the godbole family

Origins

Godbole family may include descendants of Caucasian people from the Ashkenaz area and Scythian immigrants into India (Indo-Scythians) who were Hindus at the time of migration (approx 5000 years ago). They are generally fair and have light eye color. Godboles have no connection whatsoever with Arabs, Irish or the British.^[1]

Family Deity

Their family deity (or) Kuladeivat are Shree Vyadeshwara, Shree Durga Devi at Guhagar, Shree MahaLaxmi at Kolhapur and Shree Meruling. Also there is a branch of Godboles who have Shri Durgadevi of Vayangani (near Ratnagiri) as their Kuladevi.

Godboles have origins dating thousands of years ago from Devache Gothane, Guhagar, Pawas, Ganpati Pule, Vayangani and other parts of the great Maharashtrian Konkan coast. Now, there are a large number of them in Mumbai and Pune as well as other places. There is a book written on the Godbole family, lineage, migration, genetics, origins, etc.

Godbole family tree can be traced back to Indo-Aryan Sages such as Koushika (Kausika was one of the names of Visvamitra)Gotra Koushik.^[2]

A popular myth mentions that the Godbole are descendents of the Parashurama (the 6th avatar of Lord Vishnu) who are Chitpavan brahmins who became warriors to fight against injustice.

Role in Military

The Surname -Godbole- was found in history as GadBole. This was a post in the Army, as snipers or watchers and when the enemy was around, their duty is to inform the fort (ie.Gad). Godbole's were also Sardar's (Military Generals and Strategists) in the court of the Peshwas (Rulers of the Great Maratha Empire).