Draft:Purandakar Sarnaik

Purandakar Sarnaik
Purandarkar Sarnaik is a well-known historical dynasty in the Maratha history. This family belongs to Gautam Gotra of Rigvedi Deshastha Brahmin community. The family is related to Purandar fort and area for the last five century's. The Chambali village situated in Purandar Taluka was the gifted ancestral village of this family. Apart from this village, villages of Jejuri, Kikavi, Kodhit and Narayanpur Khurd were held as ‘Inam lands’ by this family. Over time, because of their occupations, all members of this family have moved out from their ancestral village and settled in different corners of the word.



Etymology:

This clan, belonging to Gautam Gotra which has originated from the Rishi Gotam Rahugan, is originally from Bidar and had their Surname as ‘Chandras’. Later, the Padshah giving Makarandpant, one successful member of the family, the chieftancy (Sarnaiki) of Fort Purandar, led to the family using the current surname. The officer of various Naiks means Sarnaik (Sar in Persian means head or senior ). The family is known as Purandarkar Sarnaik by virtue of them being the chief of Fort Purandar.

History: The known original surname of this family is Chandras. The progenitor of this family, Makarandpant, had the Deshpande/Deshkulkarni post of Bidar Paragana (Karnataka). Purandar and its surrounding areas came to the Padshah of Bidar throughout the period when part of Maharashtra was under the rule of the Bahamani dynasty, and later after their fall, the emerged Nizamshahi, Adilshahi, and other Shahis. But due to the area not being under his control, he offered Sarnaiki to Makarandpant, one of the 3 Deshpande brothers of Bidar, and sent him to Purandar in Western Maharashtra. Makarandpant captured the area and brought it under the control of the Padshah. The Sarnaiki of Purandar stayed with the family over generations to come.

Due to the prowess of Neelkantharao of this family, it is seen that this name came as a title surname to this family in the medieval period. Mahadev/Mahadajipant, one of the son of Neelakanthrao, had recovered the Purandar fort from the Jadhav Naiks by his efforts. During the reign of Mahadajipant, the conflict between Adilshahi and Nizamshahi reached its peak and there was a continuous change of power which continued till the end of Nizamshahi. Eventually Mahadajipant and his friend Shahaji Raje Bhosale (who was the Jahagirdardar of Pune, Supe, Chakan and Indapur at that time) both came along with the Adilshahi. Mahadajipant had the title Raje and one third Mokadami/Patilki of Supe Khurd. During Mahadajipant's time, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had the opportunity to fight the first war in his life and for this he had asked Mahadajipant for Fort Purandar to fight with Adilshahi knight Fattehkhan. Mahadajipant generously handed over the fort to Shivaji Maharaj and he stoned Fattehkhan back to Vijapur. Thus, it can be said that the Purandarkar Sarnaiks were involved in Swarajya since its inception.

Two years after the departure of Mahadajipant in 1656 AD, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, taking advantage of the domestic dispute between his four sons Neelkanth (Niloji), Shankar (Shankaraji), Tryambak (Pilaji), Vishwanath (Visaji) and turned Shankaraji and Pilaji to his side. After the end of Diwali, on the night of Bhaubiji, Shivaji Maharaj lent forces to Shankaraji and Pilaji who arrested Niloji and later the rest of the brothers and took the fort under his control. Further, seeing cordial family relations, he freed all the four brothers and appointed them at different posts. Niloji was appointed in South while Pilaji was appointed as the Deshadhikari/Subhedar (Governer) of Prabhavali in Konkan whereas Visajipant was ones sent to Vijapur as his representative or was given apppointments at the Sachiv/Suranavis (Secretary). At the same time, Maharaj had also given Inam Lands to them in the villages of Chambali, Jejuri, Kikavi, Narayanpur Khurd and Kodhit.

Further, the members of this family proved their loyalty to Swarajya from time to time by sacrificing their lives. On occasions their houses were raided by the Mughals which resulted in loss of several members but the ties with Swarajya were never severed. When Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was returning from Mughal custody, Ganesh Shankar and Dadoji Sarnaik joined him at Kusumbi village in Khandesh. From the contemporary literature it can be known that Dadojipant was martyred while fighting for Shahu Maharaj in the war at Pune. After this, Shahu Maharaj gave Sarnaiki of Purandar to Ganeshpant and of Vajragarh to his elder brother Manajipant.

Later Ganeshpant's sons Sakharam Ganesh and Shankar Ganesh nicknamed Baba Sarnaik fought for the Marathas in the religious war of Vasai. In the final attack on Seabeston's bastion in this war, Sakhopant was martyred by a cannon ball. Appajipant, son of Shankar Ganesh Sarnaik, participated in the battle of Panipat and returned alive with a bullet wound on his body. Sakhopant's sons Bapuji and Ramaji also participated in many wars on the side of the Marathas. Bapujipant and his nephews Balwant Ram, Chimanaji Ram and cousin Raghunath Gangadhar alias Nana Sarnaik all participated in the campaigns against Hyder Ali in South along with Pradhan/Peshwa (Prime Minister) Shrimant Madhavrao.

Decline/Epilogue:

In 1764 AD, when Shrimant Madhavrao marched south against Hyder Ali, the deposed Koli, Ramoshi and Berad people revolted at Purandar and overthrew the reign of Neelakanth Mahadev alias Aba Purandare in the fort. At this time the Sarnaiki of Purandar was with Bapuji Sakharam and Ramaji Sakharam while the Sarnaiki of Vajragad was held by their cousin Manakoji Gangadhar Sarnaik. This uprising happening under the supervision of Visaji Keshav Sane and Shankar Ganesh Sarnaik, they placed certain conditions before the Prime Minister to return the fort which included the termination of relations between Purandar Fort and the Sarnaik family. Even after this, Purandarkar Sarnaiks did not give up their loyalty to Swarajya. They also resisted against the British during the latter’s rule and also participated in the Goa Liberation War, Bhaganagar War, Dadra-Nagarhaveli War. Along with this, it can from their literary talent that they have also made invaluable contribution in the field of literature.

Freedom Fighters:
1) Shankar Sakharam alias Nanasaheb Sarnaik (Pusad, Dist. Yavatmal) - Political disciple of Lokmanya Tilak, led Pusad Jungle Satyagraha and imprisoned in Akola (193), given the title 'Deshabhakta', popularised Daulatkhan Aided School (1944), organizer of Vidarbha Sahitya Sammelan (1946), author and publisher of the Mahabharatasara (1954).

2) Digambar Shankar alias Dadasaheb Sarnaik (Pusad, District Yavatmal): Active worker of Hindu Mahasabha, participated in Jungle Satyagraha (1930), participated in Bhagalpur Satyagraha (1930).

3) Dr. Dattatreya Shankar alias Bhausaheb Sarnaik (Pusad, District Yavatmal): Mayor of Pusad (1951-1955), editor of Jwalamukhi weekly (1965-1975), activist of Vidarbha Mukti movement and served imprisonment in Nashik for the same, pioneer of library movement Maharashtra State Library Association convention taken (1967), Imprisoned in Nagpur during Emergency (1975-1977), Long term President of Tilak Memorial, Koshatwar Daulatkhan Vidyalaya, Social Club, Public Library, Housing Society, Vidarbha Library Association, Shikshan Prasarak Mandal etc.

4) Yashwant Shankar alias Babasaheb Sarnaik (Pusad, District Yavatmal): Bhaganagar Mukti freedom fight (1938), Hyderabad Mukti freedom fight (1948), Kashmir Mukti freedom fight (1953), Participation in Goa Mukti freedom fight (1961), participation of his son Suhas Sarnaik in Ram Janmabhoomi movement (1992), served imprisonment in Nashik during Emergency (1975-1977), participated in Mallapuram Satyagraha.

5) Rajaram Nagesh alias Bhausaheb Sarnaik (Pune): Served imprisonment along with Morarji Desai.

6) Chandrashekhar Vinayak alias Annasaheb Sarnaik (Pune): Director of Ram Mandir at Raviwarpeth, Pune, Involved in Dadra-Nagar Haveli freedom fight (1954).

7) Sanyogita Ganesh Sarnaik (Buldhana): An ardent Gandhian freedom fighter.

Authors:
1) Sakharam Balkrishna Sarnaik (Pune): Author of Shripadbhushan, the first biography of Swami Samartha, Jarasandhavadh, Sangeet Kach-Devayani, Sudhanva Satvapariksha, Sangeet Vishnugunadarsha, Parthagarvaparihara, Janakisvayanvar Draupadisvayanvar, Rukminiparinaya, Nara-Narayan, Purnashringar, Madanajanma, Ravananidhan and Bharatabhet, Kansavadh, Playwright of dramas such as Kaliamardan, Sangeet Rukminiharan, Alakhme Palakh Palakhme Daryav, Sansara Natak, Bhagwat Saramrut, Shridasbodh Saramrut or Dasabodha's Tatparyas pada in twenty decades.

2) Vitthal Balkrishna Sarnaik (Pune): Composed the Damajipantache Akhyan.

3) Nalini Chandrakant Sarnaik (Nashik): Author of Pakakala.

4) Suman Ramchandra Sarnaik (Alandi): Author of the book Shrimadbhagwat Kamalparag

5) Shreya Abhijit Sarnaik (Pusad): Author of books like Kavitanchi Vahi, Hridayastha , Brahmandachya Nakyavarun , Avartan, Guftagu, Confessin Box, Ringa Ringa Roses etc

Social Work:
1) Shridhar Ramchandra Sarnaik (Alandi): Former Manager of Shrikshetra Dnyaneshwar Mauli Samadhisthan, Alandi.

2) Vasanti Subhash Sarnaik (Pusad): Worker of Vishwamangalya Sabha, State Level Worker of Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Spiritual Speakers:
1) Suman Ramchandra Sarnaik (Alandi): Kirtankar

2) Prashant Subhash Sarnaik (Pusad, Kolhapur): Haribhaktaparayan Speaker.