Nagor or Nagher is a village in

Bhuj Bhuj () is a Municipality and District Headquarters of Kutch District in the state of Gujarat, India. Etymology According to legend, Kutch was ruled by the Nāga chieftains in the past. Sagai, a queen of Sheshapattana, who was married to Kin ...

Taluka of Kutch at a distance of about 8 km from

town, the capital of Kachchh District of

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 India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

History

Nagor is one of the 18 villages founded by the

Mistri Mistri, or Mistry, is a term for a master-craftsman, foreman or supervisor of manual workers in India. Mistri is being replaced with "supervisor" and other terms, as for example by the Indian Railway who replaced it with supervisor in 2005. The w ...

community of Kutch in late 12th century. This group of warriors were also skilled architects and have contributed to the erection of many historical monuments of Kutch. During the years of the laying of railway lines in British India between around 1850 and 1930, many members of Mistris moved out and made themselves into big railway contractors throughout

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

. Some of them entered into the coal mine business as well. The Mistris of these villages built and developed the old infrastructure around the villages in late 1890 from their earnings.Press Report after earthquake Giving details of Villages, Art & Skills of Mistris of Kutch

Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas

/ref> However, a majority of old houses of Mistris with unique architect, were destroyed in the earthquake of 26 January 2001.

Notable people

The most noted person to hail from this village was

Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja Chauhan Jagmal Raja Chauhan (1887–1974), better known as Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja, was a noted railway contractor, industrialist, miner, private banker, aviation pioneer and philanthropist of India. Early life He was born in 1887 in a small village n ...

(1887–1974), a railway contractor who built

Bally Bridge Vivekananda Setu (also called Willingdon Bridge and Bally Bridge) is a bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. It links the city of Howrah, at Bally, to Kolkata, at Dakshineswar. Completed on 1931, it is a multispan truss bridge a ...

, an industrialist and also founder of

Ambica Airlines Ambica Airlines is a defunct airline, which was based at Bombay, India . Ambica Airlines began local services on 10 March 1947. The fleet consisted of DC-3s, with a three Beech 18s and other types. The airline was associated and subsidiary ...

, who also served as ADC to Sir Khengarji, Maharao of Cutch.

Present status

In present times, Nagor is famous for Ahir Embroidery and one of the main centers for this Kutchi hand embroidery. Sorathiya Ahirs live in Nagor. It is one of five main centers for Sorathiya ahir in kutch. It is said that Ahirs were shepherds who originated from the Gokul-Mathura region and are associated with Lord Krishna. They migrated to Kutch and Saurashtra in Gujarat. The other communities are

mistri Mistri, or Mistry, is a term for a master-craftsman, foreman or supervisor of manual workers in India. Mistri is being replaced with "supervisor" and other terms, as for example by the Indian Railway who replaced it with supervisor in 2005. The w ...

, muslim, Rabari, prathaliya Ahirs, vaghari, koli, harijan, goswami. After, the devastating earthquake in 2001, many of the century-old houses were damaged. The Bhuj-Nagor Road that connects the village has an industrial area on both sides. Essar Petrol Pump is established in Nagor for petrol distribution. There are nearly 10 companies in GIDC, Nagor including Mira Packaging, Disha Tyers etc. ITI is also established by Prakhsal Academy with the help of the government (of Gujarat). In the election of 2017, Vijyaben Katriya (Sorathiya) was selected as surpanch and Pravin Gosai as vice sarpanch. 'Panchvati Bag' is also associated with Gram Panchayat and Nagor temples of god such as Rama, Shiva, Hanumanji, Khodiyar Mataji, Randal ma, Brahmani ma, Parmeswar Dada, etc.. In primary school in Nagor, there are nearly 350 students. In Rushey Mead School (secondary education), there are 100 students.

School

In 2004, the Rushey Mead Foundation, a UK based charity opened a School in Nagor, which has now become a famous landmark of Nagor. The Co-founder of Foundation is Bhasker Solanki of BBC, London.

References

{{Reflist Villages in Kutch district