Bhuchar Mori is a

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

and historic site about two kilometres northwest of Dhrol, a town about 50 kilometres north of Rajkot,

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. The place is known for the

Battle of Bhuchar Mori The Battle of Bhuchar Mori, also known as Battle of Dhrol, was fought between the army of Kathiawar led by Nawanagar State and the Mughal army at Bhuchar Mori plateau near Dhrol, Saurashtra (now in Jamnagar district, Gujarat, India). It was me ...

and a memorial site dedicated to it. The annual fair dedicated to the event is organised in July and August.

Etymology

Bhuchar Mori, a cowherd of Mori branch of

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 ...

community, used to sit on the plateau while his animals fed on grass. The place was referred to as ''Bhuchar Mori No Timbo'' after him. It is said that the bad omens, such as voices of the birds, at the place had foretold about the future battle.

Battle of Bhuchar Mori

The battle of Bhuchar Mori was fought between the army of

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 ...

led by

Nawanagar State Nawanagar was an Indian princely state in the historical Halar region, located on the southern shores of the Gulf of Kutch. It was ruled by the Jadeja Rajput dynasty and became the part of newly formed India. The city is now known as Jamnagar. ...

and the Mughal army in July 1591 (

Vikram Samvat Vikram Samvat (IAST: ''Vikrama Samvat''; abbreviated VS) or Bikram Sambat B.S. and also known as the Vikrami calendar, is a Hindu calendar historically used in the Indian subcontinent. Vikram Samvat is generally 57 years ahead of Gregorian Calend ...

1648). It was meant to protect Muzaffar Shah III, the last Sultan of

Gujarat Sultanate The Gujarat Sultanate (or the Sultanate of Guzerat), was a Medieval Indian kingdom established in the early 15th century in Western India, primarily in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. The dynasty was founded by Sultan Zafar Khan Mu ...

who had taken asylum under Jam Sataji of Nawanagar after his escape from the Mughal emperor Akbar. The Kathiawar army included the armies of

Junagadh Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state. Literally ...

and Kundla who betrayed Nawanagar and joined the Mughal army at last. The battle led to a large number of casualties on both sides. The battle resulted in the victory of the Mughal, Junagadh and kundla army. It is considered the largest battle in the history of Saurashtra. It is often dubbed as the '' Panipat of Saurashtra''. Due to the large number of casualties, in Halar region, the word ''Bhuchar Mori'' became almost synonymous with the massacre.

Memorial site

The ''

paliya The Paliya or Khambhi is a type of a memorial found in the western regions of the India subcontinent, especially Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat and also in Sindh region of Pakistan. They mostly commemorates the death of a person. These ...

'' or memorial stone of Ajaji is a horse-mounted idol. The ''paliya'' with the hand, dedicated to his wife Surajkunwarba, stand south of it. The inscription on the stone can not be read. There is an inscription in the shrine that the memorial site was renovated by Jam Vibhaji and the shrine was constructed by him on the ''palia'' of Ajaji. On the north side wall of the shrine, there is a 16th-century art in traditional style depicting Ajaji on the horse attacking Mirza Aziz Koka on an elephant. There are shrines dedicated to Ram, Laxman and Bhutnath in the compound. To the north of the shrine, there are eight paliya on the floor; including dedicated to Jesha Vajir. There are four paliyas in the row and more three of large size nearby. There are six paliyas to the south of the shrine of which three are partially damaged. There are three black poorly shaped stones in the north of the opposite side of shrine which are dedicated to Atit Sadhus. There are 23 memorials in the compound. Eight more memorials are outside of the compound and one dedicated to Rakhehar Dholi is some distance away. There are 32 memorials in total. The site is visited by people of Jamnagar every year and the worship these memorials with

Sindoor Sindooram is a traditional vermilion red or orange-red coloured cosmetic powder from the Indian subcontinent, usually worn by married women along the part of their hairline. In Hindu communities the sindoor is a visual marker of marital stat ...

. There are eight tombs on the southwest of the shrine dedicated to the soldiers of the Mughal army. It is believed that soldiers were buried together and eight tombs dedicated to leaders were built on it. The site also has a well and a mosque. Since 1998, the site is maintained by Bhuchar Mori Shahid Smarak Trust. The site is a protected monument of the archaeological department of the state (S-GJ-84). A new memorial was commissioned by

Government of Gujarat The Government of Gujarat, also known as Gujarat Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Gujarat and its 33 districts. It consists of an executive of the legislators appointed by the Governor of Gujarat, a judiciar ...

headed by

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament fro ...

in 2007. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2007 and the memorial was completed in September 2015. The new statue of Ajaji was placed at the site which was inaugurated by

Anandiben Patel Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel (born 21 November 1941) is an Indian politician serving as the current Governor of Uttar Pradesh. She also served as Governor of Madhya Pradesh and Governor of Chhattisgarh. She has served as the first female Chie ...

. The government declared that a dedicated forest, ''Shaheed Van'', at site will be developed also. Since 1992, the memorial site is visited by people of Kshatriya community for prayers on Shitla Satam. The annual fair is organized on the last day of the

Shraavana Śrāvaṇa ( sa, श्रावण) is the fifth month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Śrāvaṇa is the fifth month of the year, beginning on July 23 and ending on August 22. In the Tamil calendar, it is known ...

month (Shraavana Vad Amavasya) (July–August) which is attended by thousands.

Gallery

File:Bhuchar mori stone memorial 04.jpg, Memorial shrine of Ajaji and nearby ''

''s (herostones) File:Bhuchar mori stone memorial 07.jpg, 16th-century mural on the north side wall of the shrine depicting Ajaji on the horse attacking Mirza Aziz Koka on an elephant File:Bhuchar mori stone memorial 06.jpg, Murals in the shrine of Ajaji File:Bhuchar mori stone memorial 10.jpg, Horse-mounted statue of Ajaji at the site File:Bhuchar mori stone memorial 01.jpg, Paliya File:Bhuchar mori stone memorial 03.jpg, Paliya File:Bhuchar mori stone memorial 05.jpg, Paliya of Nag Vajir on right

References

{{Commons category Tourist attractions in Gujarat Jamnagar district Monuments and memorials in Gujarat