Bhavnagar
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Bhavnagar is a city in the Gujarat state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Bhavnagar District.
Location
Bhavnagar is located in the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as Kathiawar, a peninsular part of the state of Gujarat, in the western region of India at sea level.History
The History of Bhavnagar goes back a lot further then the city itself. It begins in the 12th-13th century, when the Gohil Rajputs of the Surya Vanshi clan, facing severe competition in Marwar, moved down to the Gujarat coast and finally settled at Gogha port, near present-day Bhavnagar.Bhavnagar was founded by Bhavsinhji Gohil, the rulers of Sihor in 1723 AD. It was the time of persistent Maratha raids of the States of Saurashtra. The last princely ruler Late Sir Krishnakumarsinhji handed over the administration of his State to the people's representative in 1948 on the advice of Gandhiji.
Founded as a port in 1743, Bhavnagar is still an important trading post for the cotton goods manufactured in Gujarat. The Bhavnagar lock gate keeps ships a float in the city's port at low tide.
Bhavnagar was founded by Bhavsinhji Gohil (1703-64 AD) in 1723 AD near the Gulf of Khambhat, on a carefully chosen strategic location having potential of maritime trade. Till independence, Bhavnagar State was ruled by the Gohil Rajput clan.
The Gohil Rajputs came to Gujarat from Marwar in 1260 AD and had 3 capitals- Sejakpur, Umrala and Sihor; before finally establishing Bhavnagar as their capital.
The old town of Bhavnagar was a fortified town with gates leading to other important towns of the region. The Darbargadh (royal residence) was located at the center of the town. The rulers of Bhavnagar subsequently shifted to Motibag and Nilambag Palace.
Bhavnagar remained a major port, for almost two centuries, trading commodities with Africa, Mozambique, Zanzibar, Singapore and the Persian Gulf. This flourishing maritime trade resulted in the high rate of urbanization surplus wealth and cosmopolitan culture of the town.
Culture
Bhavnagar is also known as the cultural Capital of Saurashtra. Its life is rooted in communal and cultural harmony.
Gujarati is the language of normal life, although Hindi is commonly spoken and understood.
Economy
The city is a prominent trading post for cotton products. Bhavnagar’s commercial importance is enhanced by its proximity with the Gulf of Cambay and the Arabian Sea. Its economy doesnt depend mainly on Alang ship breaking yard,but thousand of skilled diamond polishing workers can earn money for living by working in diamond cutting and polishing work.
Agriculture
Main Crops:Commerce
- Exports of cotton, ship machinery and dehydrated onions.
- Diamond cutting, polishing, marketing, Diamond jewellery manufacturing.
- Re-rolling mills due to ship-breaking yard at Alang.
Tourism
The newly built Swaminarayan mandir had given a new charm to the city. It was constructed by devotees of Lord Swaminarayn. The city offers vibrant shades of traditional Gujarati culture to the traveler. Bhavnagar is also a suitable stopover for tourists who are venturing to the Jain temples at Palitana on the Shatrunjaya Hills, Sirohi and the Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar - the home of the famous Indian Blackbuck.Transportation
It is connected to Mumbai by air and railway. Daily flights are operated by Jet Airways and Air Deccan. It was one of the first city in Gujarat to have an airport. The city is well connected to other major cities of Gujarat such as Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Surat etc. by Bus services operated by private and state-owned transport corporations.Points of interest
- Gandhi Smriti Library
- Takhteshwar Temple
- Nilambag Palace
- Seashore at Ghogha
- Victoria Park
- Nava Bandar (New Port)
- Garden Circles
- Barton Library
- Yashonath Mahadev
- Darbargadh
- Ganga Deri
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Smriti
- Gayatri Temple
- Gurukul Clock Tower
- Gaurishankar Lake
- Pill Garden
- Alang Ship Breaking Yard
- Gopnath
- Khari Mithi Virdi near Kobdi
- Pingaleshvar near Mahuva
- Koliak temple of Shiva
- Ruvapari Temple
- Khodiyar Temple at Rajpara
- Bor Talav
- Bal Vatika
- Swaminarayan Temple at Gadhada
Education
Nanabhai Bhatt, Gijubhai Badheka and Harbhai Trivedi were the trinity who experimented and sew new trends in rural and liberal child education. Nanbhai's Gram Dakshinamutri and Lokbharati have prepared three generations of brilliant workers and leaders engaged in reshaping village India. Gijubhai's Dakshinamurti became the cradle of new liberal children's education and charted a new direction in the field. Harbhai Trivedi pioneered a similarly new trend in secondary education and his Home School Became a model for contemporary educators in western India.
Liberal women's education was born in Bhavnagar through the efforts of another illustrious educator-social reformer Amrutlal Dani. What has become a vibrant cluster of women's schools and colleges today is due to his devoted and pioneer work.
Bhavnagar's Samaldas College is the oldest institution of higher education in the region. Where Mahatma Gandhi also studied for some time.
Some of the famous educational institutes in the town are given below.
- A K Moradiya High School, Nari
- B M Commerce High School, Bhavnagar
- [R. K. Home school (Ghar shala)]
- [Shree Dakshinamurti]
- [Shantilal Shah Engineering College, Sidsar]
- Shamaldas Arts & Mehta Commerce College
- [Shree Swaminarayan College of Computer Science]
- Sir P. P. Institute of Science
- Valia Arts College
- Sir Bhavsinhji Polytechnic Institute
- Shantilal Shah High School (Alfred High School)
- Gharshala High School (Home School)
- Shree Dakshinamurti Vinay Mandir
- M. K. Jamod High School
- Mahdi School
- Sanatan Dharm High School
- The KPES English School (KPES - Kerala Peoples' Education Society)
- [Fatima Convent High School]
- St. Mary's School
- [Department of Business Administration]
- M J Commerce College
- Department of Chemistry
Other details
The [Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute] is located in Bhavnagar. It is a wellknown laboratory of CSIR.Some say the Gujarati language spoken in Bhavnagar is grammatically correct and pure relative to other parts of Gujarat.
Bhavnagar is considered a city of education and culture. Bhavnagar has produced many poets and writers of Gujarati literature. Jhaverchand Meghani, Kavi Kant, Prajaram Raval, Dula Kag, Subodh Mehta are among them. The writer of famous Bhajan 'Vaishnava Jan To..' was written by Narsinh Mehta born in village called Talaja in Bhavnagar district. People of Bhavnagar are considered to be easy-going, and art-loving.
Jhaverchand Meghani, who has contributed a lot to the Saurashtra literature and is remembered for his unique style of writing, belongs to this part of Gujarat. According to Mahatma Gandhi, Jhaverchand Meghani is unparalleled among all the national poets of India.
Mahatma Gandhi went to his undergraduate studies in Shamaldas Arts College , Bhavnagar.
Bhavnagar also has a few firsts: a) The first princely state to sign the accession to the Indian Union b) The first city in India to have underground drainage
Modern Bhavnagar comprising Takhteshvar Plots, Krishnanagar and surrounding area was planned by Sir Prabhashankar Pattani.
Bhavnagar was considered most beautiful city and largest city in Saurashtra till fifties of 20th century.
Bhavnagar state is the first state that established major rail road network and trains in Saurashtra in 2nd half of the nineteenth century by the Great King Sir Takhtasinhji Gohil.
[Bhavnagar University] is well known in the region having nearly 23,000 students, number of graduate colleges, 17 post graduate departments including MBA, MCA, MSc, engineering, and medical college.
External links
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