Lakshman Prabhu was a minister in the court of the Silhara dynasty that ruled the islands that today constitute the Indian city of Mumbai. He was Gaud Saraswat Brahmin. He is known for overseeing the construction of the famous Walkeshwar Temple and the adjoining Banganga Tank in 1127 AD. The temple, later destroyed by the Portuguese, was rebuilt in 1711 in the South Mumbai precincts of Mumbai city by the financial help of another Gaud Saraswat Brahmin,Rama Kamat . [1] [2]
The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the east. The hinterland east of the coast has numerous river valleys, riverine islands and the hilly slopes known as the Western Ghats; that lead up into the tablelands of the Deccan. The region has been recognised by name, since at least the time of Strabo in the third century CE. It had a thriving mercantile port with Arab tradesmen from the 10th century. The best-known islands of Konkan are Ilhas de Goa, the site of the Goa state's capital at Panjim and the Seven Islands of Bombay, on which lies Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra and the headquarters of Konkan Division.
Saraswat Brahmins are Hindu Brahmins, who are spread over widely separated regions spanning from Kashmir and Punjab in North India to Konkan in West India to Kanara and Kerala in South India. The word Saraswat is derived from the Rigvedic Sarasvati River.
Walkeshwar Temple, also known as the Baan Ganga Temple, is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Walkeshwar, near Malabar Hill neighbourhood, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, India. It is situated at the highest point of the city, and close to the temple lies the Banganga Tank.
The Banganga Tank is a temple tank which is part of the Hindu Walkeshwar Temple complex in the Malabar Hill area of the city of Mumbai, India.
Kota Brahmins are a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Karnataka. Kota Brahmins take their name from their native village Kota. They speak a Kannada different from the other regional dialects. Kota Brahmins are mainly concentrated in the villages of Kota of Udupi district. Kotas follow Smarta tradition. The Guru Narasimha Temple, Saligrama is important to them.
Walkeshwar is an affluent area in South Mumbai, India, at the north-western end of the Marine Drive loop. It has a large Gujarati population. It is mostly known for Walkeshwar Temple, Banganga Tank and Jain temples.
Sree Venugopla Krishna Swami Devasthan is a Hindu temple located in Chendamangalam, Kerala, India. It was established in 1900 at Chendamangalam, 42 km from Ernakulam, 22 km from Aluva and 5 km from North Paravur.
Kashi Math is a matha (monastery) and a spiritual organisation followed by the Madhva section of Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, who are also referred as Madhwa Saraswat Brahmins or Vaishnava Saraswat Brahmins. It dates back to the 16th century. With its headquarters in Brahma Ghat, Varanasi. Kashi Math has followers all over the Konkan belt, prominently in Mumbai, Goa, Udupi, Mangalore, Kochi and other parts of Karnataka and Kerala.
Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) are a Hindu Brahmin community, who are part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community that migrated to Konkan from Gaud, as per the Skanda Purana in ancient India. They belong to the Pancha Gauda Brahmins group. They primarily speak Konkani and its various dialects as their mother tongue.
The Ramnathi temple is located in Ramnathim, Bandivade in Goa. Goud Saraswat Brahmins (G.S.B) community, Daivadnya Brahmin and vaishyas are primary worshippers. Similar to other Goan Brahmin temples, Ramnathi too incorporates the system of Panchayatan, therefore, this temple houses 5 main deities namely - Shri Ramnath, Shanteri, Kamakshi, Laxmi Narayan, Ganapati, Betal and Kalbhairav, along with other family purushas.
Konkani cuisine is the cuisine of the Saraswat Brahmins from the Konkan region on the western coast of India. Konkani cuisine differs within the Saraswat Brahmin subsects and within the Konkan-Canara region. Konkani cuisine originally hails from the Konkan region including Uttara Kannada, Udupi district, Dakshina Kannada, Damaon, and Goa, India. Konkani cuisine is popular served in many restaurants throughout the western coast of India, and especially in the cities of Bombay and Bangalore. Each variation has its unique flavour and makes uses of different vegetables and fruits available in the region. Konkani cuisine is usually pesco-vegetarian, except acharyas and purohits who follow a strictly saatvik vegetarian diet. According the Konkani folklore, fish, meats are regarded as sea vegetables. Historically, they have refrained from eating any terrestrial animals in general.
Banganga Tank is an ancient water tank at Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill area of Mumbai City
Kudaldeshkar Gaud Brahmin is a Brahmin sub-caste from the western coast of India, residing in the Konkan division of Maharashtra and Goa. They also known as Kudaldeshkar Aadya Gaud Brahmin, Kudaldeshkar and sometimes Kudalkar Brahmins. They speak Marathi, Malwani dialect of Konkani.
Sri Venkataramana Temple, Karkala, also known as Padutirupathi, is a temple in Karnataka, India. It was built by Goud Saraswat Brahmins of Karkala and was installed on 25 April 1537.
Shri Gaudapadacharya Math, also known as Kavaḷē maṭha, located in Kavale, Ponda, Goa, is the oldest matha of the Smarthan Saraswat Brahman Samaj. It was founded by Gauḍapāda around 740 AD, whose student was Govinda Bhagavatpada, the guru of Adi Shankara, a highly influential figure in Hinduism. There is also a belief that Gauḍapāda himself established the Shri Gaudapadacharya matha when he lived in Gomantak (Goa). Thus, the matha came to be known as Shri Saunstan Gaudapadacharya matha. Unlike other mathas, Shri Gaudapadacharya matha is not a polemical center established to influence the faith of all Hindus, its jurisdiction is limited to only Dakshinatya Saraswat Brahmins. The Peetadhipathi "head monk" is Śrī Gauḍapadācārya. Smartist Goud Saraswat Brahman Samaj and Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin are its main disciples.
Navadurga is the Kuldevta of many Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSBs) and Daivadnya Brahmins in India—in Goa and Maharashtra. Due to the forceful Portuguese conversion and intervention into their rituals, the Deity with all the other purushas had to be shifted from Gavasim to their present respective places. The Saraswats and Daivadnyas who left to the north of Goa, established a temple in the honours of the Goddess and revering her in nine different locations. The present temple along with the kulpurushas is located in Vengulara Redi (Maharashtra). The other Saraswats and Daivadnyas who left to the East of Goa along with their Kulapurushas established a temple dedicated to the Goddess. Today the magnificent temple located in Madkai, is famous for its Navadurga having a tilted head. Legend says that a wealthy Saraswat merchant when placed a flower worth Rs. 1000, the Goddess tilted her head acknowledging the merchant's devotion. A similar legend follows at the Katyayani Baneshwar, a Konkani temple now located in Aversa, Karnataka. Here Katyayani too like the Navadurga has a tilted head. As the legend goes, a goldsmith belonging to Daivadnya Brahmin community living in the village of Madkai was ordered by temple authorities to fabricate a mask of the goddess Navdurga. The goddess appeared in the goldsmith’s dream and told him to make the mask similar to his daughter’s face. The mask was prepared resembling his daughter’s face, but after few days his daughter became weak and died. The goldsmith was very sad because of her death. The goddess appeared before him once again and told him that she will visit his house once in a year as his daughter. Hence as a tradition goes the same mask of the goddess is welcomed in the goldsmith’s house on Karthik Shukla Asthami day every year. This day is celebrated by the Madkaikars in the same way as a married girl visiting her paternal home. The Navdurgas located in Madkai (Goa), Kundaim (Goa) and Redi are considered to be Saraswat Kuldevtas whereas the others are gram devtas or normal Hindu temples.
Sree Venu Gopala Swamy Temple, Purakkad is one of the oldest Gowda Saraswath temples in the world. The main deity is Sree Venu Gopala Swamy. Located in the ancient port city of Purakkad, in Alappuzha the temple was built around 400 years back. Gowda Saraswath Brahmin devotees from all over the world bring their children to perform "Devak Deevop" and "Sodovop".
Shri Katyayani Baneshwar Temple ,(Sanskrit:श्री क़ात्यायनी बाणेश्व् र मन्दिर), or the Aversa Hindu Narayani is a Hindu temple in the coastal town of Aversa near Ankola, in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It is around 100 km (62 mi) from Goa, India, 500 km (310 mi) from Bangalore and 136 km from Hubli.
Madhva Brahmins, are Hindu Brahmin communities in India, who follow Sadh Vaishnavism and Dvaita philosophy propounded by Madhvacharya. They are found mostly in the Indian states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.