Gujarat ( / ˌ ɡ ʊ dʒ ə ˈ r ɑː t / GUUJ -ə- RAHT ; ISO : Gujarāt , Gujarati: [ˈɡudʒəɾat̪] ) es unestadoa lo largo de lacosta occidentaldela India. Su costa de aproximadamente 1.600 km (990 mi) es la más larga del país, la mayor parte de la cual se encuentra en lade Kathiawar. Gujarat es elquinto estado indio más grande por área, cubriendo unos 196.024 km2(75.685 millas cuadradas); y elnoveno estado más poblado, con una población de 60,4 millones en 2011. Limita conRajastánal noreste,Dadra y Nagar Haveli y Daman y Diual sur,Maharashtraal sureste,Madhya Pradeshal este y elmar Arábigoy laprovinciapakistaníSindhal oeste. La capital de Gujarat esGandhinagar, mientras que su ciudad más grande esAhmedabad.[13]Losgujaratisson indígenas del estado y su idioma,el gujarati, es el idioma oficial del estado.
El estado abarca 23 sitios de la antigua civilización del valle del Indo (más que cualquier otro estado). Los sitios más importantes son Lothal (el primer dique seco del mundo), Dholavira (el quinto sitio más grande) y Gola Dhoro (donde se encontraron 5 focas poco comunes). Se cree que Lothal fue uno de los primeros puertos marítimos del mundo . [14] Las ciudades costeras de Gujarat , principalmente Bharuch y Khambhat , [15] sirvieron como puertos y centros comerciales en los imperios Maurya y Gupta y durante la sucesión de las dinastías reales Saka en la era de los sátrapas occidentales . [16] [17] Junto con Bihar , Mizoram y Nagaland , Gujarat es uno de los cuatro estados indios que prohíben la venta de alcohol . [18] El Parque Nacional del Bosque de Gir en Gujarat es el hogar de la única población salvaje del león asiático en el mundo. [19]
La economía de Gujarat es la cuarta más grande de la India , con un producto interno bruto estatal (PIB) de ₹ 16,55 billones (equivalente a ₹ 19 billones o US$ 220 mil millones en 2023) y tiene el décimo PIB per cápita más alto del país de ₹ 215.000 (US$ 2.600). [6] Gujarat tiene las mayores exportaciones de todos los estados , lo que representa alrededor de un tercio de las exportaciones nacionales. [20] Ocupa el puesto 21 entre los estados indios y territorios de la unión en el índice de desarrollo humano . [21] Gujarat es considerado como uno de los estados más industrializados y tiene una baja tasa de desempleo , [22] pero el estado ocupa una mala posición en algunos indicadores sociales y, a veces, se ve afectado por la violencia religiosa . [23]
Gujarat se deriva de la dinastía Gurjara-Pratihara , que gobernó Gujarat en los siglos VIII y IX d. C. [24] [25] [26] [27] Partes del Rajastán y Gujarat modernos fueron conocidas como Gurjarat o Gurjarabhumi durante siglos antes del período mogol . [28]
Gujarat fue una de las principales áreas centrales de la civilización del valle del Indo, que se centra principalmente en el Pakistán moderno . [29] Contiene antiguas ciudades metropolitanas del valle del Indo , como Lothal , Dholavira y Gola Dhoro . [30] La antigua ciudad de Lothal fue donde se estableció el primer puerto de la India. [14] La antigua ciudad de Dholavira es uno de los sitios arqueológicos más grandes y destacados de la India, perteneciente a la civilización del valle del Indo. El descubrimiento más reciente fue Gola Dhoro. En total, se han descubierto alrededor de cincuenta ruinas de asentamientos del valle del Indo en Gujarat. [31]
La historia antigua de Gujarat se enriqueció con las actividades comerciales de sus habitantes. Hay evidencia histórica clara de vínculos comerciales con Egipto , Bahréin y Sumer en el Golfo Pérsico durante el período de 1000 a 750 a. C. [31] [33] Hubo una sucesión de varias entidades políticas como la dinastía Maurya , la dinastía Satavahana , el Imperio Gupta , el Imperio Gurjara-Pratihara , así como regionales como los Sátrapas Occidentales , el Reino de Valabhi , el Reino de Gujarat , el Sultanato de Gujarat y finalmente el Reino de Baroda .
La historia temprana de Gujarat incluye la grandeza imperial de Chandragupta Maurya , quien conquistó varios estados anteriores en lo que ahora es Gujarat. Pushyagupta, un vaishya , fue nombrado gobernador de Saurashtra por el régimen maurya. Gobernó Girinagar (actual Junagadh ) (322 a. C. a 294 a. C.) y construyó una presa en el lago Sudarshan. El emperador Ashoka el Grande , nieto de Chandragupta Maurya , no solo ordenó que sus edictos se grabaran en la roca en Junagadh, sino que también le pidió al gobernador Tusherpha que cortara canales en el lago donde un gobernador indio anterior había construido una presa. Entre el declive del poder maurya y la caída de Saurashtra bajo el dominio de los saprati mauryas de Ujjain , hubo una derrota indogriega en Gujarat de Demetrius . En los manuscritos del siglo XVI hay una historia apócrifa sobre un mercader del rey Gondophares que desembarcó en Gujarat con el apóstol Tomás . El incidente del copero destrozado por un león podría indicar que la ciudad portuaria descrita se encuentra en Gujarat. [34] [35]
Durante casi 300 años desde el comienzo del siglo I d. C., los gobernantes saka desempeñaron un papel destacado en la historia de Gujarat. La roca desgastada por el clima en Junagadh permite vislumbrar al gobernante Rudradaman I (100 d. C.) de los sátrapas saka conocidos como sátrapas occidentales o Kshatraps. Mahakshatrap Rudradaman I fundó la dinastía Kardamaka que gobernó desde Anupa en las orillas del Narmada hasta la región de Aparanta en la frontera con Punjab. En Gujarat, se libraron varias batallas entre las dinastías indias, como la dinastía Satavahana y los sátrapas occidentales. El gobernante más grande y poderoso de la dinastía Satavahana fue Gautamiputra Satakarni , que derrotó a los sátrapas occidentales y conquistó algunas partes de Gujarat en el siglo II d. C. [36]
La dinastía Kshatrapa fue reemplazada por el Imperio Gupta con la conquista de Gujarat por Chandragupta Vikramaditya . El sucesor de Vikramaditya, Skandagupta, dejó una inscripción (450 d. C.) en una roca en Junagadh que da detalles de las reparaciones del gobernador al terraplén que rodea el lago Sudarshan después de que fuera dañado por las inundaciones. Las regiones de Anarta y Saurashtra eran partes del imperio Gupta. Hacia mediados del siglo V, el imperio Gupta entró en decadencia. Senapati Bhatarka, el general de los Gupta, aprovechó la situación y en 470 estableció el Reino de Valabhi . Trasladó su capital de Giringer a Valabhi , cerca de Bhavnagar , en la costa este de Saurashtra. Los Maitrakas de Vallabhi se volvieron muy poderosos y su gobierno prevaleció sobre grandes partes de Gujarat y la vecina Malwa . Los Maitrakas fundaron una universidad que llegó a ser conocida en todo el mundo por sus actividades académicas y que se la comparó con la famosa Universidad de Nalanda . Fue durante el gobierno de Dhruvasena Maitrak que el filósofo y viajero chino Xuanzang / I Tsing visitó la Ruta de la Seda en el año 640. [ 38]
Gujarat era conocida por los antiguos griegos y estaba en contacto con otros centros occidentales de civilización hasta finales de la Edad Media europea . El registro escrito más antiguo de los 2000 años de historia marítima de Gujarat está documentado en un libro griego titulado El periplo del mar Eritreo : viajes y comercio en el océano Índico por un comerciante del primer siglo . [39] [40]
A principios del siglo VIII, los árabes del califato omeya establecieron un imperio en nombre de la religión naciente del Islam , que se extendía desde España en el oeste hasta Afganistán y el actual Pakistán en el este. Al-Junaid, el sucesor de Qasim , finalmente sometió la resistencia hindú dentro de Sindh y estableció una base segura. Los gobernantes árabes intentaron expandir su imperio al sureste, lo que culminó en las campañas del Califato en la India libradas en 730; fueron derrotados y expulsados al oeste del río Indo , probablemente por una coalición de los gobernantes indios Nagabhata I de la dinastía Gurjara-Pratihara , Vikramaditya II de la dinastía Chalukya y Bappa Rawal de la dinastía Guhila . Después de esta victoria, los invasores árabes fueron expulsados de Gujarat. El general Pulakeshin , un príncipe Chalukya de Lata , recibió el título de Avanijanashraya (refugio de la gente de la tierra) y el título honorífico de "Repelente de lo irrepelible" por el emperador Chalukya Vikramaditya II por su victoria en la batalla de Navsari , donde las tropas árabes sufrieron una aplastante derrota. [41]
A finales del siglo VIII, comenzó el período del Triángulo de Kannauj. Las tres principales dinastías indias (la dinastía Gurjara-Pratihara del noroeste de la India, la dinastía Rashtrakuta del sur de la India y el Imperio Pala del este de la India ) dominaron la India desde el siglo VIII al X. Durante este período, la parte norte de Gujarat fue gobernada por la dinastía Gurjara-Pratihara del norte de la India y la parte sur de Gujarat fue gobernada por la dinastía Rashtrakuta del sur de la India . [42] Sin embargo, los primeros registros epigráficos de los Gurjars de Broach atestiguan que la línea de sangre real de la dinastía Gurjara-Pratihara de Dadda I, II y III (650-750) gobernó el sur de Gujarat. [43] El sur de Gujarat fue gobernado por la dinastía Rashtrakuta de la India hasta que fue capturado por el gobernante indio Tailapa II del Imperio Chalukya occidental . [44]
Los zoroastrianos del Gran Irán emigraron a las fronteras occidentales de la India (Gujarat y Sindh ) durante el siglo VIII o X, [45] para evitar la persecución de los invasores musulmanes que estaban en proceso de conquistar Irán. Los descendientes de esos refugiados zoroastrianos llegaron a ser conocidos como los parsis . [46] [47] [48] [49]
Posteriormente, Lāṭa, en el sur de Gujarat, fue gobernada por la dinastía Rashtrakuta hasta que fue capturada por el gobernante Chalukya occidental Tailapa II . [44] [50]
La dinastía Chaulukya [51] gobernó el Reino de Gujarat desde 960 hasta 1243. Gujarat fue un importante centro de comercio del Océano Índico, y su capital en Anhilwara ( Patan ) fue una de las ciudades más grandes de la India, con una población estimada en 100.000 en el año 1000. Después de 1243, los Solankis perdieron el control de Gujarat a sus feudatarios, de los cuales los jefes Vaghela de Dholka llegaron a gobernar el Reino de Gujarat . En 1292, los Vaghelas se convirtieron en tributarios de la dinastía Yadava de Devagiri en el Deccan . Karandev de la dinastía Vaghela fue el último gobernante hindú de Gujarat. Fue derrotado y derrocado por las fuerzas superiores de Alauddin Khalji de Delhi en 1297. Con su derrota, Gujarat pasó a formar parte del Sultanato de Delhi y el control de los Rajput sobre Gujarat nunca sería restaurado.
En Egipto se han descubierto fragmentos de algodón estampado de Gujarat, lo que proporciona evidencia de comercio medieval en el océano Índico occidental. [52] Estos fragmentos representan el algodón indio comercializado en Egipto durante los períodos fatimí , ayubí y mameluco , desde los siglos X al XVI. También se comerciaba con algodón similar en lugares tan al este como Indonesia. [52]
Después de que los Ghoris asumieran una posición de supremacía musulmana sobre el norte de la India, Qutbuddin Aibak intentó conquistar Gujarat y anexarlo a su imperio en 1197, pero fracasó en sus ambiciones. [53] Una comunidad musulmana independiente continuó floreciendo en Gujarat durante los siguientes cien años, defendida por los comerciantes árabes que se establecieron a lo largo de la costa occidental. De 1297 a 1300, Alauddin Khalji , el sultán turco-afgano de Delhi , destruyó la metrópolis hindú de Anhilwara e incorporó Gujarat al sultanato de Delhi . Después de que Tamerlán saqueara Delhi a fines del siglo XIV, debilitando al sultanato, el gobernador musulmán Khatri de Gujarat, Zafar Khan Muzaffar ( Muzaffar Shah I ), afirmó su independencia, y su hijo, el sultán Ahmed Shah (gobernó entre 1411 y 1442), estableció Ahmedabad como capital. Khambhat eclipsó a Bharuch como el puerto comercial más importante de Gujarat. Las relaciones de Gujarat con Egipto , que entonces era la principal potencia árabe en Oriente Medio, siguieron siendo amistosas durante el siglo siguiente y el erudito egipcio Badruddin-ad-Damamimi pasó varios años en Gujarat a la sombra del sultán antes de trasladarse al Sultanato Bahmani en la meseta del Decán. [54] [55]
Shah e Alam , un famoso santo sufí de la orden Chishti que era descendiente de Makhdoom Jahaniyan Jahangasht de Bukhara , pronto llegó a un grupo que incluía al teólogo árabe Ibn Suwaid , varios miembros sufíes sayyid de la familia Aydarus de Tarim en Yemen , [56] el intérprete de la corte ibérica Ali al-Andalusi de Granada , [57] y el jurista árabe Bahraq de Hadramaut , que fue nombrado tutor del príncipe. [58] Entre los nombres ilustres que llegaron durante el reinado de Mahmud Begada estaba el filósofo Haibatullah Shah Mir de Shiraz , y el intelectual erudito Abu Fazl Ghazaruni de Persia [59] [60] que tuteló y adoptó a Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak , autor del Akbarnama . [61] Más tarde, una estrecha alianza entre los turcos otomanos y los sultanes gujarati para salvaguardar eficazmente a Yeddah y el comercio del Mar Rojo del imperialismo portugués , alentó la existencia de poderosas élites Rumi dentro del reino que tomaron el puesto de visires en Gujarat deseosas de mantener vínculos con el estado otomano . [62] [63] [64] [65] [66]
Humayun también ocupó brevemente la provincia en 1536, pero huyó debido a la amenaza que impuso Bahadur Shah , el rey de Gujarat. [67] El Sultanato de Gujarat permaneció independiente hasta 1572, cuando el emperador mogol Akbar lo conquistó y lo anexó al Imperio mogol . [68]
El puerto de Surat (el único puerto indio orientado al oeste) se convirtió entonces en el principal puerto de la India durante el gobierno mogol, y ganó una gran reputación internacional. La ciudad de Surat, famosa por sus exportaciones de seda y diamantes , había alcanzado el nivel de las contemporáneas Venecia y Pekín , grandes ciudades mercantiles de Europa y Asia, [69] y se ganó el distinguido título de Bab al-Makkah (Puerta de La Meca). [16] [17]
Atraído por el renacimiento religioso que se estaba produciendo bajo Akbar, Mohammed Ghaus se trasladó a Gujarat y estableció centros espirituales para la orden sufí Shattari de Irán, fundando la mezquita Ek Toda y produciendo devotos como Wajihuddin Alvi de Ahmedabad, cuyos numerosos sucesores se trasladaron a Bijapur durante el apogeo de la dinastía Adil Shahi . [70] Al mismo tiempo, el sumo sacerdote zoroástrico Azar Kayvan , que era nativo de Fars , emigró a Gujarat y fundó la escuela zoroástrica de iluminacionistas que atrajo a los principales admiradores musulmanes chiítas del renacimiento filosófico safávida de Isfahán .
El aventurero magrebí de principios del siglo XIV , Ibn Batuta , que visitó la India con su séquito, recuerda en sus memorias sobre Cambay, uno de los grandes emporios del océano Índico, que de hecho:
Cambay es una de las ciudades más bellas en cuanto a la arquitectura artística de sus casas y la construcción de sus mezquitas. La razón es que la mayoría de sus habitantes son comerciantes extranjeros, que continuamente construyen sus hermosas casas y maravillosas mezquitas, un logro en el que se esfuerzan por superarse unos a otros.
Muchos de estos "comerciantes extranjeros" eran visitantes de paso, hombres de los puertos del sur de Arabia y del golfo Pérsico , que entraban y salían de Cambay al ritmo de los monzones. Pero otros eran hombres con patronímicos árabes o persas cuyas familias se habían establecido en la ciudad generaciones, incluso siglos antes, casándose con mujeres gujarati y asimilando las costumbres cotidianas del interior hindú. [71]
La Era de los Descubrimientos anunció el amanecer de los viajes pioneros de larga distancia portugueses y españoles en busca de rutas comerciales alternativas a " las Indias Orientales ", impulsados por el comercio de oro , plata y especias . En 1497, se dice que el explorador portugués Vasco da Gama descubrió la ruta marítima de Europa a la India que cambió el curso de la historia, gracias al marinero kutchi Kanji Malam, quien le mostró la ruta desde las costas de Mozambique en África Oriental navegando hacia Calicut frente a la costa de Malabar en la India. [72] [73] [74] Más tarde, el Sultanato de Gujarat se alió con las flotas navales otomanas y mamelucas egipcias lideradas por los gobernadores generales Malik Ayyaz y Amir Husain Al-Kurdi , vencieron a los portugueses en la Batalla de Chaul de 1508, lo que resultó en la primera derrota portuguesa en el mar en el Océano Índico . [75]
Para los observadores europeos del siglo XVI, Gujarat era un país fabulosamente rico. Los ingresos aduaneros de Gujarat solo a principios de la década de 1570 eran casi tres veces los ingresos totales de todo el imperio portugués en Asia en 1586-87, cuando estaba en su apogeo. [76] De hecho, cuando los británicos llegaron a la costa de Gujarat, las casas en Surat ya tenían ventanas de vidrio veneciano importado de Constantinopla a través del imperio otomano . [77] En 1514, el explorador portugués Duarte Barbosa describió la atmósfera cosmopolita de Rander , también conocida como la Ciudad de las Mezquitas en la provincia de Surat, que ganó la fama y reputación de ilustres eruditos islámicos, santos sufíes, comerciantes e intelectuales de todo el mundo: [78]
Ranel (Rander) es una buena ciudad de los moros , construida con casas y plazas muy bonitas. Es un lugar rico y agradable... los moros de la ciudad comercian con Malaca , Bengala , Tawasery (Tannasserim), Pegu , Martaban y Sumatra en todo tipo de especias, drogas, sedas, almizcle, benjuí y porcelana. Poseen barcos muy grandes y finos y aquellos que deseen artículos chinos los encontrarán allí en gran cantidad. Los moros de este lugar son blancos y bien vestidos y muy ricos; tienen hermosas esposas, y en los muebles de estas casas hay jarrones de porcelana de muchos tipos, guardados en armarios de cristal bien dispuestos. Sus mujeres no están aisladas como otros moros, sino que van por la ciudad durante el día, atendiendo sus negocios con el rostro descubierto como en otras partes.
La conquista del reino de Gujarat marcó un acontecimiento importante en el reinado de Akbar. Al ser la principal puerta de entrada comercial y puerto de salida de los barcos de peregrinos a La Meca, dio al Imperio mogol libre acceso al mar Arábigo y control sobre el rico comercio que pasaba por sus puertos. El territorio y los ingresos del imperio aumentaron enormemente. [79]
Durante la mayor parte de dos siglos, el sultanato independiente Khatri de Gujarat fue el centro de atención de sus vecinos debido a su riqueza y prosperidad, que habían hecho del comerciante gujarati una figura familiar en los puertos del Océano Índico. [54] [80] Los gujaratis, incluidos hindúes y musulmanes, así como la clase emprendedora parsi de zoroastrianos , se habían especializado en la organización del comercio exterior durante muchos siglos y se habían trasladado a varias ramas del comercio, como el comercio de mercancías , el corretaje , el cambio de dinero , el préstamo de dinero y la banca . [81]
En el siglo XVII, los judíos chavuse y bagdadíes se habían asimilado al mundo social de la provincia de Surat; más tarde, sus descendientes darían lugar a los Sassoons de Bombay y los Ezras de Calcuta, y otras figuras influyentes de origen judío indio que desempeñaron un papel filantrópico en el desarrollo comercial de la colonia de la Corona británica de Shanghái en el siglo XIX . [82] Encabezadas por los shahbandars khoja , bohra , bhatiya y los nakhudas moriscos que dominaban la navegación marítima y el transporte marítimo, las transacciones de Gujarat con el mundo exterior habían creado el legado de un imperio transoceánico internacional que tenía una vasta red comercial de agentes permanentes estacionados en todas las grandes ciudades portuarias del océano Índico . Estas redes se extendían a Filipinas en el este, África Oriental en el oeste y, a través del mar y la ruta de caravanas interior, a Rusia en el norte. [83]
Tomé Pires , un funcionario portugués en Malaca , escribió sobre las condiciones durante los reinados de Mahmud I y Mozaffar II:
" Cambay extiende dos brazos; con el brazo derecho se dirige hacia Adén y con el otro hacia Malaca" [84]
También describió el comercio activo de Gujarat con Goa , la meseta del Decán y Malabar . Su contemporáneo, Duarte Barbosa , al describir el comercio marítimo de Gujarat, registró la importación de caballos de Oriente Medio y elefantes de Malabar, y enumera exportaciones que incluían muselinas, chintzes y sedas, cornalina, jengibre y otras especias, aromáticos, opio, índigo y otras sustancias para teñir, cereales y legumbres. [85] Persia era el destino de muchos de estos productos, y se pagaban en parte con caballos y perlas extraídas de Ormuz . [86] Este último artículo, en particular, llevó al sultán Sikandar Lodi de Delhi , según Ali-Muhammad Khan, autor del Mirat-i-Ahmadi, a quejarse de que el comercio marítimo de Gujarat era un problema importante.
El apoyo del trono de Delhi es el trigo y la cebada, pero la base del reino de Gujarat es el coral y las perlas [87]
Por lo tanto, los sultanes de Gujarat poseían amplios medios para mantener un generoso patrocinio de la religión y las artes, construir madrasas y ḵānaqāhs y proporcionar dádivas a los literatos, principalmente poetas e historiadores, cuya presencia y elogios realzaban la fama de la dinastía. [88]
Incluso en la época del viaje de Tomé Pires a las Indias Orientales a principios del siglo XVI, los comerciantes gujarati se habían ganado una reputación internacional por su perspicacia comercial y esto alentó la visita de comerciantes de El Cairo , Armenia , Abisinia , Khorasan , Shiraz , Turkestán y guilanes de Adén y Ormuz. [89] Pires señaló en su Suma Orientale : [90]
Estos [pueblos] son [como] los italianos en su conocimiento y trato con las mercancías... son hombres que entienden de mercancías; están tan imbuidos de su sonido y armonía que los gujaratianos dicen que cualquier delito relacionado con las mercancías es perdonable. Hay gujaratianos asentados en todas partes. Trabajan unos para unos y otros para otros. Son hombres diligentes y rápidos en el comercio. Llevan sus cuentas con dedos como los nuestros y con nuestros mismos escritos.
Gujarat fue una de las doce subahs originales (provincias imperiales de nivel superior) establecidas por el emperador mogol ( Badshah ) Akbar , con sede en Ahmedabad, y fronteriza con las subahs de Thatta (Sindh), Ajmer , Malwa y más tarde Ahmadnagar.
Aurangzeb , el sexto emperador mogol, nació en Dahod , Gujarat. Fue el tercer hijo y sexto de Shah Jahan y Mumtaz Mahal . [91] En el momento de su nacimiento, su padre, Shah Jahan, era entonces el Subahdar (gobernador) de Gujarat, y su abuelo, Jehangir , era el emperador mogol. Antes de convertirse en emperador, Aurangzeb fue nombrado Subahdar de la subah de Gujarat como parte de su formación y estuvo destinado en Ahmedabad. [ cita requerida ]
Aurangzeb sentía un gran amor por su lugar de nacimiento. En 1704, escribió una carta a su hijo mayor, Muhammad Azam Shah , pidiéndole que fuera amable y considerado con la gente de Dahod, ya que era su lugar de nacimiento. Muhammad Azam era entonces el subedar (gobernador) de Gujarat. [92]
En su carta, Aurangzeb escribió: [92]
Hijo mío de alto rango, la ciudad de Dahod, una de las dependencias de Gujarat, es el lugar de nacimiento de este pecador. Por favor, considera que debes tener respeto por los habitantes de esa ciudad.
Cuando las grietas habían comenzado a desarrollarse en la estructura del Imperio mogol a mediados del siglo XVII, los marathas estaban consolidando su poder en el oeste, Chatrapati Shivaji , el gran gobernante maratha, atacó Surat en el sur de Gujarat dos veces, primero en 1664 y nuevamente en 1672. [93] Estos ataques marcaron la entrada de los marathas en Gujarat. Sin embargo, antes de que los marathas hubieran hecho incursiones en Gujarat, los europeos habían hecho sentir su presencia, liderados por los portugueses, y seguidos por los holandeses y los ingleses.
Los peshwas habían establecido la soberanía sobre partes de Gujarat y recaudaban impuestos y tributos a través de sus representantes. Damaji Rao Gaekwad y Kadam Bande se dividieron el territorio peshwa entre ellos, [94] y Damaji estableció el dominio de Gaekwad sobre Gujarat y convirtió a Baroda (actualmente Vadodara en el sur de Gujarat) en su capital. La consiguiente guerra interna entre los marathas fue explotada al máximo por los británicos, que interfirieron en los asuntos tanto de los Gaekwad como de los peshwas.
En Saurashtra , como en otros lugares, los marathas se encontraron con resistencia. [95] La decadencia del Imperio mogol ayudó a formar estados periféricos más grandes en Saurashtra, incluidos Junagadh , Jamnagar , Bhavnagar y algunos otros, que resistieron en gran medida las incursiones marathas. [95]
En el siglo XVII, los holandeses, franceses, ingleses y portugueses establecieron bases a lo largo de la costa occidental de la región. Portugal fue la primera potencia europea en llegar a Gujarat y, después de la batalla de Diu , adquirió varios enclaves a lo largo de la costa gujarati, incluidos Daman y Diu , así como Dadra y Nagar Haveli . Estos enclaves fueron administrados por la India portuguesa bajo un único territorio de unión durante más de 450 años, para luego ser incorporados a la República de la India el 19 de diciembre de 1961 mediante conquista militar.
La Compañía Británica de las Indias Orientales estableció una fábrica en Surat en 1614 tras el tratado comercial firmado con el emperador mogol Nuruddin Salim Jahangir , que formó su primera base en la India, pero fue eclipsada por Bombay después de que los ingleses la recibieran de Portugal en 1668 como parte del tratado matrimonial de Carlos II de Inglaterra y Catalina de Braganza , hija del rey Juan IV de Portugal . El estado fue un punto de contacto temprano con Occidente, y el primer puesto comercial británico en la India estaba en Gujarat. [96]
El explorador francés del siglo XVII François Pyrard de Laval , a quien se recuerda por su estancia de 10 años en el sur de Asia, da testimonio en su relato de que los gujaratis siempre estaban dispuestos a aprender las habilidades de los portugueses y, a su vez, les transmitían sus conocimientos: [97]
Nunca he visto hombres de ingenio tan fino y culto como estos indios: no tienen nada de bárbaro ni de salvaje, como solemos suponer. No están dispuestos, en verdad, a adoptar las costumbres y los modos de los portugueses , pero aprenden con regularidad sus manufacturas y su trabajo, pues son muy curiosos y deseosos de aprender. De hecho, los portugueses aprenden más de ellos que ellos de los portugueses .
Más tarde, en el siglo XVII, Gujarat quedó bajo el control del Imperio hindú Maratha que surgió, derrotando a los mogoles musulmanes que habían dominado la política de la India. En particular, entre 1705 y 1716, Senapati Khanderao Dabhade lideró las fuerzas del Imperio Maratha en Baroda. Pilaji Gaekwad , primer gobernante de la dinastía Gaekwad , estableció el control sobre Baroda y otras partes de Gujarat.
La Compañía Británica de las Indias Orientales arrebató el control de gran parte de Gujarat a los marathas durante la segunda guerra anglo-maratha en 1802-1803. Muchos gobernantes locales, en particular los marajás maratha Gaekwad de Baroda ( Vadodara ), firmaron una paz por separado con los británicos y reconocieron la soberanía británica a cambio de conservar el autogobierno local.
En 1812, una epidemia mató a la mitad de la población de Gujarat. [98]
Gujarat quedó bajo la autoridad política de la Presidencia de Bombay , con la excepción del estado de Baroda , que tenía una relación directa con el Gobernador General de la India . De 1818 a 1947, la mayor parte del actual Gujarat, incluidos Kathiawar , Kutch y el norte y este de Gujarat, se dividieron en cientos de estados principescos , pero varios distritos del centro y sur de Gujarat, a saber, Ahmedabad , Broach ( Bharuch ), Kaira ( Kheda ), Panchmahal y Surat , fueron gobernados directamente por funcionarios británicos. En 1819, Sahajanand Swami estableció el primer Swaminarayan Mandir del mundo en Kalupur , Ahmedabad .
Al principio hubo confusión sobre si Junagadh se uniría a la India o a Pakistán. Esto se resolvió en 1947 con un plebiscito para la unión plena con la India que se celebró al año siguiente. [99]
Después de la independencia india y la partición de la India en 1947, el nuevo gobierno indio agrupó los antiguos estados principescos de Gujarat en tres unidades más grandes: Saurashtra , que incluía los antiguos estados principescos de la península de Kathiawad , Kutch y el estado de Bombay , que incluía los antiguos distritos británicos de la presidencia de Bombay junto con la mayor parte del estado de Baroda y los otros antiguos estados principescos del este de Gujarat. El estado de Bombay se amplió para incluir Kutch, Saurashtra (Kathiawar) y partes del estado de Hyderabad y Madhya Pradesh en la India central. El nuevo estado tenía un norte mayoritariamente de habla gujarati y un sur de habla maratí. La agitación de los nacionalistas gujarati, el Movimiento Mahagujarat , y los nacionalistas maratíes, el Samyukta Maharashtra , por sus propios estados condujo a la división del estado de Bombay en líneas lingüísticas; el 1 de mayo de 1960, se convirtió en los nuevos estados de Gujarat y Maharashtra . En los disturbios de 1969 , al menos 660 personas murieron y se destruyeron propiedades por valor de millones. [100] [101]
The first capital of Gujarat was Ahmedabad. The capital of Gujarat was moved to Gandhinagar in 1970. Nav Nirman Andolan was a socio-political movement of 1974. It was a students' and middle class people's movement against economic crisis and corruption in public life. This was the first and last successful agitation after the Independence of India that ousted an elected government.[102][103][104]
Gujarat has emerged as an important industrial hub in India. In Western India Surat was among the strongest industrial clusters in the 1970s. Between 1971 and 1981 diamond cutting was established as industry in Surat. At the same time the production of artificial silk and a substantial petrochemical industry became a fixture in Surat.[105]
The Morvi dam failure, in 1979, resulted in the death of thousands of people and large economic loss.[106] In the 1980s, a reservation policy was introduced in the country, which led to anti-reservation protests in 1981 and 1985. The protests witnessed violent clashes between people belonging to various castes.[107]
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake was located about 9 km south-southwest of the village of Chobari in the Bhachau taluka of Kutch District. This magnitude 7.7 shock killed around 20,000 people (including at least 18 in South-eastern Pakistan), injured another 167,000 and destroyed nearly 400,000 homes.[108]
In February 2002, the Godhra train burning led to statewide riots, resulting in the deaths of 1044 people – 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus, and hundreds missing still unaccounted for.[109] Akshardham Temple was attacked by two terrorists in September 2002, killing 32 people and injuring more than 80 others. National Security Guards intervened to end the siege killing both terrorists.[110] On 26 July 2008 a series of seventeen bomb blasts rocked Ahmedabad, killing and injuring several people.[111]
Gujarat borders the Tharparkar, Badin and Thatta districts of Pakistan's Sindh province to the northwest, is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the southwest, the state of Rajasthan to the northeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and by Maharashtra, the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the south. Historically, the north was known as Anarta, the Kathiawar peninsula, "Saurastra", and the south as "Lata".[112] Gujarat was also known as Pratichya and Varuna.[113] The Arabian Sea makes up the state's western coast. The capital, Gandhinagar is a planned city. Gujarat has an area of 75,686 sq mi (196,030 km2) with the longest coastline (24% of Indian sea coast) 1,600 km (990 mi), dotted with 41 ports: one major, 11 intermediate and 29 minor.
The Narmada is the largest river in Gujarat followed by the Tapi. The Sabarmati has the longest course through the state. The Sardar Sarovar Project is built on Narmada, one of the major rivers of peninsular India where it is one of only three major rivers that run from east to west – the others being the Tapi and the Mahi. It is about 1,312 km (815 mi) long. Several riverfront embankments have been built on the Sabarmati River.
The eastern borders have fringes of low mountains of India, the Aravalli, Sahyadri (Western Ghats), Vindhya and Saputara. Apart from this the Gir hills, Barda, Jessore and Chotila together make up a large minority of Gujarat. Girnar is the tallest peak and Saputara is the only hill-station (hilltop resort) in the state.
Rann (રણ) is Gujarati for desert. The Rann of Kutch is a seasonally marshy saline clay desert in the Thar Desert biogeographic region between the Pakistani province of Sindh and the rest of the state of Gujarat; it commences 8 km (5.0 mi) from the village of Kharaghoda, Surendranagar District.
In the early 1980s, palaeontologists found dinosaur egg hatcheries and fossils of at least 13 species in Balasinor.[114] The most important find was that of a carnivorous abelisaurid dinosaur named Rajasurus narmadensis which lived in the Late Cretaceous period.[114][115] A notable discovery in the village of Dholi Dungri was that of Sanajeh indicus, a primitive madtsoiid snake that likely preyed on sauropod dinosaur hatchlings and embryos.[115][116]
According to the India State of Forest Report 2011, Gujarat has 9.7% of its total geographical area under forest cover.[117] Among the districts, The Dangs has the largest area under forest cover. Gujarat has four national parks and 21 sanctuaries. It is the only home of Asiatic lions and, outside Africa, is the only present natural habitat of lions.[118] Gir Forest National Park in the southwest part of the state covers part of the lions' habitat. Apart from lions, Indian leopards are also found in the state. They are spread across the large plains of Saurashtra and the mountains of South Gujarat. Other National Parks include Vansda National Park, Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar and Narara Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutchh, Jamnagar. Wildlife sanctuaries include Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Porbandar Bird Sanctuary, Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, Kutch Bustard Sanctuary, Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Anjal, Balaram-Ambaji, Barda, Jambughoda, Khavda, Paniya, Purna, Rampura, Ratan Mahal, and Surpaneshwar.
In February 2019, a Bengal tiger claimed to be from Ratapani in Madhya Pradesh was spotted in the area of Lunavada in Mahisagar district, in the eastern part of the state,[119][120] before being found dead later that month, likely from starvation.[121]
The population of Gujarat was 60,439,692 (31,491,260 males and 28,948,432 females) according to the 2011 census data.[123] The population density is 308 persons per square kilometre (800 persons/sq mi), lower than other Indian states. As per the census of 2011, the state has a sex ratio of 918 females for every 1000 males, one of the lowest (ranked 24) among the 29 states in India.
While Gujarati speakers constitute a majority of Gujarat's population, the metropolitan areas of Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat are cosmopolitan, with numerous other ethnic and language groups. Marwaris compose large minorities of economic migrants; smaller communities of people from the other states of India have also migrated to Gujarat for employment. Luso-Indians, Anglo-Indians, Jews and Parsis also live in the areas.[124] Sindhi presence is traditionally important here following the Partition of India in 1947.[125] The Koli forms the largest caste-cluster, comprising 24% of the total population of the state.[126][127]
According to 2011 census, the religious makeup in Gujarat was 88.57% Hindu, 9.67% Muslim, 0.96% Jain, 0.52% Christian, 0.10% Sikh, 0.05% Buddhist and 0.03% others. Around 0.1% did not state any religion.[128] Hinduism is the majority religion, and is over 93% in rural areas. Muslims are the biggest minority in the state accounting for 9.7% of the population. Gujarat has the third-largest population of Jains in India, following Maharashtra and Rajasthan, almost all of whom live in urban areas like Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Surat.[129]
Gujarati is the official language of the state. It is spoken natively by 86% of the state's population, or 52 million people (as of 2011). Hindi is the second-largest language, spoken by over 6% of the population. Marathi is also spoken in urban areas.[130]
People from the Kutch region of Gujarat also speak in the Kutchi mother tongue, and to a great extent understand Sindhi as well. Memoni is the mother tongue of Kathiawar and Sindhi Memons, most whom are Muslims.
Almost 88% of the Gujarati Muslims speak Gujarati as their mother tongue, whilethe other 12% speak Urdu. A sizeable proportion of Gujarati Muslims are bilingual in the two languages; Islamic academic institutions (Darul Uloom) place a high prestige on learning Urdu and Arabic, with students' memorising the Quran and ahadith, and emphasising the oral and literary importance of mastering these languages as a compulsory rite of religion.
In rural areas among the tribals, various Bhil dialects are spoken by around 1.37% of the population. In the northeast, Bhili is spoken, in the central part is spoken Bhili, Bhilali and Vasava, while in the southeast is spoken Dangi, Varli Chodri and Dhodia which are related to Marathi.
Apart from this, English, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marwari, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and others are spoken by a considerable number of economic migrants from other states of India seeking employment.[131]
The languages taught in schools under the three-language formula are:[132]
First language: Gujarati/Hindi/English
Second language: Gujarati/English
Third language: Hindi
"Structurally Gujarat is divided into districts (Zila), Prant (subdivisions), Taluka (blocks) & villages. The state is divided into 33 districts, 122 prants, 248 talukas.[133] There are 08 municipal corporations, 156 municipalities and 14,273 Panchayats, for administrative purposes.'
Gujarat has 33 districts and 250 talukas.[134][135]
Gujarat is governed by a Legislative Assembly of 182 members. Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected on the basis of adult suffrage from one of 182 constituencies, of which 13 are reserved for scheduled castes and 27 for scheduled tribes. The term of office for a member of the Legislative Assembly is five years. The Legislative Assembly elects a speaker who presides over the meetings of the legislature. A governor is appointed by the President of India, and is to address the state legislature after every general election and the commencement of each year's first session of the Legislative Assembly. The leader of the majority party or coalition in the legislature (Chief Minister) or his or her designee acts as the Leader of the Legislative Assembly. The administration of the state is led by the Chief Minister.
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After the independence of India in 1947, the Indian National Congress (INC) ruled the Bombay State (which included present-day Gujarat and Maharashtra). Congress continued to govern Gujarat after the state's creation in 1960.
During and after India's State of Emergency of 1975–1977, public support for the INC eroded, but it continued to hold government until 1995 with the brief rule of nine months by Janata Morcha. In the 1995 Assembly elections, the Congress lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Keshubhai Patel who became the Chief Minister. His government lasted only two years. The fall of that government was provoked by a split in the BJP led by Shankersinh Vaghela. BJP again won election in 1998 with clear majority. In 2001, following the loss of two assembly seats in by-elections, Keshubhai Patel resigned and yielded power to Narendra Modi. BJP retained a majority in the 2002 election, and Narendra Modi remained as Chief Minister. On 1 June 2007, Narendra Modi became the longest serving Chief Minister of Gujarat.[136][137][138] BJP retained the power in subsequent elections in 2007 and 2012 and Narendra Modi continued as the chief minister. After Narendra Modi became the prime minister of India in 2014, Anandiben Patel became the first female chief minister of the state. Vijay Rupani took over as chief minister and Nitin Patel as deputy chief minister on 7 August 2016 after Anandiben Patel resigned earlier on 3 August. Bhupendrabhai Patel became chief minister in September 2021 after the resignation of Vijay Rupani.
The incumbent chief secretary of Gujarat is Raj Kumar[139] and director general of police (DGP) is Vikas Sahay.[140]
During the British Raj, Gujarati businesses played a major role in enriching the economies of Karachi and Mumbai.[141] Major agricultural produce of the state includes cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), dates, sugar cane, milk and milk products. Industrial products include cement and petrol.[142]Gujarat is ranked number one in the pharmaceutical industry in India, with a 33% share in drug manufacturing and 28% share in drug exports. The state has 130 USFDA certified drug manufacturing facilities. Ahmedabad and Vadodara are considered as pharmaceutical hubs, as there are many big and small pharmaceutical companies established in these cities.[143]
Gujarat has the longest coastline in India (1600 km), and its ports (both private and public sector) handle around 40% of India's ocean cargo, with Mundra Port located in Gulf of Kutch being the largest port of India by cargo handled (144 million tons) due to its favourable location on the westernmost part of India and closeness to global shipping lanes. Gujarat also contributes around 20% share in India's industrial production and merchandise exports. According to a 2009 report on economic freedom by the Cato Institute, Gujarat is the most free state in India (the second one being Tamil Nadu).[144] Reliance Industries operates the oil refinery at Jamnagar, which is the world's largest grass-roots refinery at a single location. The world's largest shipbreaking yard is in Gujarat near Bhavnagar at Alang. India's only Liquid Chemical Port Terminal at Dahej, developed by Gujarat Chemical Port Terminal Co Ltd. Gujarat has two of the three liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in the country (Dahej and Hazira). Two more LNG terminals are proposed, at Pipavav and Mundra.
Gujarat has 85% village connectivity with all‐weather roads.[145] Nearly 100% of Gujarat's 18,000 villages have been connected to the electrical grid for 24-hour power to households and eight hours of power to farms, through the Jyotigram Yojana.[146] As of 2015[update], Gujarat ranks first nationwide in gas-based thermal electricity generation with a national market share of over 8%, and second nationwide in nuclear electricity generation with national market share of over 1%.[147]
The state registered 12.8% agricultural growth in the last five years against the national average of 2%.[148]
Gujarat records highest decadal agricultural growth rate of 10.97%. Over 20% of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Gujarat.[149] As per RBI report[which?], in year 2006–07, 26% of total bank finance in India was in Gujarat.[citation needed]
According to a 2012 survey report of the Chandigarh Labour Bureau, Gujarat had the lowest unemployment rate of 1% against the national average of 3.8%.[150]
Legatum Institute's Global Prosperity Index 2012 recognised Gujarat as one of the two highest-scoring among all states of India on matters of social capital.[151] The state ranks 15th alongside Germany in a list of 142 nations worldwide: higher than several developed nations.[152]
The tallest tower in Gujarat, GIFT One was inaugurated on 10 January 2013. One other tower called GIFT Two has been finished and more towers are planned.[153]
Gujarat's major cities include Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar. In 2010, Forbes' list of the world's fastest growing cities included Ahmedabad at number 3 after Chengdu and Chongqing from China.[154][155] The state is rich in calcite, gypsum, manganese, lignite, bauxite, limestone, agate, feldspar, and quartz sand, and successful mining of these minerals is done in their specified areas. Jamnagar is the hub for manufacturing brass parts. Gujarat produces about 98% of India's required amount of soda ash, and gives the country about 78% of the national requirement of salt. It is one of India's most prosperous states, having a per-capita GDP significantly above India's average. Kalol, Khambhat, and Ankleshwar are today known for their oil and natural gas production. Dhuvaran has a thermal power station, which uses coal, oil, and gas. Also, on the Gulf of Khambhat, 50 km (31 mi) southeast of Bhavnagar, is the Alang Ship Recycling Yard (the world's largest). MG Motor India manufactures its cars at Halol near Vadodara, Tata Motors manufactures the Tata Nano from Sanand near Ahmedabad, and AMW trucks are made near Bhuj. Surat, a city by the Gulf of Khambhat, is a hub of the global diamond trade. In 2003, 92% of the world's diamonds were cut and polished in Surat.[156] The diamond industry employs 500,000 people in Gujarat.[157]
At an investor's summit entitled "Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit", arranged between 11 and 13 January 2015, at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, the state government signed 21000 Memoranda of Understanding for Special Economic Zones worth a total of ₹ 2.5 million crores (short scale).[158] However, most of the investment was from domestic industry.[159] In the fourth Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors' Summit held at Science City, Ahmedabad, in January 2009, there were 600 foreign delegates. In all, 8668 MOUs worth ₹ 12500 billion were signed, estimated to create 2.5 million new job opportunities in the state.[160] In 2011, Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors' Summit MOUs worth ₹ 21 trillion (US$ 463 billion) were signed.
Gujarat is a state with surplus electricity.[161] The Kakrapar Atomic Power Station is a nuclear power station run by NPCIL that lies in the proximity of the city of Surat. According to the official sources, against demand of 40,793 million units during the nine months since April 2010, Gujarat produced 43,848 million units. Gujarat sold surplus power to 12 states: Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal.[162]
As of May 2024, the peak power requirement of state is 25,088 MW.[164] As of March 2024, total installed power generation capacity is 52,945.13 MW. Of this 23,643.41 MW belongs to thermal power generation capacity while 27,461.72 MW (51.87%) belongs to renewable energy generation capacity including 1990 MW Hydropower. The rest 1840 MW is nuclear power generation capacity.[165] The renewable energy installed capacity includes 11,823 MW wind power and 14,182 MW solar power totalling 26,005 MW, as of June 2024.[166] Total rooftop solar power installation capacity of state is 3455.90 MW, as of April 2024.[167]
The total geographical area of Gujarat is 19,602,400 hectares, of which crops take up 10,630,700 hectares.[verification needed][168] The three main sources of growth in Gujarat's agriculture are from cotton production, the rapid growth of high-value foods such as livestock, fruits and vegetables, and from wheat production, which saw an annual average growth rate of 28% between 2000 and 2008 (According to the International Food Policy Research Institute).[169] Other major produce includes bajra, groundnut, cotton, rice, maize, wheat, mustard, sesame, pigeon pea, green gram, sugarcane, mango, banana, sapota, lime, guava, tomato, potato, onion, cumin, garlic, isabgul and fennel. Whilst, in recent times, Gujarat has seen a high average annual growth of 9% in the agricultural sector, the rest of India has an annual growth rate of around 3%. This success was lauded by former President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam.[170]
The strengths of Gujarat's agricultural success have been attributed to diversified crops and cropping patters; climatic diversity (8 climatic zones for agriculture); the existence of 4 agricultural universities in the state, which promote research in agricultural efficiency and sustainability;[171] co-operatives; adoption of hi-tech agriculture such as tissue culture, green houses and shed-net houses; agriculture export zones; strong marketing infrastructure, which includes cold storage, processing units, logistic hubs and consultancy facilities.[172]
Gujarat is the main producer of tobacco, cotton, and groundnuts in India. Other major food crops produced are rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, maize, tur, and gram. The state has an agricultural economy; the total crop area amounts to more than one-half of the total land area.[173]
Animal husbandry and dairying have played vital roles in the rural economy of Gujarat. Dairy farming, primarily concerned with milk production, functions on a co-operative basis and has more than a million members. Gujarat is the largest producer of milk in India. The Amul milk co-operative federation is well known all over India, and it is Asia's biggest dairy.[174] Among the livestock raised are, buffaloes and other cattle, sheep, and goats. As per the results of livestock census 1997, there were 20.97 million head of livestock in Gujarat State. In the estimates of the survey of major livestock products, during the year 2002–03, Gujarat produced 6.09 million tonnes of milk, 385 million eggs and 2.71 million kg of wool. Gujarat also contributes inputs to the textiles, oil, and soap industries.
The adoption of cooperatives in Gujarat is widely attributed to much of the success in the agricultural sector, particularly sugar and dairy cooperatives. Cooperative farming has been a component of India's strategy for agricultural development since 1951. Whilethe success of these was mixed throughout the country, their positive impact on the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat have been the most significant. In 1995 alone, the two states had more registered co-operatives than any other region in the country. Out of these, the agricultural cooperatives have received much attention. Many have focused on subsidies and credit to farmers and rather than collective gathering, they have focused on facilitating collective processing and marketing of produce. However, whilethey have led to increased productivity, their effect on equity in the region has been questioned, because membership in agricultural co-operatives has tended to favour landowners whilelimiting the entry of landless agricultural labourers.[175] An example of co-operative success in Gujarat can be illustrated through dairy co-operatives, with the particular example of Amul (Anand Milk Union Limited).
Amul was formed as a dairy cooperative in 1946,[176] in the city of Anand, Gujarat. The cooperative, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), is jointly owned by around 2.6 million milk producers in Gujarat. Amul has been seen as one of the best examples of cooperative achievement and success in a developing economy and the Amul pattern of growth has been taken as a model for rural development, particularly in the agricultural sector of developing economies. The company stirred the White Revolution of India (also known as Operation Flood), the world's biggest dairy development program, and made the milk-deficient nation of India the largest milk producer in the world, in 2010.[177] The "Amul Model" aims to stop the exploitation by middlemen and encourage freedom of movement since the farmers are in control of procurement, processing and packaging of the milk and milk products.[178] The company is worth 2.5 billion US dollars (as of 2012[update]).[179]
70% of Gujarat's area is classified as semi-arid to arid climatically, thus the demand on water from various economic activities puts a strain on the supply.[180] Of the total gross irrigated area, 16–17% is irrigated by government-owned canals and 83–84% by privately owned tube wells and other wells extracting groundwater, which is the predominant source of irrigation and water supply to the agricultural areas. As a result, Gujarat has faced problems with groundwater depletion, especially after demand for water increased in the 1960s. As access to electricity in rural areas increased, submersible electric pumps became more popular in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the Gujarat Electricity Board switched to flat tariff rates linked to the horsepower of pumps, which increased tubewell irrigation again and decreased the use of electric pumps. By the 1990s, groundwater abstraction rates exceeded groundwater recharge rate in many districts, while only 37.5% of all districts has "safe" recharge rates. Groundwater maintenance and preventing unnecessary loss of the available water supplies is now an issue faced by the state.[181] The Sardar Sarovar Project, a debated dam project in the Narmada valley consisting of a network of canals, has significantly increased irrigation in the region. However, its impact on communities who were displaced is still a contested issue. In 2012 Gujarat began an experiment to reduce water loss due to evaporation in canals and to increase sustainability in the area, by constructing solar panels over the canals. In a one megawatt (MW) solar power project set up at Chandrasan, Gujarat uses solar panels fixed over a 750-metre stretch of an irrigation canal. Unlike many solar power projects, this one does not take up large amounts of land since the panels are constructed over the canals, and not on additional land. This results in lower upfront costs since land does not need to be acquired, cleared or modified to set up the panels. The Chandrasan project is projected to save 9 million litres of water per year.[182]
The Government of Gujarat, to improve soil management and introduce farmers to new technology, started on a project which involved giving every farmer a Soil Health Card. This acts like a ration card, providing permanent identification for the status of cultivated land, as well as farmers' names, account numbers, survey numbers, soil fertility status and general fertiliser dose. Samples of land from each village are taken and analysed by the Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertiliser Corporation, State Fertiliser Corporation and Indian Farmers Fertilisers Co-operative. 1,200,000 soil test data from the villages was collected as of 2008, from farmer's field villages have gone into a database. Assistance and advice for this project was given by local agricultural universities and crop and soil-specific data was added to the database. This allows the soil test data to be interpreted and recommendations or adjustments made in terms of fertiliser requirements, which are also added to the database.[183]
Gujarat is home for the Gujarati people. Gujarat was also the home of Mahatma Gandhi, a worldwide figure known for his non-violent struggle against British rule, and Vallabhbhai Patel, a founding father of the Republic of India. Gujarat is known for its Folk dances of Gujarat .
The history of Gujarati literature may be traced back to 1000 CE. Well-known laureates of Gujarati literature include Hemchandracharya, Narsinh Mehta, Mirabai, Akho, Premanand Bhatt, Shamal Bhatt, Dayaram, Dalpatram, Narmad, Govardhanram Tripathi, Mahatma Gandhi, K. M. Munshi, Umashankar Joshi, Suresh Joshi, Swaminarayan, Pannalal Patel and Rajendra Shah.[184]
Kavi Kant, Zaverchand Meghani and Kalapi are famous Gujarati poets.
Gujarat Vidhya Sabha, Gujarat Sahitya Sabha, and Gujarati Sahitya Parishad are Ahmedabad based literary institutions promoting the spread of Gujarati literature.Saraswatichandra is a landmark novel by Govardhanram Tripathi. Writers like Aanand Shankar Dhruv, Ashvini Bhatt, Balwantray Thakore, Bhaven Kachhi, Bhagwatikumar Sharma, Chandrakant Bakshi, Gunvant Shah, Harindra Dave, Harkisan Mehta, Jay Vasavada, Jyotindra Dave, Kanti Bhatt, Kavi Nanalal, Khabardar, Sundaram, Makarand Dave, Ramesh Parekh, Suresh Dalal, Tarak Mehta, Vinod Bhatt, Dhruv Bhatt and Varsha Adalja have influenced Gujarati thinkers.
A notable contribution to Gujarati literature came from the Swaminarayan paramhanso, like Brahmanand Swami, Premanand, with prose like Vachanamrut and poetry in the form of bhajans.[185]
Shrimad Rajchandra Vachnamrut and Shri Atma Siddhi Shastra, written in 19th century by Jain philosopher and poet Shrimad Rajchandra (Mahatma Gandhi's guru) are very well known.[186][187]
Gujarati theatre owes a lot to Bhavai. Bhavai is a folk musical performance of stage plays. Ketan Mehta and Sanjay Leela Bhansali explored artistic use of bhavai in films such as Bhavni Bhavai, Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Dayro (gathering) involves singing and conversation reflecting on human nature.
Mumbai theatre veteran, Alyque Padamsee, best known in the English-speaking world for playing Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Sir Richard Attenborough's Gandhi, was from a traditional Gujarati-Kutchi family from Kathiawar.[188]
Gujarati food is primarily vegetarian. The typical Gujarati thali consists of rotli or bhakhari or thepala or rotlo, dal or kadhi, khichdi, Bhat and shak. Athanu (Indian pickle) and chhundo are used as condiments. The four major regions of Gujarat all bring their own styles to Gujarati food. Many Gujarati dishes are distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy at the same time. In the Saurashtra region, chhash (buttermilk) is believed to be a must-have in their daily food.
The Gujarati film industry dates back to 1932, when the first Gujarati film, Narsinh Mehta, was released.[189][190][191] After flourishing through the 1960s to 1980s, the industry saw a decline. The industry is revived in recent times. The film industry has produced more than one thousand films since its inception.[192] The Government of Gujarat announced a 100% entertainment tax exemption for Gujarati films in 2005[193] and a policy of incentives in 2016.[194]
Gujarati folk music, known as Sugam Sangeet, is a hereditary profession of the Barot community. Gadhvi and Charan communities have contributed heavily in modern times. The omnipresent instruments in Gujarati folk music include wind instruments, such as turi, bungal, and pava, string instruments, such as the ravan hattho, ektaro, and jantar and percussion instruments, such as the manjira and zanz pot drum.[195]
The folk traditions of Gujarat include bhavai and raas-garba. Bhavai is a folk theatre; it is partly entertainment and partly ritual, and is dedicated to Amba. The raas-garba is a folk dance done as a celebration of Navratri by Gujarati people. The folk costume of this dance is chaniya choli for women and kedia for men. Different styles and steps of garba include dodhiyu, simple five, simple seven, popatiyu, trikoniya (hand movement which forms an imagery triangle), lehree, tran taali, butterfly, hudo, two claps and many more. Sheri garba is one of the oldest form of garba where all the women wear red patola sari and sing along while dancing. It is a very graceful form of garba.[196]
Makar Sankranti is a festival where people of Gujarat fly kites. In Gujarat, from December through to Makar Sankranti, people start enjoying kite flying. Undhiyu, a special dish made of various vegetables, is a must-have of Gujarati people on Makar Sankranti. Surat is especially well known for the strong string which is made by applying glass powder on the row thread to provide it a cutting edge.[197]
Apart from Navratri and Uttarayana, Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami, Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, Eid, Tazia, Paryushan, Bhavnath fair, and others are also celebrated.
Due to close proximity to the Arabian Sea, Gujarat has developed a mercantile ethos which maintained a cultural tradition of seafaring, long-distance trade, and overseas contacts with the outside world since ancient times, and the diffusion of culture through Gujarati diaspora was a logical outcome of such a tradition. During the pre-modern period, various European sources have observed that these merchants formed diaspora communities outside of Gujarat, and in many parts of the world, such as the Persian Gulf, Middle East, Horn of Africa, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Philippines.[198] long before the internal rise of the Maratha dynasty, and the British Raj colonial occupation.[199]
Early 1st-century Western historians such as Strabo and Dio Cassius are testament to Gujarati people's role in the spread of Buddhism in the Mediterranean, when it was recorded that the sramana monk Zarmanochegas (Ζαρμανοχηγὰς) of Barygaza met Nicholas of Damascus in Antioch while Augustus ruled the Roman Empire, and shortly thereafter proceeded to Athens where died by setting himself on fire to demonstrate his faith.[200][201] A tomb to the sramana, was still visible in the time of Plutarch,[202] which bore the mention "ΖΑΡΜΑΝΟΧΗΓΑΣ ΙΝΔΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΒΑΡΓΟΣΗΣ" ("The sramana master from Barygaza in India").[203]
The progenitor of the Sinhala language is believed to have been Prince Vijaya, son of King Simhabahu, who ruled Simhapura (modern-day Sihor near Bhavnagar).[204] Prince Vijaya was banished by his father for his lawlessness and set forth with a band of adventurers. This tradition was followed by other Gujaratis. For example, in the Ajanta frescoes, a Gujarati prince is shown entering Sri Lanka.[205]
Many Indians migrated to Indonesia and the Philippines, most of them Gujaratis. King Aji Saka, who is said to have come to Java in Indonesia in year 1 of the Saka calendar, is believed by some to have been a king of Gujarat.[206] The first Indian settlements in the Philippines and Java Island of Indonesia are believed to have been established with the coming of Prince Dhruvavijaya of Gujarat, with 5000 traders.[206] Some stories propose a Brahmin named Tritresta was the first to bring Gujarati migrants with him to Java, so some scholars equate him with Aji Saka.[207] A Gujarati ship has been depicted in a sculpture at Borabudur, Java.[205]
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Gujarat's natural environment includes the Great Rann of Kutch and the hills of Saputara, and it is the sole home of pure Asiatic lions in the world.[208] During the reigns of the sultans, Hindu craftsmanship blended with Islamic architecture, giving rise to the Indo-Saracenic style. Many structures in the state are built in this fashion. It is also the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, figures of India's Independence movement. Amitabh Bachchan is currently the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism.[209]
Gujarat has a variety of museums on different genres that are run by the state's Department of Museums located at the principal state museum, Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery in Vadodara,[210] which is also the location of the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum. The Kirti Mandir, Porbandar, Sabarmati Ashram, and Kaba Gandhi No Delo are museums related to Mahatma Gandhi, the former being the place of his birth and the latter two where he lived in his lifetime. Kaba Gandhi No Delo in Rajkot exhibits part of a rare collection of photographs relating to the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Sabarmati Ashram is the place where Gandhi initiated the Dandi March. On 12 March 1930 he vowed that he would not return to the Ashram until India won independence.[211]
The Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum is housed within Lakshmi Vilas Palace, the residence of the erstwhile Maharajas, located in Vadodara.
The Calico Museum of Textiles is managed by the Sarabhai Foundation and is one of the most popular tourist spots in Ahmedabad.[citation needed]
The Lakhota Museum at Jamnagar is a palace transformed into museum, which was residence of the Jadeja Rajputs. The collection of the museum includes artefacts spanning from 9th to 18th centuries, pottery from medieval villages nearby and the skeleton of a whale.
Other well-known museums in the state include the Kutch Museum in Bhuj, which is the oldest museum in Gujarat founded in 1877, the Watson Museum of human history and culture in Rajkot,[212] Gujarat Science City and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial in Ahmedabad. In October 2018, the world's tallest statue commemorating the independence leader Sardar Patel was unveiled. At 182 metres tall the Statue of Unity is the newest tourist attraction with over 30,000 visitors every day.[213][214]
Religious sites play a major part in the tourism of Gujarat. Somnath is the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and is mentioned in the Rigveda. The Dwarakadheesh Temple, Radha Damodar Temple, Junagadh and Dakor are holy pilgrimage sites with temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. The Sun Temple, Modhera is a ticketed monument, handled by the Archaeological Survey of India.[215] Other religious sites in state include Ambaji, Dakor, Shamlaji, Chotila, Becharaji, Mahudi, Shankheshwar etc. The Palitana temples of Jainism on Mount Shatrunjaya, Palitana are considered the holiest of all pilgrimage places by the Svetambara and Digambara Jain community.[216] Palitana is the world's only mountain with more than 900 temples.[217] The Sidi Saiyyed Mosque and Jama Masjid are holy mosques for Gujarati Muslims.
A five-day festival is held during Maha Shivaratri at the fort of Girnar, Junagadh, known as the Bhavanth Mahadev Fair (Gujarati: ભવનાથ નો મેળો). The Kutch Festival or Rann Festival (Gujarati: કચ્છ or રણ ઉત્સવ) is a festival celebrated at Kutch during Mahashivratri. The Modhra Dance Festival is a festival for classical dance, arranged by the Government of Gujarat's Cultural Department, to promote tourism in state and to keep traditions and culture alive.[218]
The Ambaji Fair is held in the Hindu month of Bhadrapad (around August–September) at Ambaji, during a time which is particularly suitable for farmers, when the busy monsoon season is about to end. The Bhadrapad fair is held at Ambaji which is in the Danta Taluka of Banaskantha district, near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. The walk from the bus station to the temple is less than one kilometre, under a roofed walkway. Direct buses are available from many places, including Mount Abu (45 km away), Palanpur (65 km away), Ahmedabad and Idar. The Bhadrapad fair is held in the centre of the Ambaji village just outside the temple premises. The village is visited by the largest number of sanghas (pilgrim groups) during the fair. Many of them go there on foot, which is particularly enriching as it happens immediately after the monsoon, when the landscape is rich with greenery, streams are full of sparkling water and the air is fresh. About 1.5 million devotees are known to attend this fair each year from all over the world. Not only Hindus, but some devout Jains and Parsis also attend the functions, while some Muslims attend the fair for trade.
The Tarnetar Fair is held during the first week of Bhadrapad, (September–October according to Gregorian calendar), and mostly serves as a place to find a suitable bride for tribal people from Gujarat. The region is believed to be the place where Arjuna took up the difficult task of piercing the eye of a fish, rotating at the end of a pole, by looking at its reflection in the pond water, to marry Draupadi.[219]Other fairs in Gujarat include Dang Durbar, Shamlaji Fair, Chitra Vichitra Fair, Dhrang Fair and Vautha Fair.
The Government of Gujarat has banned alcohol since 1960.[220] Gujarat government collected the Best State Award for 'Citizen Security' by IBN7 Diamond States on 24 December 2012.[221]
There are three international airports (Ahmedabad and Surat, Vadodara), nine domestic airports (Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Kandla, Porbandar, Rajkot, Amreli, Keshod), two private airports (Mundra, Mithapur) and three military bases (Bhuj, Jamnagar, Naliya) in Gujarat. Two more airports (Ankleshwar, Rajkot) are under construction. There are three disused airports situated at Deesa, Mandvi and Mehsana; the last serving as a flying school. Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited (GUJSAIL) has been established by the Government of Gujarat to foster development of aviation infrastructure in the state.[222]
These airports are operated and owned by either the Airports Authority of India, Indian Air Force, Government of Gujarat or private companies.[223][224]
Gujarat comes under the Western Railway Zone of the Indian Railways. Ahmedabad Railway Station is the most important, centrally located and biggest railway station in Gujarat which connects to all important cities of Gujarat and India.Surat railway station and Vadodara Railway Station is also the busiest railway station in Gujarat and the ninth busiest railway station in India. Other important railway stations are Palanpur Junction, Bhavnagar Terminus, Rajkot Railway Station, Sabarmati Junction, Nadiad Junction, Valsad Railway Station, Bharuch Junction, Gandhidham Junction, Anand Junction, Godhra Railway Station, etc. Indian Railways is planning a dedicated rail freight route Delhi–Mumbai passing through the state.
The 39.259 km (24.394 mi) long tracks of the first phase of MEGA, a metro rail system for Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar is under construction. It is expected to complete by 2024. The construction started on 14 March 2015.[225][226]
Gujarat State has the longest sea coast of 1214 km in India. Kandla Port is one of the largest ports serving Western India. Other important ports in Gujarat are the Port of Navlakhi, Port of Magdalla, Port Pipavav, Bedi Port, Port of Porbandar, Port of Veraval and the privately owned Mundra Port. The state also has Ro-Ro ferry service.[227]
Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) is the primary body responsible for providing the bus services within the state of Gujarat and also with the neighbouring states. It is a public transport corporation providing bus services and public transit within Gujarat and to the other states in India. Apart from this, there are a number of services provided by GSRTC.
Apart from this, the GSRTC provides special bus services for festivals, industrial zones, schools, colleges and pilgrim places also buses are given on contract basis to the public for certain special occasions.[228]
Auto rickshaws are common mode of transport in Gujarat. The Government of Gujarat is promoting bicycles to reduce pollution by the way of initiative taken by free cycle rides for commuters..
The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) are in charge of the schools run by the Government of Gujarat. However, most of the private schools in Gujarat are affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board. Gujarat has 13 state universities and four agricultural universities.
Institutes for Engineering and Research in the area include IIT Gandhinagar, Indian Institute of Information Technology Vadodara (IIITV), Institute of Infrastructure Technology Research and Management (IITRAM), Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT) also in Gandhinagar, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) and P P Savani University in Surat, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU) in Gandhinagar, Nirma University in Ahmedabad, M.S. University in Vadodara, Marwadi Education Foundation's Group of Institutions (MEFGI) in Rajkot and Birla Vishwakarma Mahavidyalaya (BVM) in Vallabh Vidyanagar (a suburb in Anand district).
Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad (MICA) is an institute for mass communication.
In addition, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) is one of the leading sectoral institution in rural management. IRMA is a unique institution in the sense that it provides professional education to train managers for rural management. It is the only one of its kind in all Asia.
The National Institute of Design and development (NID) in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar is internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design education and research. Centre for Environmental Planning & Technology University, popularly known as (CEPT) is one of the best planning and architectural school not in India, but across the world; providing various technical and professional courses.
In the emerging area of legal education, a premier institution Gujarat National Law University was founded in the capital city Gandhinagar which started imparting education in 2004 and is ranked in top institutions in the country.
Lalbhai Dalpatbhai College of Engineering (LDCE) is also one of the top engineering college of the state.
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, is a premier university of Gujarat. It is one of the oldest universities of Gujarat and provides education in Faculty of Fine Arts, Engineering, Arts, Journalism, Education, Law, Social Work, Medicine, Science and Performing Arts. Originally known as the Baroda College of Science (established 1881), it became a university in 1949 after the independence of the country and later renamed after its benefactor Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the former ruler of Baroda State.
Gujarat University, Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya, Sardar Patel University, Ahmedabad University, Saurashtra University, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Dharmsinh Desai University and Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University are also among reputed universities, affiliating many reputed colleges.
The Space Applications Centre (SAC) is an institution for space research and satellite communication in Ahmedabad, India, under the aegis of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Vikram Sarabhai, a renowned scientist, industrialist, and visionary Gujarati, played an important role in it. He also founded Physical Research Laboratory, a research institute encompasses Astrophysics, Solar System, and cosmic radiation. He also envisioned Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, one of the internationally reputed management research institute that is located in Gujarat's commercial capital Ahmedabad and is the top ranked management institutes in the country.[229][230]
Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute has been established under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Government of India at Bhavnagar. It was inaugurated by Late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India on 10 April 1954, with a view to carry out research on marine salt, and salt from inland lakes and sub-soil brine. It is working on reverse osmosis, electro membrane process, salt and marine chemicals, analytical science, marine biotechnology, and other related fields. The Gujarat National Law University situated at Gandhinagar is the 5th Best Law School currently in India.
Gujarat Science City,[231] is a government initiative to draw more students towards education in science, which hosts India's first IMAX 3D theatre, an energy park, a hall of science, an amphitheatre, and dancing musical fountains among others. Institute of Management under Nirma University is constantly ranked among the top MBA colleges in India. International Institute of Management and Technical Studies affiliated with Gujarat Knowledge Society, European Association for Distance Learning, Association of Indian Management Schools and Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association has performed globally for its higher education certification courses for working professionals. IIMT STUDIES also launched GET SET GO programme in 2013 in affiliation with Gujarat Technological University and Gujarat Knowledge Society, Department of Technical Education- Government of Gujarat.[232][233][234][235][236] B.K. School of Business Management is ranked sixth in financial management. K. S. School of Business Management is also an MBA college in Gujarat University providing a five-year integrated MBA course. Shanti Business School in Ahmedabad is a business school offering a post-graduate diploma in management through a corporate citizenship initiative.
The Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) was established by the Science and Technology Department, Government of Gujarat, in 2003 and is registered as a society. ISR campus is at Raisan, Gandhinagar, on the banks of Sabarmati river. Aims and objectives include assigning optimum seismic factors for buildings in different regions and long-term assessment of potential. The ISR is the only institute in India fully dedicated to seismological research and is planned to be developed into a premier international institute in few years time.
New Jersey, United States (September 2019)[245]
Delaware, United States (September 2019)[246]
California, United States[247]
Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan (November 2019)[248][249]
Guangdong, China (2014)[250][251]
Astrakhan Oblast, Russia[252][253]Surat was then the place of embarkation of pilgrims to Mecca; known as Bab al-Makkah or the Gate of Mecca, it was almost a sacred place for the Muslims of India. It was the main city for foreign imports, where many merchants had their bases, and all the European trading companies were established. Its population was more than 100,000.
For a pious emperor, Surat had more than economic and political importance; it was the port from which the hajj (pilgrimage) ships left Mughal India for the Red Sea. The port was variously known as Bab-al-Makkah, the Bab-ul-Hajj, the Dar-al-Hajj, and the Bandar-i-Mubarak.
The Gurjars of Chitrakuta and Gurjars of lta were mentioned in Rashtrakuta inscriptions
The State took its name from the Gurjara, the land of the Gujjar, who ruled the area during the 700s and 800s.
Gujarat draws its name from the Gurjara, who ruled the area during the 8th and 9th centuries CE.
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![Shown here is the Tata Nano, the world's least expensive car.[163] Sanand, Gujarat, is home to Tata Nano.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Nano.jpg/1280px-Nano.jpg)
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)The book describes an episode of a foreigner bringing costly gifts for kings, saying, "And for the King there are very costly vessels of silver, singing boys, beautiful maidens for the harem, fine wines, thin clothing of the finest weaves, and the choicest ointments.
As a sign of these places to those approaching from the sea there are serpents, very large and black; for at the other places on this coast and around Barygaza, they are smaller, and in color bright green, running into gold ... Now the whole country of India has very many rivers, and very great ebb and flow of the tides; increasing at the new moon, and at the full moon for three days, and falling off during the intervening days of the moon. But about Barygaza it is much greater, so that the bottom is suddenly seen, and now parts of the dry land are sea, and now it is dry where ships were sailing just before; and the rivers, under the inrush of the flood tide, when the whole force of the sea is directed against them, are driven upwards more strongly against their natural current, for many stadia.
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)The Syrian troops became increasingly reluctant to serve on the ill-omened Indian front, which seemed, after so many failures, to be well on its way to becoming the worst front.
Zafar Khan Muzaffar, the first independent ruler of Gujarat was not a foreign muslim but a Khatri convert, of a low subdivision called Tank, originally from Southern Punjab.
Nevertheless, there were indeed people in India, specifically in Gujarat, who by about 1486 knew the Ottomans as the primary Ghazi sultans of western domains of the abode of Islam, and had tried to elevate their own standing by posing as comrade ghazis fighting irreligion in the east.
Gujarati merchants had very long-standing relations with the Persian Gulf and Red Sea regions. Aden, Ormuz, and Mecca were frequently visited by them. They took gold, quicksilver, vermilion, copper, rose-water, camlets, scarlet-in-grain, coloured woollen cloth, glass beads and weapons which were brought by merchants from Cairo to Aden. The above mentioned items were collected by merchants from Italy, Greece, and Damascus. Horses from various parts of Arabia and Persia, especially from Ormuz, were brought by the Gujarati merchants to India.
The annual pilgrimages of Indian Muslim to Mecca, whose route lay through Gujarat (which was called the Gate of Mecca) had been for some years interrupted by the domination of the Arabian Sea by the Portuguese and also by the disorder prevailing in Gujarat.
From the other direction, the enhanced security of the Hejaz provided not only profits for Gujarati merchants but succor for Gujarat's Muslim sultans. In times of insecurity, Gujarati sultans would send their families and treasures to the Hejaz for safekeeping ... the sultanate indeed fell, in 1573, and the triumphant emperor Akbar, retained his services giving him charge of pious endowments in Gujarat dedicated to Mecca and Medina.
Indeed, Fernand Braudel likened Surat to some of the great mercantile cities of Europe and Asia, such as Venice and Beijing ... Godinho estimated that Surat's population was more than 100, 000, with people from all over the world residing in the city or frequenting it for business. He even claimed that it surpasses our "Evora in grandeur"
Historians have differed over the identity of the sailor, calling him a Christian, a Muslim and a Gujarati. According to another account, he was the famous Arab navigator Ibn Majid. Some historians suggest Majid could not have been near the vicinity at the time. German author Justus says it was Malam who accompanied Vasco ... Italian researcher Sinthia Salvadori too has concluded that it was Malam who showed Gama the way to India. Salvadori has made this observation in her 'We Came In Dhows', an account written after interacting with people in Gujarat.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Eminent historian Manekshah Commissariat has quoted from this letter in his book 'A History of Gujarat: Mughal period, from 1573 to 1758'.
The Gujarati merchant diaspora can still be found in the littoral cities of West Asia and Africa on the one hand and in Southeast Asia on the other.
"Most people perceive that British dominated everything in the 19th century when the Indian sub-continent was under their control. But Gujarati merchants, especially those from Kutch, dominated the economy all along the East African coast. So while British were ruling, Gujaratis were making all the money," said Pearson." As financers, they (Gujarati merchants) had agents to collect tax, they had money to provide loans, they dominated the merchandise business and they were also into slavery business at Nairobi, Mombasa, Zanzibar on the East African coast and to some extent their influence was also on the South African region," he said. "In fact, the dominance of Gujarati merchants on economy was to such an extent that at one point of time the British even complained about it. They, however, couldn't make any difference as most of them were either administrators or soldiers," said Pearson
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