Nanjundeshwari

Now, the village, called Kheni Ranjol was originally called Nanjundeshwari; long ago when the Sindhiya kings lived there at this place,later on called Ranjeri. The place is located near a merging place of three water streams called the Karanja, the Nagarahalla, and the Markal halla. At this place where there is plenty of water availability, the Sindhiya kings ruled from this location once upon a time. The place Nanjundeshwari was later called Nanjeri, and then it was pronounced as Ranjeri over the later perod of time. Near Hanuman temple Ranjol, there is a stone written document to suport this statement. After the 1972 famine, the Karanja Dam was built across the river Karanja near Hallkhed. This project was started as a famine relief work to begin with.

The sufix, Kheni was attached to this village because , there was a rich person lived here called Maharudrappa Kheni. He was famous, as he saved many people of starving due to famine, some-where in 1900, by serving food free of caste to the visitors. Many people traveled to this location from Marathawada area. A traveler deliberately left his little son here as he was unable to feed the boy. The kheni family took-care of this boy and the boy grew as an adult and was called Manasingappa Kheni. Manasingappa's grand son Chandrakant, was my classmate in primary school Ranjol Kheni.

This, Maharudrappa-Kheni temple exists towards the north-side of this village the Najundeshwari. There is another village called Halli(Hochaknalli) about one kilometer away from this Maharudrappa temple towards south. Between these to locations, there is a small elevated location, where Sharada Devi temple was built by the Sindhiya kings. On occupation of this location by Muslim community, the temple was renamed as Sharambibi and the temple was demolished to build a Darga as per their custom of worship. Just in front of this temple, say 500 yards towards east, there is a well, called Harurmala. The irrigation land with well-built irrigation well, belonged to some Brahman family. But now one cannot trace any Brahman in Hochaknalli. The Mali-Patel and the Kulharni were from Muslim community, in Nizam-rule. However, Polish Patel was a Hindu, a Lingayata called Basavanappa.

After the first posting of a teacher in Hochakanalli, around 1961, the first school was opened in the premises of Basavanappa Polish Patel. I was a student of that school in my childhood.

Nanjundeshwari is a bigger village in the neighborhood. The homes are well built. Some of the families are very rich and cultured people. Prabhaker carpenter was my clasmate. I used to study with him and spend my night hours in his home during my 7^th year study. Ramarao klkarni was my senior student in school. There was one more house belonging to vasantrao kulkerny. During rainy season puranas were told at that place. I attended many sessens of puranas in vasantrao’s home. The kheni family had a car for there private use. They were money lenders. Poor people would go to their home in search of money for marriages and other needs. These khenies had lot of property in towns and cities.

It was 1967, October when I was a 9^th standard boy studying in TDB High School KheniRanjol. My high school was working from Maharudrapa Temple premises itself. One day my father came in search of me. He was worried about my future. He was deceived in a land purchase deal. We both went to Sharada Temple premises in the evening as per his will. After prayer we sat by the side of the temple, and he took-out a paper pocket from from his shirt and gave it to me and asked me to open it. I did so and it was ash in the pocket. He asked me what it is. I told that it was ash. He explained that what ever he earned in his life by hard work has became like the waste ash. And after some days he suicides on Durgastami of Dashahar Festival. He sacrificed his life.