Vadnagar

Vadnagar
વડનગર
city

Kirti Toran
Vadnagar

Location in Gujarat, India

Coordinates: 23°47′06″N 72°38′24″E / 23.785°N 72.64°E / 23.785; 72.64Coordinates: 23°47′06″N 72°38′24″E / 23.785°N 72.64°E / 23.785; 72.64
Country  India
State Gujarat
District Mehsana
Elevation 143 m (469 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 27,790
Languages
 • Official Gujarati, Hindi
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)

Vadnagar is a city and a municipality in Mehsana district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the birthplace of Narendra Modi, the 15th and current Prime Minister of India.

Geography

Vadnagar is located at 23°47′N 72°38′E / 23.78°N 72.63°E / 23.78; 72.63.[2] It has an average elevation of 143 metres (469 feet).

Vadnagar is located South of Vadnagar Kheralu Telgah. To the West Unjha telgah, South- Visnagar and Vijapur telgah and on East side Sabarkantha Districts are located.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,[3] Vadnagar had a population of 25,041. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Vadnagar has an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 75%, and female literacy is 54%. In Vadnagar, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

History

Known history of Vadnagar goes back to more than 2500 years. Vadnagar is referred to as Anartapur in Mahabharata. According to the great epic the Anarta warriors fought in the Mahabharata war on both the sides and the feud among them continued even after the war was over. Recent archaeological excavations have established the existence of a thriving city of religious and cultural activities at the location around the 1st century.[4]

Vadnagar has also yielded an image of Bodhisattva dated back to the 3rd or 4th century AD. This image seems to be brought from Mathura to install in one of the Buddhist monasteries of the town. Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited Vadnagar in the 641 A.D. and recorded the presence of Buddhist establishments.[5]

It is also said that Vadnagar was the earliest capital of Gujarat. Vadnagar's main is located inside the walls of a fort which has 6 huge gates namely Arjun Bari, Nadiol, Amarthol, Ghaskol, Pithori and Amarthol in which Amarthol gate area is the oldest existing part of the town. The river Kapila used to flow through the town of Vadnagar

Places of interest

Tana Riri garden and shrine
Hatkeshwar Mahadev temple
Arjun Bari

The town is also blessed with a magnificent lake named as "Sharmistha Lake" which has a small island like place amidst it. It is connected with a 7 km long inlet canal. The government is developing this island into a beautiful garden.

Vadnagar also has various public architectures like a Museum and Library, government hospital and a government court.

There are scores of temples dedicated to almost every God: Shiva, Chhabila, Hanuman, Ashapuri Mata, Ambaji Mata, Vishnupuri, Gaurikund to name just a few. Of the numerous Shiva shrines, the 15th-century "Hatkeshver Mahadev" is the most important. He is the family deity of the Nagar Brahmins. Facing the east, it is enclosed by a high wall surmounted by three circular domes. From the roof of the sanctum rises a massive pinnacle, which soars high above in the sky. A massive congregation hall leads to the sanctum which houses a shivling said to have self-emerged or as it is said -"Swayambhu"(self emerged). The exterior of the temple is exquisitely and profusely ornamented with figures of the nine planets, regent deities, the chief gods of the Hindu pantheon, scenes from the life of Krishna and Pandava princes, besides the varied animal and floral motifs. The premises also house an older Swaminarayan Temples (one for male and one for females), two Jain derasars, a goddess Ashapuri temple (Shaktipith), goddess Bhuvaneshpuri Temple, Somnath Mahadev Temple, Daaneshwar Mahadev Temple and Vishnupuri Temple (it is said that God Vishnu himself had stepped here).

Renovated twice or thrice is the "Sitla Mata" Temple ornately carved with figures of celestial beings. Its door frames and ceilings depict the Rasmandala (Krishna dancing with milkmaids). The most striking pieces of architecture in Vadnagar, however, are the two magnificent Kirtistambhas or triumphal arches. Built of red sandstone they are both identical in size and style. Only, one lies in pieces on the ground (now re-erected) and the other stand erect. Its pillars and arches are decorated with lozenges at the base and geometric and floral designs-leaves, creepers, lotus, animal motifs, human figures engaged in various activities and divine figures in different poses. The top bears an image of a seated god Kartikeya flanked by Ganesh and Makara (griffin) from which spring arches. A number of standing female figures also ornament the top. Vadnagar is also known as Skandhpur after Kartikeya, who is identified with Murugan.

Educational institutes

Schools

Colleges

Hospitals

References

  1. ↑ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=537034
  2. ↑ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Vadnagar
  3. ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  4. ↑ "Lost city could be Gujarat's womb: Archaeologists". The Times of India. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Paul Jonh; Parth Shastri (13 September 2014). "Vadnagar on menu for Modi's b'day meet with Xi - TOI Mobile". The Times of India Mobile Site. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
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