History
1. Saurashtra State was originally named the United State of Kathiawar.
2. It was formed on 15 February 1948, from approximately 222 large and small Princely States of the colonial Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency of the British raj territory under direct colonial rule.
· What is significance of 15th February in Indian History?
· Who were ruling State of Sourashtra or United State of Kathiawar before colonial rule?
3. The name of State was given after the Kathiawar and Saurashtra region, both of which generally denote the same geographical region of lands on the main peninsula of Gujarat.
4. The statesmanship of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the influence of Mahatma Gandhi are credited for persuading most of the States of Kathiawar to join the Union of India and sign the Instrument of Accession.
· What is “instrument of accession”?
· How Mahatma Gandhi influenced princely states to sign the “instrument of accession” to join them in Union of India?
5. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel devoted extraordinary time and effort to meet and convince the local princes and petty subas, totaling 222 in Saurashtra region alone.
· How Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel united princely states of India and influenced them tp join in Union of India by signing “instrument of accession”?
6. Among these in Kathiawar Agency were 14 Salute states, 17 minor and 191 petty Non-salute Princely States and 46 Estates (Jagir level). Most of the native rulers of the Kathiawar States entered into a Covenant for the formation of the United States of Kathiawar on 24 January 1948.
· What is significance of 24th January in Indian History?
7. The large Kathiawar peninsula included some prominent princely states of India, notably salute state
· the vast Baroda State, title Maharaja Gaekwar, Hereditary salute of 21-guns (highest native rank in colonial India)
· Idar, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns
· Bhavnagar State, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local)
· Navanagar, title Maharaja Jam Sahib, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local)
· Dhrangadhra(-Halvad), title Maharaja Raj Sahib, Hereditary salute of 13-guns
· Porbandar, title Maharaja Rana Sahib, Hereditary salute of 13-guns
· Rajpipla State, title Rajpipla, Hereditary salute of 13-guns
· Cambay, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
· Gondal, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
· Morvi, title Maharan, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
· Wankaner, title Maharana Raj Sahib, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
· Baria, title Maharaol, Hereditary salute of 9-guns (11-guns personal)
· Dharampur, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns (11-guns personal)
· Dhrol, title Thakore Sahib, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
· Limbdi, title Thakore Sahib, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
· Palitana, title Thakore Sahib, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
· Rajkot, title Thakore Sahib, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
· Sachin, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
· Wadhwan, title Maharana, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
· and many smaller non-salute-states, including petty (e)states, often not more than one or two villages, making the peninsula the most fragmented of feudal age India.
8. Among the States of Kathiawar, Baroda State -which was the third largest Princely state of India, having its territories scattered over Dwarka in West of Kathiawar to Bombay in South- did not sign the covenant for the formation of the United States of Kathiawar.
9. Instead the erstwhile Gaekwar Maharaja of Baroda, Pratap Singh Gaekwad declared a full responsible Government on 4 September 1948, under Jivraj Narayan Mehta, as Prime Minister of the State, as per scheme envisioned by Sardar Patel.
· What is significance of 4th September in Indian History?
10. The Baroda State later merged itself into Bombay State on 1 May 1949.
· What is significance of 1stMay in Indian History?
11. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel inaugurated the United State of Kathiawar on 15 February 1948.
12. Even after creation of United States of Kathiawar, there were some patches of lands in Kathiawar belonging to princely states of Junagadh, Mangrol, Manavadar and others, which did not join the convention and were lingering over joining Pakistan.
· Which princely states of India joined Pakistan?
13. It was later after integration of Junagadh into Union of India that a referendum was held and Junagadh, Mangrol, Manavadar, Babariawad and others became a legal part of India.
14. However, due to some technicalities, these territories even after referendum remained under an Executive Council of popular representatives of Junagadh led by Samaldas Gandhi, for some time, who assisted the administrator appointed by Government of India in managing affairs of these states.
Renamed Saurashtra
15. In November 1948, the United State of Kathiawar was renamed the United State of Saurashtra or Saurashtra State, when a supplementary covenant was negotiated and executed by the native rulers of the princely states merged into United State of Kathiawar.
16. Once the Saurashtra Union came into existence, a second supplementary covenant was executed in January 1949, providing the integration of Junagadh with Saurashtra.
17. A few days later on 20 February 1949, the administration of Junagadh State (another major salute state) and also that of Mangrol, Manavadar, Babariawad, Bantva and Sardargarh were officially handed over to Saurashtra Government.
· What is significance of 20thFebruary in Indian History?
Dissolution
18. On 1 November 1956 Saurashtra State ceased to exist as a State and became a part of Bombay State, the territory of which was enlarged on that day to include Kutch State, Saurashtra State, Marathwada & Vidarbha, while a southern portion was excluded, which went to Karnataka.
· What is significance of 1stNovember in Indian History?
19. Following Mahagujarat Movement, the Bombay State was again dissolved to be carved into two separate states of Maharashtra and Gujarat created on linguistic basis on 1 May 1960.
20. With this, the area of Saurashtra State again became a geographically defined region, Saurashtra, within the State of Gujarat.
Chief officers
Rajpramukhs
The following princes of salute states served as Rajpramukh (premier Prince), i.e. Head of the State :
· Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavsinhji (b. 1912 - d. 1965), the last ruler of Bhavnagar State, was acting Rajpramukh.
· Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, last ruler of Nawanagar, was Rajpramukh from 1948 until 31 October 1956
o What is significance of 31stOctober in Indian History?
· Mayurdwajsinhji Meghrajji III, the last ruler of Dhrangadhra State, was appointed as Upa-Rajpramukh alias Deputy Rajapramukh, to serve as acting Rajpramukh during the absence of Rajpramukh. He worked as Uprajpramukh from 1948 till 1956.
Chief Ministers
· Uchharangray Navalshankar Dhebar acted as Chief Minister of State from 1948 till December 1954 (b. 1905 - d. 1977) INC.
· Rasiklal Umedchand Parikh was second and last Chief Minister of State from 19 December 1954 till 1956 (b. 1910 - d. 1982) INC.
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Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saurashtra_(state)
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