Somvanshi Kshatriya - History

History

The word "Somavanshi Kshatriya" means the second caste in the hierarchy of the Hindu Varna System. "Soma" means "Moon", thus these Kshatriyas belong to the "Chandra Vansha" i.e. "Moon Dynasty of Warriors".Bhagavata Purana

Sopara and Mahim are said to be the land of confluence of the Somavanshi Kshatriya clan, one from Utkala and other from Gujarat and still other from Magadha and Mahishmati. The Somavanshis of Vasai and Palghar taluka have a unique history.

• The history of Somavanshis in Vasai date back to 2000 B.C. to the rule of Utkal (now Orissa) Naresh Guhashaya. Raja Guhashaya ruled Śūrpāraka during 2000 B.C. Since then Śūrpāraka was the place ruled by able Kshatriyas of Somvansha.

• Later during 14th century B.C. the Somavanshis Maurya clan ruled Sopara, thus bringing in some Somvanshi Kshatriyas from Magadha Pradesha.

• Later the clan of Somavanshi Raja Sudhanva of Mahishmati and Laat ruled Sopara from 600 B.C. to 200 B.C. Thus some Somavanshi families from Mahishmati too came to Śūrpāraka

• Later around 280 A.D. Ramachandradev Yadav of the Somavanshi Yadav Clan of Telangana start ruling in Śūrpāraka. Now the Yadav rule starts and lasts till 1071 A.D. for around 9 centuries. During this rule many Telangana Somavanshi Kshatriyas migrated to Śūrpāraka.

• Later around 1138 A.D., King Pratap Bimba Chalukya, brother of Govardhan Bimba, of the Somavanshi Kshatriya clan from Dekkhan raids Śūrpāraka from northern side of Vaitarana. Captures Shurparak and remakes the old city of Mahikavati i.e. Kelve Mahim. Thus Somavanshi Kshatriya from Dekkhan starts residing in Śūrpāraka, but mainly in Mahim

• Around 1161 A.D. Senapati Ambud, a Somavanshi Kshatriya from Gujarat, from Anhilvaad, whose lineage runs back to Orissa somavanshis, tried to attack Mallikarjun Shilahaar and for this settles near the Dahanuka river (Dahanu). At the same time Mohamedeans attack Anhilvaad and thus the Somavanshi sena stays near Dahanuka, later called Vadval. They help Yadavs to conquer North Konkan and defeat Shilahaaras. In return, Yadavs accommodate these Somavanshi Kshatriyas in Dahanu.

• Raja Bimbadev Rana, who belonged to Rajasthan in 1204 A.D. gifted the Simhasan and 5 Kalashis to the Somavanshi Kshatriyas of Sopara, Mahim and Dahanu as a mark of encouragement to Kshatriyas.(This indicates that Somvanshi Kshatriya also have a history in Rajasthan. Also the old language of these people sounds the Rajasthani style with words like "Atthe", "Katthe") But the Somavanshis of Sopara, who belonged to the royal clan of Samrat Sudhanva were only allowed to carry “Panchachattris” on their heads during marriage.

• Thus Vasai carried Somavanshi Kshatriyas from Utkala, Magadha, Mahishmati, Dekkhan, and Anhilvad(Gujarat). Later all these Somavanshi Kshatriya clan got united and there started the marriages between the Somavanshis of Sopara, Mahim and Dahanu. Thus now all of them are called either Somavanshis, Vadval or Panchkalshis. All of them consider Jagadguru Shankaracharya as their traditional Guru and visit Nirmal often. They worship Goddess Bhuvaneshwari Mahalakshmi or Vajrabai (Vajreshwari) or Ekvira Devi or Mahikavati Mata as their Kulaswamini. Those who worship Bhuvaneshwari Mahalakshmi belong to the Somavanshi Clan of Utkala (Orissa). Those who worship Vajreshwari Mata belong to Magadha and Anhilvad. Those who worship Ekvira Mata are descendants of Dekkhan Somavanshis belonging to Devgiri or Mungi Paithan. Those who worship Mahikavati Mata are descendants of Mahishmati’s Somavanshis.

Those living at Murud nandgaon Madh(malad) are worship Somaidevi(somjaidevi) and Marpthy devi. Somjaidevi temple is in Shriwardhan They also worship Tuljabhavani as a Kuldaiwat.