Zhagadia (also spelled Jhagadia) is a

taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

Bharuch district Bharuch (formerly commonly known as Broach) in India, is a district in the southern part of the Kathiawar peninsula on the west coast of state of Gujarat with a size and population comparable to that of Greater Boston. Bharuch derives its name f ...

in the state of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Zhagadia is located south of the southern bank of the Narmada River. It is southeast of the historic town ShuklaThirth, where

Chanakya Chanakya (Sanskrit: चाणक्य; IAST: ', ; 375–283 BCE) was an ancient Indian polymath who was active as a teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and royal advisor. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya o ...

apparently lived until he returned to Pataliputra (now

Patna Patna ( ), historically known as Pataliputra, is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Patna had a population of 2.35 million, making it the 19th largest city in India. ...

). The economy of Zhagadia is dependent on industrial area (GIDC) and the fertile land where

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalks t ...

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sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...

, and other vegetables and fruits are grown and exported. Trade to the interior villages, local government offices, and Seva Rural Hospital and local businesses provide most of the employment. In Zhagadia is the town Bhalod, on the Narmada riverbank, across from another town, Koral. Bhalod is known for farming bananas, cotton, and sugar cane, although it suffers from a high rate of emigration, primarily to the

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, and

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. The town has cultural activities, such as the three-day program of Gangadashahara. During this period, many

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...

s from various parts of Gujarat and elsewhere travel to Bhalod to be "blessed" by their "holy River" Narmada", in celebration of the 'birth' of the "holy River"

Ganges The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...

. Bhalod has a number of temples, including Ramnath Mahadev, Mokshnath Mahadev, Datatrey, Ranchhodnathji & Gayatri Mata.

Industries

Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation has developed a megaindustrial estate in Zhagadia. Companies there include:

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, Gulbrandsen Technologies,

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, S. Kumar,

Century Textile and Industries Century Textile and Industries is an Indian textile and paper manufacturing and export company based in Mumbai. The main business activity involves manufacture of cotton textiles, yarn, denim, viscose filament rayon yarn, tire-cords, caustic so ...

, Aarti Industries Limited, BEC Fertilizers Limited, Welspun, Brakes India and Agrotech (an affiliate of

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Education

For students too young for high school, the public schools are divided into male and female schools. Zaghadia has an all-female primary and middle school and an all-male primary and middle school. Two high schools serve the local population. The oldest high school is Diwan Dhanji Shah High School, which was founded in 1942 by Diwan of Rajpipla's King, a group of concerned citizens in response to the lack of public education in the remote region. The result of their efforts, at least in part, was that the strength of the education program in the 1950s and 1960s was noted throughout Gujarat. A private school, Manav School, also exists in Zaghadia.

Tourism

Places to visit include: Jain Daherasar, Kabirvad, Gayatri Mandir, Dholi Reservoir, and Hanuman Temple. Trips to banana farms and a ride in bullock cart in fields are popular experiences. Gumandev, an old temple of the

Hindu god Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. The terms and epithets for deities within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Ishvari, Bhagavān and Bhagavati. The deities of Hinduism have evolved ...

Hanuman, is a holy place for

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

in Bharuch, from Zhagadia. Many people from different parts of the world visit this temple; it is considered a reflection of a person's faith that they visit.

Notes and references

{{reflist

External links

Official website of Gujarat
the state where Zaghadia is located Cities and towns in Bharuch district