Ghumli is a village located 45 km from

Jamkhambhaliya Jamkhambhaliya, also known as Khambhalia, is a town and a municipality in Devbhoomi Dwarka district of Gujarat, India. It is the headquarters and the largest town of the district. Khambhaliya is famous for ghee and eggplants all over India. Hi ...

, 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 ...

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, 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 List of states and union territories ...

, India.

Etymology

The

Saindhava The Saindhavas, also known as Jayadrathas, was a medieval Indian dynasty that ruled western Saurashtra (now in Gujarat, India) from c. 735 CE to c. 920 CE, probably in alliance with Maitrakas in its early years. Their capital was at Bhutamab ...

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

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

Jethwa Jethwa (Jethva, Jaitwa or Jethi) is a clan of Rajputs and caste of Gujarat. Jethwa surname is also found amongst the Koli Darji, Mistris of Kutch, and Gurjar Kshatriya Kadias castes of Gujarat. Origin It has been suggested that the Sain ...

dynasty of Gujarat. Ghumli was declared as Capital by Jethwa dynasty second time in 1220 by Rana Shiyaji, who took the title of Rana Of Ghumli and shifted capital back 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 Jadeja ( Gujarati, Sindhi: , or ''Jāṛejā'') is a Samma Rajput clan that inhabits the Indian state of Gujarat and the Tharparkar district of Sindh, Pakistan. They originated from Sammas of Sindh, a pastoral group, and laid a claim on the ...

clan came from

Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...

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 first ...

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 kuldevis of Kutch and Rajasthan, and the Jadeja clan of Gujarat, Chauhans and Patiyats inhabiting the western Indian provinces. She is a goddess regarded to fulfill the wi ...

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 (), also known as Saurashtra, is a peninsula in the south-western Gujarat state in India, bordering the Arabian Sea and covering about . It is bounded by the Kutch district in the north, the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest, and by the ...

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

Etymology

History

Present day

See also

References