Amreli district

Amreli District અમરેલી જિલ્લો
District
Amreli District location in Gujarat, India.
Coordinates: 21°25′N 71°15′E / 21.417°N 71.250°ECoordinates: 21°25′N 71°15′E / 21.417°N 71.250°E
Country	India
State	Gujarat
District Headquarter	Amreli
Population (2011)
• Total	1,513,614

Amreli district (Gujarati: અમરેલી જિલ્લો) is one of the 33 administrative districts of the state of Gujarat in western India. The district headquarters are located at Amreli. The district occupies an area of 6,760 km² and has a population of 1,513,614 of which 22.45% were urban (as of 2011). From Amreli district maximum number of NRI in USA from Saurashtra. Amreli is land of Yogiji Maharaj, Danbapu, Sage Muldas, Sage Bhojalrambapa, Sage Muktanand Swami, Magician K.Lal, Zaverchand Megahani's place (Bagasara), Dr. Jivaraj Mehata etc. Amreli covers Gir National forest sanctuary area. Now it is developing as a Hub of Education.^[1]

Origin of name

Amreli district name derives its name from the town of Amreli, which is the headquarters of the district. It is believed that during the year 534 AD, Amreli existed as a city place with name Anumanji. After that the name was Amlik and then Amravati. The ancient Sanskrit name of Amreli was Amarvalli.

History

Initially, Amreli was a small village with an ancient history, and part of various kingdoms and empires established in the area. It shot into prominence, turning from village to town, when the Marathas began acquiring territory and establishing their reign over the region in 1780s. Besides levying taxes on the other rulers of the Kathiawar Peninsula, the Gaekwads also acquired their own territory and chose Amreli as the headquarters for their "Kathewad Pranth", which included Dwarka mandal. Vithalrao Devaji was appointed the Diwan (1801–1820), and during this period, Amreli grew and prospered. Vithalrao Devaji converted much of the adjoining forest land into farm land to realise revenue and also built the Nagnath Mahadev temple. Later in 1886, under the Gaikwad regime, compulsory and free education policy was adopted in Amreli for the first time. From 18th century to 1959, Dwarika and Okhamandal was part of Gaikwad - Amreli state but after 1959, those two cities were merged with Jamnagar district. After independence the district became the part of Bombay State and a separate district in Gujarat State after the bifurcation of Bombay State.

Geography

Amreli has variety of lands like Medium black, loamy, sandy, rocky inferior and saline.

Economy

Amreli district is industrially backward area. There are some small industries like oil mills spread over the district. Gem cutting and polishing industries are located in Babra. Savar Kundla taluka is famous for its weighing materials and machines all over India. Fisheries is rendering a part to districts credit in Rajula and Jafrabad talukas. Amreli district has 6 GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Centres) industrial estates of State Government and 1 from District Panchayat. Among them there are 2 GIDC in Babra.District has 4822 Small Scale Industries and 5 Medium Scale Industries in which Rs.4947.35 lakh is invested. 16,640 employments are generated through this industrial centres.

Economy of Amreli district depends upon agriculture.Babra is famous for Ginning Industry in the nation. There are more than 50 Ginning and Pressing Factories are running in Babra and near. Diamond industry is developed well here. In Bagasara city gold plating units and in Savar Kundla weighing machine for diamond are famous. Pipavav, Jafrabad and Victor ports are in the district. Agro-based industries are well developed in the district. Mainly groundnut, cotton, sesame, bajri, wheet and grams are grown therein.

There are major industries in the district : most UltraTech Cement Co. Ltd., Kovaya, Tal : Rajula. Narmada Cement Co. Ltd., Tal. Jafrabad. Metadist Co.Ltd., Tal.Rajula Dharamshi Morarji Chemicals Ltd. Zar, Tal. Dhari. GHC Ltd., Tal. Rajula, Jafrabad

Divisions

The district comprises 11 talukas.

• Amreli
• Babra
• Dhari
• Vadia
• Lathi
• Lilia
• Savar Kundla
• Khambha
• Rajula
• Jafarabad
• Bagasara

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Amreli district has a population of 1,513,614,^[2] roughly equal to the nation of Gabon^[3] or the US state of Hawaii.^[4] This gives it a ranking of 329th in India (out of a total of 640).^[2] The district has a population density of 205 inhabitants per square kilometre (530/sq mi) .^[2] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 8.59%.^[2] Amreli has a sex ratio of 964 females for every 1000 males,^[2] and a literacy rate of 74.49%.^[2]

Culture

The most popular temples in the city of Amreli are Nagnath Temple, Gayatri Temple and Shreenathji Haveli. The other tourist places in Amreli district are Tulshishyam, Una, Sarkeshvar Mahadev, Balana(Jafarabad), Delvada, Holi-Dharin Nana Visavadar, Vakuni-Dhar, Hanuman Gada, Satadhar, Galadhara-Khodiyar Temple and Khodiyar dam and Kankai.

Notable personalities

• Dilip Sanghvi 3rd reachest person in India is from Amreli
• Kavi Kalapi (1874–1900) Writer, a famous Gujarati Poet, Lived in Lathi.
• Dr. Jivaraj Mehta, the first Chief Minister of Gujarat, was from this city.
• Poet Jhaverchand Meghani, a famous Gujarati poet, hailed from "Bagasara" a small town near Amreli. He was a freedom fighter whom Mahatma Gandhi spontaneously gave the title of Raashtreeya Shaayar (National Poet).
• Poet Shree Ramesh Parekh, the famous poet hailed from Amreli.
• Dina Pathak was a veteran actor and director of Gujarati theatre and also a film actor, born in Amreli.
• Poet Kant- Kavi Kant, famous poet hailed from Chanvand village of Amreli district.
• Muktanand Swami (Devnagari: मुक्त्तान्द स्वामी) (1758–1830) was a sadhu and paramahansa of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. He was born in Amrapur village of Amreli district.
• Dr. N. D. Rathod, a leading research scientist hailed from Amreli. Dr. Rathod’s research areas are Agriculture, Agri-ecology, Plant Physiology and grassland. His research work honored by the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (a former name of Texas A&M University, USA). He has served in the field as a research head, fellow and scientist. He has practiced his research work for Gujarat Agriculture University (India), Texas A&M University (USA); including research projects of the World Bank. Dr. Rathod has also served as a head research scientist at South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
• K Lal Magician, a world famous magician was born in Mavjinjava village, Amreli district.
• Yogiji Maharaj Sadhu Gnãnjivandas (May 23, 1892 – January 23, 1971), commonly known as Yogiji Maharaj, was an Indian Sadhu and the second leader of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, who is claimed to be the fourth spiritual successor to Bhagwan Swaminarayn.
• Kanji Bhuta Barot is famous singer of Gujarati culture.
• Gordhandas Sorathiya was great writer of Amreli District and he wrote one book of Amreli district known as "Amreli Ni Aarsi".
• Pipa Bhagat was famous Saint of Port of Pipavav.
• Bhoja Bhagat was the guru to Jalaram (Virpur).
• Abid Surti (1935- ) Author and visual artist. Born in Vavera.^[5]
• Savji Dhanji Dholakia, the Indian diamond merchant from Surat and the founder of Hari Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd., hails from Dudhala village.^[6][7]

References

2. "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
3. US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Retrieved 2011-10-01. Gabon 1,576,665
4. "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Hawaii 1,360,301
5. Abid Surti an Introduction ( Gujarati )
6. "Diwali Incentives: I'm a School Dropout, Says Surat Diamond Merchant". http://www.ibtimes.co.in. International Business Times, India Edition. Retrieved 11 November 2015. External link in |website= (help)
7. "Diwali bonanza: Surat boss gifts cars, flats and jewellery as bonus to his employees". http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 11 November 2015. External link in |website= (help)

External links

• For Unofficial Amreli Information
• List of places in Amreli
• Amreli district collector website
• www.MyVillageMavjinjava.com -The place for mavjinjava village people