Gujarat

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In the previous post under the topic of States of India we've read about Meghalaya. Now we will look into some important points about the state in India with the longest coast line i.e., Gujarat.
  • Gujarat is a state in western India with the largest coastline among the Indian States. It is the Sixth largest state by area and Seventh by population. It was formed by bifurcating the Gujarati speaking areas of Bombay state in 1960.
  • The name Gujarat comes from the Sanskrit word Gurjaradesa, which means the land ruled by Gurjaras(Gurjara Pratiharas) during 7th and 8th centuries CE.
  • The state borders Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Sindh Province of Pakistan and Arabian sea. 

State Symbols:

  • Animal - Asiatic Lion
  • Greater - Flamingo
  • Flower - Marigold
  • Fruit - Mango
  • Tree - Banyan

History:

  • The state was one the main centers where the cities of Indus Valley Civilization flourished. Lothal, Dholavira, and Gola Dhoro are the centers of ancient civilization in the state.
  • Lothal discovered in 1954 has one of the world's earliest dockyards. A mound, a township, and a marketplace are the other findings here. Lothal means a pile of the dead in Gujarati, similar to what Mohenjadora means in Sindhi. Lothal is believed to have survived long after the end of cities at Harappa and Mohenjadaro. Sea goddess statues were excavated here, unlike other Harappan centers where the mother (earth) goddess was worshipped.
  • Dholavira, Kutch District Gujarat is the fifth largest Harappan site and older than Lothal. Tropic of cancer passes through here. It is on the Khadir Bet Island inside the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary. It was discovered in 1967. Sophisticated water conservation systems were unearthed here. A giant signboard, a big chisel, a bronze handheld mirror, a gold wire, gold ear stud are some of the unique items found here.
  • Gola Dharo is another important IVC site in Gujarat, discovered in 1999. Harappan seal with a hollow inside was found here. The area it covers is less than two acres. Since these ancient times, people living in Gujarat region were commercially very active.
  • Since ancient times various Kingdoms and Dynasties held the control over Gujarat. Some of them include Mauryans, Western Satraps, Satavahanas, Guptas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Palas, Gurjara Pratiharas, Maitrakas, Sultanates, Mughals, and some other local dynasties.
  • Chandragupta Maurya conquered Gujarat and appointed Pushyagupta as the Governor. He constructed Sudarshana Lake. Ashokan rock edicts were found in Junagarh. Edicts at Sudarshana lake also point out that it was later repaired by Sakas and Guptas.
  • Western Satraps ruled western India from 35 - 450 CE. The word Satrap comes from Kshaharatas in Persian meaning governor. They were Indo Scythian Saka rulers. Kushans in the North and Sathavahanas in the South and central were their contemporaries. Northern Satrap rulers ruled over the Punjab region. Ujjain and Barygara(Broach, Baruch) were their capitals. Earliest known Western Satrap ruler was Abhiraka succeeded by Bhumaka, Bhumaka's son was Nahapana, who was the greatest ruler in the dynasty. Nasik Caves and Karla caves in Maharastra were patronized by Nahapana and his son in law Ushavadatta. Inscriptions about Nahapana can be found at Karla Caves. Nahapana and Ushavadatta were defeated by Gautamiputra Satakarni in 2nd century CE, after which the empire started weakening and finally destroyed in the 4th century by Chandragupta II of Gupta Dynasty.
  • Maitrakas ruled from 475 to 776 CE with their capital at Vallabhi. Their name comes from Mitra(/Mihira) meaning sun god. They emerged after the decline of Guptas. The founder of the dynasty Bhatarka was a military governor of the region under Guptas. Hieun Tsang and I Tsing visited Vallabhi in the mid and end of the 7th century respectively. They briefly came under the rule of Harshavardhan(606-647 CE). Continuous attacks by Arabs through sea weekend them. They established Vallabhi University which emerged to be a major Buddhist center. Second Vallabhi Jain council of Shwetambara sect was held under the rule of Maitrakas.
  • Gurjara Pratiharas ruled the region from Mid 8th century until 1036 CE. The name Pratiharas comes from the Sanskrit word which means Doorkeepers. They claim themselves to be the descendants of Lakshmana who was the doorkeeper of Rama during the vanavas. They always referred to themselves as Pratiharas and never as Gurjaras. Ujjain and Kannauj were its capitals. They were instrumental in restricting Arabs beyond Indus. Nagabhatta I defeated the Arab army under Junaid and Tawin. The empire grew powerful under the rulership of Nagabhatta II. Under the grandson of Nagabhatta II, Mihir Bhoja and his son Mahendrapala I the empire reached its peak extending from Sindh in the west to Bengal in the east and Himalayas in the north. They were in a continuous struggle with Rashtrakutas and Palas. Indra III of Rashtrakutas sacked Kannauj in 916. Last important ruler was driven out from Kannauj by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018 CE.
  • Chalukyas ruled Gujarat region from 960-1243 CE, with their capital at Anhilwara.
  • Karandev of Vaghela dynasty was the last Hindu ruler of Gujarat. Briefly, before that, they become feudatories of Devgiri(Deccan). Karandev was overthrown by Alauddin Khilji in 1297-1300 CE and Gujarat was brought under Delhi Sultanate.
  • After Taimur's sacking of Delhi in 1398 during the reign of Muhamud Shah Thuglaq, Muslim Rajput governor Zaffar Khan Mujjafar declared independence establishing the Gujarat Sultanate.
  • His son Ahmed Shah founded a new city near a place called Karnavati and named it Ahmedabad and made it his capital. 
  • Humayun briefly laid seize on Gujarat in 1536. Gujarat remained independent until 1572 when Akbar conquered it. Surat became principal port of Mughals and called Bab-Al-Makkah(Gate to Mecca).
  • Portuguese traveler Barbosa in 1514 describes the cosmopolitan culture of Rander in Gujarat.
  • Aurangzeb was born in Dahod, Gujarat.
  • EIC established its factory in 1612 at Surat after an agreement with Jahangir. It was their first commercial hub before it was eclipsed by Bombay which they received from Portugal in 1680. Forces of Shivaji attacked Surat in 1664 and 1672.
  • Surat is located on the Tapi river. Is nicknamed as the Diamond City of India. The city was founded by a Brahman named Gopi who called it Surajpur or Suryapur. It was ravaged twice by Portuguese in 1512 and 1530.
  • In the 17th century, Gujarat came under the control of Marathas. Second Anglo Maratha war of 1802-1803 brought Gujarat under EIC.
  • Gandhinagar was made the capital of Gujarat in 1970.
  • Nav Nirman Andolan in 1974 is the only successful agitation in Post Independence India that resulted in the dissolution of an elected government of a state.

Geography:

  • The longest river in Gujarat is the Sabarmati river. 
  • Satpura, Aravali and Vindhya ranges are the popular ranges that pass through Gujarat.
  • The eastern portion of the state is covered by dry deciduous forests.
  • Rann of Kutch is said to be the largest seasonal salt marsh which lies northwest of Gujarat.
  • Rann of Kutch is a seasonally marshy salty clay desert located in the Thar desert region of Gujarat. Rann in Gujarati means desert.
  • Most of the area of Gujarat lies in the Kathiawar peninsula of Saurashtra region. Jigat point and Diu head are the westernmost and southernmost points of Kathiawar region respectively. The name Kathiawar comes from the Kathis people, a Rajput tribe. Ten districts of the state lie in this region including Diu. 
  • Major cities of Kathiawar include  Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Surendranagar, Wadhwan, Porbandar, Dwaraka. Gir National Park and Blackbuck National Park are in this region. Maharaja Ranjith Singh, after whom the Ranji Trophy gets its name was the Maharaja of Nawnagar in Kathiawar.
  • Gujarat has the longest coastline is spotted with some very important ports. Some important ports of Gujarat are Kandla, Nav Lakhi, Magdalla, Pipavav, Bedi, Porbandar, Veraval, and Privately owned Mundra port.

Language:

  • Gujarati descended from Old Gujarati(1100-1500 AD) which itself is descendent from Prakrit and Apabramsha. 
  • Gujarati is the official language of Gujarat, Diu, and Daman, Dadar and Nagar Haveli. Gujarati is the sixth most spoken languages in India and 4th most spoken in the UK. 
  • Jain monk and scholar Hemachandracaryna was one of the earliest scholars of Prakrit and Apbhramsha grammar, which is also adopted into Gujarati. 
  • Gujarati literature is divided into Pre Narsinh and Post Narsinh periods. Narsinh Mehta was the foremost poet of Narsinh era(Medival era). He was the exponent of Vaishnava poetry, also known as Adi Kavi of Gujarat. Vaishnava Jana Tho Bhajan was composed by Narsinh Mehta in 15th Century. Many Sanskrit texts were translated into Gujarati during this era. Narsinh Mehta and Akho were the Nirguna Bhakti proponents of Gujarat.
  • Modern studies of Gujarati began under the British administrator Alexander Kinlock Forbes. An organization named after him "Forbes Gujarati Sabha" dedicates itself to the preservation and promotion of Gujarati literature headquartered at Mumbai.
  • Rashtriya Vidyapeeth was founded in Ahmedabad by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920, which was later renamed as Gujarat Vidyapeeth. It laid the foundations of nationalist Education during the national movement. 
  • Harijan(Gujarati), Indian Opinion(South Africa), Young India, Nav Jivan(Gujarati Monthly and later published in Hindi too) were the newspapers and Magazines edited by Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Fagu is a genre of poetry in Old Gujarati. The word Fagu comes from Falgu(Phalgu) which in Sanskrit means beautiful('Spring season' also comes from the same root word).
  • Akhyana is the traditional musical theater and medieval genre in Gujarati and Rajasthani Poetry.
  • Rasa/Raso is the Literary form in Apabhramsa which was also used in old Gujarati literature.
  • Bhavai/Vesha/Swang is a popular folk theatre form in Gujarat, started by Asaita Thakore in the 14th century.


Dances:

Dandiya Raas
Garba: Performed in reverence to the goddess Ambaji. originally only women used to perform, but now men are also participating.
Garbi: This originated while troops were on their way back after a victory in the war. It was originally performed by men, but women also join.
Padhar: Performed by a rural community near Nal Lake.
Tippani: Dance form in Chorwad region of Gujarat.

A lot of fairs and festivals are celebrated in Gujarat, some of them are:

  • Bhavant Madhav Mela
  • Dangs Darbar
  • Chitra Vichitra Mela (One of the largest Adivasi fest)
  • Dhrang Fair.
  • Trineteshwara Mahadev Fair
  • Vantha Mela, Shamlaji Melo, Modhera Dance festival, Kutch Mahotsav. 

National Parks of Gujarat:

  • Gir Forest National Park, Somnath: Known for Asiatic lion, leopard, chausingha, spotted deer, hyena, sambar deer, chinkara.
  • Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar, Bhavnagar: known for Blackbuck, fox, Macqueen's bustard, lesser florican
  • Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch, Dwarka:     Known for Sponges, corals, jellyfish, seahorse, octopus, pearl oyster, starfish, lobster, dolphin
  • Vansda National Park, Navsari: Known forDang    Leopard, hyena, spotted deer, chausingha.


Wild Life Sanctuaries of Gujarat: 

Kutch Desert WLS, Wild Ass Sanctuary, Gir WLS & National Parks, Shoolpaneshwar WLS, Balaram Ambaji WLS, Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, Marine Sanctuary, BardaWLS, Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Purna WLS, Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Pania WLS, Rampara WLS, Thol WLS, Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary, Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Gaga WLS, Kutch Bustard Sanctuary, and Porbandar Bird Sanctuary.

Geographical Indications of Gujarat:

  • Bhalia Wheat
  • Gir Kesar Mango
  • Agates of Cambay (crafts made from soft pebbles)
  • Jamnagar Bandhani
  • Kachchh Shawls
  • Kutch Embroidery
  • Patan Patola
  • Sankheda Furniture
  • Surat Zari Craft
  • Tangaliya Shawl


Tourist Spots in Gujarat:

  • Wilson Hills, Saputara(Western Ghats), Pavangadh, Palitana are some of the Hill stations in the state.
  • Other attractions include Lakshmi Vilas Palace of Vadodara, Patan(a fortified city constructed by Vanraj Chavda), Lothal, Dholavira, Gola Daro, Champaneer, Junagadh Buddhist caves, Hutheesing Jain temple in Ahmedabad, Gira falls neaSaputara, Tarang Jain temples in Mehsana, Palitana temples in Shatrunjay Hills, Calico Textile Museum in Ahmedabad, Rani ki Vav in Patan etc.,
  • Royal Orient train runs between Gujarat and Rajasthan connecting various tourist spots.
  •  Champaneer was founded by Vanraj Chavda of Chavda dynasty. Pavangadh fort is the popular tourist attraction here. Champaneer Pavangadh Archeological park is designated as the UNESCO World Heritage site. Jama Masjid of Champaneer is also a popular attraction here.
  • Palitana temples located in Shatrunjay Hills are Shwetambara Jain Temples. Main temple here is dedicated to  Rishabanatha. The temples are considered so pure that no one is allowed to stay overnight, including the temple priests.
  • Rani ki Vav which is located at Patan was built as a memorial to the 11th-century king Bhim I. It was recognized as the cleanest Iconic place in India. It was flooded by nearby Saraswati river and was under the silt until the late 1980's. Rani Ki Vav is recently depicted on the back side of new 100rs note.
  • Ahmedabad is India's first UNESCO World Heritage City.