History – The Billawar Association Mumbai

Genesis and Growth

The Billawar Association

Three golden teachings of Brahma Shree Narayana Guru are: ‘One Religion, One Caste, One God’, ‘Be Independent through Education’ and ‘Unite and Become Strong’. Inspired by these teachings, in the year 1932, a few philanthropic and dedicated individuals of the Billawa Community merged the following four different entities into one – The Billawar Association of Mumbai. Shree Gokarnanatha Kshetra Samiti, Billawara Hitawardhaka Sangha, Barkur Billawa Charity, Billawar Youth League.

The Billawar Association started activities from a solicitor’s office at Meadows Street, Fort under the Presidentship of Shri. M. Appanna. As the organisation grew, the various sub-committees channeled the activities of the association in different thrust areas. In 1974 the office was further shifted to the spacious new building called ‘Mohan Terrace’ at Mody Street. The present Billawa Bhavan, is a splendid institution in tune with the principles of Shree Narayan Guru, constructed at the cost of crores of rupees raised through donations and philanthropy. The Billawa Bhavan today is an edifice of inspiration for millions of the community members.

Billawa Bhavan

The foundation stone of the Billawa Bhavan was laid on 6th December, 1992 by Revered Swamiji Sri. Sri. Shashwatikananda from Shivagiri, and the same day the inaguration of the diamond jubilee celebrations was done by Shri. B. Janardhan Poojary in the presence of the chief minister of Karnataka Shri.S.Bangarappa and Shri.Javed Khan – Minister, Govt. of Maharashtra.

The grand inauguration of the Billawa Bhavan on the 16th of April, 1995 in the presence of a gigantic congregation of over 60,000 community members is an unforgettable and beautiful memory, and it has been the fulfillment of a long cherished dream of millions of our people. (Inaugurated by Shri.Seetaram Kesari)

The Billawa Bhavan, as it stands today with its attractive patterns & nucleus image, reflects the symbol of Unity of the vast Billawa Community of this great city of Mumbai. It is indeed a fascinating and eye catching edifice.

The extended BILLAWA BHAVAN in its present form, a dream project of our then president turned into a pleasant reality on 16th April 2006. The Billawa Bhavan was inaugurated in an impressive ceremony attended by large number of dignitaries and an equally large number of billawas. The function was graced by Shri. Vilasrao Deshmukh – Chief Minister of Maharashtra & Shri. B. Janardhana Poojary – MP & ex-Dy. Finance minister of the Govt. Of India.

The Billawa Bhavan is a unique 6 storeyed building – standing tall gracefully in the heart of the city. Association’s all activities are centered here. It has a wonderful state-of-the-art auditorium, 2 large halls & a conference room.

Samudaya Bhavana

The Samudaya Bhavana & Guru Mandira located in Sanpada, Navi Mumbai, was inaugurated with twin grand functions on 8th and 9th June 2024 in the presence of His Holiness Sri Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Swamiji, Mathnadipathi Sri Rama Kshetra, Kanyadi, Dharmasthala and other dignitaries of all communities. The Association dedicated this Bhavana to the community, under the control of our Navi Mumbai Local Office and surrounding areas. The Samudaya Bhavan will in course of time thrive as a centre of activity, contributing to the development of the community, thus giving the locational advantage to thousands of members in Navi Mumbai. The President, Shri Harish G. Amin, successfully guided the entire execution of this Project, in record time, with his personal acumen and experience and leading a team of members in collecting the massive funds for the Project. It is now proposed to complete the existing Guru Mandira at the Bhavana into a Beautiful and Aesthetic temple of devotion for the future generations.

education

Gain freedom through education,

Gain strength through organization,

Gain prosperity through industry

- Brahmashree Narayana Guru

The association’s initial goal was to make education accessible and affordable to the poor and the needy people who had migrated to Mumbai due to poverty and desperation. The concerted efforts of the association helped in establishing the Free Night High School in Fort in 1961, and the English and Kannada Day School in Padubelle, Karnataka. The association is also one of the sponsorer of popular Kannada Bhavan Society in Fort, Mumbai.

True to its spirit, the association continued to serve the people and initiated several beneficial programs like – Financial help, Adoption of Students,

Apart from running and managing the above schools, the Association involves itself fully in the field of Education through the following initiatives:

(a) Adoption of Students – For the benefit of deserving students from the socially and economically backward background with a view to encouraging the needy in completing their education.

(b) Financial Help – At local office level financial help is provided by collecting the donations from the philanthropists.

(c) Award for Meritorious Students – Felicitate with scholarship and merit awards to encourage students who excelled in their respective field of education. For this purpose, a corpus fund in the name of ‘Amrita Vidya Nidhi’ has been created.

Commitment

Over the years, the Billawar Association has grown in strength making its mark in the metropolis of Mumbai and the nearby hill station, Lonavala. The association established 22 local offices to cater to the growing initiatives and to achieve operational efficiency.

Guru Narayana Sahitya Prashashti

The Association actively promotes & encourages achievements in the literary field. It has provided the platform for many a budding writers & poets to jump-start in to the Literary arena. The Association has instituted the “Shree Narayana Guru Sahitya Prashasthi” , which has been sponsored by Shri M. B. Kuckian & Family, to recognise & acknowledge excellence in the field of literature. The Award carries an amount of Rs.25,000 to be given every year to the best Kannada Writer, selected by an expert committee headed by renowned writers.

Yakshagana Kala Prashashti

The Association has instituted the “Yakshagana Kala Prashashti ” which has been sponsored by Late Shri Jaya C. Suvarna & Family, in the fond memory of his beloved Mother, late Acchu Chandu Poojary. The award carries a citation along with a cash award of Rs.25,000 for outstanding Yakshagana artists selected by the expert consisting of renowned Yakshagana artists.

The Shree Guru Narayana Yakshagana Mandali sponsored by the Association performs Yakshagana field dramas on different folk lores in different parts of Maharashtra & Karnataka. It is the shining star in the field of Yakshagana spreading the message of social culture and practices of the community. The Yakshagana Mandali has completed more than 60 years of active existence & is instrumental in keeping the ancient art alive. The Guru Narayana Yakshagana Mandali has won several awards, notale among them being the prestigious Excellence Award in Field Drama, instituted by Cultural Wing of Karnataka Government. The Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Guru Narayana Yakshagana Mandali in 0000, was attended by the President of Karnataka Yakshagana Academy.

Arogya Nidhi Fund

A corpus fund ‘Arogya Nidhi’ was formed in November 2012. The Fund provides monetary assistance directly or through crowd funding to help our needy members facing financial crisis due to serious ailments, job loss, loss of shelter, etc.

We-Care Fund

Through a We-Care Fund, assistance to the poor and needy for emergency medical expenses is provided, apart from monthly support to widows and vulnerable individuals, to meet their basic needs.

Shubha Mangala Committee

The Shubha Mangala Committee brings together prospective brides & grooms from the community. The committee members meet more than once a week and provide a platform for the would-be brides & grooms to find a suitable life partners. Shubha Mangala is instrumental for setting many a happy marriage.

Billawar Sevadal

The Billawar Seva Dal of the Association consists of more than 100 disciplined volunteers who help in organizing large gatherings and functions. The Seva Dal has earned a good reputation for their excellent organising capabilities.

Mahila Vibhag

The Mahila Vibhag of the Association looks after women’s welfare and other issues relating to our sisters and their families. The Vibhag is active in spreading the Culture and Traditions of our Tulunad Region among the women members of our community, like Aati da Koota (preparing of delicacies of our ancient times), arranging lectures from prominent women leaders / speakers relating to woman development, health, etc. Their Annual Cultural Event is keenly awaited as it offers opportunity to compete with each other in a variety of cultural events, apart from special presentations to the women on important areas of life.

Youth Welfare Committee

The Youth Welfare Committee which was formed initially with the objective of attracting the youth of our community in various activities of the Association. Towards this, one of the activities was conducting the Sports events for the youth and general members of the community. Considering the importance of sports in building healthy competitive spirit amongst young Billawas, the Association promotes indoor and outdoor sports activities.

Billawa youths earnestly look forward to the “Koti Chennaya” – the Annual Athletics meet conducted around December, every year. This event attracts billawa youths not only from Mumbai & its suburbs but also members from Lonavla, Gujarat etc. Intense competition is witnessed from amongst various local committees for the coveted prizes.

Another event that is closely contested & keenly observed is the “Kantabaare-Boodabaare” the Annual Indoor Games tournament. Members across all ages, participate enthusiastically in the carrom tournament. This event breaks apart the generation gap & one could see kids competing with senior citizens in this event.

In keeping with the changing times and preferences of the youth, the Youth Welfare Committee has diversified its sports activities to conduct / participate in tournaments like football, cricket, tugmania, etc. which helps our young generation in promoting sportsmanship and camaraderie.

The Mahila Vibhag & Youth Welfare Committee actively assists the Association in conducting its various social and religious activities. The Association encourages women and youth, especially the younger generation, to take active interest in the noble activities of the Association and through these occasions introduce them to the rich cultural heritage, especially the roots of our community in Tulunad.

Statue of Brahma Shree Narayan Guru

The Statue of Brahma Shree Narayan Guru was installed and consecrated on 16^th April 1995 at the Billawa Bhavan. A beautiful Guru Mandira has been built to house the Guru Pratima and over the years the Guru Mandira has become a Centre of Devotion and Belief for our community members, who invariably come here to seek our Guru’s blessings, on events like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. or before venturing into any new activity. The Guru Pooja every Thursday attracts many devotees to offer their Pooja and seek blessings.

The Association conducts a range of socio-cultural activities to bring together people and to bring about a sense of belongingness & unity amongst community members.

The Billawar Association of Mumbai through its various sub committees annually distributes around Rs 25 lakhs amongst a large number of poor and deserving families in financial crisis, thereby spreading the message of affection and the feeling of oneness among the poor and the down-trodden members of the society. For this purpose the Association has initiated a corpus fund in the name of ‘AROGYA NIDHI’ on 17th November, 2012

Faith & spiritual based activities like weekly ‘Guru Pooja,‘ celebration of important festivals like ‘Shivaratri‘ and ‘Guru Jayanthi, Navratri, Haldi-Kumkum, Discourses‘ by Spiritual leaders, Performance of ‘Homas‘ for peace and harmony of the mankind, have helped the association to strengthen the social fabric of the community.

‘Shree Guru Narayana Yakshagana Mandali‘ sponsored by the Association performs dramas in different parts of Maharashtra & Karnataka. It is the shining star in the field of Yakshagana. The Yakshagana Mandali has completed more than 60 years of active existence & is instrumental in keeping the ancient art alive. The Yakshagana team has won various awards. A few notable ones are mentioned. The prestigious Excellence Award in Field Drama, instituted by Cultural Wing of Karnataka Government was awarded to Guru Narayana Yakshagana Mandali. The Diamond Jubilee celebration of Guru Narayana Yakshagana Mandali was attended by the President of Karnataka Yakshagana Academy.

Mahila Vibhag has been formed to encourage the women to take leadership in social and community development activities. The mahila vibhag actively organises many socio-cultural programs.

The Shubha Mangala committee brings together brides & grooms from the community. The committee members meet more than once a week & provide a platform for the would-be brides & grooms to find a suitable partner. Shubha Mangala is instrumental for setting many a happy marriages.

Social Welfare Projects:

The Billawar Association, Mumbai has taken the following missions with a spirit of serving the needy:

General Help:

Providing guidance and monetary help directly and through philantrophy. A corpus fund of ‘Arogya Nidhi’ is created to help the families in crisis for medical treatment.

Education:

Adoption of Students – For the benefit of deserving students from the socially and economically backward background with a view to encouraging the needy in completing their education.
Financial Help – At local office level financial help is provided by collecting the donations from the philanthropists.
Award for Meritorious Students – Felicitate with scholarship and merit awards to encourage students who excelled in their respective field of education. For this purpose a corpus fund in the name of ‘Amrita Vidhya Nidhi’ has been created.

Day School at Padubelle, Udupi:

The school is situated in a sprawling area of 15 acres. At the Narayana Guru High School more than 800 English Medium and 200 Kannada Medium students avail the benefit of education at a very reasonable fees.

Free meal services and general help is provided to the students.

Free bicycles are provided by the management to encourage the students from the remote villages.

Physical training classes are regularly conducted for the students for a balanced development of the body and the mind.

The association runs a free night high school for the poor working class to enable them to fulfill their dreams and aspirations.

The wise have said – “Sports builds Character”. Considering the importance of sports in building healthy competitive spirit amongst young Billawas, the association promotes indoor and outdoor sports activities.

“A healthy body houses a healthy mind” – and what better way to promote fitness than holding highly competitive athletic meets. Billawa youths earnestly look forward the ‘KOTI-CHENNAYA” – the Annual Athletics meet conducted around December, every year. This event attracts billawa youths not only from Mumbai & its suburbs but also members from Lonavla, Gujarat etc. Intense competition is witnessed from amongst various local committees for the coveted prizes.

Another event that is closely contested & keenly observed is the KANTABAARE – BOODABAARE tournament. Members across all ages, participate enthusiastically in the carrom tournament. This event breaks apart the generation gap & one could see kids competing with senior citizens in this event.

The association also arranges many social activities for the youth to encourage the new generation to take active interest in the noble cause of serving and uplifting the downtrodden.

Inclusion of Billawa/Billava Caste in the OBC list of Government of Maharashtra was first actively pursued by the Association. Due to our untiring efforts, OBC status for Billawas was declared in August 1995. To help community members to take full advantage of benefits of OBC status, the Association guides members through its Social Welfare & OBC Sub-Committee, in the process for obtaining OBC certificates, etc. due to which many students of the community could secure admission to professional courses like Medicine, Engineering, et

Thanks to the vision and foresight of our then leadership of the Association, The Bharat Co-operative Bank (Mumbai) Ltd which was founded in 1973, has over the years helped our several families’ members not only a chance to get decent jobs in that Bank but also realise their dreams of entrepreneurship, housing and higher education, through the various Schemes of this Bank. The Bharat Co-operative Bank is currently among the top ten multi-state co-operative banks in India with more than 100 branches in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat.

The Billawar Sevadal of the Association consists of more than 100 disciplined volunteers who help in organizing large gathering and functions. The Sevadal has earned a good reputation for their excellent organising capabilities.

In 1988 another chapter was added to the history of the Association by starting the Akshaya Magazine to bring out the literary talent. Akshaya has been a launch pad for budding writers & poets who have soared to greater heights after the initial nurturing by the Akshaya editorial board. Akshaya – a popular magazine is having more than 30000 readerships in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The magazine creates social awareness through writings. Shri N. P. Suvarna was the first Managing Editor and Shri M. S. Kotian was the first Editor. The Editorial Board under the stewardship of Shri M B Kuckian has made the magazine a household name in Tuluva families with original content & equally aesthetic presentation. Since the last few years, the Magazine is available in soft form by email / in billawa.org. Even today, the Akshaya Magazine, consisting of a prominent Editorial Board is one of the most awaited monthly publications. Efforts are being made to add English content to cater to the current generations reading convenience.

Local Offices & Co-ordination Offices of the Association backed with other sub committees have all single-mindedly worked on the one point agenda of uplifting of needy & destitute in the community. All in all, the Association has echoed the teachings of Brahmashree Narayana Guru in the best possible manner with the help of selfless service of many persons.

The Billawar Association Mumbai since 1932 has been led by various dynamic presidents beginning from late M. Appanna to the longest served President late Shri Jaya C. Suvarna. The present-day activities of the Association is now undergoing a dramatic transformation under the visionary leadership of President, Shri Harish G Amin, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, whose aim is to build an empowered community of future generations.

Though a few names are mentioned in this section, lots & lots of members – right from 1932 till date, have selflessly & tirelessly contributed to make the Association what it is, today. Though listing the names of all major contributors may not be possible, it is important to not forget their contributions in building the awesome THE BILLAWAR ASSOCIATION, MUMBAI.