Vandhay
Encyclopedia
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. 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 Ashram
s 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.
Also the Gadi
of Ramanandi
sect headed by Sadhu Val Dasji, a contemporary of Sant Garib Dasji of Kukma
of same sect is here. 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 Guru
s, the Sant Odhavramji (who followed Harihar Parampara
of Haridwar
) and Sadhu Val Dasji (who followed Ramanandi
sect). 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 samadhi
s of Odhavramji and other saints were done by artisans of Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya, the artisan community of Kutch also known as Mistris. 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 Dharamshala founded in Haridwar
by Saint Odhavramji in 1954. 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.
There is also a temple of Umiya Mataji ( a form of Shakti
) in village.
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat. It is 59.6 km from Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
, district and taluka headquarters.
It is a very small village with a population of around 350 people and about 70 houses. The nearest big villages are Deshalpar and Jaypar.
Nearby towns are Anjar
Anjar, India
Anjar is a town and a municipality in Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. The country is dry and sandy, and entirely depends on well irrigation for its water supply. The town is situated nearly 10 miles from the Gulf of Kutch. The town was third time made capital of Kachchh on...
(39.5 km), Nakhatrana
Nakhatrana
Nakhatrana is situated in the middle of Kutch, Gujarat, in India. A small town, it is famous for its spicy Dabeli, snack mainly of "Dilkhush" and "Jyoti"...
(43.5 km), 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...
(47.6 km), Gandhidham
Gandhidham
Gandhidham is a city and a municipality in the Kachchh District of Gujarat state of India. The town was created in the early 1950s for the resettlement of the refugees from Sindh of Pakistan in the aftermath of the partition of India....
(54.8 km) and Bhuj (59.6 km).
However, this village has religious significance for many Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
communities of Kutch as the Ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
s of one of the famous saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of Kutch Sant Shri Odhavramji
Odhavram
Sant Sri Odhavram Ji 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...
is located here. Odhavramji started the first 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...
of Kutch, named Ishwarramji Gurukul, in year 1937 and Blind School in 1938 both of which are in the village.
Also the Gadi
Gadi
The House of Gadi was a dynasty of kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The dynasty is also called the House of Menahem, after its founder. The dynasty lasted for only twelve years and ruled from the then capital of Israel, Samaria. The dynasty is so named because Menahem was the son of Gadi...
of Ramanandi
Ramanandi sect
The Ramanandi sect is also called RAMAVAT sect and SHRI sect. This Vaishnava denomination has played an important role in shaping the social and spiritual climate of the populous Ganges valley. The Ramanandi movement owes its popularity to the saint Ramananda who lived in Varanasi in the 14th...
sect headed by Sadhu Val Dasji, a contemporary of Sant Garib Dasji of Kukma
Kukma
Kukma or Kookma is a village near the Bhuj town, taluka in Kachchh District of Indian State of Gujarat. It is located at a distance of 16 kilometers from Bhuj, the headquarters of Kachchh District.-History:...
of same sect is here. 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
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
temple near his hut.
Many people of Kutch belonging to communities like Bhanushali
Bhanushali
Bhanushali / Bhānshali / Bhansali is a Hindu, Kshatriya community mainly belonging to State of Gujarat in India....
, 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...
, Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya and others like Ahirs, Sorathias and Rabari
Rabari
Members of the Rabari or Rewari live throughout the Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Harayana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh states in India...
worship as their 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...
s, the Sant Odhavramji (who followed 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...
of Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
) and Sadhu Val Dasji (who followed Ramanandi
Ramanandi sect
The Ramanandi sect is also called RAMAVAT sect and SHRI sect. This Vaishnava denomination has played an important role in shaping the social and spiritual climate of the populous Ganges valley. The Ramanandi movement owes its popularity to the saint Ramananda who lived in Varanasi in the 14th...
sect). As such, people visit this small obscure village in large numbers on occasions like Ramnavami, Gurupoornima, Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
and other festivities.
The beautiful architect depicting idols of Gods, warriors and others characters on chhatri
Chhatri
Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are commonly used to depict the elements of of pride and honor in the Rajput architecture of Rajasthan. They are widely used, in palaces, in forts, or to demarcate funerary sites...
and temple housing samadhi
Samadhi
Samadhi in Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools is a higher level of concentrated meditation, or dhyāna. In the yoga tradition, it is the eighth and final limb identified in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali....
s of Odhavramji and other saints were done by artisans of Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya, the artisan community of Kutch also known as Mistris. From this community, Mistri 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...
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 Dharamshala founded in Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
by Saint Odhavramji in 1954. Further, Mistri Ghela Pachhan Parmar of Kukma
Kukma
Kukma or Kookma is a village near the Bhuj town, taluka in Kachchh District of Indian State of Gujarat. It is located at a distance of 16 kilometers from Bhuj, the headquarters of Kachchh District.-History:...
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.
There is also a temple of Umiya Mataji ( a form of Shakti
Shakti
Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...
) in village.