Vacharadada
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Vachradada was a Rajput from Gujarat who saved the Mother cow from Muslim bandits/
During the 1700’s a baby boy was born to the village chief, a Solanki Rajput. While he was sitting around a camp fire along with other elders of the village a maid arrived and informed him that his wife has given birth to a boy. Upon hearing the good news the maid was rewarded with gold. A friend of the chief made a kundli for the baby. The kundli showed that during his life he would fight a injustice and eventually die.
When Vasraj was 4-years old he went to school and there was a snake in the school grounds. As he was a servant of Lord Shiva, he wasn’t scared of the snake. So he went up to it and whispered “Though I am not, my friends are scared of you, so to relieve their fear could you please leave.” With that the snake left and the people thought of this act as a miracle.
When he reached the age of 21, Vasraj’s parents decided to arrange his marriage to Dudhata. On wedding day, Vasraj arrived with his “Jaan” and soon the wedding ceremony started according with the Hindu wedding ceremony. Half way through the ceremony, a cow herder came to tell Vasraj that some Muslim bandits have taken the village cows. The taking of cows from a village in those times was shameful. Hearing this Vasraj got up at once and asked the priest to stop the wedding ceremony. He told his wife to be that he has to go and protect the village cows, since it was his duty for being of a warrior caste. Dudhata bravely put a “tilak” mark on his forehead and prayed for his safe return.
Vasraj got on his horse and tracked down the bandits. He asked the bandits politely to return his village herd; however bandits refused and challenged him to fight. Being a warrior, Vasraj pulled his sword out and started slaying bandits. After few hours of fighting single handidly, Vasraj got tired and got out numbered by Muslim bandits. One bandit swung his sword and brave Vasraj’s head was separated from his body but his body kept on fighting the bandits. Seeing this miracle, rest of surviving bandits fled in shock and fear. By that time villagers arrived and saw the miracle, seeing that bandits had fled and his village herd is safe once again, Vasraj’s body collapsed and died. Hearing this news Dudhata, decided to become “Sati” and asked the villagers to prepare for final ceremony, in which Dudhata sat on funeral fire holding Vasraj’s head in her hands. Villagers of Satrava realised that this was no ordinary man and proclaimed him as a divine demi god.
The main temples of Vachradada are located in Satrava, Padana, and in Kutch.
Article written by Ravi Odedra