Surendranagar is an administrative district in
Saurashtra region of
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 ...
state in India. It has a population of approximately 1.7 million people.
Surendranagar, along with the twin city of
Wadhwan, has a total of 400,000 inhabitants, and is known as "Camp".
Etymology
Surendranagar district takes its name from its headquarters Surendranagar. Originally it was the place where the British political agent for
Wadhwan lived and became known as Wadhwan Camp. After the agent left in 1946, Wadhwan Camp was renamed after Surendrasinhji Jorawarsinhji (1922–1983), then-ruler of Wadhwan, and became known as Surendranagar. Even today the city is still called the 'Camp' locally from its old name.
The district overall, when the various princely states had been merged, was known as 'Jhalavad', the land of the Jhala Rajputs, who held many of the states. Their name derives from an apocryphal incident in the palace of Harpaldev, their ancestor. A wild elephant had burst into a courtyard where his children were playing, but their mother managed to fend off the elephant and rescue the children. As she held them, they received the name 'Jhala'from the Gujarati word ''Jhalavun'' (to hold).
History
Several small-scale archaeological expeditions in the district have found only a few traces of prehistoric man. Tools from the Late Stone Age were found in Sejakpur in
Sayla taluk in 1957–58. Near
Rangpur in 1931 was found a Harappan site, the first Harappan site found in Gujarat and evidence that the Indus Valley civilization extended to Saurasthra. In fact, Rangpur was the first site found that lasted longer than the Harappan civilization itself. However, it seems Rangpur was not a major commercial centre since no seals were found here.
The early history of this district is unclear, but most likely follows the same pattern as the other districts of Saurashtra. The district was probably ruled by the Mauryas, then Indo-Greeks. Afterwards it was ruled by the Western Satraps, and then by the Gurjara-Pratiharas. Eventually the
Chaulukyas took over, and after they were destroyed by the Delhi Sultanate, it became part of their empire. In 1407, the governors of Gujarat declared their independence, and Surendranagar became part of the
Gujarat Sultanate. After 1573, Gujarat was annexed into the Mughal Empire and Surendranagar became part of the
Gujarat Subah
The Gujarat Subah () was a province (subah) of the Mughal Empire, encompassing the Gujarat region. The region first fell under Mughal control in 1573, when the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605) defeated the Gujarat Sultanate under Muzaffa ...
. However, on the group control of the district rested with numerous kings and landlords with estates of various sizes, and this continued until the British period.
There were several states in the district during the British period: states such as
Dhrangadhra, Wadhwan, and
Limbdi were ruled by the jhala Rajputs, formerly known as Makwanas. They claim descent from Harpaldev, son of Kesar Makwana whose wife was daughter of celebrated Chaulukya ruler Karandev solanki. Harpaldev received 1800 villages from Karandev solanki for his valour.
The state of
Bajana was founded by Malik Haider Khan, a Jat leader driven out of Sindh who was given land by the Gujarat sultans. Dasada was ruled by Multani Maliks descended from a Thanedar during the reign of
Ahmad Shah I.
Dhandhalapur was ruled first by the Babarias, but in 1790 they were displaced by the Khadvads. Lakhtar was founded when a son of the Raja of Halvad received the village from the chief of
Dhrangadhra. The rulers of Limbdi claimed descent from Harpaldev.
Thangadh was originally ruled by the
Babariyas. They were ousted by the Parmars, who migrated from
Tharparkar and were given land by the Vaghelas of
Wadhwan. After the Parmars came the Kathis, who made Than their headquarters. However Kartalab Khan, governor of Gujarat, dispersed the Kathis and destroyed their Surya temple. Than remained in Muslim hands until the fading of Mughal power, when the jhala of Halvad took it over.
Economy

In the past, Surendranagar was used by colonialists as a
hill station
A hill station is a touristic town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The English term was originally used mostly in Western imperialism in Asia, colonial Asia, but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by ...
, because of its dry environment that was believed in contemporary medicine to be beneficial for some physical as well as mental ailments. Surendranagar's dry air is still believed to be the best place in Gujarat to cure
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
patients.
District capital Surendranagar, which lies under
Municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
body is suffering from poor condition of roads and the two
Causeway
A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet T ...
s which join both the sides of city divided by
Bhogavo River.
Municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
body of city is considered to be a candidate for status of
Municipal Corporation
Municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally o ...
for a long time but due to some political reasons it never happen. It has the second highest number of educational institutes per capita. Many newspapers are published from Surendranagar in Gujarat.
Businesses
Many
small and medium enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by many national agencies and international organizat ...
and industries are present, including
confectionery
Confectionery is the Art (skill), art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two bro ...
,
ceramics
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porce ...
,
pharmaceuticals
Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...
, engineering plastics, bearings and salt production.
Wadhwan City is a major trade and processing centre for agricultural products, cotton, salt, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and plastics, textile bearings, ceramics, and sanitary ware.
Natural resources
Nearly 25 percent of India's salt supply comes from mining in the Surendranagar area. There are miles of ''Agar'' (
Salt pans), especially in the
Kharaghoda area. High-quality salt is produced in Zinzuwada, a desert area.
Textiles
Surendranagar is a hub of
cotton
Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
and
ginning activities in India, with a large number of ginning and pressing units. It is one of the largest producers of quality ''Shankar'' cotton in world. The Surendranagar Cotton Oil and Oilseeds Association Ltd., (Government of India recognised) is a world-famous
futures trading exchange for cotton. It was established in 1964 and is the first Cotton Future Trading Exchange in India.
Surendranagar City is also home to a big textile and clothing market, specialising in
saris. Large clothing showrooms are located in the city on Jawahar Road and Vithal Press Road.
Demographics
According to the
2011 census Surendranagar district has a
population
Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...
of 1,756,268, with 909,917 males and 846,351 females
roughly equal to the nation of
The Gambia
The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...
or the US state of
Nebraska
Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...
. This gives it a ranking of 274th in India (out of a total of
640).
[ Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 15.89%.][ Surendranagar has a ]sex ratio
A sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, ei ...
of 929 females for every 1000 males,[ and a ]literacy rate
Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...
of 73.19%.[
The divided district had a population of 1,585,268, of which 464,892 (29.33%) lived in urban areas. The divided district had a sex ratio of 929 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 168,183 (10.61%) and 21,151 (1.33%) of the population respectively.][
Hindus are 1,455,009 (91.78%) while Muslims are 104,495 (6.59%) and Jains 22,679 (1.43%).] Caste wise residents include Brahmin
Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
, Rajput
Rājpūt (, from Sanskrit ''rājaputra'' meaning "son of a king"), also called Thākur (), is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating fro ...
, Patels, Koli, Vankar as well as significant numbers of Bharvad, Rabari, Luhar Suthar
Suthar is a community within the Vishwakarma community found primarily in India and Pakistan. Its traditional occupation is mostly carpentry. Suthar community predominantly found in Gujarat and Rajasthan is a mixture of various castes.
Curren ...
, Kansara, Mochi
A mochi ( ; Japanese ) is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain Japonica rice, japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the ...
and Sathwara.
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, Gujarati was the predominant language, spoken by 98.77% of the population.
Politics
Culture
Raj-Rajeshwari Temple, on National Highway Number 8 near Limbdi, is a large area of residences, hospitals, and schools. The temple features an exhibition of yoga performed by ''Rishiji''. This temple has temples to three major gods—Brahma
Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...
, Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
, and Mahesh—inside. It is the only such temple in Gujarat. The temple is noted for its architecture. ''(lack of info. Cannot find it via googlemap)''
Trimandir - A very big temple known as the ‘Trimandir’ by Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan houses Lord Simandhar Swami, Shiv Swaroop, Krishna Bhagwan, other celestial deities.
The famous kund known as "Gangavo" is located in Dedadara village. It was built in the 11th century.
Main Jain Temple, which is in the heart of the city, of Sri Vasupujyaswami Bhahvan is more than 100 years old.
Legends
Ranakadevi
According to legend, during the siege of Junagadh, Jayasimha Siddharaja fell in love with the queen of Khengara, Ranakdevi. He attacked Junagadh and killed Ra'Khengar to claim the fort and the queen, but she refused and fled. She escaped from the city towards the River Bhogaavo. After a long chase, she gave up and instead of becoming the queen of Junagadh she sacrificed her life by forming sati on the banks of Bhogavo River, near the city of Wadhwan. However, before she died she cursed that the river would not flow beyond that spot. There is a temple in honour of Ranakdevi on the banks of the river.
Notable people
* Anil Chavda a Gujarati poet, was born here.
* Dalpatram (1820–1898) a Gujarati language
Gujarati ( ; , ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian state of Gujarat and spoken predominantly by the Gujarati people. Gujarati is descended from Old Western Rājasthāni, Old Gujarati (). In India, it is one of the 22 Languages with ...
poet was born in Wadhwan city of Surendranagar district.
* Jhaverchand Meghani (1896–1947) poet, litterateur, social reformer and freedom fighter. Born in Chotila.
* Shahabuddin Rathod a Gujarati comedian, hails from this district.
* Vipul K. Rawal a Hindi film writer was born in Surendranagar.
* Sukhlal Sanghvi (1880–1978) Jain scholar and philosopher. Born in Limbdi.[ p. 4215]
See also
* Surendranagar city
* Surendranagar (Lok Sabha constituency)
References
External links
Official website
Surendranagar Collectorate
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Surendranagar District
Districts of Gujarat