Pathare Prabhu Community

Pathare Prabhu or Pratihara Prabhu as they are known are one of the Hindu communities in the city of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). These people are among earliest settlers in the city.
They are Rajput/Kshatriya aristocracy who migrated to Mumbai around the 12th and 13th centuries AD from the regions of North India and Rajasthan after the Turkic attacks in those regions which were ruled by the Pratihara dynasty of medieval India. Before arriving in Mumbai and north Kokan,Pratihar Prabhus held important position in the court of Yadav(Jadhav) kings of Deogiri( near today’s Aurangabad). After Fall of Yadav Kingdom in hands of Allaundin Khilji, Pratihar Prabhus along with their Yajurvedi Bhramins migrated to Mumbai.
They probably derive their community name 'Pathare/Pratihara, since they served as nobles under the Pratihara dynasty.
However, according to their own detailed chronicled lineage, they trace their descent much further back in Indian History from King Ashwapati (circa 700.B.C ) who was a monarch from the solar lineage of Lord Ram.
They were associated with Raja Bhimdev who ruled over the islands of Mumbai and during British times, they were absorbed in the administrative and official departments of the British Government.
Throughout the generations, despite their tiny number, the Pathare Prabhu Community has a great impact in the form of many eminent civic leaders, doctors, engineers, judges, actors/actresses, architects, solicitors, industrialists, orators, stage & film artists, musicians and philanthropists.
This community built many of Mumbai's famous landmarks:
Mahalaxmi Temple in central MumbaiBhau-cha-dhakka (Ferry Wharf)Thakurdwar’s Gora Ram Mandir & Kala Ram MandirDadar’s Prabhadevi MandirKalbadevi’s Shri Ram MandirDadar’s Kirtikar Market.
They were amongst the first of the Hindus to be well-educated, occasionally even sending their women to study in foreign universities, and also advocated widow re-marriage.
Known for their love of cuisine, arts, religion and philosophy, the numbers of this community are today dwindling in Mumbai with a non-conservative estimate of their numbers being around 15,000-20,000. By the virtue of being a highly educated & broad-minded community, the Pathare Prabhus have been immigrating to UK & US of A, & off-late to Canada & New Zealand.
The Pathare Prabhus were amongst the pioneers in the formation of Mumbai and contributed much to the formation and growth of the city.
The Pathare Prabhus owned places like Fort, Palav Road (present Girgaum Road), Laini (present Princess Street), Girgaon Back Road (present V. P. Road) & Navi Wadi. Likewise places in Malad, Goregaon, Bhayendar, Kashi-Meera, Uttan, Uran, Kelve Mahim (now Mahim), Chene were also owned by them. A major part of present day Khar is still owned by the Pathare Prabhus.
When the social reforms movement started in Bombay (Now called Mumbai), in the mid nineteenth century, young literate 'Parbhi' (colloquial for Pathare Prabhus) were part of the Prarthana Samaj. In fact, for many years its officiating person was Shri Ramchandra Balkrishna Jaykar. In 1852, the founder and president of the Townhall Asiatic library (first native general library of Bombay) was Shri Narayan Dinanath Velkar. Some other distinguished personalities are Magistrate Raobahadur Nana Moroji Trilokekar (first native Magistrate), Bhujangrao Mankar (father of Marathi & Gujarati shorthand) & Gajanan Bhaskar Vaidya (first Hindu Missionary).
The Pathare Prabhu Community has always been known for their luxurious style of living. The typical Pathare Prabhus nick-named as 'Sokajis'. But the true nature of their richness comes from the way they preserve and carry out their traditions. Clannish, traditional and religious, yet possessing a modern outlook at the same time, the Pathare Prabhus are few of the oldest residents of Mumbai and are instrumental in giving Bombay the prominent status, which it enjoys. Hence the Pathare Prabhus enjoy a special position in the History of this great city.

Mahalaxmi Temple

Mahalaxmi Temple is one of the most famous temples Mumbai situated on Bhulabhai Desai Road. It is dedicated to Hindu GodsMahalaxmi, Lord Vishnu's consort. The temple was built around 1785. The history of this temple is supposedly connected with the building of Hornby Vellard. Apparently after portions of the sea wall of the Vellard collapsed twice, the chief engineer from Pathare Prabhu Community dreamt of a Lakshmi statue in the sea near Worli. A search recovered it, and the temple was built for it. Thereafter, the work on the vellard could be completed without a hitch. It lies 21 kilometers south of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. and just 2 kilometers from the Mumbai Central .

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