Mer people of Saurashtra

                                    Mer/Maher are brave unique community with strong powerful physique & height with beautiful face.They live in Barada & Ghed area of Porbandar.Origin of Mer, a brave caste of Gujarat, is uncertain.According to historians Elliot,Tod,Forbes they came to Gujarat from Punjab/Sindh/Ajmer.Mer are farmer.In old time Rajsakha Mer were landlord of Porbandar Jethwa state.Main branches of Mer are Keshvala,Rajsakha,Modhvadia,Odedara.In ancient time Soning Mer was chief in Hinglaj Mata area of Baluchistan.He migrated to Saurashtra.His son Dhanraj Mer founded Dhandhuka.In 1174 AD Dhan Mer donated Dhandhuka to Valam Brahmins of Talaja.Dhan Mer with his community shifted to other parts of Saurashtra.As per copper plate deed of Tmbana of 1203 AD,Timbana ruler was Jagmal Mer who built temples in memory of his father & mother at Talaja.As per stone inscription of 1216 Ad of Shiyal Bet near Jafarabad,there was ruler Ransinh Maher.In 1330 AD Thepak Mer was Hathsani ruler.It is believed that Mer/Maher came to Sorath area (present Junagadh & Porbandar districts) from Gohilvad (eastern Saurashtra) after 1330 AD.

                                      Mer mean Mukhi-chief.Mer branches-Keshvala,Sisodia,Rajsakha,Sumara,Parmar,Solanki,Vadher,Kishor,Vala,Chauhan,Bhatti,Chavda,Vaghela,Gohil etc.Original Mer branch Keshvala Mer are descendants of Lord Ram.They are descendants of Lord Ram's son Kush.They are known as Kushvala-Keshvala.As per myth Odedara Mer are Yaduvanshi Sumara.They are descendants of Shri Krishna dynasty Sumaraji who married in Mer & settled in Odadar.

Ancestor of Rajsakha Mer branch was Randhirji Jethwa.He married in Mer & became Mer.As Jethwa were ruler of Barda,they known as Rajsakha Mer.It is believed Saindhav branch Mer are descendants of Saindhv dynasty of Ghumli.Bhatti/Bhutiya Mer are descendant of Yaduvanshi king Bhupat.Gohil Rajput's ancestor Sejakji Gohil's brother Visaji Gohil married daughter of Dhan Mer & became Mer.His descendants are Gohil Mer.Some surname of Mer are from their villages e.g. Odadar-Odedara,Modhvada-Modhvadia,Bapodar-Bapodara,Kuchhadi-Kuchhadia,Karavadar-Karavadaria.Villages of Barada area having major Mer population - Modhvada,Odadar,Bakharala,Khambhodar,Visavada,Fatana,Advana,Sodhana etc.Mer Maldev Rana Keshvala was painter,musician,historian & writer.He wrote book 'Mer Javnmardo'.He was first MLA of Porbandar after freedom.

Written by Bipin Thanky
( Tweets on Mer people from my twitter handle @GujaratHistory )