General view of ruined temples at Sonkansari pond, Ghumli, Saurashtra

Ghumli is a village located 45 km from

Porbandar Porbandar is a city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama. It is the administrative center of the Porbandar District and it was the former capital of the Porbandar princel ...

, at foothills of Barda, in

Devbhumi Dwarka district Devbhumi Dwarka District is a district of India located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Kutch in the state of Gujarat. Its headquarters are located in the city of Jamkhambhaliya. The district was created on 15 August 2013 from Jamnagar dis ...

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

, India.

Etymology

The Saindhava Copper plates and several inscriptions mention Bhutambilika, Bhumilika, Bhutambilimandal, Bhutambilyan, BhumbhalL Bhubhrutpalli, Bhumbhiliya. It was later corrupted into Bhumli and then Ghumli.

History

Ghumli was the capital of Saindhava dynasty which ruled western Saurashtra from middle of eighth century to middle of tenth century. It was later the capital of

Jethwa Jethwa (or Jethva, Jaitwa, Jethi) is a clan (Gotra) Rajput and Koli castes of Gujarat. See also *rathwa Origin It has been suggested that the Saindhava dynasty ruling eastern part of Saurashtra peninsula is now represented by the presen ...

dynasty of Gujarat. Ghumli was declared as second Capital by

Jethwa dynasty Jethwa dynasty was a dynasty that ruled over present day Gujarat region of India from 7th century AD till middle of 20th century, when India became independent. It was a Rajput dynasty ruled by Jethwa clan of Rajputs. Origin Jethwa (or Jethva, ...

, in 1220 by Rana Shiyaji, who took the title of Rana Of Ghumli and shifted capital from Shrinagar Ghumli remained their Capital till 1313, when Rana Bhanji Jethwa, was defeated at a war, he fled Ghumli and shifted to Ranpur. Legend has it that Ghumli was destroyed due to curse of a Sati named Son with whom Rana Bhanji Jethwa fell in love. Jam Unaji of

Jadeja The Jadeja (also spelled Jarejo) (Gujarati: ) is a Rajput clan that inhabits the Indian state of Gujarat. They claim to be descended from the legendary Jamshed of Iran. They also claim descent from Krishna. They originated from pastoral communit ...

clan came from

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

and attacked Ghumli in 1309 but was defeated later in 1313 his son Barmaniyaji Jadeja attacked and defeated Rana Bhanji Jethwa. On the same night Goddess

Amba Amba or AMBA may refer to: Title * Amba Hor, alternative name for Abhor and Mehraela, Christian martyrs * Amba Sada, also known as Psote, Christian bishop and martyr in Upper Egypt Given name * Amba, the traditional first name given to the fir ...

ji came in his dream and told him that, as she has granted the wish ("Asha") of his father to conquer Ghumli, he should make a temple in her name. So Bamaniyaji built the Temple of Ambaji on the hill in the middle of Ghumli and named it as

Ashapura Mata Ashapura Mata is an aspect of Devi, a Hindu goddess. She is one of the kuladevis of Kutch, and the Jadeja clan inhabiting the area. She is a goddess regarded to fulfill the wishes of her adherents. In her iconography, the goddess is said to ...

Temple. He completely destroyed Ghumli and turned it into ruins.Mataji Pilgrimages
jaidurga.webs.com

Present day

Government of Gujarat and Archaeological Survey of India have taken a project to restore historical places of Ghumli. At present, Ghumli is an important archaeological site of Gujarat: The point of interest are - Navlakha temple; Ghumli Ganesh temple; Ashapura temple; Vindyavasini temple; Sonkansari or Son Kasari temple; step-wells ikai or Vikia Vav and Jetha vav historical gates. Kileshwar Mahadev temple, built by Jethwa rulers is nearby. Bhan Gate named after Bhan Jethwa near Ghumali Navlakha Temple and Rampol Gate at Ghumali are of historical interest. Trikamji Bapu Mandir, Ravno Nes and so is Khodiyar mataji jar are other places of interest. Navlakha arial view 03

Ghumli houses Navlakha Temple, built by Jethwa rulers in the 12th century, considered to be oldest Sun temple of Gujarat, now in ruins. The temple is built in the Solanki style of architecture with entwining tusk of three elephants as a trade mark of temple. It is located at the foothills. Close by, little easterly to Navlakha temple there are step wells called "Vikai Vav" the largest in

Kathiawar Kathiawar () is a peninsula, near the far north of India's west coast, of about bordering the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest and by the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay) in the east. In the northeast, i ...

and "Jetha vav". Vikai or Vikia Vaav built by Jethwa ruler Vikiaji after whom it is named, is the oldest and one of the biggest step wells of Gujarat measuring almost 60 by 40.5 sq m. The well has numerous flights of steps leading up to it and string-coursed carvings. The entrance pavilions can still be seen standing intact at three places.

References

{{Jamnagar district Villages in Jamnagar district Archaeological sites in Gujarat History of Gujarat Former capital cities in India