OverView of Uswad

Uswad facilitates Jeevan Shikshan Vidya Mandir Primary school upto 4th standard, Dr. N.K. Gaikwad Vidyalaya (High school) upto S.S.C., Other than these schools, Primary Health centre is available for needy people. Village is in rain shadow zone, farmers have to depend upon monsoon for both kharip and rabbi crops. Every Wednesday is a bazar day. It is a good practice, other wise people have to go at Chandwad. Uswad is connected by road to the villages like Dugaon and Rahud. Rahud is located on the National highway no. 3. Vardardi is a famous place, where Lord Shani's temple is present. This place has a mythological importance. Devotees visit this place to a great extent. Marriage ceremonies are also carried out at this particular place. Lord Shani's blessings are with the people of the area.

Uswad is a village in Chandwad taluka, Nashik district, 10 kms east of Chandwad. Earlier people from our village used to go to Chandwad for market on Monday. Now our village fills the market every Wednesday. This is a beautiful idea. A resolution was passed in the village meeting and the market started filling up in the village itself. People's labour and money to go to Chandwad was saved. The money in the village started playing in the village itself. Of course, Chandwad is still not an option for main purchases. As our village is at a crossroads, the red fairy of the Government of Maharashtra comes 2 to 3 times a day.

My village is relatively large. Many people / families live in the village as mentioned in Uswad Part One. In fact,  Shiva's field has been famous since ancient times. It is at located towards  Dugaon Road. Many times in the rainy season, when the rain appear  from the south side,  people from other areas say that it is raining in Shiva's field. Here Shiva means boundary line. Many families with the surname Pawar live there.

To the east of the village,  Dhakari mountain range, where  the farm of the Bidgar people, who are now included in the nomadic caste/tribe  by the government due to their sheep rearing.  In the past, villagers used to come to Uswad to grind the grains. To the north is Vardardi. (Saturn temple place). Chinchwe village is on the highway. In the past, people used to come from here to grind grains in the mill of Uswad. There are mountain valleys on this side. Being Mal, there are a lot of Bori-Babhli (forest), and to the west, Fattinga hill, Chandwad fort, Rajdher fort, etc.

The village is inhabited by families of many religions and surnames. Ambekar Haridas, Pawar, Bidgar, Bagdane, Gaikwad, Shinde, Aher, Nikam, Gangurde, Bachhyav, Khairnar, Jagdale, Bhojane, Metkar, Teli, Sonar, Lohar, Sutar, Shimpi, Pathan, Nhavi etc. are the villagers. In Bhil Wadi Mali, Sonawane and in Harijan Vasti (Rajwada) Ahire, Batav live. There are literally 12 Balutedars. After harvesting the millets/ crops in the field, there is a tradition  of giving 5 straws bundles along with ear-head each to 12 Balutedars.

Haridas Guruji was the headmaster / Principal of the primary school. The Khairnar family has a generational carpenter business. Jagdale does farming and pottery. Pathan does sub business. Batav farms and makes slippers, boots. Many people work in agriculture and as farm labours. Ahire  family is in the Vajantri business. While celebrating Padva, Bhowada (is an art form) where many jewels are dance.

The village has a long tradition of Swadhyaya. His Holiness Pandurang-shastri Dada (Athavale) has made it a point to remember, contemplate and meditate on Lord Yogeshwar. Many years before (about 30 years), when Dada was alive, millions of followers gathered at village Daregaon. The people of the village go to Prabhat- pheri, chanting Swadhyaya. Every night at 9.00 pm devotees observe Swadhyay in the temple. The temples have recently been renovated. There is ample space.

Bhajan-Kirtana programs are held for 4 to 8 days. Bhairavnath week is of  4 days. Kakad Aarti starts at 5.00 am. In the morning, and evening  reading Shivamrut (Pothi) is carried out. The program of Kirtan is  organized  at night. On the last day there is a mega event /program in the form of Kirtana again,  which ends with a great meal called Mahaprasad.

With the rise in the  thought, the village is now free of garbage.(Hagandari-mukti).  This was made possible by government assistance. There are many lakes near the village. The village is supplied with tap water. The main well of the village is called Barav. Wells are the main source of water for agriculture. To much trouble in summer so faar as deficiency /scarcity of water is concerned.  That seems hard to put into words. So having trouble matching the wedding.

Under the Employment Guarantee Scheme distribution of Sukadi (Maize and Jaggery together) was a common practice.   These memories are also bad too.   Acacia  trees grow only in drought prone areas. Mango, Jambul, Peru, Lemon, Shevaga, Sitaphal, Ramphal, Pimpal, Wad, Neem, Mahanim, Ran-Bhendi, Bhokar, Chandan, Palas, Subabhul, Rambabul, Giripushpa / Undiramari, Tarwad, Amoni-Kamoni, Nivdung, Ghaneri, Arni, plants are in the an area. Many types of grasses grow in the rainy season, (rosha grass, from which brooms are made). Xenia, Pandhari-Tilvan, Pitta-Papada, Shevara, Vinchavi, Chand-vel, Ran-Kanda, etc. are also found. Legumes: Rice, Chawlai, Pathri, Kartule (vine).

It takes 5 leaves/ patri  to celebrate most of the festivals. To worship god Ganesha  / Ganpati festival, 21 types of plants are used. These include Durva, Bor, Rui, Maka,  Shami, Aghada, Pomegranate, Cedar, Dorli, Kevada, Arjun, Vishnukanta, Jai, Agastya, Bell, Mahamalati, Dhotra, Tulas, Kanher, Maruwa, Pimpal. In the past, Malran was open and bare. Planting trees was a daunting task. It has been done at the end of last century.

Figs, cashews, almonds do not come here. Sorghum, pea, turmeric, ginger, turmeric, sugarcane, chilli are not grown, The  soil and climatic factors are  not suitable  for the growth of these plants. There used to be a large number of vultures but now there are no vultures. There must be a scientific reason for this. From the bird world, there are sparrows, cows, herons, crows and sparrows. Pheasants and other birds can be seen. There are scorpions under the rocks on the floor. Snakes are found in the fields. Snakes, Manyar, Furse, Ghonas are poisonous snakes, everyone should be careful.

Satyanarayana Mahapuja is a program that is loved and always organized for  all age groups. Ceremonies are occasional, they teach you a lot. Planning, management etc. Chowrang, Pat, banana or kardal poles for Mahapuja, Puja materials includes sugar, ghee and more. Happiness is priceless.

Shira / sweet was  a favourite wedding food of the people of our village, now sweet Bundhi. Bundhi  is loved too much. The other constituents of diet/ thali are  Ghugari means Usal and Varan Bhat. Patravali is used as a plate to cherish the food.  Patravali is  eco-friendly as palash leaves are used in making it, then eaten by animals.

Children's games and their fun is  in playing indigenous games like chakoryas, glass beads, vortices, viti-dandu, etc. School games are Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Exercise etc. (P.T. Physical Training and M.D.Medal Sports) short one day Excursions are organised by the school teachers at Varadardi, and at Chandwad fort.

Nashik can be reached in an hour and a half. However, due to the new highway, the trees on both sides of the road have become history.

The village has a Zilla Parishad primary school. Classes 1st to 4th are filled there. M.V. P’ S  Dr. N.K. Gaikwad school provides education upto S.S.C. Children from places like Panch-Croshi (Rahud, Dongargaon, Kalamadare, Sutarkhede, Konkankhede etc.) still come to Uswad school. Dr. N.K. Gaikwad was an MLA. He made many improvements in the village. The village has a primary health centre, revitalising the village.

People of all castes and religions live in my village. The village itself has Rajwada and Bhillwadi. The village has Maruti, Bhairavnath, Gopinath, Khandoba, Dutt, Mahadev, Vitthal-Rukmini temples. The Saturn Temple is in the nearby Varadardi. Therefore, every festival is celebrated with great joy. Bhavada is a folk type celebrated on Padva every year. There is a trainload of 5 day programs. Ramayana is celebrated. On the last day there is a Fare. The procession leaves on Datta Pournima. Datta is the chariot of God. This time the farmer gets the honor of attaching his pair of oxen to the chariot. Twelve bullock carts (without bullocks) are tied to each other and people pull them at a distance of 500 meters. Small children sit in the cart. It's fun.

Wedding ceremonies are celebrated. There is an all night dance program. Vajantri is called Sambhal. The Gram Panchayat provides cooking utensils. fees are negligible. Many events take place in the village. Kirtan, Bhajan program lasts for 4 to 7 days. People come together. Meals are served. The festival  of Holi is celebrated. The second day is Dhuli-Vandana. Children dance as heroes. Wrestling is in full swing. Diwali, Dussehra, Makar-Sankranti, Nag-Panchami  all festivals are celebrated with joy. On the 2nd day of Makar-Sankrant, a procession of sheep leaves. Pitru-Pandharvada In order to invite grandparents to heaven for food, kheer, mixed vegetables (many vegetables together) is the menu of the meal. Along with that, kuradai, bhaji.

Every Saturday, many people from far and wide come to Varadardi. The spirits of Saturn are worshiped. There is a legend that King Vikramaditya came here. This place is breathtaking. Due to the valleys and mountains, water flows in the rainy season and winter. There is ample space. A large pavilion has been built. Wedding ceremonies take place here. Saturn is the gracious vision of God.

Farmers mainly cultivate cash crops like  onions in their fields. The largest Lasalgaon market in Asia for sale. Otherwise Manmad, Umrana, Pimpalgaon, Chandwad. In summer (April-May) less onion is grown due to lack of water resources. Sometimes you get a lot of market price, sometimes not at all. Millets, maize, wheat are grown. Even though the name of the village is Uswad, we don't  get sugarcane here. Vegetables are taken in small quantities as the village is inside from the main road. There is the question of sales.

Bandhara present at village, Rahud is beneficial. From there the village gets drinking water. Water was supplied by water tanker for many years. Water was supplied from a well near Rang-Mahala at Chandwad. In times of drought, water was always supplied from here, to the entire taluka, to every village. Blessed is Tejaswini: Ahilyabai Holkar and her vision. They have built many wells and ponds.

The importance of Chandwad is unique. Since Chandreshwar Temple and Renuka Mata Temple are here, devotees visit here in large numbers. Navratri is a 9 day pilgrimage to the Goddess. There are many forts in the area. The pedha prepared and sold at Chandwad is famous. There is no sale at nearby Manmad, Deola, Satana. Genuine Marathi is spoken in my village, I am really proud of it.