon, Goa)

•  Shri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath Bhumikadeo (Marcela, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Lakshmi Narsimha (Veilinga, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Damodar (Zambavalim, Goa)

•  Shri Shankleswari Shantadurga (Gotna, Veiling, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Vijayadurga (Kerim, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Saptakoteshwar (Narve, Goa)

•  Shri Ravalnath Mahalakshmi (Mulgao, Goa)

•  Shri Laxminarayan (Khola, Canacona)

•  Shri Navadurga (Kundaim, Goa)

•  Shri Navadurga ( Poinguineim, Goa)

•  Shri Navadurga (Bori, Goa)

Kuldevtas located in Maharashtra:

•  Shri Navadurga (Vengurla, Redi, Maharashtra){shifted from Goa during Portuguese rule}

•  Shri Shantadurga, Malwan, Maharashtra

•  Shri Shantadurga, Sawantwadi, Maharashtra

Kuldevtas located in Karnataka:

•  Shri Kundodari Mahamaya Chamundeshwari (Shedgeri, Ankola, Karnataka)

•  Shri Aryadurga (Ankola, Karnataka)

•  Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mahamaya also known as Nagoa Mahamaya (Ankola, Karnataka)

•  Shri Ganapati Mahamaya (Shirali, Karnataka)

•  Shri Katyayni Bhaneshwar (Aversa, Karnataka)

•  Shri Ganapati Ravalnath Mahamaya (Asnoti, Karnataka)

Shifted Kuldevta Temples during the Portuguese rule:

•  Shri Ramnath Shanteri Kamakshi (Kumta, Karnataka)

•  Shri Kaveri Kamakshi Rayeshwar (Kumta, Karnataka)

•  Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Kumta, Karnataka)

•  Shri Shri Lakshmi Narsimha (Moolki, Karnataka)

•  Shri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath (Kagal, Karnataka)

•  Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Moodabidri, Karnataka)

The above Kuldevtas are of the Shenavi, Bardeshkars, Sasashtikars, Pednekars, Shenavi Paiki, Lotlikars and of the Goud Brahmins of Karnataka.
The Kudaldeshkar & Rajpur Saraswats Kuldevtas are different than those of the above:

•  Shri Sharvani-Mahadev Maharudra Vetal (Goa)

•  Shri Ravalnath (Valawal, Kudal)

•  Shri Vetal or Vetoba (Goa Canacona Taluka & Maharashtra)

•  Shri Kaleshwar (Nerur, Sindhudurg Dist, Maharashtra)

•  Shri Aadinarayan (Parule, Taluka Vengurla, Maharashtra)

•  Shri Narasimha (Narasinghe, Karnataka)

•  Shri Bhavani-Shankar (Kavle Mutt, Goa)

•  Shri Durgaparameshwari (Montimaru, Karnataka)

•  Shri Durgaparameshwari (Bantakal, Karnataka)

•  Shri Durgaparameshwari (Mogeru, Karnataka)

•  Shri Adishakti Mahalaxmi (Laxmipura, Karnataka)

•  Shri Bhagvati Vana devi (Goa)

•  Shri Aryadurga (Kudal, Maharashtra)

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