|
About Gujarat
 Gujarat is situated in the west coast of India. The state
is bounded by the Arabian sea on the west, Pakistan and
Rajasthan in the north and north-east respectively, Madhya
Pradesh in the south-east and Maharashtra in the south. The
state covers an area of 196,024 sq km (75,685 sq mi).The name
'Gujarat' is said to have been derived from the Prakrit Gujjar
Ratta or Gujjar Rashtra - the land of Gujjars - a tribe that
entered India with the Huns in ancient time and wandering
through Punjab and Rajasthan, settled in western India.
Gujarat had a great civilization even before the arrival of
the Aryans. It had trade links with ancient civilizations of
Sumer, Babylon, Assyria and Egypt. The Port of Lothal which
has been excavated recently has been identified as an
important centre of the 4500 years old Aryan
civilization.
Gujarat is renowned for its temples
and monuments associated with momentous historical periods.
The architectural and artistic virtuosity of the people of
Gujarat is reflected in the many buildings both ancient and
modern. As much a part of the state are its wildlife
sanctuaries, its hill resorts, its natural grandeur and
religious and pilgrim centres. Gujarat has a single-chamber
legislative assembly with 182 members. The state sends 37
members to the Indian national parliament: 11 to the Rajya
Sabha (Upper House) and 26 to the Lok Sabha (Lower House).
Local government is based on 19 administrative districts.
History
Signs of civilization
in the region that is now Gujarat date back to the period from
3000 to 1500 BC. The region was part of the Mauryan Empire in
the 3rd century BC under King Ashoka. In 1818 the English East
India Company took control of Gujarat, administering the state
through local princely rulers. With the independence of India
in 1947, Gujarat became part of the state of Bombay. In 1960
Bombay state was split up, and Gujarat was formed from the
northern and western portions, which were predominantly
Gujarati-speaking areas. Most of the remainder of Bombay state
became Maharashtra state, with a small portion going to
Karnataka state.
 Society and culture
The diverse
ethnic groups represented in the Gujarati population may be
broadly categorized as Indic (i.e., northern-derived) or
Dravidian (southern-derived). The former include the Nagar
Brahman, Bhatia, Bhadela, Rabari, and Mina castes (the Parsis,
originally from Persia, represent a much later northern
influx); among the peoples of southern origin are the Bhangi,
Koli, Dubla, Naikda, and Macchi-Kharwa tribes. The rest of the
population, including the aboriginal Bhil tribe, exhibit mixed
characteristics. Members of the Scheduled (formerly
"untouchable") Castes and of the aboriginal tribes form nearly
one-fifth of the state's population. There is one entirely
tribal district of Dangs.
Ahmadabad district has the highest
proportion of Scheduled Castes. Gujarati and Hindi are the
official languages of the state. About 70% of the population
are Hindus ahead of minorities of Muslims and Jains. About
one-third of the population is urban. The most urbanized part
of the state is the Ahmadabad-Vadodara (Baroda) industrial
belt. Major towns that were once capitals of princely states
are Rajkot, Junagadh, Bhavnagar (Bhaunagar), and Jamnagar.
The folklore and folk culture of Gujarat are traced to the
mythology of Lord Krishna. Dance forms and festivals in honour
Krishna exist, Garba and Bhavai being two examples. Among the
most durable and effective of the state's cultural
institutions are the trade and craft guilds known as mahajans
which often solves disputes, acted as channels of
philanthropy, and encouraged the arts. Gujarat's handicrafts
are famous the world over. |
