On the Kudal–Vengurla road, at a distance of 16 km from Kudal and 5 km from Vengurla lies the historically renowned village of Math. Surrounded by green hills, dense groves of mango and jackfruit trees, tall babul and Suru trees, cashew plantations, hanging nests of weaver birds on coconut palms, and giant trees like banyan, peepal, tamarind, and teak, with vines draping over them, the village of Math nestles amidst a naturally beautiful and picturesque setting. This village, set within the ramparts of the hills, excels in art, sports, and education. The designer of the Paramveer Chakra, India’s highest military gallantry award, Savitribai Khanolkar, was the daughter-in-law of this very village. Another special feature of the village is the presence of stone inscriptions dating back 600 years. ... There are several theories about how the village got the name "Math." Although there is disagreement about who founded Math, it is a historically significant and nature-rich village. Today, at first glance, it may appear like any other ordinary village in Konkan, but both ancient and modern history have granted it considerable importance. A key chapter in the ancient history of the Kudal region unfolded in the village of Hodavade in the Vengurla taluka. Math was originally a part of this historic village known for its warriors. The village houses the renowned "Mangalya Math." This is the Samadhi (memorial shrine) of Mang Sawant, the ancestor of King Khem Sawant of the Sawantwadi principality. Mang Sawant came down from the Sahyadri Mountains and discovered a self-manifested Shiva lingam near the current temple site. He constructed a temple at that spot and also built a shrine in honour of his ancestors. It is believed that because Mang Sawant built this Math (monastery), the area eventually came to be known as Mangalya Math. At the centre of the village is the temple of Mangalya. In Math village, there are two temples side by side with Shiva lingams. One of the temples is large and ancient, containing a self-manifested Shivling, and beside it is a smaller temple. This smaller shrine is referred to as Mang Savant’s “umbrella” or “Chatri,” but it is actually a Shiva temple from Mang Sawant's time. It is known as the temple of Mangalya. Inside this temple are six hero stones (virgal), leaning against the wall. The third virgal from the left bears a stone inscription. Even after 600 years, the lettering on this inscription remains legible. The inscription is dated to Shaka year 1319 and roughly translates to: “Mang Sawant, who is the Mangaladev of Math, had a descendant living in Hodavade. He was attacked by an army that came from Belgaum and was killed. His name was Bham Sawant, and his son was Dev Dalvi.” It is evident from the inscription that Dev Dalvi, son of Bham Sawant, donated funds to construct the temple and also gifted land to ensure the continuation of rituals and offerings. In Maharashtra, it is rare to find inscriptions carved on hero stones. This may very well be the only hero stone in Maharashtra to bear a full inscription. This is the historically famous inscription of Math village.
© Suresh Nimbalkar