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The village traces its origin as far back as two hundred
years. It is reported that it was founded by an Anavil
Brahmin named Naranji Lala, the brother of an ancestor
of Mr. Manibhai, the present Police Patel of the village.
No exact date about its foundation can be given. The
founder was originally a resident of Bulsar town where
his descendants still own a house and some landed pro-
perty. In those palmy days of the Anavil Desais of
South Gujarat—when they were the practical rulers of
this part, enjoying the monopoly of farming land revenue,
this man is supposed to have taken a fancy to establish
a new village. In his wanderings to select a suitable
place he came to this part where the village is now situ-
ated to the eastern-most boundary of the Bulsar Taluka.
Here he saw that there was a possibility of founding a
village with the Kaliparaj, who abounded in the adjoin-
ing Dharampore territory, as the farming population. He,
therefore, persuaded some of them to abandon that terri-
tory, and to come down and settle in (now) British Guja-
rat and form a new village. Enticed by the privilege
offered to them of cultivating as much area as they liked,
a group of Kaliparaj people migrated to this place. Thus
was laid the foundation of Atgam about two centuries ago.
In course of time, Naranji Lala persuaded, by offers of
pieces of land, some artisans like carpenters and personal
servants like barbers to settle down in the village for the
comfort and service of the cultivators. Gradually a
village police force consisting of Dheds was evolved and
a Bhangi family was ushered in for serving the people as
sweepers and as removers of carcasses. These people
were, like the artisans and personal servants, given a sta-
tus in the village by being granted pieces of land. The
descendants of all these families still enjoy the usufruct
of land originally given to them, some by paying a quit-
rent and others on the payment of merely the local cess.
It is said that not only were the members of the non-agri-
cultural population of the village provided with a status
in the social and economic life of the village, but that each