History of Varde Borkars

The family traces its origins to Brighu rishi, son of Lord Bramha. Brighu is known for the Brighuvali (Sarve Sukhite Santu....) and also the composer of Epic Mahabaharata. The other sages in the lineage are Dadhichi, Saraswat, Vatsa, Bhargav, Shukracharya (Guru of the demons), Devayani (daughter of Shukracharya),  Chayavanva, Apanava, Aurava, Sukanya, Satyavati, Renuka, Kruschik,  Jamadagni, Shunashepa, Markandeya. 

First wave of brahmins came around (4th to 5th century Isvisan) the period of Parshurama (Father - Arya & Mother - Renuka or Kunkane - Nagkanya) to Konkan or Gomantak.

Second wave migration of dashgranthi brahmin families came with Vatsa Gotri - Dev Sharma & Kaundinya Gotri - Shiv Sharma. Both resided in Kushsthali (Kutthali or Cortalim) with Mangesh as deity. Kaushik Gotri - Loma Sharma resided in Kelshi (Quelossim) with Santeri or Shantadurga as deity around 300 BC.

In 1570, a Vatsa Gotri Kutthalkar with Mangesh as their deity, resident of Loutolim,  gets his son married to Kaushik Gotri  Kelshikar daughter with Shantadurga as deity. Kutthalikars threw the Vatsa Gotri out of their clan. The Shantadurga deity accepted the Vatsa Gotri Kutthalkar as a mahajan  giving a boon (Var), hence the family name Varde was established.

The son of the first Varde  moved to Bori as a kulkarni or administrator and gets the family name Varde Borkar. The couple have a son late in life, after taking penance from the Kashi Lord. As per promise to the lord, the couple takes their son for thread ceremony ritual to Kashi, but unfortunately the son dies due to snake poisoning same night they reach Kashi. The couple devastated by the calamity think to end their life. The Kashi Lord appears in  Second Varde Borkar's dream  and tells him to take dip in the Ganga and take the altar he will find. He is told to establish his Ishtadevta as Shree Shivim in Bori and with his blessing their family will prosper.

The couple had five sons and a daughter. Elder Shiva stayed in Bori to continue Kulkarni profession, second son moved to nearby Sankhalim as a Kulkarni, third moved to Bicholim as Kulkarni, fourth moved to Karwar for business and fifth son moved to near Khanapur - Belgaum area. No information on the daughter is available.
 

This information is based on Bakibab Borkar's booklet "Varde Kulacha Kulvrutanta"