GSB Swamiji's Photos - AI Enhanced

 

Kavale, Partagali and Kashi Math Swamijis. 1967 at Kavale, Goa

Srimad Bhuvanendra Tirtha Swamiji using AI | A reconstruction of a rare image

 There are two images of Srimad Bhuvanendra Tirtha of Kashi Math Sansthana which i had never seen before.

The below image seems to be a painting or an old photo of swamiji

This was possibly reworked by someone as a painting. Here swamiji looks slightly older but detailing is better.

Below is the AI reconstruction using both the images. The details are very clear and Swamiji looks really good. One issue is with the naamam and one with the right paduka being interpreted as a deepam. But overall it is good.

The Myth of “Angola Doongar”: Re-examining the Origins of Mumbai’s Raj Bhavan Land

There are numerous posts on Instagram and social media about this legend on how the land for Raj Bhawan, Mumbai was donated by a Parsi. This does not even find reference on the official Raj Bhavan website (Lok Bhavan Mumbai | Lok Bhavan Maharashtra | India), but people are in the habit of passing off anything as genuine history, which agrees with their version.

This matters to me because the location of Raj Bhawan was the original spot of Walkeshwar Temple, a Shilahara period place of pilgrimage for my ancestors and ancestors for the original inhabitants of Mumbai. This post was created with the help of Chat GPT, after doing manual research as well as taking its assistance in corroborating my findings.

Introduction: When Repetition Masquerades as History

Over the past few years, several online articles have confidently claimed that the land on which Mumbai’s Raj Bhavan stands was gifted to the colonial government by a Parsi individual, often named Sorabji Cawasji, and that this land was known as “Angola Doongar.”

These accounts are usually presented as settled fact. However, they are uniformly unsourced, late, and internally inconsistent. Having examined 18th– and 19th-century printed records and maps, this post argues that the donation narrative — and the very place-name on which it depends — lacks archival support and should be treated with caution.

This is not an argument against tradition; it is an argument for evidence.

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1. The Central Claim — and Its Evidentiary Problem

The core assertions made by these articles are:

1. A tract of land at Malabar Point was privately owned

2. This land was called Angola Doongar

3. It was donated or gifted to the Bombay Government by Sorabji Cawasji (or a similarly named individual)

4. This donation enabled the establishment of Government House (later Raj Bhavan)

Each of these claims would normally leave a substantial paper trail.

None has been demonstrated.

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2. The Silence of the Bombay Gazetteers

The Bombay Presidency Gazetteers (late 19th and early 20th century) remain among the most detailed administrative and historical records of colonial Bombay. They meticulously document:

• Land ownership

• Public buildings

• Government acquisitions

• Charitable gifts and donors

Yet:

• No Gazetteer records a donation of Malabar Point land

• No Gazetteer mentions Sorabji Cawasji in connection with Government House

• No Gazetteer lists any place called Angola Doongar

This silence is not incidental. When land was gifted to the colonial state, it was usually acknowledged explicitly.

---

3. Revenue, Survey, and PWD Records: What They Actually Say

Revenue and Land Alienation Records

A genuine land gift would require documentation under:

• Alienation of land

• Transfer without consideration

• Crown grants or resumptions

Such records are highly formulaic and precise. To date, no identified revenue proceeding records a private donation of the Raj Bhavan site.

Public Works Department Files

PWD documents related to the construction and improvement of the Governor’s residence consistently refer to the site as:

“land already in possession of Government”
or
“Crown land at Malabar Point”

Notably absent is any reference to a recent gift or benefactor — an omission that would be unusual, given its financial and administrative implications.

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4. The Problem of “Angola Doongar”

Perhaps the most revealing weakness in the narrative is the place-name itself.

“Doongar / Dongar”

In Marathi and related regional usage, dongar simply means hill. British records use the term descriptively, not proprietarily.

“Angola”

“Angola” does not appear as:

• A Marathi, Gujarati, Portuguese, or English toponym for Malabar Hill

• A named hill, estate, or survey unit in colonial records

• A label on any known 18th– or 19th-century map of Bombay

No authoritative source anchors “Angola Doongar” to a fixed, legally recognised parcel of land.

A land donation cannot occur without a legally identifiable land unit. In this case, the land unit itself is unattested.

---

5. Parsi Archival Records — Another Absence

Parsi community documentation from the 19th century — including trust deeds, wills, Panchayat records, and commemorative texts — is unusually well preserved.

If a Parsi individual had donated a prime coastal hill to the government for its highest official residence, one would reasonably expect:

• Community acknowledgement

• Family records

• Memorial references

No such corroboration has surfaced.

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6. How Such Narratives Likely Form

A more plausible explanation is gradual narrative construction:

1. Private individuals occupied or leased bungalows on Malabar Hill

2. Surrounding land was resumed or consolidated by the colonial government

3. A personal name survived in oral memory

4. Descriptive terrain (“dongar”) became a supposed estate

5. Later writers retrofitted a philanthropic “gift” narrative

Through repetition, conjecture hardened into “fact.”

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7. A Historically Defensible Conclusion

Based on currently available evidence, the most responsible conclusion is this:

There is no contemporaneous documentary evidence that the land housing Mumbai’s Raj Bhavan was gifted by Sorabji Cawasji or any private individual, nor that it was historically known as “Angola Doongar.” The land appears in 19th-century records as Crown or Company-controlled property, and the donation narrative emerges only in late, unsourced secondary accounts.

This does not preclude future discoveries — but history cannot be written on absence plus repetition.

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Closing Note: Why This Matters

Urban history is especially vulnerable to myth-making, particularly when prestige sites are involved. Challenging such narratives is not iconoclasm; it is maintenance of historical standards.

If the claim is true, the archive will eventually prove it.
Until then, the story remains — at best — unverified.

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Walkeshwar's Trimurti | From Archives

While exploring details for original remnants from the Walkeshwar Temple ruins located at Malabar point, i came across a foot note in the Bombay City Gazeteer. The text is as below;

Moore, the author of the Hindu Pantheon, (1800-1810) speaks of the remains of a rather elegant temple near the Shrigundi or Lucky Rock at Malabar Point. Fragments of well-hewn stone were still to be seen over and around its site, having a variety of images sculptured on their surface. Many of the most useful stones had been taken to help the erection in the neighbouring Brahman villages of a fine tank and temples. Moore had the site cleared. Some feet under ground he found in a state of mutilation the same triform head which forms the central sculpture in Elephanta. This sculpture, which is pictured at plate 81 of Moore's Pantheon, was carried to the India House Museum and is now believed to be in the South Kensington Museum.

I looked up the book on archive.org and discovered plate 81 from the book. The illustration of the Trimurti found is given below;

Pl. 81. Trimûrti, the Hindu Triad. From a bust in granite, about two feet high, dug from the ruins of a temple in the island of Bombay, and deposited by Major Moor in the Museum of the India House.

Looking at the illustration, one can see that it was in broken condition after the demolition done by the Portuguese. Reimagined it with the help of AI

Below is an article from the book Hindu Pantheon about Moore's discovery in his own words.

At the very extremity of a promontory on the island of Bombay, called Malabar Point, is a cleft rock, a fancied resemblance of the Yoni, to which numerous pilgrims and persons resort for the purpose of regeneration by the efficacy of a passage through this sacred type. This Yoni, or hole, is of considerable elevation, situated among rocks, of no easy access, and, in the stormy season, incessantly buffetted by the surf of the ocean. Near it are the ruins of a temple, that present appearances warrant us to conclude was formerly of rather an elegant description. It is said, with probability, to have been blown up by gunpowder, by the pious zeal of the idol-hating Portuguese, while Bombay was under their flag. Fragments of well-hewn stone are now seen scattered over and around its site, having a variety of images sculptured on their surface: many of those most useful in building have been carried away by the Hindus to help their erections in the neighbouring beautiful Brahman village, its fine tank, and temples.* With the view, neither pious nor sacrilegious, of discovering to whom this temple was dedicated, I have particularly examined its remains; and, with the help of my servants, succeeded in removing the stones and rubbish from the surface of the ground, and discovering what was buried beneath. The temple appears to have been sacred to the Hindu Trinity in Unity; for I found a stone, a good deal mutilated, some feet under ground and ruins, well carved into the triform head so stupendously sculptured in the cave at Ghari-puri, or Elephanta, of which Neibuhr gives a plate, and after him Maurice. And it appears also in the As. Res. but, in my humble estimation, ill executed in every instance; and I have examined the colossal bust with the copies in my hand. Of the stone that I thus found, a good representation is given in Plate 81. and it seems a fair model of its gigantic neighbour. The fragment is more than two feet high, nearly as broad, and about eighteen inches thick, and is of course very heavy. I brought this stone to England, and it is now deposited in the company’s museum at the India house. The front face is Brahma; on his right, Siva; to his left, Vishnu.

Footnote - The village here noticed (Banganga) is a pretty specimen of unsophisticated Hinduism; for, although situated on the populous island of Bombay, it enjoys a degree of tranquil repose that is rarely contemplated. It contains several temples, and is built round a fine tank, or piece of water, of considerable extent, with broad flights of steps down to the water at the north and south ends, having also steps at convenient situations at the sides. Brahmans are here found leading the life they love, although it would not, perhaps, be much relished by many Europeans: the ceremonies of religion comprise the business of their lives, and a literary and contemplative indolence form their negative pleasures: some of them, it is said, have lived here to an old age without once visiting the contiguous town of Bombay. Wealthy and devout persons pay occasional visits to these philosophers, and derive profit and consolation from their sage councils. At the distance of a mile to the northward from this village, and on the westernmost limit of the island, is situated. almost amidst the rocks, a pretty temple of Maha Lakshmi, much resorted to, especially at the annual Jatra, or fair, by pilgrims and pious persons, who have the additional benefit of the optional regeneration offered them in the passage through the venerated type under our notice, on the neighbouring promontory. The tombs of the Parsis, of which a particular description is given in my Narrative, contribute farther to the quiet and retirement of this most interesting part of the delightful island of Bombay.

Note - The highlighted text is a reference to the Dakhmas or the aerial burial grounds of the Parsis, known as Towers of Silence.

Valukeshwar's Temple | K Raghunathji | Temples of Bombay

This is an article from Krishnanath Raghunathji's book named The Hindu Temples of Bombay (1894)

This temple of Valukeshwar or the Ishwar or Lord of Valuka or sand, or the Lord God of sand, is situated at the extremity of the Malabar Hill. It was rebuilt, it is said, about a hundred and fifty years ago by one Ramji Kamat, Shenvi by caste, as the original temple had been demolished by the Mlenchas, but who these Mlenchas were, whether Mahomedans or Portuguese, is not known. It is built of cut stone masonry, and has a tall dome with a patak or flag attached at the top. It is divided into a sanctuary and a Sabhamandap. The former is of square shape, being twenty-four feet by twenty-four feet, and has its floor paved with marble slabs; the latter is about fifty feet in length and about twenty-feet in width. Silver plates are fixed all over the shutters of the entrance door of the sanctuary. The door, as well as the marble flooring, is the gift of one Vasanji Devji Bhatya. The circumference of the space reserved for walking round, measures about seventy-five feet.

The Pindi or the Emblem of Mahadev is self-existing. It is the same which Lakshuman brought from Benares at the bidding of his brother Rama, the hero of the Ramayana. Valukeshwar is also called Lakshumaneshwar. The height of the Pindi is about three-fourths of a foot. Near it there is an image of Ganpati made of marble, and before it there is a square-shaped marble makhar in which an image of Parvati is set up. This image is four-handed, and is represented holding in one hand a lotus, and in another a conch shell or shankh, the remaining two hands being left hanging downwards. On its head there is a crown or mugut and a white robe forms its garment. Its height is of about a foot and three inches. The image of Ganpati alluded to above is about a foot and a half and has a mugut on its head. It is four-handed; one hand is represented as holding a parashu or battle-axe, another an ankush or trident, the third a rosary or mala, and the fourth a cup or vatí, containing modaks or sweet balls.

A Gujarat Brahman and a Shenvi Brahman are employed to perform the worship of the above images, and the worship is performed thrice a day. Daily early in the morning the Kakad-arti is performed. Worship is also performed in the morning, noon and evening, when the nagara drum is beaten and the bells rung. At mid-day mahanaivedya or cooked food is offered. Besides the two Brahmans there is also a Gurav or Bhopi, whose business in the temple is to watch the Pindi before worship, to keep the temple clean, to look after its furniture and to make lights therein when necessary. He is allowed to receive the whole income of the temple on condition to pay the owner so much a year and to keep the rest for himself for his trouble. The expenses of the temple are defrayed from what its owner receives from the Bhopi. A nandadip or a lamp is kept constantly burning near the Pindi.

During the hot season of the year a pitcher or galti is suspended above the Pindi, having a hole at the bottom through which water falls down either in a continuous line or drops, drop by drop, over the Pindi. The Pindi has a brass Kavach or covering on it, and is set up on the coiling of a stone serpent. A brass serpent is made and put round the Pindi. There is a stone Nandi in the sabhamandap facing the sanctuary door and about twenty-seven bells hung up in the temple.

The whole month of Shrawan is the Utchav month in this temple, when daily the Raghurudra abhishek is performed over the Pindi. The number of visitors then is abnormally large.

A Jatra or fair is held at Valukeshwar on the full moon of Kartik (October-November). It is also held on the Mahishivratra day. Shops of toys and sweetmeats are opened. Full light is made in the temple on this occasion, as also on that of the other Jatra day. On these occasions the Pálkhi procession takes place attended by all kinds of native music. The Pindi is decked with ornaments. These fairs are of long standing; no one is able to say who commenced them and when.

The number of visitors on each week-day, except Monday, is about a hundred. On Mondays it is larger. On the Shivratra, Vaikunth Chaturdashi and Kartiki Purnima days, it is between a thousand and a thousand and a half; and on the Jatra or fair days it is upwards of five thousand.

The legend regarding this sand-made god is as follows:—When Rama was on his way to Lanka by the sea-coast in quest of his wife Sita who had been carried away by Rawan with diabolical intentions, he halted at Bombay just on the spot where the temple now stands. The Brahmans who had been sitting there on the seashore for a long time making tapasc-harya happened to hear of Rama's arrival. Among them there was Gaotam Rishi. They therefore went to Rama to take his darshan. They, however, found him sitting in a disconsolate condition. The Rishis inquired of the cause of his distress. Rama told him the same, and asked him what he should do to regain his wife from such a powerful giant as Rawan. The Rishis advised him to perform the worship of Shri Shankar who alone would make his attempts successful. Rama begged to know how to perform that worship. Upon this the Rishis told him to get out from Benares the best sort of Shiva Ling and to perform its full or panchamriti puja. He then desired his brother Lakshuman to go to Benares to get a Lingam of the sort required, and he forthwith left for the place. Gaotam Rishi asked permission of Rama to depart, when Rama entreated him to stay until the Lingam was brought, for there was no one so qualified to assist him in the worship as himself. The Rishi replied that as Lakshuman might take a long time before he returned you had better make with your own hands a Lingam of good sand there. Rama accordingly did so and the Rishi and other Brahmans helped him in performing the pranpratista or the life-creating ceremony over the same sand-made Lingam. Upon this Shri Shankar actually appeared before Rama and pronounced upon him a benediction to the effect that he would soon gain the object he was in quest of. Not long after Lakshuman returned from Benares with the Lingam he was commissioned to bring from there. This Lingam is the one now seen and worshipped in the temple, whereas that made of sand by Rama jumped into the sea on the advent of the Portuguese into Bombay, lest it might be polluted by them. The place from where it left is not far from the Government House at Malabar Point. Certain fishermen know the exact spot. On the Máhishivratra day they go there and perform its worship according to their own way of doing it.

Before this temple there is a large deep tank built of cut stone with a flight of steps called Banganga from ban an arrow and ganga a sacred stream, produced by means of an arrow. The legend regarding this tank is as follows:—During his sojourn at Valukeshwar, while on his way to Lanka to recover his lost wife, Rama felt thirsty but could find no water to drink. He therefore darted an arrow. It went down deep into Patál the region underneath the earth. Through the hole created by the arrow the river Bhogavati running in Patal flew upwards. Hence Banganga is also called Patalganga. Rama drank of the water, and felt greatly refreshed. The tank is considered holy, and purifying rights and atonements—particularly the ceremony attendant on the shaving of the heads of women after their husband's death—are therefore performed by the side of it. Bathing in it is considered as bathing in the Bhagirthi itself. Hence both men and women resort to it for the purpose on the Somavati Amavasya day, Mahishivratra day, Eclipse days, Kartiki, and Ashadhi Ekadashi days and Pithori Amavasya day.

In support of this the Purans declare that bathing in the Banganga procures sanctification and regeneration of the souls. They cite an instance which is that there lived a man about this place who spent his whole life in wickedness. He had at one time an occasion to pass through a wilderness and while so passing he was killed by a tiger. Some portion of his flesh was picked up by a Kapot which flew into the air with it. A kite seeing this pursued the Kapot who, for the safety of its own life, dropped the flesh accidentally, which fell into the Banganga. Shri Shankar upon this directed his duts or messengers to send a vimán down on earth to fetch therein the soul of the man into Shiva's heaven or Kailas forthwith, lest the duts of Yama might carry him to the region of hell, for he added as the man’s flesh has been washed by the waters of the Banganga he must live in the Shivalok. He was accordingly carried in the vaman into Kailas.

Another account of the origin of this Banganga Tank is this:—Parashuram, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, had at one time an occasion to shoot fourteen arrows from the top of the Sahyadri mountains, one of which fell on the spot where the tank stands and produced the sacred water there.

To the north-west of the Valukeshwar Temple there is another sacred tirtha or water called the Savitri tirtha, but as yet no one seems to have attempted to trace the same. That it is there the Purans assert with a degree of certainty.

Towards the seashore there is a rock with a cleft therein. Hindus look upon that cleft with a religious eye. They believe that if they pass through it they save their souls from perdition. Shivaji Maharaj is said to have passed through it.

Temple ruins worshipped as Shri Gundi today

Near this temple there is another, in which the images of Lakshumi and Narayan are set up. Lakshumi is about a foot and a quarter high and Narayan about a foot and a half high. Both these images are made of marble, and their consecration ceremony was performed by the Shenvi community. This temple is about seven feet in height and about twenty feet in width, and the space reserved for circumambulation purposes is about ten feet in circumference.

Jagannath Shankarsheth Murkute | Mumbai no Bahar

 Below is a translation of an article from Mumbai no Bahar (1874) by 

I consider him as the continued incarnation of Rama Kamath, in terms of the glory he achieved in his lifetime and the situations he also faced.

The Ancestors and Heirs of The Honorable Jagannath Shankarseth

The original surname of this illustrious family of the Sonar (goldsmith) community is Murkute. Their ancestral residence was in Ghodbunder, located at the end of the Bassein (Vasai) creek. From there, Babulseth first arrived in Mumbai in Samvat 1760 (Shaka 1655). Although these gentlemen belong to the Sonar community, their occupation was not limited to it. Bringing a small capital saved from agricultural earnings in their native land, they began money-changing and banking (Shroff) business here. By the grace of God, as their business flourished, Lakshmi (wealth) graced their home. As time passed, they expanded their banking activities and became renowned as prominent bankers in this port city.

It is said that Nana's father, Shankarseth was born in Mumbai in Samvat 1760 (Shaka 1662). After his father’s death, he expanded the banking business to such an extent that he was considered a first-class merchant among the banking community. According to Hindu customs, in Samvat 1859 (Shaka 1724), he took a large group (Sangh) on a pilgrimage to Shri Nashik Trimbak.

The Honorable Jagannath Shankarseth

This hardworking and multi-talented Sheth, popularly known by his nickname Nana, was born in Samvat 1850 (Shaka 1725) on the auspicious day of Magh Vad 13, a Thursday, on this island of Mumbai. During his childhood, while others spent time in play, he was deeply engrossed in his studies. As he reached youth, seeing no difficulty in handling the family banking business, he began to sit among the prominent bankers as a leader. Not only that, but due to his humble and grave nature, he earned great respect among merchants of all communities.

Education and Social Reform

Though he received a primary education in his native Marathi language, he also possessed a good knowledge of Sanskrit. Furthermore, he had such an affinity for English education that despite his worldly commitments, he took time to invite renowned tutors like Mr. Murphy and Mainwaring to his home to study privately. Through daily interactions with eminent English friends, he gained great proficiency in the English language.

After acquiring this knowledge, he decided to utilize it for the public good. At the age of about 18, he stepped into public life. For 51 years since then, he maintained a connection with various institutions. One of his most useful works, which shall never be forgotten, is the establishment of the "Elphinstone High School," originally started as the "Native Education Society" in Samvat 1881 (Shaka 1744). In this task, Jagannath Sheth was a leader alongside the late Sheth Framji Cowasji Banaji.

Legal and Civic Contributions

He was also a respected member of the "School Book Society" established in Samvat 1880. His brilliance was such that when the Supreme Court began appointing "Petty Juries" for criminal cases in Samvat 1884, the government included Nana among the prominent citizens chosen for this role.

He was also a staunch supporter of the reforms brought by Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone.

(Translation of the section regarding Sir John Malcolm and the Judiciary): When a conflict arose between Governor Sir John Malcolm and the Chief Justice Sir John Peter Grant regarding the powers of the Supreme Court, Nana played a pivotal role. To show support for the independence of the judiciary, a grand meeting was called in Samvat 1886. Nana took the lead in presenting a "Manpatra" (Address of Honor) to the Judge, showing great courage despite potential government displeasure.

Public Infrastructure and Travel

In Samvat 1890, he was appointed to the Grand Jury. By 1834, under the reign of King William IV, he was formally recognized as a "Justice of the Peace" (JP).

Travel and Religious Contributions

In his lifetime, Nana traveled outside Mumbai only twice. His first journey was in Samvat 1883 (Shaka 1748) to Pandharpur and other holy sites to study ancient customs and temples. Twelve years later, in Samvat 1895, he traveled to Pune, the ancient capital of the Peshwas. There, he met government officials and local merchants, receiving great honor. Beyond these, he did not undertake any other major travels.

The Theater

In the Fort area, an English theater known as the "Playhouse" had been built. Later, the building became dilapidated and the English community lost interest. Seeing this, Nana used his own vacant land to build a beautiful new theater under the supervision of Captain Frobisher in 1848. This not only filled a cultural void but also became a source of income for the owner.

The Royal Asiatic Society and Public Health

He was instrumental in ensuring that Indians were admitted as members of the Royal Asiatic Society (Bombay Branch). In Samvat 1901, he was formally inducted.

The Bombay Association

He was the "founding father" of the "Bombay Association," established in Samvat 1908 to keep a watch on government proceedings and represent the people’s interests. He remained its leader until his death.

Education and Healthcare

He founded the "Jagannath Shankarseth Charities School" in Girgaon in Samvat 1909. For higher education, he donated 40,000 Rupees to Mumbai University to establish Sanskrit scholarships in his name. In memory of his father, he established the "Shankarseth Charitable Dispensary" near Tardeo in Samvat 1914 to provide free medicine to the poor.

Political Leadership and Social Justice

When the East India Company's rule ended and the Crown took over, Legislative Councils were formed. The government appointed Nana as the first Indian member from the Hindu community to the Legislative Council in Samvat 1918 (1862). He was re-elected for a second term in Samvat 1820 (Shaka 1785), a position he held with great dignity until his death.

Support for the Sonar Community in Goa

He also intervened when the Portuguese government in Goa harassed the local Sonar community (prohibiting them from using palanquins). He wrote a petition to the King of Portugal, which led to the restoration of their rights.

The Cemetery Dispute

One of his greatest achievements was resolving the "Cemetery Dispute." Some English officers wanted to move the Hindu crematoriums and Muslim/Parsi burial grounds away from the city, claiming they were a health hazard to the growing population. Nana argued forcefully in the Council that these sacred spots had been there since the island was nearly empty and that they posed no threat to life. His firm stance saved the ancestral cremation grounds of the native communities.

The Statue of Nana

To honor his immense service, a public meeting was called by prominent citizens (including Dr. Bhau Daji) at the Town Hall in Samvat 1920. It was presided over by Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy. Despite some opposition from certain quarters, it was unanimously decided to commission a marble statue of Jagannath Shankarseth to be placed in a public building in the city. A sum of 25,000 Rupees was raised on the spot for this purpose.

Family Tree

1. Narayanseth (Head of the family)

2. Gambaseth

3. Babulseth

4. (From Babulseth): Shankarseth and Gambaseth

5. (From Shankarseth): Ramchandra, Karshanseth, and Jagannath (Nana)

6. (From Jagannath): Vinayakrao

7. (From Vinayakrao): Dinkarrao, Balmukund, Babarao, and Bhawanishankar

Punyatmo Rama Kamathi | Lessons from his Tragedy

Reading the sorrowful life of the virtuous Kamati brings many thoughts to mind and stirs the heart. It is baffling how a man of such deep business acumen and sharp vision could be brought to ruin in a single moment by wicked men. Why didn't he see the traps being set for him? How did his sharp intellect suddenly become dull? Even after being imprisoned, why did he not think of any way to escape the East India Company’s clutches other than through their own letters? Did he truly believe those letters would reach the right hands or that they would even help him? Why did he trust that the Company would give him justice and release him just because they received his letters?

He could have chosen the path of Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji was a contemporary whom Kamati must have seen with his own eyes. Shivaji’s escape from Aurangzeb’s prison in Agra is considered a deed more important and praiseworthy than the founding of Swarajya itself. Shivaji showed the world how to defeat a treacherous and deceitful enemy like Aurangzeb in broad daylight; that is how he was able to build his kingdom. If Shivaji had stayed in that prison to rot, the word 'Swarajya' would never have been heard. Why did Kamati not show the same spark of justice and rebellion?

The Missed Opportunity with Kanhoji Angre

Kamati could have easily crossed over to the other side. To a Hindu like Kanhoji Angre, Kamati would have been far more valuable than the European Portuguese. Governor Boone had even tried to plant a suspicion in Kamati’s mind that Angre considered him a spy. Knowing this, why did Kamati not put his life on the line and free himself to join the Khanderi fort?

Because of his service to the English, Kamati had earned a bad reputation with Angre. Yet, due to his years of experience in the political and military affairs of the region, he knew the intricate details of the political 'weaving' and military strengths of the area. A clever, experienced, and capable man like him would have been welcomed with open arms by a shrewd strategist like Kanhoji. Kanhoji was already a sworn enemy of the Europeans. If the two had joined forces, the English might have been uprooted from the island of Mumbai. At that time, their roots were not deep in India. In 1685, Aurangzeb had ordered them to be driven out of India, and they survived only by falling at his feet and begging for mercy. They were constantly terrified and hounded by the threats of Shivaji, Angre, and the Siddi.

The Slave Mentality

Why did Kamati not strive in that direction? Perhaps he feared what would happen to his family in Mumbai if he escaped and the Governor took out his anger on them. But wasn't his family’s fate already sealed? On the day Boone threw him into the dungeon, a lightning bolt of terror had already struck his household.

Looking at Kamati’s life, it seems he felt he was born to serve the English and was destined to die for them. He possessed the intellect and strength, yet why did he never use it to help himself? He believed that without the English, he had no other refuge—that they were the ones who fed him, protected him, and would ultimately save him. He felt that even if he left them, or they left him, he would be completely lost. This feeling of bandepon (servitude or a slave mentality) had taken hold of him. He was a wise, smart, and courageous man, yet the "warmth of ownership" was missing from his body. In body and mind, he had become a complete servant to the English.

Because of this slave mentality, he never realized what the true purpose of his life should be. Had he realized it, he would not have suffered the injustice and humiliation of the English like a tied-up beast, rotting away in their prison. Like Shivaji, he would have broken free and made them pay for their deeds.

The Lesson for the Community

We may sing praises of Kamati’s intellect and capabilities, or weep for his misfortunes, but our work does not end there. This feeling of servitude still eats away at our own lives. We must reflect on why such a state has come to be.

During Kamati’s time and after him, there have been many wise, intelligent, and brave men among the Brahmins. If we look closely at their lives, there is no difference between their conduct and Kamati’s. They too lacked the warmth of ownership and were filled with the spirit of servitude. For this reason, their precious qualities were never fully utilized for themselves or their country. Instead, they and the country suffered losses. The ends of many such great men were just as sorrowful as Kamati’s, or they simply faded away like withered flowers. The lives of men like Ramchandrabab Sukhtankar, Sadashiv Malhar, Narayanbab Bakshi Kerkar, Lakhabadada Lad, and Baloba Pagnis all tell the same story.

Even today, the lineage of Kamati within us is not broken. We have intellect, we have knowledge, we have strength, and we have money; therefore, we have every right to feel pride. Yet, in religion, language, society, and politics, we have no "ownership" (mastery). We live in our own homes like foreigners who are only there for a few days. We labor in servitude. Our self-confidence has completely vanished. We use our intellectual light only to serve others' lamps. If that lamp is extinguished, our brilliant minds fall into darkness. Why is this so? Since when did we become like this? Were our ancestors truly like this? Did they labor in ownership or in servitude? What is the root cause of this slave mentality? Can we ever regain our sense of ownership? These questions must be examined deeply; they cannot be answered in just a few lines. Therefore, it is best to address them in a separate essay.