Chachadi Wade is located in a remote village in the Saundatti taluk of Belgaum. This majestic Wade house is living proof of history, with a heritage spanning approximately 800 years.

In continuation of Buchanan’s journey in search of the ‘Remains of Ikkeri family,’ he referenced a document during his visit to Nagra in 1801, detailing the Ikkeri/Keladi royal descendants who migrated to the Maratha country. In pursuit of tracing their lineage, I visited the wade houses of Gonthamar, Muthuwad, and Chachadi near Bailahongala.

Surprisingly, numerous families in Muthuwad of Bailhongala share the prevalent surname of Sanganaikar. They assert their lineage as descendants of Keladi, and to this day, their ancestral deities are traced back to Sagara, which is near the capital regions of the Keladi dynasty. Annually, they pay homage to these family deities.

During the expedition to the Chachadi Wade house, an ancient fortress mesmerizing in its architectural marvel and boasting an age of 800 years, Nagaraj Desai, the current Descendant of the Chachadi Wade house still inhabiting this wade, shared insights:

 “This wade house was constructed during the reign of the “Ratta of Saundatti” (Savdatti) by a Jain king named Kartivirya. Later, administration was entrusted to the Desai family (Veerappa Nayaka), who arrived in Saundatti in the 12th Century. They partitioned the villages among seven children, settling in Belavadi, Ingalagi, Tallur, Gontmar, Mutwad, Chachadi, and Rudrapur.”

These wade houses have a direct connection with the Kittur Desai family and the Belavadi Samsthana (Kingdom).

The Wade house, which has undergone many repairs and modifications, before its entrance a stone bastion and inside a temple of Hindu trinity.

The wade is fortified by three protective stone walls (mooru suttina kote), each equipped with watchtowers facing four directions. Its entrance, reminiscent of a fortress, features two main doors (hebbagilu) and stone walls. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by two splendid long wooden pillars depicting palace architecture, resembling a courthouse. In the backyard lies a Jain basadi. At the second gate, once housing cattle sheds and stables for horses, now stands a museum exhibiting over 1,000 artifacts. This extensive collection includes weapons, utensils, agricultural implements, musical instruments, pottery, and documents.

There is an interesting anecdote about Nagaraj Desai’s grandfather, Rao Bahadur Sardar Veerabhdrappa Gunappa Desai (V.G. Desai), who was a philanthropist. In 1904, he established a primary school exclusively for girls to promote education among them. Additionally, he founded agriculture training schools for rural youth. V.G. Desai was also one of the founding members of the KLE Society.

For his significant contributions in the realms of social, religious, political, administrative, educational, and literary fields, the British government honored him with the title of Rao Bahadur.

The architectural splendor of Chachadi Wade has become an emblem of Belagavi’s cultural landscape. Its majestic presence enriches the cityscape, drawing visitors from far and wide to marvel at its beauty and grandeur. As a cherished historical landmark perpetuating the legacy of its architectural excellence for generations to come.

Shiva is an avid field explorer of history and the environment and is Project Field Researcher at FAIR.