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Bhavnagar is
not a very old city - it was founded in 1723 when the then ruler
Bhavsinhji shifted his capital from Sihor (20 Kms. away) to Bhavnagar.
The Gohil Dynasty itself is quite itself is quite old. They were in
Sihor since 1570 and in Umrala/Ghogha and other places prior to that. It
is said that their ancestors were from Marwar.
After the death of Bhavsinhji, the state had many rulers. But the one
who has possibly left the most lasting contribution is Maharaj
Takhtasinhji (born January, 6 1858- died 29th January 1896). When his
father Jaswantsinhji passed away in April 1870, he was only 12 years
old. Hence the Britishers imposed a Joint Administration on the State.
This Joint Administration of one British and one Indian Administrator
continued from 1870 to 1878, i.e. till the time Takhtasinhji became 20
years old. The state was represented by its legendary Chief Minister
Gaurishankar Udayshankar Oza (after whom the Gaurishankar Lake or " Bor
Talav" is named). The British Representatives in various periods were
E.H. Perieval, Major Watson and Colonel Parr.
The Political Agency at Rajkot set up in 1820 oversaw the affairs of
princely states in Saurashtra. An idea of its importance can be gauged
from the fact that in the entire country there were about 600 small and
big kingdoms out of which 222 were in Saurashtra alone.
5th April 1878 is the date to be remembered in the history of Bhavnagar.
On this day, the British Government's management of affairs of state,
assumed during the minority of Maharaja Takhtasinhji came to an end. His
Highness assumed the full sovereign powers of his state. Sir James B.
Piele, the then Political Agent performed the installation ceremony
amongst great splendor. The city of Bhavnagar was full of rejoicing on
that day.
Soon after assuming the full powers, Maharaja Takhtasinhji accorded
sanction for 3 important works of public utility and usefulness. These
were: (a) construction of railway from Bhavnagar to Wadhwan in the north
and Dhoraji in the west with line from Dhasa to Dhoraji funded by Gondal
State (b) The Takhtasinhji wing of Rajkumar College at Rajkot and (c)
The Takhtasinhji Hospital at Bhavnagar.
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In the last
decade of nineteenth century, the British consolidated their power and
continued to occupy more and territories throughout Gujarat. They were
helped partially by unscrupulous natives and partly due to the various
battles they waged and won.
Dholera Port was taken over by the British through unscrupulous means.
Bhavnagar Durbar ran this port but the Grassia family also held a minor
share. British entered into a transaction with this family through a
Portugese Trader Mr. D'souza. The Grassias gave away the port to the
British Government, even though they were not competent to do so.The
British flag was hoisted at Dholera and the Bhavnagar men expelled.
Under the Treaty of Bassein, much of the territory of the Maratha rulers
was taken over by the British, and the port of Ghogha (hardly 15 Kms.
from Bhavnagar) also came under their control.
Thus Bhavnagar port had competition on both sides from British i.e. at
Dholera and Ghogha. The British took every concievable measure to divert
trade from the port of Bhavnagar to their ports of Ghogha and Dholera.
Duties were considerably lowered on merchandize, which was taken to the
port of Dholera instead of Bhavnagar. Orders were issued to warn traders
who lived in British territory, not to take goods to the port of
Bhavnagar. Even posts were established at Vartej and Nari (the two entry
points of the city), which levied prohibitive duties on goods passing to
Bhavnagar. On the other hand, goods bound of Ghogha were allowed duty
free.
Thanks to the then Maharaja Wajesinhji, who lowered the custom receipts
of the Durbar and lent money to the cotton merchants, some trade
remained and Bhavnagar Port did not collapse totally, even though the
income of the Bhavnagar Durbar through custom fell dramatically.
This move was foresighted as it saved trade and the port from ruin in
Bhavnagar
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An incident of 1857, shows how much harassment the Maharaja was
subjected to by the British.
Some robbers in the way attacked a dancing girl with her relations
returning to Bhavnagar. A chance shot wounded her in the palm but no
casualty occurred. A false case was concocted attributing imaginary
murders to the rulers and a complaint was made.
The District Magistrate of Ahmedabad issued warrants against the ruler
of Bhavnagar and other high officials and forwarded them for execution
to the Mamlatdar, a Magistrate of Ghogha, with direction to take them
into custody and send them to Ahmedabad. The Superintendent of Police of
Ahmedabad also ordered his force at Ghogha to render every possible
assistance to the Mamlatdar.
The Mamlastdar came to Bhavnagar with a big posse of Police. This
created panic throughout the city. Maharaja Jaswantsinhji immediately
left for Kundla alongwith some other officials. The only official who
stayed behind was Samladas, the Assistant Diwan or 'Karbhari'.
An arrest warrant was served on Samaldas who accepted its service and
offered to go to Ahmedabad and surrender himself to the District
Magistrate. They went under police escort in Durbar conveyances to
Ahmedabad. .......3
The sessions Judge was also moved for bail upon arrival at Ahmedabad.
The Sessions Judge Mr. Alexandar Kinloch Forbes knew Bhavnagar and its
officials well, having had experience of working as Political Agent of
Kathiawad. He at once passed an order directing the District Magistrate
to release Samaldas and Shamji (another Durbar official) on bail.
The Chief Minister, Gaurishankar Oza happened to be with the Political
Agent Colonel Lang when all these events took place. The Political Agent
was told about the fabricated accusation and high handedness of the
District Magistrate and the indignities to which the Bhavnagar State
officials had been subjected to.
Maharaja Jaswantsinhji visited Colonel Lang at Mahuva and wanted such
action and oppressive treatment to be checked. Colonel Lang sent his
report to the Governor of Bombay, Lord Elphinstone. Incidentally, Lord
Elphinstone had visited Bhavnagar only a year back in 1856 and was much
impressed by the progressive administration of the state.
He relieved the Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Ahmedabad of
the power of exercising jurisdiction in 116 villages inclusive of
Bhavnagar. They were placed under the Kathiawad Political Agency and an
Assistant Political Agent was invested with powers and authority of a
Magistrate. Gaurishankar, the Chief Minsister was invested with the
powers and authority of Superintendent of Police for Bhavnagar and the
116 villages. The Maharaja thus returned back to his own capital.
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Bhavnagar was the first state in Saurashtra and the third in the country
after Baroda and Hyderabad to start a railway line.
During 1863, Maharaja Jaswantsinhji received a proposal to start a
Narrow Gauge line like in parts of Gaekwad Railway in Baroda. Maharaja
was not inclined, as by that time another company called Ghogha
Kathiawad Light Railway Company had been formed and it could be easily
joined at Vartej, a mere 10 Kms away. But nothing materialised.
Meanwhile, the state's proposals to start a Railway from Bhavnagar and
Wadhwan were objected to by the BB&CI Railway officials who feared that
such line would take away all their cotton traffic from Surendranagar.
Moreover, there was a clause in the Government's guarantee to BB&CI that
no competing line will be constructed near 50 miles of their line.
Political considerations of the British favoured BB&CI.
The famine in 1877 changed all that. The Governor of Bombay, Sir Richard
Temple felt the need to use the famine labour in building works of
permanent nature. And what better than a new Railway line! For those
doubting the financial returns of the line, Sir Richard Temple said
"Think how it will pay in saving life during famine". Not only did the
construction provide employment to many and saved them from starvation,
in later years also (notably 1899-1900) it was instrumental in
distributing tonnes of food and fodder.
To the objection of the BB&CI, Sir Richard Temple pointed out that they
were guaranteed against competition of other railways in British
Territory only and that Wadhwan (Kathiawad) was not British territory.
This removed one of the major hurdles in the path of railways.
The Bhavnagar- Gondal Railway was a joint venture with funds from both
states. Bhavnagar contributed Rs. 86 lakhs and Rs.29 lakhs was Gondal's
contribution. The Bhavnagar-Wadhwan line had a length of a 166 Kms; the
Dhola-Dhasa-Dhoraji line had a length of 144 Kms. The work was carried
out between 1878 and 1880.
In March 1879,Mr. Alexander Izat was appointed as the Engineer-in-Chief.
He was earlier the Chief Engineer of Daund-Manmad line (which had opened
in 1878). Mr. R. Proctor Sims who was Bhavnagar's state Engineer had
carried out the survey from Bhavnagar to Botad. The survey from Dhasa to
Dhoraji was carried out under Mr. Ford who held analogous post in Gondal.
An engineer from BB & CI, Mr. Hargreaves did the survey from Botad to
Wadhwan.
The earth-work was commenced as a famine work with all possible haste
and finished within an astonishingly short time by May 1880. His
Highness requested the Governor of Bombay Sir James Ferguson (who had
succeeded Sir Richard Temple in March 1879) to inaugurate the line in
December and declare it open for traffic.
On 17th December 1880 His Excellency the Governor, alongwith his
entourage arrived at Bhavnagar by a special steamer from Bombay named
May Frere. A large number of guests- European and natives were invited.
On approach of the May Frere at Bhavnagar Bundar, Colonel Barton (the
political Agent), Major Woodhouse (the Assistant Political Agent) and
Diwan Sahib Samaldas went in a steam launch and brought the Governor and
his party ashore. His Highness Takhtasinhji received the Governor at the
landing steps and welcomed him. The Governor was then taken to the town
and the evening spent in sight seeing and visiting the Gaurishankar
Lake.
Early next morning on December 18, 1880 (Saturday), His Excellency drove
the last spike of the permanent way at the city station (now Bhavnagar
Terminus) in the presence of a large gathering and declared the Railway
line from Bhavnagar to Wadhwan open. The party then proceeded by a
special train to Limdi (about 140 kilometers, slightly short of Wadhwan).
The ruler of Limdi Sir Jaswantsinhji had organised a grand welcome to
the party at Limdi station.
The party returned by the same train to Bhavnagar in evening in time for
a State Bouquet at Neelambaug City Palace. There was fireworks display
at night in the city.
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