Konkan Diaries-The World is your Oyster-History of Konkan

History of Konkan

Amidst the majestic Sahyadris and the sprawling Arabian Sea lies a slick piece of Paradise known to the world as Konkan. With its alluring beauty, Konkan attracts every genre of people into its cove. Habitat for many and an ideal dream vacation destination to others, Konkan is magical as well as mystical.

How did this heavenly abode came into being, yet is shrouded in a cloud of mysteries? The most popular legend that circles around the Konkan is that of Lord Parshuram (the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu), a Brahmin from the Saraswat Clan, annihilated the entire Kshatriya race, a warrior tribe, and gifted the conquered land to Kashyapmuni. Being unable to administer the vast expanse of land, without the Kshatriyas, led to anarchy and chaos, Kashyapmuni requested Lord Parshuram to abandon the land and seek a new abode. Parashuram came south and reclaimed new land by ordering the sea to recede and give up the coastal land. 

Graphical representation of Lord Parshuram ordering the Sea to recede

Lord Parashuram is supposed to have shot an arrow from the top of the Western Ghats into the sea to command the Sea God to withdraw till the place where the arrow fell and claimed that land to be his kingdom. The place where the arrow landed was called Bannali (in Sanskrit for 'where the arrow landed'; Bann: arrow, ali: village), or today's Benaulim. This land known as "Aparant" or "Shurparak" is spread between the Sahyadri Mountains and Sindhu Sagar. The first wave of Brahmins to settle in Goa and Konkan were called Saraswats because of their origins from the banks of the River Saraswati, an ancient river that existed in Vedic times. The subsequent drying up of the river caused large-scale migration of Brahmins to all corners of India. A group of ninety-six families, known today as Gaud Saraswats, settled along the Konkan coast around 1000 BC.

Another legend, though less known, states that the coastal area of Konkan enchanted Lord Krishna, who was charmed by the beautiful ladies bathing in the area. The ladies, in turn, were so taken up by the melodious music emulating from his flute, that they kept dancing forgetting their daily chores. Lord Krishna, then named the land Govapuri after the cows (gov) belonging to the locals.

Painting of Lord Krishna

The history of the sacred land of Gomantak, 'Land of the Gods' present-day Goa is well described in Sahyadri Khand of Skandha Purana, the ancient text of Hindu religion.

Speaking of the meagre historical and empirical studies on this region, it is a fact that the Buddhists and later the Brahmins chose Salsette for establishing one of their monasteries result of which are the beautiful cave temples found in the Konkan.

The ports of the Konkan were known to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians and to Arab traders. The spice trade brought prosperity to the ancient Hindu kingdoms of the area. The cave temples of Elephanta Island and Kanheri, bear testimony to the prosperous culture of this era.

 With the advent of the Portuguese and British, the port cities were further developed and fortified but now have lost their former importance.

The Shilahara Dynasty (also Shilahara, Sinhara, Shailahara, Shrilara, and Silara) was a royal clan that established itself in northern and southern Konkan, present-day Mumbai and southern Maharashtra during the Rashtrakuta period.

Silhara Dynasty Archives

They were split into three branches; one branch ruled North Konkan, the second South Konkan (between 765 and 1029), while the third ruled what is now known as modern districts of Satara, Kolhapur, and Belagavi between 940 and 1215 after which they were overwhelmed by the Chalukya.

Eventually, the founder of the Maratha Empire selected his capital, a Konkan hill-fort. After the Maratha dynasty lost its hegemony, the Konkani Brahmins inherited the region and expanded their hold to the adjoining parts of India. But historically speaking, Konkan was at no time more than a part of some inland kingdom.

Maratha Dynasty led by Warrior King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Certainly, very little research has been done in Konkan history, though Konkan language and culture has made its own modest contribution to enriching India’s multiculturalism. For this reason, most people are still unaware of the elegance of Konkan language and the richness of Konkan culture. It is an undeniable fact that Konkan history does not find a rightful place, it so richly deserves in Indian history. Yet, this expanse of 720 kilometres continues to enchant us with all its glory. A Paradise that might have been...

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