Uttarsanda

History:

There is no documented proof but according to folktales, the first establishment Vansol-Tansol in the area was by two brothers, Talasidas and Vanarasidas near the pastureland known as Tarhol no Charo. On the way to Fatehpur there is the temple of Rakseshwar Mahadev and the step well of Rakhial. These may have been built by the traders who used this as a resting place for caravans when they traveled along the trade route from Khambhat, then a flourishing seaport to Patliputra (now Patna). Invaders or natural calamities probably destroyed this establishment and a new village, Uttarsanda, was established nearby. Based on excavations, foundations of houses, pieces of vessels, and many other relics have been unearthed near the current location of the crematory. These relics make us think that there might have been a colony of the Prajapatis in the past. The remains of a guard have been found from the Harijan Vas near the village gate. A sword and a shield were found in the hands of the guard. He may have died while defending the village from the invading hordes of robbers.

The folk tale is that once upon a time, a cow began to give an unending stream of milk. Soon a crowd of cowherds gathered there and seeing the milk going waste the cowherds began collecting the milk in pots. They began to arrange the pots one on the top of another forming columns. Many such columns were formed. The arrangement of pots in the form of columns is known as UTARAD. A Rabari woman, on seeing this, began saying `Utarad, Utarad'. Believing this place to be holy, people began to settle here and the village came to be known as Uttarsanda. A Mahadev temple was built at the place where the stream of milk had flowed. It is said that the temple of Pareshwer is built at the very same place.

This village had been gifted by the British to Seth Sundarji in 1826 AD. In those days the yearly revenue of the village from agriculture was about 10,000 rupees. In the documents, it had been stated that till even one of the seven males of the family was alive, till that time they could collect the revenue. At the end of 1882 AD, the village was returned to the control of the British, under the tenure of Lord Newham, who was Chief Secretary of the Governors Council.

The Brahmins and the Banias formed the majority in the village. The temple of their presiding deity, Kuleshwari Devi is also nearby. The Brahmins and Banias have moved from the place but still the newlyweds come here to untie the knot tied at the time of their marriages. During the famine in 1900 AD, Parvatiben, a Brahmin widow had employed many people to dig a well that provided water to the villagers.

Only Brahmins lived in the Brahmapole and Jadoo Bhatt’s Khadki while the Banias lived in the Baniafali. But these things have become things of the past. The look of Uttarsanda has undergone a drastic change. Dayal Patel, a native of Sojitra, settled here years ago. Thereafter, his generations began to prosper. All the Patidars of the village have the same ancestors. Their places of living were limited to the following areas: Dhanjibhai ni Deli, Valabhai ni Khadki, Bhagat ni Khadki, Tekra Khadki, Chakli Darwajo, Moti Khadki, Chha Anna, Juna Chora, Ambamata’s Falia, Lokhand no Zapo, Dadabhai ni Khadki and Mota ni Khadki.

Western Railway’s rail line was constructed in 1861 where Nadiad was the nearest railway station and later Uttarsanda station was built.

Uttarsanda was the first village to be honored as the GOKUL GAAM, in the Kheda District in 1998 by the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Gokul Gaam award is given to villages in Gujarat the provide quality health and human services funded by the community from private donations.

© Copyright 2010, uu-uk.com