The Family Gotra
आत्रेय (Atreya) गोत्र बद्दल माहिती खालीलप्रमाणे आहे:
उत्पत्ती: आत्रेय गोत्र हे ऋषी अत्री (Maharishi Atri) यांचे वंशज मानले जातात. अत्री ऋषी हे ऋग्वेदातील एक प्रमुख ऋषी होते.
गोत्र प्रवरा: आत्रेय गोत्राचे प्रवरा (पूर्वज) आत्रेय, आर्चनानस आणि श्यावाश्व (Atreya, Archananas, and Syavasva) असे मानले जातात.
वैशिष्ट्ये: हे गोत्र अत्यंत प्राचीन आणि प्रतिष्ठित मानले जाते.
उपयोग: अनेक ब्राह्मण समुदायांमध्ये (उदा. देशस्थ, कोकणस्थ) आत्रेय गोत्राचा वापर केला जातो.
Based on copper-plate inscriptions found in Chhindwara and neighbouring Seoni districts, it was speculated that the Vakatakas were in power here until the 3rd century CE.
it is believed that once upon a time the Chhindwara District was full of “Chhind” (Date-Palm) trees, and the place was named “Chhind”-“Wada” (wada means place). There is also another story that because of the population of Lions (in Hindi it is called “Sinh”), it was considered that making entry into this district is akin to passing through the entrance of Lions’ den. Hence it was called “Sinh Dwara” (means through the entrance of lion). In due course of time it became “Chhindwara”.
At first its important to say that like the famous historical sights near their home the family has remained connected over generations spread in the world !
As I turn 77 years of age I am beset with some cherished memories dating back to over 72 years ago and thought I should put them down lest they become obscure again !
I made my entry in April 1949 at the Ranade Nursing Home in Jabalpur as a son of Usha Nafde nee Sushila Tamhankar and Waman Nafde the eldest son of the Nafde Family . My sister Meena Tai preceded me into the world by 4 yeas .
I am not aware of when the family moved to Beraripura but I have heard that our Great Grandfather was the Purohit of Nafed Gaon which may explain the family name. My active memories ( of the house and members ) begin from the age of 4 - 5 years and are from the, almost annual, summer holiday visits over the years.
The house we lived in was in the Patwari Wada across the road from the Madhyamik Vidyalaya from where our Grandfather Mr . Shankar Ganesh Nafde ( known to his children as ' Kaka ' ) retired as the Head Master . It was a modest abode with a room in front backed by a larger room behind which was a longish room which served as a kitchen area and eating place where meals were taken sitting on paats . It was also the room where our Grandmother ( Aaji ) would cook delicious meals and bake even more delicious biscuits which she was expert at . At that time cooking etc used to be done on wood fires and kerosene stoves and the results were even more commendable . From this room one could exit to a back yard which had the outhouses and the secluded bathing areas , There was no piped water and the needs were met by fetching water from a well in the wada . From this room also there was a staircase leading upto a room on the roof with a small terrace . This room was , for me , a great place because it had a collection of books and novels . While the roof and walls were cemented the inside of the house was not and had to be dressed with fresh cow dung . However , there was electricity and we had a radio and gramophone .
In those days Beraripura was a collection of dusty lanes and a dusty main road going past the Wada . There were other buildings near by built with brick and mortar . Life was injected with great fun when we used to visit there - going to cinema hall where ladies used to sit in a different section from the men , running after rickshaws distributing leaflets about the new release or the circus ! I have many endearing memories including being taught cycling in the court yard of the school by Bhaiyya Kaka and Kamlakar Kaka and sometimes even by Balloo Kaka who also used to take me along on their visits to the market and other places . I remember accompanying Baby Atya to her college and going with my father to the club where he played Tennis .
The journey to Chhindwara used to be quite long . When my father was posted in Pathankot , Jhansi or Delhi we used to travel by train to Jabalpur . After some time with our maternal family we used to take a bus to Chhindwara via Seoni . From Seoni to Chhindwara the last part was like a hill trip through a forest and then to Chhindwara which being in the foothills has a pleasant climate ,
In the earlier visits Kaka used to sometimes sit squat legged before a low desk in which were kept his favourite pens and watch . On top was a bottle of home made ink in which he used to dip his pen and write . In later visits I found him restricted to his bed which was just inside the front door .
Aaji was a wonderful person with many skills . Apart from cooking she was an expert at embroidery and bead craft . I remember the doors and walls adorned by colourful bead curtains depicting peacocks and birds and one with ' swagatam ' inscribed . She had also created a sailing ship inside a glass bottle .
I wonder what happened to those works and also the books on the first floor . If any of you know please tell me . Aaji was the daughter of a Cotton Trader in Ahmedabad and I believe , at a young age , used to accompany her father to the mandi which might explain her knowledge about business and Insurance which she exhibited in some of my conversations with her in later life .
The house had a tradition of Pan Tambaku and there used to always be a silver plate with Supari / Adkitta , Paan, Tobacco leaf , Chuna , Lavang etc . There were several types of large and Small adkittas.
Early days , the house had resident - apart from Ajoba and Aji -
Sindhu Atya - who was a teacher
Padmakar ( Bhaiyya ) Kaka who in later years attended Teachers Training College in Amravati and later settled in Gondia
Kamlakar ( Guttu ) Kaka who in my earliest memory was a body builder and knew martial arts and later went for training in the Railways and became a guard and settled down in Bilaspur.
Moreshwar ( Balloo ) Kaka - who worked in the forest department and was an ardent bhakt of Shirdi Sai Baba and to whom Shri Sai Nath ji had visited in the form of a Sadhu and given a miraculous gift .
Vimal ( Baby ) Atya who in the early memories was a student and then a teacher staying in Parasia and then settled down in Chhindwara .
Non - resident was Prabhakar Kaka who settled down in Bhopal along with his sons Arun and Subhash .
Any account would be incomplete without mention of Adkya ji who was the big help in the house fetching water from the well and doing other odd jobs . He was an employee of the State Roadways by day and used to get our tickets to travel back to Jabalpur . His son Baburao was my companion and playmate .
In a nearby house stayed Advocate Ghate and his son Shamu was also a playmate .
I wonder where their lives led them !
All the Kakas are married now. In fact one of my endearing memories is the wedding of Bhaiyya Kaka when the whole family travelled by train to another town . We were hosted in the boy side wing of a wedding house and the ceremonies took place in the hall. Great fun as well as the journey back with a new member of the family !
For various reasons , inadvertently and sadly , I have been out of touch with my cousins Raju, Sujata, Arun, Subhash , Seema , Ravindra and their extended families and would like to know more just as I would about my nephews and nieces.
I need to wind up now.
Inquisitive questions are sometimes asked to catch up on lost time and to seek to make good on an image of overlooking a sense of belonging !
Please do endure the long read and update me if possible on the trajectories followed by your lives and those of your extended families .
