Everybody in society likes to know his or her roots, ancestral home and forefathers. There is not much information available about this Bhalavalikar Gaud Saraswat Brahmin Samaj(BGSB). However it is part of Saraswat Brahmins who are said to be living on the bank of river Saraswati or those who worshipping Goddess Saraswati. Over period this community dispersed for reasons unknown. Some of them migrated to south and came to Gomantak or present State of Goa. It was a peaceful life till Muslim and subsequent Portuguese aggression in Gomantak. Inquision, persecution and fear of forcible conversion of Hindus to Christianity in Portuguese regime shattered their dream of living peacefully.

Sometime in 16th century, some families migrated by sea route to village Bhalavali in Rajapur Taluka(Dist: Ratnagiri). These families eventually settled in and around Bhalavali, Pendkhale, Chikhale, Shiwane in Rajapur Taluka; Harche, Bhade, Khanavali, Waghrat in Lanje Taluka and Dorle, Dabhil Ambere in Ratnagiri Taluka; an inaccessible terrain land in Ratnagiri District. Majority of Bhalavalikars are still reside in and around these villages. This very group is known as “Bhalavalikar Gaud Saraswat Brahmin Samaj”.

Shri Laxmi-Madhav temple in Bhalavali is regarded as a Sacred Seat of BGSB Samaj spread in twelve villages, which is a testimony of their original settlement in Bhalavali some 400 years ago.

Since there were no avenues for further education and gainful profession or vocation in and around Bhalavali; many Saraswat families moved to other places  like, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Thane and Mumbai. Sometime in 18th century a section of Bhalavalikars moved further south in Mangalore. Those families are settled in Puttur and Sulia District in Karnataka. Even today they have retained their identity as BGSB. But over the period they have forgotten their mother-tongue Marathi and adopted colloquial language. Not only that, they adopted local style of writing their names and shed earlier names. They also have formed an association to bring social reforms at their end. They are trying to reconnect to their roots by way of visits, interaction, and dialogues with people here and marriages into families between two parts separated in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

BGSB Samaj is a microscopic minority community in terms of population. The efforts were made for census of community in 1910 and thereafter in 1938. As per census of 1938 the population was around 5000. Considering demographic trend of growth of past century, the population estimated to be in range of 25000 to 30000.

Late nineteenth century opened the doors of modern education more specifically English and Western education. Adventurous members of families of BGSB moved to Mumbai, Raigad and Thane. The educated class entered in various white collared professions like teaching, government and semi-government services, medical and engineering and by dint of sheer perseverance elevated their status. The socially conscious people among them felt the need of uplifting social and economic status of BGSB. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to get BGSB under some banner. Thus the association was needed. To begin with, there was no clarity. So different associations were formed with specific objects like social, education, economic progress.

Among these, first was ‘Saraswat Vidyawardhak Samaj’ (SVS) formed on November 22, 1891 with aim of educational progress in mind. Its motto was Nahi Dnyanen Sadrusham Pavitramih Vidyate means ‘in the world there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge’.

 The people behind this association were:

SVS, in terms of its objective used to collect donations from rich people from society and grant scholarships to comparatively poor but ambitious students from BGSB.

Since SVS has limited objectives, some who felt the need to broaden the scope, formed another association named ‘Saraswat Samajik Samuh’(SSS) in 1902. Its motto was Sway Sway Karmanya Bhiratah Sansidhim Labhate Narah means ‘by following the quality of work, every man can become perfect’.This association rendered invaluable service to community for about 20 years. The principle ‘ Education Elevates The Mind’ was close to their heart.

Main people behind this association were:

This association also granted scholarships to needy students irrespective of whether they were married or not.

While above two associations were functional, some felt that only education will not bring prosperity in the community and there is a need to pursue some ways to progress of community. With this aim in mind on January 26, 1908, ‘Saraswat Atmonnati Samaj (SAS)’ was formed. Its motto was Uddharet Atmana Atmanam Na Atmanam Avasadyet means ‘one must deliver himself with help of his mind and not degrade himself’. This association was working in the field of helping helpless, foster religious ethos and directing young people towards industries/business and thus justified its motto of self development.

In 1917 one more body ’Saraswat Association’was formed.Its aim was to create and to foster penchant for literature and elocution. It adopted motto Vade Vade Jayate Tatvabodha means‘debates leads to understanding of essence’.In accordance with its objective it used to organize lectures, essay writing, discussion forums.

After some time in order to strengthen the unity in the Samaj; people in Dadar, Mumbai formed ‘Dadar Union’.

All the five associations were honestly and successfully working in their limited field of aim and objective. Some members were working for more than one organization at one time. But point of better co-ordination among all was missing. Leading figures of the community and young enthusiastic elements like Shri.Shripad Dattatray Tendulkar, Shri.Dinkar Sitaram Sakhalkar Guruji felt the need of establishing all inclusive single organization in place of five different organisations for such a small community to fulfill their objectives. After two years’ of strenuous efforts and burying hatchets among the members of organisations, all agreed to amalgamate their organisations under single umbrella. It was an auspious day of  Vijayadashmi, Shake 1846 i.e. on October 7, 1924, a common meeting was held at Maratha High School, Girgaum and ‘Saraswat Hitwardhak Mandal (SHM)’ was formed. Shri.Dattatray Govind Tendulkar and Shri.Anant Govind Tendulkar, both brothers who were founder members of ‘Saraswat Samajik Samuha’ put in herculean efforts towards this cause. 

The first year’s committee had following members:

The aim and objects of Saraswat Hitwardhak Mandal accepted to be quite broad based to see that BGSB Samaj should make all round progress and to see that this community should stand on high pedestal of social and economic development. The men and women of this community should be well educated and become efficient in their respective fields. This community should become an Ideal. Therefore it was decided that Mandal’s areas of functions should not be limited to help to students and needy people but should extend to many things like opening of schools, gymnasium, libraries, organizing lectures to create awareness and spread knowledge, holding gatherings to promote oneness and friendship and so on.

Though main functionaries were living in Mumbai, second open public gathering was held in Bhalavali on Dec 27 & 28, 1927. This must be appreciated in light of fact that Bhalavali is about 400 k.m. from Mumbai, and 85 years ago means of transport were quite negligible to this place which is situated in mountainous area. Still 400 people attended the gathering. This gathering discussed topic like educational push including religious teachings, economic conditions and means of earnings like employment/ business/ professions.

The Mandal did not have own independent office for first 25-30 years though the need was felt from beginning. This topic came up for discussion first time in 1931. It was thought to raise corpus for own building. But then progress was not encouraging. Around 1952, it was decided to raise funds by various means like loans against securities with Mandal, refundable deposits from well-placed persons of the community and donations. Many donated for the building. Sarvashri Shankar Raghunath Haldavnekar, Shripad Dattatray Tendulkar, Yashwant Mahadeo Juvale, Balwant Bhaskar Patkar, Vithal Padmakar Tendulkar, Dattatray Govind Marathe, Bhaskar Moreshwar Kamat have been mainly responsible with their untiring efforts to build Mandal’s own building – ‘Saraswat Bhawan’ at Mahim, Mumbai in 1964.

Right from inception Mandal is engaged in activities for the community specifically like assistance to needy and deserving students, assistance to helpless, medical aid to deserving, felicitation of students and persons for their commendable contribution, annual gatherings, Vadhu- Var-Melawa(matrimonial gatherings).

The BGSB claims to be descendents of 10 gotras and pravaras(race). Till recent past it was a closely-knit community and inter-caste or sub-caste marriages were rare. The progress of this microscopic community during past 150 years is a very incredible story. Among the persons who came into limelight during past century are G.R. Kamat, I.C.S.; D.G. Tendulkar, biographer of Mahatma Gandhi; Vijay Tendulkar, renowned play wright; Suresh Tendulkar, Economist, who rose to highest post of Chairman Economic Advisory Committee of Prime Minister to master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, only one Centurion of Century; the list is unending.

One may have curious look at the list of members who tirelessly worked from formation stage before 1964 when Mandal came into its own building, ‘Saraswat Bhavan’ and stage thereafter.

Of late Mandal has broaden its scope of activities and extending helping hand to the people of its home District Ratnagiri, irrespective of caste and creed. It is organizing medical camps, distributing free spectacles. It is also holding science laboratory experiments in collaboration with Vidnyan Vahini, Pune for 8th to 10th standard students and distributing school uniforms, notebooks, etc to needy students.

The Mandal has come a long way from modest beginning of corpus of Rs. 23000/- in 1924 to over 2 crores and having own property of two storey building ‘Saraswat Bhavan’ at prime locality of Mahim in Mumbai.