Bhavnagar is a city in the

Bhavnagar district Bhavnagar District is a Districts of India, district of southeastern Gujarat, India, on the Saurashtra (region), Saurashtra peninsula. It is also known as Gohilwar as a major portion of Bhavnagar district was ruled by Gahlot, Gohil Rajputs. The a ...

of the

Saurashtra region Saurashtra, also known as Sorath or Kathiawar, is a peninsular region of Gujarat, India, located on the Arabian Sea coast. It covers about a third of Gujarat state, notably 11 districts of Gujarat, including Rajkot District. It was formerly a ...

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 ...

, a

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

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 ...

. It was founded in 1723 by Bhavsinhji Takhtasinhji Gohil (1703–1764). It was the capital of

Bhavnagar State Bhavnagar State was a princely state with 13 Gun Salutes during the British Raj. It was part of Kathiawar Agency in Saurashtra. The State of Bhavnagar covered an area of 2,961 sq. miles and had a population of 618,429 in 1941. Its ruler ...

, which was a

princely state A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Raj, British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, ...

before it was merged into the Indian Union in 1948. It is now the administrative headquarters of the

. Bhavnagar is situated 190 kilometres away from the state capital

Gandhinagar Gandhinagar (, ) is the capital of the state of Gujarat in India. Gandhinagar is located approximately 23 km north of Ahmedabad, on the west central point of the Industrial corridor between Delhi, the political capital of India, and Mu ...

and to the west of the

Gulf of Khambhat The Gulf of Khambhat, historically known as the Gulf of Cambay, is a bay on the Arabian Sea coast of India, bordering the state of Gujarat just north of Mumbai and Diu Island. The Gulf of Khambhat is about long, about wide in the north and u ...

. It has always been an important city for trade with many large and small scale industries along with the world's largest

ship breaking Ship-breaking (also known as ship recycling, ship demolition, ship dismantling, or ship cracking) is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for either a source of parts, which can be sold for re-use, or for the extraction ...

yard,

Alang Alang is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Because it is home to the Alang Ship Breaking Yard, Alang beaches are considered the world's largest ship graveyard. Demographics As of the 2001 Indian census, Alan ...

which is located 50 kilometres away. Bhavnagar is also famous for its version of the popular Gujarati snack '

Ganthiya Ganthiya ( gu, ગાંઠિયા/ગાંઠીયા) are deep fried Indian snacks made from chickpea flour. Along with Khakhra, Fafda, Dhokla, and Khandvi (among others), they are among the most popular snacks originating from the Indian St ...

' and '

Jalebi ''Jalebi'' (, , , Urdu: جلیبی‎, , , si, පැණි වළලු, ), is a popular sweet snack in south and west Asia, Africa, and Mauritius. It goes by many names, including ''jilapi'', ''zelepi'','' jilebi'', '' jilipi'', ''zulbia'', ...

History

The

Gohil Gohil may refer to: * Gohil dynasty, 12th-century rulers of Saurashtra in modern Gujarat * Gohil, a Gujarati'rajsthani clan * Gahlot, a clan of rajputs * Dinita Gohil, British actress * Gigabhai Gohil (died 2020), Indian politician * Manav Gohil (b ...

Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

of the Suryavanshi clan faced severe competition in

Marwar Marwar (also called Jodhpur region) is a region of western Rajasthan state in North Western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. The word 'maru' is Sanskrit for desert. In Rajasthani languages, "wad" means a particular area. English tran ...

. Around 1260 AD, they moved down to the Gujarat's coastal area and established three capitals: Sejakpur (now Ranpur), Umrala, and

Sihor Sihor is a town, a municipality in Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Placed along the river Gautami, this erstwhile capital of the Gohil Rajputs, surrounded by hills is situated about 20 km from Bhavnagar. It becomes Siho ...

. Sejakpur was founded in 1194. In 1722–1723, the forces led by Khanthaji Kadani and

Maratha The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...

Pilaji Gaekwad Pilajirao Gaekwad (died 14 May 1732) was a Maratha general. He is considered to be the founder of the Gaekwad dynasty of the Maratha Empire, who became Maharaja of Baroda. Early life Pilaji was the eldest son of Jhingojirao Kerojirao Gaekwad ...

attempted to raid

but were repelled by Maharajah Bhavsinhji Gohil. After the

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

, Bhavsinhji realized the reason for repeated attack was the location of Sihor. In 1723, he established a new capital near Vadva village, 20 km away from Sihor, and named it Bhavnagar after himself. It was a carefully chosen strategic location because of its potential for maritime trade. Naturally, Bhavnagar became the capital of Bhavnagar State. In 1807, Bhavnagar State became a British protectorate. The old town of Bhavnagar was a fortified town with gates leading to other important regional towns. It remained a major port for almost two centuries, trading commodities with Mozambique,

Zanzibar Zanzibar (; ; ) is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islands ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, and the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...

. Bhavsinhji ensured that Bhavnagar is benefited from the revenue that was brought in from maritime trade, which was monopolized by

Surat Surat is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The word Surat literally means ''face'' in Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be a large seaport. It is now ...

and

Cambay Cambay, Kambay or Khambhat was a princely state in India during the British Raj. The City of Khambat (Cambay) in present-day Gujarat was its capital. The state was bounded in the north by the Kaira district and in the south by the Gulf of Cam ...

. As the castle of Surat was under the control of the

Siddis The Siddi (), also known as the Sheedi, Sidi, or Siddhi, or Habshi are an ethnic group inhabiting India and Pakistan. They are primarily descended from the Bantu peoples of the Zanj coast in Southeast Africa and Ethiopia, most whom arrived t ...

of Janjira, Bhavsinhji brokered an agreement with them, giving the Sidis 1.25% of the revenue by Bhavnagar port. Bhavsinhji entered into a similar agreement with the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

when they took over

1856 Events January–March * January 8 – Borax deposits are discovered in large quantities by John Veatch in California. * January 23 – American paddle steamer SS ''Pacific'' leaves Liverpool (England) for a transatlantic voyag ...

. Whilst Bhavsinhji was in power, Bhavnagar grew from a small chieftainship to a considerably important state. This was due to the addition of new territories as well as the income provided by maritime trade. Bhavsinhji's successors continued to encourage maritime trade through Bhavnagar port, recognizing its importance to the state. The territory was further expanded by Bhavsinhji's grandson, Vakhatsinhji Gohil, when he took possession of lands belonging to

Kolis The Koli is an Indian caste found in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir states in India. Koli is an agriculturist caste of Gujarat but in coastal areas they ...

and Kathis, obtained

Rajula Rajula is a city and municipality in Amreli district in the Indian state of Gujarat. City was known as Rajgadh at the time of local ruler daha dhakhda. Originally Rajula spread between Dholio Dunger and Piriyo Dungar, but has expanded beyond th ...

from the Navab Saheb Ahmad Khan, and merged

Ghogha Ghogha is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is situated on the mid-western bank of the Gulf of Khambhat. It was an important historical commercial port on the Arabian Sea until the development of nearby Bha ...

Taluka into the state. In 1793, Vakhatsinhji conquered the forts of Chital and Talaja, and later conquered Mahuva, Kundla, Trapaj, Umrala and

Botad Botad is a city and district headquarters of Botad district, Gujarat, India. It is about 92 km from Bhavnagar and 133 km From Ahmedabad by road distance. Botad district is made from Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar. Erstwhile, it was part of ...

. Bhavnagar remained the main port of the state, with Mahuva and Ghogha also becoming important ports. Because of the maritime trade, the state prospered compared to other states. During the late 19th century, the

Bhavnagar State Railway Bhavnagar State Railway (BSR) was a metre gauge railway line in Bhavnagar State, now part of Gujarat in India. History In November 1878, on the instance of Maharaja Takthasinhji of Bhavnagar State, the Governor of Bombay Sir Richard Temple sanc ...

was constructed. This made Bhavnagar the first state that was able to construct its railway system without any aid from the central government, which was mentioned in

The Imperial Gazetteer of India ''The Imperial Gazetteer of India'' was a gazetteer of the British Indian Empire, and is now a historical reference work. It was first published in 1881. Sir William Wilson Hunter made the original plans of the book, starting in 1869.< ...

. Mr. Peile, a political agent, described the state as follows: "With flourishing finances and much good work in progress. Of financial matters I need say little; you have no debts, and your treasury is full." Between 1870 and 1878, the state were put under joint administration, due to the fact that Prince

Takhtsinhji Maharaja Raol Sir Takhtsinhji Jaswantsinhji KIH (6 January 185829 January 1896), was Maharaja of Bhavnagar, a Rajput chief of the Gohil clan, and ruler of Bhavnagar state in Kathiawar. He succeeded to the throne of Bhavnagar upon the death o ...

was a minor. This period produced some notable reforms in the areas of administration, revenue collection, judiciary, the post and telegraph services, and economic policy. The ports were also modernized. The two people who were responsible for those reforms were E. H. Percival of the

Bombay Civil Service The Civil Services refer to the career government civil servants who are the permanent executive branch of the Republic of India. Elected cabinet ministers determine policy, and civil servants carry it out. Central Civil Servants are employ ...

and Gaurishankar Udayshankar Oza, Chief Minister of Bhavnagar State Bhavnagar Boroz. In 1911, Maharani Nundkanvarba of Bhavnagar was awarded the

Order of the Crown of India The Imperial Order of the Crown of India is an order in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system. The Order was established by Queen Victoria when she became Emperor of India, Empress of India in 1878. The ...

, the highest Imperial award for women of the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

. The former princely state of Bhavnagar was also known as Gohilwad, "Land of the Gohils" (the clan of the ruling family).

Merger with the Indian Union in 1947

Until the

independence of India The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...

in 1947, Bhavnagar was an independent state ruled by the Rajput Gohil family. In 1947, the Deputy Prime Minister of the newly independent Indian Union

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (; ; 31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950), commonly known as Sardar, was an Indian lawyer, influential political leader, barrister and statesman who served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of I ...

undertook the ambitious and complex process of unifying 562 princely states with the Union of India. The last ruling Maharajah of Bhavnagar, Krishnakumar Sinhji handed over the administration of his

Bombay State Bombay State was a large Indian state created at the time of India's Independence, with other regions being added to it in the succeeding years. Bombay Presidency (roughly equating to the present-day Indian state of Maharashtra, excluding Sou ...

to the people's representative in 1948. Honorable Maharaja Krishna Kumarsinhji was the First King of India whom give up his state (all area) to make a United India, due to this reason

was highly impressed by him and made him Governor of

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

State After Independence of India. The current royal family of Bhavnagar comprises Maharajah Vijayraj Singh Gohil and Maharani Samyukta Kumari, Prince Yuvraj Jaiveerraj Singh Gohil, and Princess Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil. The erstwhile royal family of Bhavnagar continues to lead an active role in the public eye as well as in business (hotels, real estate, agriculture, and ship-breaking) and is held in high regard by the population both in the city as well as areas that comprised the former princely state of Bhavnagar.

Geography and climate

Topography

Bhavnagar is a coastal city on the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as

Kathiawar Kathiawar () is a peninsula, near the far north of India's west coast, of about bordering the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest and by the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay) in the east. In the northeast, it is ...

, located at . It has an average elevation of 24 metres (78 ft). It occupies an area of 53.3 km² (20.6 sq mi) and 5th most populated city of Gujarat. The general slope dips towards the northeast at the apex of

. A small non-perennial river named Kansara Nala passes through the outer area of the city.

Climate

Like most of Gujarat, Bhavnagar has a

hot semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

: ''BSh''), with hot, dry summers from March to mid-June, the wet monsoon season from mid-June to October, and mild winters from November to February. There is essentially no rainfall outside the monsoon season, whilst during the monsoon the city receives around of rain on average, though variability is extreme as can be seen from annual totals as high as in 1970 but as little as in 1974. The semi-arid classification is due to the city's high

evapotranspiration Evapotranspiration (ET) is the combined processes by which water moves from the earth’s surface into the atmosphere. It covers both water evaporation (movement of water to the air directly from soil, canopies, and water bodies) and transpi ...

. The average temperature from November to February is around , with low humidity.

Geology

The region of Saurashtra is a geologically active part of

West India Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of its western part. The Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative division includes the states of Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra along with the Union te ...

, and falls in the seismic zone 3 of the Zoning Map of the

Bureau of Indian Standards The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standar ...

. The region as a whole and the area around Bhavnagar, in particular, has been tectonically unstable. Between 9 August 2000 and 15 December 2000, there was a series of earthquakes in east Saurashtra with

epicenter The epicenter, epicentre () or epicentrum in seismology is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates. Surface damage Before the instrumental pe ...

s in Bhavnagar. 132 earthquakes between magnitude 0.5 to 3.8 were recorded. There were five earthquakes greater than magnitude 3, with a maximum magnitude of 3.8. These events were confined to an area which covered the southern part of Bhavnagar city and Tarsamiya village on the outskirts of the town. There was no loss of life recorded due to this earthquake. According to historical records, an earthquake of magnitude 7 occurred near Bhavnagar in February 1705.

Earthquake swarm In seismology, an earthquake swarm is a sequence of seismic events occurring in a local area within a relatively short period. The time span used to define a swarm varies, but may be days, months, or years. Such an energy release is different f ...

activity also occurred in and around Paliyad (60 km north of Bhavnagar) during July–August 1938 for about two months, with four earthquakes of magnitude greater than or equal to 5 and a maximum magnitude of 6.0.

City planning and architecture

Multiple town planning schemes were designed and implemented under the guidance of the progressive rulers of Bhavnagar. During the reign of Sir

, the British State Engineer Proctor Sims supervised the construction of Barton Library, Sir Takhtsinhji Hospital. Nilambagh Palace, Bhavnagar

A few architectural examples include: *Takhteshwar Temple (1893) is located on a hill, on a high plinth, offering a commanding view of Bhavnagar. The high shikhara rising above the pillared rectangular mandapa makes it an important landmark. * Gangajalia (1893) is a temple dedicated to Ganga-Devi, with a chhatri, pavilion, and bridge all of white marble. It is located in the middle of a former tank. It was designed by Sir John Griffith, principal of Sir J J School of Arts,

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

. *

Nilambag Palace Bhavnagar is a city in the Bhavnagar district of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, a state of India. It was founded in 1723 by Bhavsinhji Takhtasinhji Gohil (1703–1764). It was the capital of Bhavnagar State, which was a princely state befo ...

(1894), now a heritage hotel, is set amidst a huge estate of . It was designed by a British architect, William Emerson as a royal residence; he also designed the Sir Takhtsinhji Hospital and later Victoria Memorial in Calcutta. It combines elements of Indian architecture with a modern outlook. * Barton Library (1895) is a two-storeyed building, appropriately designed for a road junction. It has two wings and a central tower, constructed in ashlar stone masonry, with

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

arch windows and a sloping roof with Mangalore tiles. It is one of the oldest libraries of Gujarat and also houses a museum. * Town Hall (1932) was formerly a Darbar Hall, where the coronation of Sir Krishnakumarsinhji took place. It is an imposing structure in the colonial style, set in a well laid out garden. *Modern & Contemporary Architectural services is provided by various leading Architectural firm like

SAGA is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...

whose work is diverse yet of unified character, not only functional, aesthetic and techno-savvy. Modern Bhavnagar comprises Takhteshvar Plots, Krishnanagar, Sardarnagar and surrounding area. During 1935–1937, Krishnanagar area was planned and developed by late Shri Virendrabhai C. Mehta, the official town planner for the State of Bhavnagar. In 1961, he extended his Krishnanagar plan towards Sardarnagar. In 1975, he created a master plan for Bhavnagar. A salient feature of town planning is to have gardens at the junction of roads. Gardens are located at Ghogha Circle, Mahila College Circle, Rupani Circle, Meghani Circle, Shivaji Circle, Sardarnagar Circle, Jewels Circle and Crescent Circle. The city of Bhavnagar was one of the earliest towns to have underground drainage in Gujarat, and was among the first cities in Gujarat to have a water filtration plant. When set up by

Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji Colonel Maharaja Raol Sir Shri Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji KCSI (19 May 1912 – 2 April 1965) was an Indian king and politician, the last ruling Maharaja of the Gohil dynasty, who ruled Bhavnagar State from 1919 to 1948 and also served ...

, the filtration plant was the largest in Asia.

Education

Bhavnagar has various schools and educational institutions. Nanabhai Bhatt, Gijubhai Badheka, Manbhai Bhatt (founder of Shishuvihar), Harbhai Trivedi, and Taraben Modak helped develop the rural and women's education.

Samaldas Arts College Samaldas Arts College or Samaldas College is a college in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. It was founded in 1885 by Takhtsinhji, the Maharaja of Bhavnagar State in memory of his Diwan (minister) Samaldas Paramananddas Mehta. It is one of the oldest co ...

where

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

studied in 1888 is one of the oldest institutions to provide higher education. Some of the other institutions which provide higher education are

Bhavnagar University Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, formerly Bhavnagar University is a state university located in Bhavnagar city in the state of Gujarat in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South A ...

, Shantilal Shah Engineering College,

Government Engineering College, Bhavnagar Government Engineering College Bhavnagar is a state-governed educational institution of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. Recognized by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), it offers multi-discipline undergraduate programmes in engin ...

Schools

* Calorx Public School *

Amar Jyoti International School Amar may refer to: People Given name * Amar (British singer) (born 1982), British Indian singer born Amar Dhanjal * Amar (Lebanese singer) (born 1986), born Amar Mahmoud Al Tahech * Amar Bose (1929–2013), Founder of Bose Corporation * Amar Gu ...

Fatima Convent School Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid, Khadija. Fati ...

* Shree Gyanmanjari Vidyapith * Shree Naimisharanya School * The K. P. E. S. School * Chitra Gurukul * Christ School, Bhavnagar * Fatima Convent Public School * Gyanguru Vidyapeeth * Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bhavnagar * Mahedi School * Saarathi VidhyaSankul * Saint Mary's School, Bhavnagar * Sanatan Dharm Multi Purpose High School *

Sardar patel educational institution Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar ( fa, سردار, , 'commander', literally 'headmaster'), is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also been u ...

Sheth T B Jain Girls High School Sheth (also Seth) is an Indian surname, found in northern India and in Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal. It derives from Sanskrit श्रेष्ठिन् (), meaning "banker/head of a guild". It may also be a variant of the Western Eur ...

* Shree B M Commerce High School * Shree B.N. Virani High School *

Shree Dakshinamurti Gijubhai Kumar Mandir Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree Dakshinamurti Vinay Mandir Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree Daskshinamurti Gijubhai Vinay Mandir Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree Dhanesh Maheta High School Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree Dolat Anant Valia High School Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

* Shree Ekta High School * Shree K.R. Doshi High School * Shree Kumar shala * Shree M K Jamod High School * Shree Mahalakshmi Girls School * Shree Majiraj Girls High School * Shree Muktalakshmi Girls School *

Shree Nandkuvarba Kshtriya Kanya Vidyalaya Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree Pranav Bakshi Vinay Mandir Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree R.K. Gharshala Vinay Mandir Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

* Shree Raghukul Vidhyadham *

Shree Sant Kanwaram Sindhi High School Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree Sardar Patel Educational Institute Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Shree Shantilal Shah High School Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

* Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul, Sardar nagar *

Shree Vishuddhanand Vidhya Mandir Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

Silver Bells Public School, Bhavnagar Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical co ...

* Sister Nivedita Vidhyalaya *

St. Xavier's CMI Public School ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

* Vidhyadhish VidhyaSankul

Universities and colleges

Government Medical College, Bhavnagar Government Medical College, Bhavnagar is a full-fledged Government Medical college. It was established in the year 1995. The college imparts the degree Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). Nursing and para-medical courses are also offered. Th ...

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, formerly Bhavnagar University is a state university located in Bhavnagar city in the state of Gujarat in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South As ...

(first college in Bhavnagar) *

Shantilal Shah Engineering College Shantilal Shah Engineering College is approved by and affiliated to the Gujarat Technological University. It is accredited by All India Council for Technical Education, New Delhi and Government of Gujarat The Government of Gujarat, also know ...

* Smt. R.D. Gardi Bhavnagar Stree (affiliated to SNDT Women's University) * Gyanmanjari Group of Colleges *

Jilla Panchayat Aayurved College ''Jilla'' () is a 2014 Indian Tamil language, Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by R. T. Neason and produced by R. B. Choudary through the company Super Good Films. Starring Mohanlal and Vijay (actor), Vijay athe film revolv ...

* K.R. Doshi Group of College * L.R. Valia Arts & P.R. Mehta Commerce College (V.A.M.C.C.) * M.J. College of Commerce *

Shree Nandkuvarba Mahila College Shree may refer to: * Sri, an honorific commonly used in the Indian subcontinent * Shree (Hindustani raga), the Hindustani classical music scale * Shree (Carnatic raga), the Carnatic music scale * Sri (Odissi raga), the Odissi classical music sca ...

* Shree Sahajanand College of Commerce & Management (S.S.C.C.M.) * Shree SwamiNarayan College of Computer & Commerce (S.S.C.C.S.) *

Sir Bhavsinhji Polytechnic College ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

(B.P.T.I.) *

Sir P.P. Science College ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

Swami Vivekanand Homeopathic College Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used eit ...

* The K. P. E. S. College (Management and Science)

Research and development

Because of its salt and marine environment, Bhavnagar has a research and development centre known as -

Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (formerly Central Salt Research Institute) is a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India. The institute was inaugurated by Jawahar Lal Nehru on ...

(CSMCRI).

Economy and industry

Industrial development in Bhavnagar district could be attributed to the presence of a large number of diamond cutting and polishing units, salt and marine chemicals, plastics, shipbuilding, and ship-breaking industries. Bhavnagar is an important center for the diamond cutting and polishing industry in Gujarat as well as India. Thousands of skilled diamond-polishing workers are employed in diamond-cutting and polishing firms, whose subsidiary offices are involved in cities like

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

, and

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

. Bhavnagar stands second in the diamond cutting and polishing industry after Surat in India, with 6,000 units operating from the district and employing more than 300,000 people. Bhavnagar's commercial importance is enhanced by its proximity to the

Gulf of Cambay The Gulf of Khambhat, historically known as the Gulf of Cambay, is a bay on the Arabian Sea coast of India, bordering the state of Gujarat just north of Mumbai and Diu Island. The Gulf of Khambhat is about long, about wide in the north and up ...

and the

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...

. Bhavnagar is the largest producer of salt, with 34,500 tons of salt being produced annually in the district. The

ship breaking yard is the biggest in the world, recycling about 50% of the salvaged ships of the world. This has also helped develop supporting industries, such as oxygen bottling plants, re-rolling mills, and induction furnaces.

Industrial Estates

Bhavnagar district has various Industrial estates where many

MSME Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by international organizations such as the World Bank ...

industries are growing very rapidly with a great reputation around the world. Many aides from the state and central government helped increase the number of industries in these areas. Some of the Industrial estates that are in Bhavnagar districts jurisdiction are given below.

Commerce

* Exports of cotton, ship machinery and dehydrated onions * Diamond cutting, polishing, and marketing * Manufacture of diamond jewellery * Manufacture of plastic rope, yarn, twine * Re-rolling mills for steel recovered from the ship-breaking yard at

* Manufacture of investment castings with lost wax process (ferrous and non-ferrous) * Other large-scale manufacturing industries, such as fertiliser, soda-ash, steel casting, etc.

Agriculture

Main crops: *

Groundnut Groundnut may refer to: * Seeds that ripen underground, of the following plants, all in the Faboideae subfamily of the legumes: ** '' Best Basketball Player'', Obinna Udunni ** '' Arachis villosulicarpa'', a perennial peanut species ** ''Vigna sub ...

, onion, cotton, and bajra. *

Guava Guava () is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava ''Psidium guajava'' (lemon guava, apple guava) is a small tree in the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae), native to Mexico, Central America, the ...

s and

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...

.and mango * ''Sagwadi Farm'' of

Gyr cattle The Gir or Gyr is one of the principal Zebu breeds originating in India. It has been used locally in the improvement of other breeds including the Red Sindhi and the Sahiwal. It was also one of the breeds used in the development of the Brahma ...

breed

Demographics

India census, Bhavnagar had a population of 593,768. Bhavnagar has an average literacy rate of 86%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 91% and female literacy of 80%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Adult males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%.

Transportation

Bhavnagar is well-connected to other cities of Gujarat such as

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...

and

Vadodara Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capital ...

by road, with bus services operated by the state-owned transport corporation. buses serves as a local transport in the city.

Bhavnagar Terminus Bhavnagar Terminus is a railway station serving Bhavnagar town, in Bhavnagar district of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is under Bhavnagar railway division of Western Railway zone of Indian Railways. Bhavnagar Terminus is "A" category statio ...

under the

Bhavnagar railway division Bhavnagar railway division is one of the six railway divisions under Western Railway zone of Indian Railways. This railway division was formed on 5 November 1951 and its headquarter is located at Bhavnagar in the state of Gujarat of India. Mumbai ...

, serving the city, connect it to

Mangalore Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...

Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...

Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

Kanpur Kanpur or Cawnpore ( /kɑːnˈpʊər/ pronunciation (help·info)) is an industrial city in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations o ...

Kakinada Kakinada (List of renamed places in India, formerly called Kakinandiwada, Coringa, and Cocanada; ) is the List of cities in Andhra Pradesh by population, sixth largest city of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Andhra P ...

(Train No. 17203)and other major cities of India by rail road.

Bhavnagar airport Bhavnagar Aerodrome is an airport located 4 kilometres (2 mi) southeast of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. It covers at an elevation of . It is near Bhavnagar Harbour Bhavnagar airstrip year 1961 . Facilities ;Runway The airport has on ...

is connected to

by air links. Daily flights are currently operated by

Alliance Air (India) Alliance Air (formerly Air India Regional) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AIAHL (AI Assets Holding Ltd.) which is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV ) formed by Government of India after the disinvestment of Air India Limited. It was founded in ...

. Private auto rickshaws are other modes of transport within the city and nearby villages.

Tourism

Bhavnagar has several places and sites of interest to tourists : Takhteshwar Temple 01

is the residence of the current Maharajah of Bhavnagar, Maharaol Vijayrajsinhji Virbhadrasinhji Gohil, and his family. It is now also a heritage palace hotel and a restaurant too. * Seashore at

features a sea-side palace, about from Bhavangar, which was once a retreat of the Bhavnagar royal family, and is now a hotel-guesthouse for travellers. * Barton Library is a two-storeyed building, with two wings and a central tower, constructed in ashlar stone masonry with gothic arch windows and a sloping roof with Mangalore tiles. Opened in 1882, it is one of the oldest libraries in Gujarat and also houses a museum. *

Gandhi Smriti Gandhi Smriti, formerly known as Birla House or Birla Bhavan, is a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, situated on Tees January Road, formerly Albuquerque Road, in New Delhi, India. It is the location where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last ...

is a memorial library for

. It also has a fine collection of art objects representing the culture of the Saurashtra region. *

(CSMCRI) is the only constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Gujarat. A significant research effort is being carried out here to develop

biodiesel Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat (tallow), soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil with ...

from ''

Jatropha ''Jatropha'' is a genus of flowering plants in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. The name is derived from the Greek words ἰατρός (''iatros''), meaning "physician", and τροφή (''trophe''), meaning "nutrition", hence the common name ...

''. * Nishkalank Mahadev - 20 km from he city of Bhavnagar a village Koliyak is known for seashore. There is a temple of Mahadeva. It is said that Pandvas came here to remove their Sins of killing own brother. They came here and their flag converted its colour to white. that's why it is called Nishkalank Mahadev. A big gathering to take blessing of Mahadeva at every month of "Bhadrapad" Amavasya. *

Regional Science Museum Bhavnagar In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

- is the new science museum of bhavnagar

Ports

Bhavnagar had trade links with Southeast Asia, Africa, Arabia and ports of Red Sea since the early 18th century. The old port Bhavnagar Harbar was built by the state of Bhavnagar, and hosted a light beacon since 1860. This port was later modernised in 1930 under the supervision of J. Johnston, then port officer of Bhavnagar state. Wharfs, warehouses, and railway transportation were added. A new port, south of the old port, was built and made operational in the 1950s due to heavy silting at the location of the old port. This port also had a lighthouse, which was damaged in the 2001 earthquake. Bhavnagar lockgate, built in 1963 and the first of its kind in India when built, is one of the oldest

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

in the state, and is very useful to keep ships afloat during low tide.

Notable people

Bhavnagar has produced many reformists, thinkers, socialists, poets, writers, artists, educationists, and independence activists. * Gijubhai Badheka – educationist and reformer *

Thakkar Bapa Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar, popularly known as Thakkar Bapa (29 November 1869 – 20 January 1951) was an Indian social worker who worked for upliftment of tribal people in Gujarat state in India. He became a member of the Servants of Ind ...

- Social Worker *

Morari Bapu Morari Bapu (Moraridas Prabhudas Hariyani) is an Indian spiritual leader and preacher from Gujarat who is known for his discourses on Ramcharitmanas across various cities in India and abroad. Early life Morari Bapu was born on 19 February 1947 ...

– a Hindu preacher famous for Ram Charit Manas Katha *

Kanti Bhatt Kanti Bhatt (15 July 1931 – 4 August 2019) was an Indian author, journalist and columnist who is estimated to have written more than 45,000 columns in several Gujarati language, Gujarati publications. Bhatt became a journalist in 1966 and served ...

– a journalist and newspaper columnist *

– Last Ruler of Bhavnagar *

Mulshankar Bhatt Mulshankar Mohanlal Bhatt (1907–1984) was Gujarati translator, biographer, children's writer and educationist from Gujarat, India. He is known for translating works of Jules Verne in Gujarati. Biography Mulshankar Bhatt was born on 25 June ...

– an educationist *

Nanabhai Bhatt Nanabhai Bhatt (12 June 1915 – 24 April 1999) was an Indian film director and producer who worked in Hindi and Gujarati cinema. He is known for making over a hundred fantasy and mythological films, including ''Mr. X'' (1957), ''Zimbo Comes t ...

– founder of Lok Bharti, educationist, creative writer, thinker *

Vijay Bhatt Vijay Bhatt (born Vrajlal Jagneshwar Bhatt; 12 May 1907 – 17 October 1993) was a producer-director-screenwriter of Hindi cinema, who made such films as '' Ram Rajya'' (1943), ''Baiju Bawra'' (1952), ''Goonj Uthi Shehnai'' (1959) and ''Himalay ...

– Bollywood film director & producer & Gujarati theatre personality *

Nazir Dekhaiya Noor Mohammad Allah Rakha Dekhaiya ( gu, નૂરમહંમદ અલારખ દેખૈયા), better known by his takhallus Nazir Dekhaiya ( gu, નાઝિર દેખૈયા), was a Gujarati ghazal poet from Gujarat, India. His ...

– poet * Gangasati – a medieval Gujarati saint poet who wrote many devotional songs. The shrine of Gangasati and Panbai is situated on the riverbed of the Kalubhar river. *

Parthiv Gohil Parthiv Gohil (born 18 February 1976) is a playback singer for Indian films including ''Devdas'', ''Saawariya'', '' Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster'', and ''Kisaan''. He is known in Gujarati Cinema for hit songs ''Aasmani'', ''Thai Jashe'', and ''Son ...

– Bollywood & Gujarati film singer *

Shaktisinh Gohil Shaktisinh Harishchandrasinhji Gohil (born 4 April 1960) is an Indian politician. He is a Member of Parliament and a member of the Indian National Congress. He is party in-charge for state affairs of Delhi and national spokesperson of All India ...

–

Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha A Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (abbreviated: MP) is the representative of the Indian states to the one of the two houses of the Parliament of India (Rajya Sabha). Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by the electoral college of the elected ...

, former minister of education, health, finance, Narmada, in Gujarat government *

Sheldon Jackson Sheldon Jackson (May 18, 1834 – May 2, 1909) was a Presbyterian minister, missionary, and political leader. During this career he travelled about one million miles (1.6 million km) and established more than one hundred missions and churches, m ...

– a first class cricketer of Saurashtra * Chirag Jani – cricketer of Saurashtra cricket team *

Vinod Joshi Vinod Joshi (born 13 August 1955) is an Indian poet, writer and literary critic in Gujarati language from Gujarat, India. His notable works include ''Parantu'', a collection of Geet (lyric poetry), ''Shikhandi'', a long narrative poem based o ...

- poet *

Dula Bhaya Kag Dula Bhaya Kag (25 November 1903 – 22 February 1977) or Kag Bapu was an Indian poet, songwriter, writer, and artist born in 1903 in Sodvadari village, a village in the Saurashtra region, near Mahuva in the Indian state of Gujarat. He is mainl ...

– poet, social reformer and freedom fighter *

Kavi Kant Manishankar Ratnji Bhatt ( gu, મણિશંકર રત્નજી ભટૃ), popularly known as Kavi Kant ( gu, કવિ કાન્ત) was a Gujarati poet, playwright and essayist. He is an innovator of ''Khandkavya'', a typical Gujarati ...

– a royal poet of Bhavnagar state * *

Apara Mehta Apara Mehta Jariwala (Mostly Known By Her Maiden Name Apara Mehta) is an Indian television and Bollywood actress known for her supporting roles like ''Savita Mansukh Virani'' in the iconic show '' Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi''. Now current ...

– television actress *

Asoka Mehta Asoka Mehta (24 October 1911, Bhavnagar – 10 December 1984, New Delhi) was an Indian freedom fighter and socialist politician. He helped organize the socialist wing Congress Socialist Party of the Indian National Congress, along with Rambriksh ...

– (24 October 1911, Bhavnagar – 10 December 1984, New Delhi) Indian Freedom Fighter and Socialist Politician. *

Balwantrai Mehta Balwantrai Mehta ( – ) was an Indian politician who served as the second Chief Minister of Gujarat state, India. He participated in Indian independence movement and later held various public offices. He is considered as the 'Architect of ''Pa ...

– second chief minister of Gujarat martyred in 1965. *

Narsinh Mehta Narsinh Mehta, also known as Narsinh Bhagat, was a 15th-century poet-Saint#Hinduism, saint of Gujarat, India, honored as the first poet, or ''Adi Kavi,'' of the Gujarati language. Narsinh Mehta is member of Nagar Brahman community. Narsinh becam ...

– a poet-saint and exponent of Hindu devotional religious poetry, author of the popular

bhajan Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...

Vaishnav Jan To "Vaishnava Jana To" ''(meaning:- Call those people Vaishnav or The devotee of Vishnu)'' is a Hindu bhajan, written in the 15th century by the poet Narsinh Mehta in the Gujarati language. The poem speaks about the life, ideals and mentality of a Va ...

' *

Manubhai Pancholi Manubhai Pancholi also known by his pen name Darshak, was a Gujarati language novelist, author, educationist and politician from Gujarat, India. He participated in the Indian independence movement and held several offices after independence. B ...

"Darshak" – an educationist, writer, and politician *

Asha Parekh Asha Parekh (born 2 October 1942) is a retired Indian actress, film director, and producer who appeared in many commercially successful films throughout her career. She was the highest paid actress of her time and was one of the most successful ...

– Bollywood film actress *

Balvant Parekh Balvantray Kalyanji Parekh (1925 – 25 January 2013) was an Indian entrepreneur and founder of Pidilite Industries. He was known as "India’s Fevicol Man". Early life Balvant was born in a Jain family family in Mahuva town of Bhavnagar dist ...

- businessman & founder of

Pidilite Pidilite Industries Limited is an Indian adhesives manufacturing company based in Andheri (East), Mumbai. The company is the dominant and leading adhesives company in India. Pidilite also manufactures products across verticals such as art mater ...

company *

Prahlad Parekh Prahlad Jethalal Parekh (22 October 1911 – 2 January 1962) was a Gujarati poet and translator from India whose works contributed to the rise of a modern poetry in the Gujarati literature. Biography Parekh was born on 22 October 1911 in Bhavna ...

– poet *

Ravishankar Raval Ravishankar Raval (1892–1977) was a painter, art teacher, art critic, journalist and essayist from Gujarat, India. He worked for the magazine ''Vismi Sadi'' until it closed in 1921, and then founded the cultural magazine ''Kumar''. Life Ravis ...

– a painter, art teacher, art critic, journalist, and essayist * * Chetan Sakariya - Indian cricketer *

Somalal Shah Somalal Shah (1905–1994) was an Indian painter and art teacher. Born in Kapadvanj and educated in Bombay and Calcutta, he spent three decades painting and teaching art in Bhavnagar in Saurashtra, Gujarat. Early life He was born to a shopkeeper C ...

– a painter * Krishnalal Shridharani – poet * Gaurishankar Udayshankar, Chief minister-Regent of Bhavnagar 1870-1887 - for

* Jitu Vaghani, Education Minister Government of Gujarat

Food

Bhavnagar is popular for its fafadiya ganthiya, bhavnagari samosa, pav ganthiya and bateta bhungal .

References

External links

* Government/Administration:
Bhavnagar Area Development AuthorityBhavnagar Municipal CorporationBhavnagar CollectorateBhavnagar District Panchayat
{{Bhavnagar district Former capital cities in India Saurashtra (region) 1723 establishments in India