Vachra Dada
Encyclopedia
Vachra Dada also known as Bhatiji Maharaj is a folk
deity
of Gujarat state in India
. He is an eminent warrior-hero of the region. Hindus and Muslims alike honor him.
According to folk tales, Vachara was son of a Solanki
Rajput
ruler named Chachak in Kathiawar
. On the day he was getting married, when he was taking the feras
, he heard the news that some dacoits were looting and taking the cows of village. He left the marriage ceremony to fight the plunderers, in which he attained martyrdom. According to the legend, it is believed that Vachara's ahead was separated in the fight by a sword and even after that his body fought against the people and killed them all. A temple was built in his memory.
The location of his death was Phagvel in Kheda
district, which is today a pilgrimage center and houses the main temple of Vachra Dada. Other major temples are located in Devada, Porbandar
, Patan
, Godhana, Bhanvad
, Khambhalia
, Dwarka
, Mandvi
, Anjar
to name a few.
It is said that Vachara's wife Umade wanted to become a sati
but was stopped by saint, who asked her to go to her in laws house. Vachara was blessed by God and was asked to consummate the marriage in vayu
form. Thus, twenty two sons were born to him, Solanki
descendants of whom all worship him as kuldevta
.Mers
also worship Vachra Dada and is one of main deity of their caste.
It is said was reborn seven times and every time he would do Pheras (walking around fire to symbolise marriage) he would be interrupted by dacoits taking away the cows. In his seventh life he successfully killed the dacoits. Thus he became a Shurveer in seven cycle of birth as per Hindu
myths and became a demi-god after that.
Vachhada Dada is shown sitting on a white Kathiawari
horse with a snake at his feet and a flaming sword in his hands. He is worshiped by Khedus (Gujarati
word for a farmer) to protect their cattle and keep their crops thriving. Many temples andderas can be found throughout Gujarat devoted to him.
Vachara Dada is worshiped by Hindus to cure ill livestock and family members. Bhuva, the priest of Vachhara Dada is approached for diagnosis and curing of disease among men and animals. When a family member, a cow, a buffalo etc. falls ill or dies, it is believed that the spirit of an ancestor had been annoyed because of neglect of timely worship, lack of offering ritual food and respect. When someone is harassed by an evil spirit, a medium man of Vachhada Dada is consulted. If the evil spirit tries to evade the commands of Vachhada Dada, the medium man threatens to punish the spirit by inciting against it the wrath of this powerful deity.
In Devada village of Kheda district of Gujarat, hundreds of worshippers of Bacchus, Hindus as well as Muslims, line up there every Friday to seek the blessings of the deity and the priest, and take a vow to renounce liquor.
A film about him was directed by Shantilal Soni and released in 1980 named Bhaatetheejee na Mandire in 1980 and Bhaateejee Mahaaraaj in 1990, both in Gujarati
. Also there are musical albums of bhajan
s and songs in his reverence available sung by local as well as known artists like Alka Yagnik
.
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of Gujarat state in 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...
. He is an eminent warrior-hero of the region. Hindus and Muslims alike honor him.
According to folk tales, Vachara was son of a Solanki
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
ruler named Chachak in Kathiawar
Kathiawar
Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...
. On the day he was getting married, when he was taking the feras
Saptapadi
Saptapadi is the most important rite of a Hindu marriage ceremony. The word, Saptapadi means "Seven steps"...
, he heard the news that some dacoits were looting and taking the cows of village. He left the marriage ceremony to fight the plunderers, in which he attained martyrdom. According to the legend, it is believed that Vachara's ahead was separated in the fight by a sword and even after that his body fought against the people and killed them all. A temple was built in his memory.
The location of his death was Phagvel in Kheda
Kheda
Kheda is a town and a municipality in Kheda district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Kheda, also known as Kaira, is 35 km from Ahmedabad. The National Highway no. 8 connecting Ahmedabad and Mumbai passes through Kheda...
district, which is today a pilgrimage center and houses the main temple of Vachra Dada. Other major temples are located in Devada, Porbandar
Porbandar
Porbandar is a coastal city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama...
, Patan
Patan
Patan may refer to places in Afghanistan, India and Nepal:Afghanistan*Patan, AfghanistanIndia*Patan district, in the state of Gujarat**Patan, Gujarat, the main city of the same district*Patan, Rajasthan, an historical city in Rajputana...
, Godhana, Bhanvad
Bhanvad
Bhanvad is a city and a municipality in Jamnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India.-Geography:Bhanvad is located at . It has an average elevation of .-Demographics:...
, Khambhalia
Khambhalia
Khambhalia is a city and a municipality in Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the second biggest town after Jamnagar city in the District.-Demographics:...
, Dwarka
Dwarka
Dwarka also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality of Jamnagar district in the Gujarat state in India. Dwarka , also known as Dwarawati in Sanskrit literature is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country...
, 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...
, 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...
to name a few.
It is said that Vachara's wife Umade wanted to become a sati
Sati (practice)
For other uses, see Sati .Satī was a religious funeral practice among some Indian communities in which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion would have immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre...
but was stopped by saint, who asked her to go to her in laws house. Vachara was blessed by God and was asked to consummate the marriage in vayu
Vayu
Vāyu is a primary Hindu deity, the Lord of the winds, the father of Bhima and the spiritual father of Lord Hanuman...
form. Thus, twenty two sons were born to him, Solanki
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
descendants of whom all worship him as kuldevta
Kuldevta
Kuladevata or Kuladevi, also known as Kuladev and Kŭladaiwat, stands for "family deity, that is either a god or a goddess" within Hinduism, as distinct from personal ishta-devata and village deities...
.Mers
Mers
The Mer population of Kathiawar region in Saurashtra also known as the Maher, Mihir, Mair or Mehr are a community of people who have evolved from the Kshatriya Rajput varna within Hinduism. They are believed to be of Indo-Aryan descent, and have a rich and diverse history involving many battles,...
also worship Vachra Dada and is one of main deity of their caste.
It is said was reborn seven times and every time he would do Pheras (walking around fire to symbolise marriage) he would be interrupted by dacoits taking away the cows. In his seventh life he successfully killed the dacoits. Thus he became a Shurveer in seven cycle of birth as per 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...
myths and became a demi-god after that.
Vachhada Dada is shown sitting on a white Kathiawari
Kathiawari
The Kathiawari is a breed of horse from India, originating in the Kathiawar peninsula. Closely related to the Marwari horse, and resembling both that breed and the Arabian horse from which they descend, the Kathiawari was originally bred as a desert war horse for use over long distances, in rough...
horse with a snake at his feet and a flaming sword in his hands. He is worshiped by Khedus (Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
word for a farmer) to protect their cattle and keep their crops thriving. Many temples andderas can be found throughout Gujarat devoted to him.
Vachara Dada is worshiped by Hindus to cure ill livestock and family members. Bhuva, the priest of Vachhara Dada is approached for diagnosis and curing of disease among men and animals. When a family member, a cow, a buffalo etc. falls ill or dies, it is believed that the spirit of an ancestor had been annoyed because of neglect of timely worship, lack of offering ritual food and respect. When someone is harassed by an evil spirit, a medium man of Vachhada Dada is consulted. If the evil spirit tries to evade the commands of Vachhada Dada, the medium man threatens to punish the spirit by inciting against it the wrath of this powerful deity.
In Devada village of Kheda district of Gujarat, hundreds of worshippers of Bacchus, Hindus as well as Muslims, line up there every Friday to seek the blessings of the deity and the priest, and take a vow to renounce liquor.
A film about him was directed by Shantilal Soni and released in 1980 named Bhaatetheejee na Mandire in 1980 and Bhaateejee Mahaaraaj in 1990, both in Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
. Also there are musical albums of 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 and songs in his reverence available sung by local as well as known artists like Alka Yagnik
Alka Yagnik
Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards...
.