Odhavram
Encyclopedia
Sant
Sri
Odhavram Ji (1889-1957) was born in Jakhau
, a small village located on the west coast of Gujarat, India in District Kutchh. He was born in a Bhanushali
family on the auspicious day of Hindu festival of “Ram Navami” in 1889, he was named Udhav. His parents were mother Chaagbai & father Hemraj. Udhav had one elder brother & two sisters.
As a kid Udhav was special. He did behave kiddish but was more inclined towards spirituality. He loved Music and Bhajan
s from the age of 5 and when he grew 9, he always carried the Bhagwad Geta
to school and at play too. He used to narrate single liners from the sacred Geeta
to his friends and at times discuss the same with Pandits too. It looked like he knew each and every chapter
of the Bhagwat Geeta and was just revising them.
Udhav got his first Guru
at the age of 9. He was Shri Shanakaranandji from Mandvi
Takula in Kutch. Udhav learnt Sanskrit and the Veda’s from Shri Shankaranandji for 6 months and following a life scaring accident in the ashram was returned to Jakhau. Later, Udhav came to Bombay and worked as a gunny bags laborer for 8 years but finally left Bombay dedicating his life for the mankind and for the up-liftment of Kutch and Gujarat.
Odhavramji came to Vandhay
in Kutchh. Shri Lalramji was the Mahant at the Ishwar Ashram, Vandhai. The Vandhai Ashram follows the Harihar parampara. The Harihar Parampara
was started by Shri Deva Saheb in Hamla, Kutchh and a few decades later his disciple Shri Ishwarramji settled in Vandhai. After Ishwarrmji, Shri Lalramji took care of the Ashram and after Lalramji, Odhavramji was declared the Mahant
of the Ishwar Ashram.
Odhavramji always believed that society cannot progress without Education. Odhavramji went door to door and person to person in Mumbai, Calcutta & Madhya Pradesh
asking people to contribute funds to start the first Gurukul in Kutch. As the construction of Gurukul
began, Odhavram walked from house to house, village to village preaching the need of education. At times Odhavramji used to work as a laborer carrying bricks overhead, make the cement mix and feed workers with food & water. The first gurukul of Kutch was named Ishwarramji Gurukul & inaugurated on Vasant Panchami
of year 1937 A.D. Odhavramji welcomed his first batch of 330 students.
Odhavramji was firm and dedicated in his decisions & this dedication made his Gurukul
dream come true. Now he wanted to push the gurukul barriers further by wanting to teach & educate the blind. He believed and preached that we all are children of God and we all deserve love and respect in the society. A blind person has no option but to beg or rely on family. 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. Apart of book knowledge he used to teach them the intelligence of senses. He revealed to them, their power of ears, nose and fingers. Sadhu Sevadas who studied in the blind school, still resides at the Ishawar Ashram, Vandhai, Kutchh.
The 19th & 20th century was the period of illiteracy & poverty. People inclined towards Spirituality could be easily cheated in the name of God. In the same era, the Kadwa Patidar
Samaj fell into the hands of some greedy spiritual Guru’s & got converted to a religion that has had no existence in history called the Peerani Panth.
Odhavramji struggled for 16 years to bringing the entire Patidaar Samaj
back to Sanatan Dharma. In this struggle Odhavramji faced 3 to 4 life threatening attacks but escaped without a scratch. Once a guy entered his Sadhana
Kutir
(meditation place) & tried to shoot at him from point blank range but failed. Once he was attacked by a mob of 8-10 people with swords but they failed. Odhavramji was a believer of "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" (Non violence the highest religion). In his entire life span he never ever touched a weapon & still succeeded in his mission on faith & dedication.
In 1943, Odhavramji supported Gandhiji’s movement to accept the untouchables as part of the society. In Odhavramji’s life this was the only decision that sparked off the society against him. Villagers throughout Kutch revolted but Odhavramji stood firm on his decision. Some unsocial elements started provoking the villagers & People started leaving him. But as every night has a day, Harijan
s got their rightful place in the society & Odhavramji won his battle for humanism with pride and dignity.
Sant Odhavramji was a firm believer of Mahatma Gandhi & follower of his deeds. Odhavramji accepted Gandhiji’s Swadeshi Apnao slogan & put it to practice the same day. He started weaving his own clothes on the Charkha and made it compulsory for every student of the Gurukul
to learn & weave. Odhavramji used to say one should first practice what he preaches.
In 1945, a convention was called under the leadership of Shri Meher Ali in Mundra
. Sant Odhavramji was also invited for this convention as his speeches had a very strong impact on people. When Odhavramji was invited to give some spiritual discourses a strange incident happened. Odhavramji said “ I cannot die in peace till my motherland is freed from these invaders. In this freedom fight write my name first followed by my 330 students of the Gurukul. I would be honored to sacrifice my life for my motherland”. In 1947, India
was declared independent & Odhavramji continued to serve mankind.
The year 1940 saw the worst drought of Kutchh. Cattles were dying in thousands. In this period Odhavramji sidelined all his other activities & dedicated his life for the suffering cattle & villagers. Odhavramji said “Saving these speechless cattle is the first & foremost responsibility of a true Hindu. If one has to give away everything he has and even his life for this noble cause it worth”. In thousands cattle started flowing in Vandhai and Odhavramji offered sufficient food, water & shelter for all. At times he, his students & ashram had to starve but thousands of cows & other cattle was saved.
In 1942, Odhavramji started a movement for the Bhanushali community. Bhanushali’s are Surya Vanshi
but due to illiteracy & poverty were being harassed by society. Odhavramji decided to draw a path for his own community & give them their real place in the society. He traveled across villages & cities preaching the importance of education & finally succeeded in starting the first boarding in Mandvi. Bhansuhali Haridas Pradhan Joisar sold off almost all his properties & life savings to manage the required funds for this cause. A few years later Odhavramji also struggled to build home shelter for the Bhanushali’s who had migrated from Kutch to Bombay for work & with funds provided by Bhanushali Haridas Velji Joisar of Bombay. The Bhanushali wadi
in Bombay, came into existence in year 1952.
During this era there was a 9 year old girl who came very close to Odhavramji. Odhavramji blessed her with his knowledge & today she is serving mankind & showing all the divine path to happiness. She is Param Pujya Sant Mataji Rama Devi of Haridwar.
In year 1954, Odhavramji handed over the Vandhai Ashram to “Dayaddasji” and reached Haridwar
to spend the rest of his life at the Ganges but when he saw a few Kutchi
’s roaming on the streets of Haridwar without any place to stay, He felt the need of a Dharmashala
for people to stay & spend their last days peacefully. He wrote several letters asking for funds & help. Among his very close follower & associate, was Manji Jeram Rathod of Madhapar
belonging to Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya Samaj. Manji Jeram took the leadership to build Kutchi Ashram in Haridwar
and started with a large personal donation and roamed whole India to collect monies from rich families of his community as well Patidar
, Bhanushali
, Mistri
and other communities of Kutch. Finally, the Kutchhi Lalrameshwar Ashram at Haridwar was established in 1956. Pujya Jashoda Maa gave a helping hand & worked day & night in setting up the ashram.
In Haridwar, Odhavramji found a holy soul who would follow his path of serving mankind after he was gone. His name was “Valji”. Valji took Diksha
from him and became Valdas. Valdasji started serving mankind & followed the path laid by Odhavramji. Odhavramji returned to Vandhai and died on 13th January, 1957.
Sant
Sant is an Indian term derived from a Sanskrit verb that means both "to be good" and "to be real". From the fifteenth century the term has often referred to those who sing the name of God and worship Him, particularly the bhakti poets of Marathi...
Sri
Sri
Sri , also transliterated as Shri or Shree or shre is a word of Sanskrit origin, used in the Indian subcontinent as polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." in written and spoken language, or as a title of veneration for deities .-Etymology:Sri has the root meaning of radiance, or...
Odhavram Ji (1889-1957) was born in Jakhau
Jakhau
Jakhau is a village 14 km west of Naliya, the taluka headquarters of Abdasa taluka of Kutch, Jakhau Salt - the port of Jakhau is situated a further 15 km westwards....
, a small village located on the west coast of Gujarat, India in District Kutchh. He was born in a Bhanushali
Bhanushali
Bhanushali / Bhānshali / Bhansali is a Hindu, Kshatriya community mainly belonging to State of Gujarat in India....
family on the auspicious day of Hindu festival of “Ram Navami” in 1889, he was named Udhav. His parents were mother Chaagbai & father Hemraj. Udhav had one elder brother & two sisters.
As a kid Udhav was special. He did behave kiddish but was more inclined towards spirituality. He loved Music and Bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
s from the age of 5 and when he grew 9, he always carried the Bhagwad Geta
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
to school and at play too. He used to narrate single liners from the sacred Geeta
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
to his friends and at times discuss the same with Pandits too. It looked like he knew each and every chapter
of the Bhagwat Geeta and was just revising them.
Udhav got his first Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
at the age of 9. He was Shri Shanakaranandji from Mandvi
Mandvi
Mandvi is a city and a Municipality in Kachchh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao of the Kachchh. The old city had a surrounding fort, and remains of the fort wall can still be seen to this day...
Takula in Kutch. Udhav learnt Sanskrit and the Veda’s from Shri Shankaranandji for 6 months and following a life scaring accident in the ashram was returned to Jakhau. Later, Udhav came to Bombay and worked as a gunny bags laborer for 8 years but finally left Bombay dedicating his life for the mankind and for the up-liftment of Kutch and Gujarat.
Odhavramji came to Vandhay
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.It is a very small village with a population of around 350 people and about 70 houses...
in Kutchh. Shri Lalramji was the Mahant at the Ishwar Ashram, Vandhai. The Vandhai Ashram follows the Harihar parampara. The Harihar Parampara
Harihara
Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu and Shiva from the Hindu tradition. Also known as Shankaranarayana , Harihara is thus worshipped by both Vaishnavites and Shaivities as a form of the Supreme God, as well as being a figure of worship for other Hindu traditions in general...
was started by Shri Deva Saheb in Hamla, Kutchh and a few decades later his disciple Shri Ishwarramji settled in Vandhai. After Ishwarrmji, Shri Lalramji took care of the Ashram and after Lalramji, Odhavramji was declared the Mahant
Mahant
A mahant is a religious superior, in particular the chief priest of a temple or the head of a monastery. The Hindi word mahant is from Prakrit mahanta-, from Sanskrit mahat "great". The priest, pundit, gyani, or pastor of any well-known religious place would be a mahant...
of the Ishwar Ashram.
Odhavramji always believed that society cannot progress without Education. Odhavramji went door to door and person to person in Mumbai, Calcutta & Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
asking people to contribute funds to start the first Gurukul in Kutch. As the construction of Gurukul
Gurukul
A gurukul is a type of school in India, residential in nature, with shishyas living in proximity to the guru, often within the same house...
began, Odhavram walked from house to house, village to village preaching the need of education. At times Odhavramji used to work as a laborer carrying bricks overhead, make the cement mix and feed workers with food & water. The first gurukul of Kutch was named Ishwarramji Gurukul & inaugurated on Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami , sometimes referred to as Vasant Panchami or Shree Panchami , is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh , the first day of spring...
of year 1937 A.D. Odhavramji welcomed his first batch of 330 students.
Odhavramji was firm and dedicated in his decisions & this dedication made his Gurukul
Gurukul
A gurukul is a type of school in India, residential in nature, with shishyas living in proximity to the guru, often within the same house...
dream come true. Now he wanted to push the gurukul barriers further by wanting to teach & educate the blind. He believed and preached that we all are children of God and we all deserve love and respect in the society. A blind person has no option but to beg or rely on family. 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
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
from Bombay and his first batch had 7-8 students. Apart of book knowledge he used to teach them the intelligence of senses. He revealed to them, their power of ears, nose and fingers. Sadhu Sevadas who studied in the blind school, still resides at the Ishawar Ashram, Vandhai, Kutchh.
The 19th & 20th century was the period of illiteracy & poverty. People inclined towards Spirituality could be easily cheated in the name of God. In the same era, the Kadwa Patidar
Kadava Patidar
The Kadava Patidar are a sub-caste of the Patidar Kurmi community in India. They are predominantly found in the Kutch District and Mehsana District in the Northern Gujarat, with a diaspora in East Africa and the United States including California, Georgia, and Florida.The most common surnames in...
Samaj fell into the hands of some greedy spiritual Guru’s & got converted to a religion that has had no existence in history called the Peerani Panth.
Odhavramji struggled for 16 years to bringing the entire Patidaar Samaj
Patidar
The Patidar are a Hindu ethnic group found primarily in the state of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in India.Patidars are also known as Patel, a common surname with in the community.D. F...
back to Sanatan Dharma. In this struggle Odhavramji faced 3 to 4 life threatening attacks but escaped without a scratch. Once a guy entered his Sadhana
Sadhana
Sādhanā literally "a means of accomplishing something" is ego-transcending spiritual practice. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Sikh , Buddhist and Muslim traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives.The historian N...
Kutir
Hut (dwelling)
A hut is a small and crude shelter, usually used for dwelling. Its design favors local techniques and materials to allow for swift and inexpensive construction.-Modern use:...
(meditation place) & tried to shoot at him from point blank range but failed. Once he was attacked by a mob of 8-10 people with swords but they failed. Odhavramji was a believer of "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" (Non violence the highest religion). In his entire life span he never ever touched a weapon & still succeeded in his mission on faith & dedication.
In 1943, Odhavramji supported Gandhiji’s movement to accept the untouchables as part of the society. In Odhavramji’s life this was the only decision that sparked off the society against him. Villagers throughout Kutch revolted but Odhavramji stood firm on his decision. Some unsocial elements started provoking the villagers & People started leaving him. But as every night has a day, Harijan
Harijan
Harijan was a term used by Gandhi for Dalits. Gandhi said it was wrong to call people 'untouchable', and called them Harijans, which means children of God...
s got their rightful place in the society & Odhavramji won his battle for humanism with pride and dignity.
Sant Odhavramji was a firm believer of Mahatma Gandhi & follower of his deeds. Odhavramji accepted Gandhiji’s Swadeshi Apnao slogan & put it to practice the same day. He started weaving his own clothes on the Charkha and made it compulsory for every student of the Gurukul
Gurukul
A gurukul is a type of school in India, residential in nature, with shishyas living in proximity to the guru, often within the same house...
to learn & weave. Odhavramji used to say one should first practice what he preaches.
In 1945, a convention was called under the leadership of Shri Meher Ali in Mundra
Mundra
Mundra is a census town in Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Mundra Port is the largest private port in India.-Geography:The town of Mundra is located about 50 km from Anjar which is one of the major towns in the district of Kutch in Gujarat. The other important towns in this...
. Sant Odhavramji was also invited for this convention as his speeches had a very strong impact on people. When Odhavramji was invited to give some spiritual discourses a strange incident happened. Odhavramji said “ I cannot die in peace till my motherland is freed from these invaders. In this freedom fight write my name first followed by my 330 students of the Gurukul. I would be honored to sacrifice my life for my motherland”. In 1947, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
was declared independent & Odhavramji continued to serve mankind.
The year 1940 saw the worst drought of Kutchh. Cattles were dying in thousands. In this period Odhavramji sidelined all his other activities & dedicated his life for the suffering cattle & villagers. Odhavramji said “Saving these speechless cattle is the first & foremost responsibility of a true Hindu. If one has to give away everything he has and even his life for this noble cause it worth”. In thousands cattle started flowing in Vandhai and Odhavramji offered sufficient food, water & shelter for all. At times he, his students & ashram had to starve but thousands of cows & other cattle was saved.
In 1942, Odhavramji started a movement for the Bhanushali community. Bhanushali’s are Surya Vanshi
Suryavansha
The Sooryavamsham or Suryavansh or Suryavamsa or Sun Dynasty or Solar Dynasty was one of the most prominent dynasties in the mythical history of India, along with the "Chandra-vaṃśa" or Lunar Dynasty.-Introduction:...
but due to illiteracy & poverty were being harassed by society. Odhavramji decided to draw a path for his own community & give them their real place in the society. He traveled across villages & cities preaching the importance of education & finally succeeded in starting the first boarding in Mandvi. Bhansuhali Haridas Pradhan Joisar sold off almost all his properties & life savings to manage the required funds for this cause. A few years later Odhavramji also struggled to build home shelter for the Bhanushali’s who had migrated from Kutch to Bombay for work & with funds provided by Bhanushali Haridas Velji Joisar of Bombay. The Bhanushali wadi
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
in Bombay, came into existence in year 1952.
During this era there was a 9 year old girl who came very close to Odhavramji. Odhavramji blessed her with his knowledge & today she is serving mankind & showing all the divine path to happiness. She is Param Pujya Sant Mataji Rama Devi of Haridwar.
In year 1954, Odhavramji handed over the Vandhai Ashram to “Dayaddasji” and reached Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
to spend the rest of his life at the Ganges but when he saw a few Kutchi
Kutchi
Kutchi may refer to:* Kutchi people, an ethnic group in Sindh, Pakistan and Gujarat, India* Kutchi language, language spoken in Sindh, Pakistan and Gujarat, India* Kutch District, in Gujarat, India* Kuchi nomads of Afghanistan...
’s roaming on the streets of Haridwar without any place to stay, He felt the need of a Dharmashala
Dharamshalas
Dharamshalas is the term for a religious resthouse. In Hindi, Dharma means religion, and shala means "sanctuary" hence dharamshala is a 'religious sanctuary' or rest-house for pilgrims, that are primarily created for a religious purpose for pilgrims, or as a religious endowment.Sometimes they are...
for people to stay & spend their last days peacefully. He wrote several letters asking for funds & help. Among his very close follower & associate, was Manji Jeram Rathod of Madhapar
Madhapar
Madhapar is a large village located in south western Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. Bhuj is the regional hub of the town where the nearest airport exists...
belonging to Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya Samaj. Manji Jeram took the leadership to build Kutchi Ashram in Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
and started with a large personal donation and roamed whole India to collect monies from rich families of his community as well Patidar
Patidar
The Patidar are a Hindu ethnic group found primarily in the state of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in India.Patidars are also known as Patel, a common surname with in the community.D. F...
, Bhanushali
Bhanushali
Bhanushali / Bhānshali / Bhansali is a Hindu, Kshatriya community mainly belonging to State of Gujarat in India....
, Mistri
Mistri
Mistri, or Mistry, is a term for a master-craftsman, foreman or supervisor of manual workers in India. Mistri is being replaced with "supervisor" and other terms, as for example by the Indian Railway who replaced it with supervisor in 2005....
and other communities of Kutch. Finally, the Kutchhi Lalrameshwar Ashram at Haridwar was established in 1956. Pujya Jashoda Maa gave a helping hand & worked day & night in setting up the ashram.
In Haridwar, Odhavramji found a holy soul who would follow his path of serving mankind after he was gone. His name was “Valji”. Valji took Diksha
Diksha
Diksa also spelled deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism...
from him and became Valdas. Valdasji started serving mankind & followed the path laid by Odhavramji. Odhavramji returned to Vandhai and died on 13th January, 1957.