History
Patels of Charotar were known as Patidar who defined "GOR" as Samaj or Union for their organizations "Gor" known in Patel Community of Charotar District in Gujarat arrived from Sanskrit "Gotra". These Gor or groups of villages were formed for arranged marriage relationship system within the fold of their own Gor. Now old barriers of such group and confine wedding relationship within own groups are diminishing or ignored and Social Reforms are adopted by many individuals in today's progressive lifestyle. Yet these Gor or groups are not dismantled but has enlarged their groups and added more villages in their Gor. In some villages only few families have joined different Gor....More
Patidars of Gujarat are the descendants of Aryans. Aryans were settled on the Pamir's High Lands near River AMU in Central Asia. From these Aryans, one group went towards Europe, the second to Iran and third came to Punjab, India via Afghanistan. Around 250 B.C. a social order came into existence amongst Aryans with four classes (Chatur Varnya) namely (1) Brahmin (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya and (4) Shudra. In the beginning, while these classes were in the process of being established, the present Patidars were Kshatriyas and settled in Punjab. Thereafter, Kshatriyas were further subdivided into three kinds known as (1) Rajan-Raj (2) Kshatriya (3) Kurmi-Kshtriya. Rajans were the leaders of several small groups and were called Kings. Kshatriyas work was to fight the battles, engage in war and help the kings in administration all the year round. Kurmi Kshatriyas were helping in war with the enemy or invasion from outside but in peace time were doing agriculture in the fertile region of Seven River's Valley-Sapt Sindhu together with animal husbandry on a large scale.
Sri Ramchandraji's (Lord Ram) two sons, Lav and Kush invaded Punjab and defeated its king. Thereafter, in the Region in which Lav established peace and order, it was caller Leva and similarly the Region of Kush was known as Kushad-Kharad. In this way the present Patidars (Kurmi Kshatriyas of that period) are not the direct descendants of Lav and Kush.
The word Kurmi in Sanskrit Dictionary - "Bhuhu Ashy Iti Kurmi" means whoever has the land is a Kurmi. As the time went by the word Kurmi derogated into Kunby and later on to Kanbi. So Kurmis of the Leva Region of Punjab were called Lauva.... Kanbi while those coming from Karad region were called Kadva Kanbi. Kurmis left.... Punjab because of frequent aggression from outside.
During the period between 400 A.D, to 700 A.D. many Leuva Patidar Families (Loh - Kurmis) of North India, Rajasthan and North Gujarat came and settled in Adalaj. When Siddhraj conquered Malva Desh, he invited thousands of Kanbi families to Patan. Ramji Patel brought with him some six hundred Patidar families and settled in Adalaj. This is how Adalaj became the first main settlement of Leuva Patidars in Gujarat. From 500 A.D. Patidars of Adalaj spread to Bhal, Dashkoi and Khambat Regions and in the sixth century further form Khambat, spread all over Kaira District. During this period Ramji Patel accompanying so many Kurmi families from Adalaj went to Charotar Region. These Kurmi families broke the wild virgin land of Charotar, ploughed it and made-arable and most fertile and there settled permanently carrying on agriculture. From 1430 A.D. the down fall of Champaner began and from thereon Patidars of Champaner reached right up to Valsad via Vadodara. Few went to Kanam-Vakar Region.
In Gujarat, the word Patel is 300 years old. During this period, there was one Patel named Vir Vasandas from Piplav (Dist. Kaira) who used to have good relation with the Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb. He organized the Conference of the entire Kanbi Community in 1759 (1703 A.D.) under the auspices of Bahadur Shah a Shajada of Aurangzeb and in this gathering persuaded him to enter the word "Patidar" instead of "Kanbi" in Badshah's Revenue Records. Patidar means one who has the land. Thereafter, he influenced Moghul Emperor in Delhi and Moghul Subah (Governor) of Gujarat to authorize Patidars to collect Land Revenue. The Patidars who were given this authority were called "Amin", while during the reign of Peshwas those authorized to collect the Revenue were called "Desai". Likewise amongst Patidars in addition to surname Patel there began surnames like Amin and Desai. Vir Vasandas was the first Amin of Gujarat.
Five hundred years ago all the Patidars were farmers, all were equal and nobody was of higher or lower class (Kul-Family). There were no classes, circles or groups in give and take of girls in marriage. All the Patidars, Kadva as well as Lauva according to their convenience were arranging girl's marriages in whole of Gujarat. Ahmedabad City was founded in 1413 A.D. Prosperous and educated Patidars from villages went to Ahmedabad and started setting there. Over the course of years Patidars of Ahmedabad City became wealthy and prosperous and therefore being counted as of Higher Social Strata and Family (Kul). Patidar farmers from villages rushed to the City in search of suitable Boys to give their daughters in marriage resulting into a competition and an emergence of a Custom of Dowry and Dahej (Matrimonial property to the Girl in marriage). The farmers from the villages had to incur heavy expenditure as a result of which the birth of a girl was considered to be a bad Omen. At last, Village Patidars awoke and around 1700 A.D. only Leuva Patidars decided not to give in marriage their daughters in Ahmedabad. But during the same period one inequality arose i.e. some big families of the villages received Grants of Amin at and Desaigiri resulting in a big increase in their income. A wealthy and prosperous class came into existence with whom in turn, the ordinary villagers rushed and compete to give their daughter in marriage. The amount of Dowry and Dahej (Matrimonial property including Jewelry, Clothes & wherewithal) gradually increased. After 1800 A.D. those villages which were considered to be of Higher Social strata and of noble families (Kulvan) ceased to give their daughters in marriage outside their certain villages and which over the period established as a Custom.
Thus created a big inequality in give and take of girls in marriage and in fact in 1869 A.D. Nadiad, Vaso, Sojitra and other fifteen villages created their own Circle (Gor). In 1888 Patidar Panch met in Dakor with 10,000 representatives present. This panch made a tremendous effort to remove the said inequality but Patidars could not agree amongst themselves. As a result the Circle (Gor) created some 20 years back by Nadiad etc. was firmly established and also thereafter, other two Circles (Gor) were created. Following in another twenty years some fifty large and small Circles (Gors) of Lauva - Patidars were created in Gujarat. It is said that the size of Patidar's Heart in comparison with other Gujaratis is bit bigger but his tongue is sharper and with that kind of nature both good and bad results have come.
Who are some of the most important Patidars of our time?
The most important that I'm sure all of the older generation knows is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Can anyone guess where he was born? Who here is from Nadiad? Well, yes, he was born in Nadiad and but then lived in Karamsad. He became a lawyer and settled in Ahmedabad where his influence grew. He began following the principles of Gandhiji and fought hard for a peace and relief of taxation form the British. He was the right hand man of Shri Gandhiji. He was the power who influenced the last 23 kings of the various northern regions to sign for India's independence. He was the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India.
Bhailalbhai Dahyabhai Patel better known as: BhaiKaka was born in Sojitra. He became an engineer and amongst the movement of Shri Sardar Patel, he became a prominent figure in Ahmedabad. He established Vallabh Vidhyanagar as the educational township it is today! I know that many of you out there have studied here and hold it dear to your hearts!
Babubhai Jashbhai Patel -was also born in Nadiad. He joined the Indian National Congress and the Satyagrah movement of Sardar Patel. He was the only person who has ever become Chief Minister of the Gujarat State seven times!
H. M Patel (Hirubhai Muljibhai Patel) was from one of the richest town of Gujarat call Dharmaj, Di- Anand. He became cabinet secretary to the Ministry for Home Affairs under Vardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1946, serving till 1950. He continued as one of India's highest-ranking civil servants till 1959. Patel was a fervent admirer of Sardar Patel, and a critic of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He became the Chairman of the Gujarat Electricity Board and was a trustee and strong supporter of the Sardar Patel University at Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat. H.M. Patel was appointed the Finance Minister by the Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who was leading India's first non-Congress administration. Patel was later appointed Home Minister in the administration of Charan Singh, who briefly succeeded Desai in 1979.
These are some of the prominent Patidars of the previous generations, however, as we all know, simply by being here we are all achieving a common goal of living and being successful under an American Institution. And promoting our culture and customs to be carried on by our families has allowed the Charotar Patidars Community abroad to thrive.