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| {{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Kathiawar]] {{R from merge}} |
| {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
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| {{cleanup rewrite|date=November 2016}}
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| {{Infobox settlement
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| | name = Saurashtra
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| | official_name =
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| | other_name = Kathiyawad (કાઠિયાવાડ)
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| | settlement_type = Region
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| | image_skyline = Saurashtra region within Gujarat India relief map.jpg
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| | image_caption = Saurashtra region within Gujarat, India
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| | image_flag =
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| | flag_alt = Flag of Saurashtra State
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| | nickname =
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| | image_map =
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| | map_caption = Districts included in Saurastra highlighted
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| | image_map1 = India Saurashtra locator map.svg
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| | map_caption1 = Location of Saurashtra in India
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| | pushpin_map_caption =
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| | coordinates = {{coord|22.3000|N|70.7833|E|display=inline,title}}
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| | subdivision_type = Country
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| | subdivision_name = India
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| | subdivision_type1 = State
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| | subdivision_name1 = [[Gujarat]]
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| | established_title = <!-- Established -->
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| | established_date =
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| | founder =
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| | named_for =
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| | government_type =
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| | governing_body =
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| | unit_pref = Metric
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| | area_footnotes =
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| | area_total_km2 = 66000
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| | area_rank =
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| | elevation_footnotes =
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| | elevation_m =
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| | population_total = 15,300,000
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| | population_as_of = 2011
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| | population_footnotes =
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| | population_density_km2 = auto
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| | population_rank =
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| | population_demonym =
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| | demographics_type1 = Languages
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| | demographics1_title1 = Gujarati
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| | timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
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| | utc_offset1 = +5:30
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| | postal_code_type = <!-- [[Postal Index Number|PIN]] -->
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| | postal_code =
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| | registration_plate = GJ
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| | blank1_name_sec1 = Large cities
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| | blank1_info_sec1 = [[Rajkot]], [[Jamnagar]], [[Bhavnagar]], [[Botad]], [[Morbi]], [[Gir National Park|Gir]]
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| [[Junagadh]], [[Porbandar]], [[Veraval]], [[Surendranagar]],
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| | demographics1_info1 = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
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| }}
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| '''Saurashtra''', also known as '''Sorath''' or '''[[Kathiawar]]''',<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9x5FX2RROZgC&pg=PA365|title=Different Types of History|first=Bharati|last=Ray|year=2009|page=365|publisher=[[Pearson Education India]]|isbn=9788131718186}}</ref> is a peninsular region of [[Gujarat]], India, located on the [[Arabian Sea]] coast. It covers about a third of [[Gujarat]] state, notably 11 districts of Gujarat, including [[Rajkot District]]. It was formerly a [[Saurashtra (state)|state of India]] before it merged with [[Bombay state]]. In 1961 it separated from Bombay and joined Gujarat.
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| == Location ==
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| Saurashtra peninsula is bound on the south and south-west by the Arabian sea, on the north-west by the [[Gulf of Kutch]] and on the east by the [[Gulf of Khambhat]]. From the apex of these two gulfs, the [[Little Rann of Kutch]] and [[Khambhat]], waste tracts half salt morass half sandy desert, stretch inland towards each other and complete the isolation of Kathiawar, except one narrow neck which connects it on the north-east with the mainland of Gujarat.{{sfn | ''Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Káthiáwár. Vol. 8'' | 1884|page=3}}<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dave|first=Puffy I|date=October 2009|title=Preservation of Kathiawari folk literature and arts|url=http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/6281|journal=Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge|publisher=CSIR|volume=8|issue=4|pages=626–628|issn=0975-1068|via=NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository}}</ref>
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| The peninsula is sometimes referred to as [[Kathiawar]] after the [[Kathi (caste)|Kathi Darbar]], which once ruled most of the region. However, Saurashtra is not entirely synonymous with Kathiawar, since a small portion of the historical Saurashtra region extends beyond the Kathiawar peninsula. Sorath forms the southern portion of the peninsula.
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| == Districts ==
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| The Saurashtra region comprises the south western part of modern Gujarat state and the districts included in this region are:
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| * [[Devbhoomi Dwarka district|Devbhoomi Dwarka]]
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| * [[Jamnagar District|Jamnagar]]
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| * [[Morbi district|Morbi]]
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| * [[Rajkot District|Rajkot]]
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| * [[Porbandar District|Porbandar]]
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| * [[Junagadh District|Junagadh]]
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| * [[Gir Somnath district|Gir Somnath]]
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| * [[Amreli District|Amreli]]
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| * [[Bhavnagar District|Bhavnagar]]
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| * [[Botad District|Botad]]
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| * [[Surendranagar District|Surendranagar]]
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| * [[Ahmedabad District|Ahmedabad]] (part) {[[Dhandhuka]] taluka}
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| The region also historically encompassed the [[Diu district]] of the [[Daman and Diu]] union territory.<ref>[http://www.diutourism.co.in/history-of-diu.php History of Diu – Diu Tourism Department – India]</ref>
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| == History ==
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| Referred to as Saurashtra and as some other names as well over a period of time, since the [[Mahabharata]] and [[Vedic period]], this region is mentioned again as Surastrene, or [[Saraostus]] in the first century CE [[Periplus of the Erythraean Sea]]: {{cquote|"Beyond the [[Gulf of Kutch|gulf of Baraca]] is that of [[Bharuch|Barygaza]] and the coast of the country of Ariaca, which is the beginning of the Kingdom of [[Nahapana|Nambanus]] and of all India. That part of it lying inland and adjoining Scythia is called [[Abiria]], but the coast is called Syrastrene. It is a fertile country, yielding wheat and rice and sesame oil and clarified butter, cotton and the Indian cloths made therefrom, of the coarser sorts. Very many cattle are pastured there, and the men are of great stature and black in colour. The metropolis of this country is [[Minnagara]], from which much cotton cloth is brought down to [[Barygaza]].|author=Periplus, Chap. 41
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| | <ref>[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/periplus.html source =]</ref>
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| }}
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| [[File:EpicIndia.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Map of ancient Indian kingdoms]]
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| In earliest foreign mention, Egyptian mathematician, geographer, astrologer [[Ptolemy|Claudius Ptolemy]] and Greek manuscript [[Periplus]] both call this region "Surastrene"
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| Saurashtra and its [[Prakrit]] name Sorath, literally means "good country". The name finds mentions in the Junagadh Rock inscription dating 150 CE, attributed to [[Rudradaman I]]. Prior to this, during the rule of [[Ashoka]] (268–232 BCE), the region was under Yavana Tushaspa, and governed by Pushyagupta during [[Chandragupta Maurya]]'s reign (322BC – 298BC).<ref>{{cite book| title = Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions| url = https://archive.org/stream/personalgeograph00sharuoft#page/210/mode/2up|page=211 |author=Tej Ram Sharma|year=1978|publisher=Concept Publishing Co., Delhi}}</ref> From the 8th to 11th century, [[Brahmin]] [[merchant]]s from Saurashtra region started migrating towards [[Southern India]] due to the frequent [[Muslim invasions of India|Muslim invasions]], these merchants upon the invitation of [[Chola dynasty|Chola]], [[Pandya dynasty|Pandya]], [[Vijayanagara dynasty|Vijayanagara]], [[Nayak dynasty|Nayak]] and [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Thanjavur Maratha]] Kings set up mercantile silk-weaving [[guild]]s throughout [[Southern India]] and were involved in the [[trade]] of silk [[Clothing|clothes]] and [[Diamond (gemstone)|diamonds]] to the royal families of ancient South India, as the [[silk]] became the attire of [[royal families]] after the period of [[Gupta dynasty]]. These Brahmins who trace their ancestry to the historical region of Saurashtra are now known as the [[Saurashtra people]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sapovadia.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/saurashtra-a-language-region-culture-community/|title=Saurashtra: A Language, Region, Culture & Community|work=Sapovadia's Blog|date=3 April 2012}}</ref> Several historians believe that it was Saurashtrian [[textile]] merchants who introduced [[Idli|idly]] to [[South India]] during the 10th and 12th centuries. There are even claims that a mix of [[rice]] and [[urad dal]] ground together and later steamed to form cakes had its origins in [[Gujarat]]. This was called ''Iddada''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://food.manoramaonline.com/food/foodie/2017/03/30/celebrating-moon-faced-health-food-world-idly-day.html|title=Celebrating the moon-faced health food on World Idli Day|website=OnManorama|language=en|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref>
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| ===Gir===
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| For a long time, the name ''Sorath'' referred to this region. From the 9th to 14th century [[Chudasama]] [[Rajput]] ruled Sorath with their capitals [[Vanthali]] and [[Junagadh]] alternatively. The Chudasama Rajputs ruled Sorath longer than any others, until the Sorath area came under Muslim rule. Sorath, a Muslim name of Saurashtra, was initially one of ten [[prant]]s, but by the colonial age it was one of only four surviving ones, the others being absorbed. The [[salute state]] [[Junagadh State|Junagadh]] (alias "Junagarh" or the "Old Fort"), founded during British rule, and its neighbouring states were controlled by the [[Western India States Agency]] (WISA). In 1947, Junagadh's Muslim ruler desired to accede his territory to Pakistan, but the predominantly Hindu population rebelled.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}
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| ===Saurashtra State===
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| {{main|Saurashtra State}}
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| [[File:SaurashtraKart.jpg|thumb|250px|right|United Saurashtra (Kathiawar) State 1947-56]]
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| After India's independence in 1947, 217 [[princely states]] of Kathiawar, including the former Junagadh State, were merged to form the state of Saurashtra on 15 February 1948. Initially, it was named [[United State of Kathiawar]], which was renamed to [[Saurashtra State]] in November 1948. The exercise took up a lot of Shri Vallabhbhai Patel's time to convince the local princes and petty subas (totalling 222 in Saurashtra alone). However, Maharaja [[Krishna Kumarasingh Bhavasingh|Krishnakumar Sinhji]] of [[Bhavnagar|Bhavnagar State]] readily extended to offer his large and royal empire of Bhavnagar / Gohilwar to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Bhavnagar became the first in the country to be merged into the union of India.
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| The capital of Saurashtra was [[Rajkot]]. Uchharangray Navalshankar Dhebar, who later went on to become President of the Indian National Congress between 1955 and 1959, became Saurashtra's first Chief Minister. He was succeeded by Rasiklal Umedchand Parikh on 19 December 1954.
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| On 1 November 1956, Saurashtra was merged into [[Bombay state]]. In 1960 Bombay state was divided along linguistic lines into the new states of [[Gujarat]] and [[Maharashtra]]. The territory of Saurashtra, including Junagadh and all of Sorath, became part of the state of [[Gujarat]]. {{citation needed|date=October 2015}}
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| == Language ==
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| {{Main|Saurashtra language}}
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| {{See also|Saurashtra script}}
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| [[Saurashtra language|Saurashtra]] (alternate names and spellings: Sourashtra, Sowrashtra, Palkar) is also the name of an [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language]] of Kathiawar-Saurashtra. Though the Saurashtra language is not spoken in the region now, people of this region who migrated to [[Southern India]] - especially [[Karnataka]] ([[Bengaluru]]), [[Tamil Nadu]] ([[Ambur]], [[Madurai]], [[Dindigul]], [[Paramakudi]], [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]], [[Tanjore]], [[Pudukkottai district|Pudukkottai]], [[Trichy]], [[Namakkal]], [[Kanyakumari]], [[Kanchipuram]], [[Walajapet]], [[Arani, Chennai|Arani]], [[Chennai]], [[Palayamkottai]], [[Kumbakonam]], [[Thirubuvanam]]) and [[Andhra Pradesh]] - still preserve and speak the language. The script of this language is derived from the [[Devanagari|Devanagari script]] and shares similarities with modern-day [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/saz|title=Saurashtra|work=Ethnologue|access-date=2018-02-26|language=en}}</ref>
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| == Postage stamps ==
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| The first postage stamps of the state were issued for [[Junagadh|Princely State of Junagadh]] in 1864. They consisted of three lines of Hindi script in colourless letters on black, and were produced by hand-stamping with [[watercolor]] ink. A second issue in 1868 used coloured letters, printed in black or red on several colours of paper.
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| The issue of 1877 was the first to include Latin letters; the circular design included the inscription "SORUTH POSTAGE" at the top, and "ONE ANNA OF A RUPEE" (or "FOUR ANNAS...") at the bottom. Some of these were [[fee|surcharged]] in 1913–14, followed by redesigned stamps in 1914.
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| A set of eight stamps in 1929 included pictures of Junagadh, the [[Gir lion]], and the [[Kathiawari (horse)|Kathi horse]] in addition to the nawab. In 1937 the one [[Indian anna|anna]] value was reissued reading "POSTAGE AND REVENUE".
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| The Indian province of Saurashtra did not design any of its own stamps, but before adopting the stamps of India, Saurashtra issued a court fee [[Postage stamp|stamp]] overprinted for postal use, then created more one [[Indian anna|anna]] stamps by surcharging three stamps of the 1929 issue.
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| == Natural resources ==
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| [[File:Gujarat Gulfs.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Saurashtra between [[Gulf of Kutch]] and [[Gulf of Khambat]]. Image [[NASA Earth Observatory]].]]
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| Saurashtra has been a flourishing region and rich in natural resources since ancient times, while having gone through several droughts especially during the 20th century. Water resources and its related dynamics have influenced the region and its agro-economy to a certain extent. It is found that water was easily available in the region 10 to 15 years ago. Ashvin A. Shah, a US-based engineering consultant who conducted a survey in 1998 on water availability in the region, says, "The presence of 700,000 dugwells in Saurashtra region indicates the presence of extensive groundwater aquifers throughout the region. This means there is one well for fewer than 20 people or one well every 300 metres".
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| Amri Saurashtra went through severe droughts over the years to the extent that people could no longer grow crops, nor did they have drinking water available. There has been in recent times a campaign to take up rain water harvesting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/happenings/water_wells.htm|title=Water in the wells|work=rainwaterharvesting.org}}</ref>
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| Significantly, the [[Check dam]] campaign from the late 1990s brought almost a drastic change resulting in raising water tables in Saurashtra.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-06-10/ahmedabad/27218251_1_check-dams-water-table-rainfall|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928152237/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-06-10/ahmedabad/27218251_1_check-dams-water-table-rainfall|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-09-28|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Check-dams raise water table in Saurashtra}}</ref> However, in 2019, the region was hit with a severe drought, affecting 20 districts in Gujarat, and water had to be brought in by tanker from the [[Sardar Sarovar Dam]] on the [[Narmada River]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/gujarat-in-the-grip-of-massive-water-shortage/article27084920.ece|title=Gujarat in the grip of massive water shortage|last=Langaahmedabd|first=Mahesh|date=2019-05-10|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-05-10|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
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| <!---
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| == Separatist movements for Saurashtra and/or Kutch State(s) ==
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| {{cleanup section|reason=grammar, ref formatting, POV|date=May 2015}}
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| [[Saurashtra State]] and [[Kutch State]] separately existed from Indian independence (1947) to 1956.
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| Gujarat has demands for separate states of [[Kutch State]], [[Sourashtra State]] and [[Bhilistan]] from many decades.<ref name="dailypioneer.com">[http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/now-gujarat-revives-statehood-demand.html]</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.milligazette.com/news/5055-telangana-heat-catches-gujarat|title=Telangana heat catches Gujarat|first=Abdul Hafiz|last=Lakhani}}</ref><ref name="dnaindia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-clamour-for-separate-saurashtra-bhilistan-to-get-louder-1868566|title=Clamour for separate Saurashtra, Bhilistan to get louder - Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=1 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/demand-for-separate-kutch-state-picks-pace-in-poll-runup/441006/|title=Demand for separate Kutch state picks pace in poll run-up - Indian Express}}</ref>
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| === Revival movement for formerly separate Saurashtra State ===
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| Movement for separate Saurashtra State was initiated in 1972 by advocate Ratilal Tanna, a close aide of former Indian Prime Minister [[Morarji Desai]]. As per [Saurashtra Sankalan Samiti], more than 300 organisations across the Saurashtra region support the demand of the separate State. Samiti also claims that compared to other parts of Gujarat, Saurashtra is underdeveloped. Big industrial projects are coming near [[Ahmedabad]] and [[Vadodara]], while Saurashtra is being ignored. It is claimed that people in Saurashtra are facing shortage of drinking water and even youths are forced to migrate in search of jobs. No development is made along the coastline and if Saurashtra had its own state government the region would have done much better. [[Parag Tejura]] is current president of Saurashtra Sankalan Samiti.<ref name="dailypioneer.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-08-01/news/40963094_1_rajkot-separate-saurashtra-state-movement|title=Call to revive movement for separate Saurashtra state - The Economic Times}}</ref><ref name="dnaindia.com"/>
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| Saurashtra (alias [[Kathiawar]]) has separate identity from the rest of Gujarat. The region has its own [[Saurashtra language]] dialect. [[Sourashtra people]] have their own diaspora all over world including in [[Tamil Nadu]] for centuries. Some agitators claim that people from Saurashtra are often taunted with titles such as "Kathiawadi" and "via Viramgam".<ref>[http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Layout/Includes/MIRRORNEW/ArtWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=MIRRORNEW&BaseHref=AMIR%2F2009%2F12%2F13&ViewMode=HTML&EntityId=Ar00800&AppName=1]</ref>
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| === Demand for combined Sourashtra-Kutch State ===
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| There is also a demand for a combined [[Kutch-Saurashtra]] (or Saurashtra-Kutch) state. [[Mansukhbhai Joshi]] has called a meeting under the banner 'Kutch Saurashtra Vikas Sangharsh Samiti' to find ways to rekindle the issue. The former minister claims people of Saurashtra do not emotionally associate themselves with Gujarat. He says leaders from the territory have always faced hostility in Gandhinagar. Yuva Kranti Sena is another organisation fighting for a separate [[Saurashtra-Kutch]] State.<ref name="auto"/><ref>http://www.jumpbook.in/pages/53/</ref>
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| === Revival movement for formerly separate Kutch State ===
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| [[Kutch Rajya Sankalp Samitee]] (KRSS) from [[Kutch Region]] is spearheading demand for a separate [[Kutch State]] under leadership of [[Pragmulji III|Pragmalji III]]. At the time of integration of the princely state with India in 1947, the accession was done on the condition that Kutch would retain the status of a separate state. It enjoyed this status till 1960, when a separate state of Gujarat was carved out of Maharashtra and Kutch was merged with it. The main reason behind a separate state is cultural and geographical distance from Gandhinagar. The latter, according to KRSS, is also a hindrance to the development of the region. Kutch is still governed by an administration in Gandhinagar, which sits {{cvt|400|km}} away. In 1960, Kutch was promised an autonomous development board under Article 371(2) of the Constitution, which never came into existence due to lack of political will. Narmada water does not reach the farms of this region, which is basically a desert land.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/demand-for-separate-kutch-state-picks-pace-in-poll-runup/441006/0|title=Demand for separate Kutch state picks pace in poll run-up - Indian Express}}</ref>
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| --->
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| {{commons category|Saurashtra}}
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| {{wikiquote}}
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| == References ==
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| {{Reflist}}
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| == Sources and external links ==
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| * {{cite book | title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Káthiáwár. Vol. 8 | date=1884 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gwFsQAAACAAJ | ref={{sfnref | Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Káthiáwár. Vol. 8 | 1884}} | access-date=24 January 2016}}
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| * Ron Wood, ''Soruth'' (Handbook of Indian Philately, Series 2, Hampshire, UK: The India Study Circle for Philately, 1999)
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| * Sapovadia, Vrajlal K., Saurashtra: A Language, Region, Culture & Community (3 April 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2033685
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| {{Gujarat}}
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| [[Category:Saurashtra (region)| ]]
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| [[Category:Historical Indian regions]]
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| [[Category:Regions of Gujarat]]
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| [[Category:Gulf of Khambhat]]
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