Vandhay

Vandhay or Vandhai is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat. It is 59.6 km from Bhuj, district and taluka headquarters.[1]

It is a very small village with a population of around 350 people and about 70 houses.[2] The nearest big villages are Deshalpar and Jaypar.

Nearby towns are Anjar (39.5 km), Nakhatrana (43.5 km), Mundra (47.6 km), Gandhidham (54.8 km) and Bhuj (59.6 km).

However, this village has religious significance for many Hindu communities of Kutch as the Ashrams of one of the famous saint of Kutch Sant Shri Odhavramji is located here. Odhavramji started the first Gurukul of Kutch, named Ishwarramji Gurukul, in year 1937 and Blind School in 1938 both of which are in the village.[3]

Also the Gadi of Ramanandi sect headed by Sadhu Val Dasji, a contemporary of Sant Garib Dasji of Kukma of same sect is here.[4] The asharam is also known as Valaram Jhupdi. Jhupdi means a hut, as the Sadhu Val Dasji also known as Valaram used to stay in a hut. This place is in the outskirts of the village near the pond and there is a Rama temple near his hut.

Many people of Kutch belonging to communities like Bhanushali, Patidar, Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya and others like Ahirs, Sorathias and Rabari worship as their Gurus, the Sant Odhavramji (who followed Harihar Parampara[3] of Haridwar ) and Sadhu Val Dasji (who followed Ramanandi sect).[4] As such, people visit this small obscure village in large numbers on occasions like Ramnavami, Gurupoornima, Diwali and other festivities.

The beautiful architect depicting idols of Gods, warriors and others characters on chhatri and temple housing samadhis of Odhavramji and other saints were done by artisans of Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya, the artisan community of Kutch also known as Mistris.[4] From this community, Mistri Manji Jeram Rathod of Madhapar was one of the contemporaries of Odhavramji, who was his ardent follower and major donor in building of ashram in 1936-38. Manji Jeram was also the major donor of Kutchi Lalrameshwar Ashram founded in Haridwar by Saint Odhavramji in 1954.[4] Further, Mistri Ghela Pachhan Parmar of Kukma was another one of major donor of this community, who donated large money in building of other ashram headed by Sant Val Dasji in those decades.[4]

There is also a temple of Umiya Mataji ( a form of Shakti ) in village.

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Vandhay is a small village in the district of Kutch in the state of Gujarat in India. It has a population of about 334 persons living in around 71 households.
  3. 1 2 Odhavramji came to Vandhai in Kutchh.... The Vandhai Ashram follows the Harihar parampara..... The first gurukul of Kutch was named Ishwarramji Gurukul & inaugurated on Vasant Panchmi 1937. Odhavramji welcomed his first batch of 330 students.... He wanted to gift the blind self reliance and respect in society. The school for the blind began in 1938. He called for the brail script from Bombay and his first batch had 7-8 students.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Shree Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya Samaj : A Brief History & Glory of our Fore-Fathers. Calcutta. Author :Raja Pawan Jethwa (2007)

External links

Coordinates: 23°11′17″N 69°27′00″E / 23.188°N 69.450°E / 23.188; 69.450

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