89-583: Hajipir is located in Kutch district , Gujarat , India . The Dargah located there is dedicated to a Muslim saint Hajipir. It is believed that he came to the place as a soldier in the army of Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghauri . He settled at Nara after he left the service. He died while saving cows from decoits. He had performed the Hajj so he was known as Haji Pir. He is also known as Zinda Pir or Vali Pir. An annual fair
178-625: A blind thrust . Villages situated on the blind thrust in the eastern part of the Kutch mainland hill range (viz. Jawaharnagar, Khirsara, Devisar, Amarsar and Bandhdi) were completely erased during the 2001 earthquake. There are ninety-seven small rivers in Kutch District, most of which flow into the Arabian Sea , but some of which feed the Rann of Kutch. Twenty major dams, and numerous smaller dams, capture
267-604: A domino effect , displacing other central Asian tribes in their path. According to these ancient sources, Modu Shanyu of the Xiongnu tribe of Mongolia attacked the Yuezhi (possibly related to the Tocharians , who lived in the eastern Tarim Basin ) and evicted them from their homeland between the Qilian Shan and Dunhuang c. 175 BCE. Leaving a few people behind, most of
356-645: A literacy rate of 71.58%. 34.81% of the population lived in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 12.37% and 1.05% of the population respectively. Kutch district has a Hindu majority and Muslim minority with around 1% of Jains. Most Muslims are rural and Kutchi-speaking, and are concentrated in areas closest to the Pakistan border such as Banni . Lakhpat (41.20%) and Abdasa (38.01%) taluks have significant concentration of Muslims, while rural areas of Bhuj taluk have nearly 40% Muslims. Elsewhere, Gujarati Hindus and Muslims are in proportions consistent with
445-680: A border district, Kutch has both an army and an air force base. The history of Kutch can be traced back to prehistoric times. There are several sites related to the Indus valley civilization in the region, and it is mentioned in Hindu mythology . The region is also mentioned in Greek writings during the reign of Alexander the Great . For a time, it was ruled by Menander I of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom , which
534-572: A comparatively large group in Kutch And there lives a brave and noble community like Ahir . Because most of the population of the Kutch district is Hindu or Jain , the food of the region is largely vegetarian. Jains also refrain from eating root vegetables ( kandmool in Hindi) such as potatoes , garlic , onions , and yams . The district also features a sizeable population of Muslims, who eat vegetables, chicken, mutton and occasionally camel meat. In
623-497: A geometric style for their embroidery. The Garacia Jats are experts in tiny embroidery on the yoke, which intermingles with red, orange, blue and green threads. The Dhanetah Jats love embroidering broad pear-shaped mirrors using orange, black, yellow and red in chain stitch. J. P. Dutta 's Bollywood film Refugee is shot on location in the Great Rann of Kutch and other locations in the Kutch district of Gujarat , India. This film
712-552: A group of nomadic people of Iranic Scythian origin who migrated from Central Asia southward into the northwestern Indian subcontinent : the present-day South Asian regions of Afghanistan , Pakistan , Eastern Iran and northern India . The migrations persisted from the middle of the second century BCE to the fourth century CE. The first Saka king in India was Maues/Moga (first century BCE) who established Saka power in Gandhara ,
801-493: A group of Sabalas. After Azes' death, Indo-Scythian rule in northwestern India ended with the rise of the Indo-Parthian ruler Gondophares late in the first century BCE. For the following decades, A number of minor Scythian leaders maintained themselves in local strongholds on the fringes of the loose Indo-Parthian empire over the next few decades, some paying allegiance to Gondophares I and his successors. Indo-Parthian rule
890-463: A large part of the year. Even today, the region remains wet for a significant part of year. The district had a population of 2,092,371 as of 2011 census, of which 30% were urban. Motor vehicles registered in Kutch district have a registration number starting with GJ-12. The district is well connected by road, rail and air. There are four airports in the district: Naliya, Anjar, Mundra, and Bhuj. Bhuj and Anjar are well connected with Mumbai airport . Being
979-558: A large part of this district is known as Rann of Kutch which is shallow wetland which submerges in water during the rainy season and becomes dry during other seasons. The same word is also used in Sanskrit origin for a tortoise . The Rann is known for its marshy salt flats which become snow white after the shallow water dries up each season before the monsoon rains. The district is also known for ecologically important Banni grasslands with their seasonal marshy wetlands which form
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#17330856644211068-470: A nomadic tribe in Gujarat. Kutch embroidery is unique in the sense that a net is woven on a cloth using thread. The net is then filled in using the same thread by intricate interlocking stitches. The patterns are usually built around geometric shapes. This embroidery follows its own traditional design logic and juxtaposition of colours and motifs. The Rohanas tribals of Kutch specialise in skirt work. The Sodhas use
1157-476: A significant role in the history of the subcontinent and nearby regions. The Indo-Scythian war was triggered by the nomadic flight of Central Asians from conflict with tribes such as the Xiongnu in the second century CE, which had lasting effects on Bactria , Kabul and the Indian subcontinent and Rome and Parthia in the west. Ancient Roman historians, including Arrian and Claudius Ptolemy , have mentioned that
1246-790: A specific state or ethnic group; Saka tribes were part of a cultural continuum of early nomads across Siberia and the Central Eurasian steppe lands from Xinjiang to the Black Sea. Like the Scythians whom Herodotus describes in book four of his History ( Saka is an Iranian word equivalent to the Greek Scythes , and many scholars refer to them together as Saka-Scythian), Sakas were Iranian-speaking horse nomads who deployed chariots in battle, sacrificed horses, and buried their dead in barrows or mound tombs called kurgans . The Saka of western India spoke
1335-458: A winged Indo-Scythian horseman riding a winged deer and being attacked by a lion. The Indo-Scythians seem to have supported Buddhism, with many of their practices continuing those of the Indo-Greeks. They had an active role in the dissemination of Buddhism beyond India. Several Indo-Scythian kings after Azes made Buddhist dedications in their name on plaques or reliquaries: Excavations at
1424-475: Is also debased; the silver content becomes lower and bronze content higher, an alloying technique suggesting a lack of wealth. The Mathura lion capital inscriptions attest that Mathura came under Saka control. The inscriptions refer to Kharahostes and Queen Ayasia , the "chief queen of the Indo-Scythian ruler of Mathura, satrap Rajuvula." Kharahostes was the son of Arta , as attested by his own coins. Arta
1513-653: Is attributed to have been inspired by the famous story by Keki N. Daruwalla based around the Great Rann of Kutch titled Love Across the Salt Desert which is also included as one of the short stories in the School Standard XII syllabus English text book of NCERT in India. The film crew having traveled from Mumbai was based at the city of Bhuj and majority of the film shooting took place in various locations around in
1602-698: Is classified as a dialect of Sindhi . A common misconception is that it is a dialect of Gujarati. The script of the Kutchi language has become extinct. It is now mainly written in the Gujarati script . Samples of Kutch script are available in the Kutch Museum . The increased use of Gujarati language is mainly because of its being a medium of instruction in schools. Important Jain places of Pilgrimage are - Higher education in Kutch has been regulated by Kachchh University since 2003. About 43 colleges in total are affiliated to
1691-403: Is considered a gesture of friendship and welcoming, and dispute settlements invariably involve the parties offering milk to each other. Similarly, in Kutchi engagement ceremonies, the bride's family offers milk to the groom's family as a symbol of accepting their relationship. They also extensively drink buttermilk during lunch. Tea is the most popular drink in this region. Historically Kutch
1780-462: Is generally of high quality, although the coins of Rajuvula deteriorate near the disintegration of Indo-Scythian rule c. 20 CE. A fairly high-quality, stereotypical coinage was continued by the Western Satraps until the fourth century. Indo-Scythian coinage is generally realistic, artistically between Indo-Greek and Kushan coinage. It has been suggested that its coinage benefited from
1869-826: Is managed by the Kandla Port trust. Kutch is a mineral rich region with a very large reserve of Lignite , Bauxite , Gypsum and other minerals. Kutch received tax break for industries for 15 years after the major earthquake on 26 January 2001. Lignite is mined only by Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) at its two mines in Panandhro and Mata no Madh . The Panandaro mines has now been reserved for GEB and GMDC power plants and GMDC has stopped supplying other industries from there. Kutch also houses cement plants Gujarat Anjan Cement Limited promoted by infrastructure conglomerate Anjan Group and Sanghi Industries Ltd's promoted by Sanghi Group. The companies are now planning to increase
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#17330856644211958-628: Is mentioned by Isidore of Charax in "The Parthian Stations". According to Isidore, they were bordered by Greek cities on the east ( Alexandria of the Caucasus and Alexandria of the Arachosians ) and the Parthian-controlled territory of Arachosia on the south: Beyond is Sacastana of the Scythian Sacae, which is also Paraetacena, 63 schoeni . There are the city of Barda and the city of Min and
2047-496: Is organized on the first Monday of Chaitra month (April). People from all over Gujarat visit the shrine and also visit Karol Pir Dargah nearby. This article about a location in Kutch district , Gujarat , India is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kutch district Kutch district , officially spelled Kachchh , is a district of Gujarat state in western India , with its headquarters (capital) at Bhuj . Covering an area of 45,674 km , it
2136-483: Is saline, thus agriculture is not an option. Hence salt production is the only livelihood option for Agariyas. As per the Salt Commission's report there are 45000 Agariyas working in the salt pans of Kutch. Out of the estimated total annual production of India of about 18 million tonnes, Gujarat contributes 75% – mainly from Kutch and other parts of Saurashtra. Kutch is one of the most prolific regions in India in
2225-427: Is the largest district in India . The administrative headquarters is the city of Bhuj which is geographically in the center of the district. Gandhidham is the largest city and Financial centre of Kutch. Other main towns are Rapar , Nakhatrana , Anjar , Mandvi , Madhapar , Mundra and Bhachau . Kutch has 969 villages. Kala Dungar (Black Hill) is the highest point in Kutch at 458 metres (1,503 ft). Kutch
2314-537: Is the largest district of India. The area of Kutch is larger than the entire area of other Indian states like Haryana (44,212 km ) and Kerala (38,863 km ), as well as the country of Estonia (45,335 km ). The population of Kutch is about 2,092,371. It has 10 talukas , 939 villages and 6 municipalities . The Kutch district is home to the Kutchi people who speak the Kutchi language . Kutch literally means something which intermittently becomes wet and dry;
2403-611: Is virtually an island, as it is surrounded by the Arabian Sea in the west; the Gulf of Kutch in south and southeast and Rann of Kutch in north and northeast. The border with Pakistan lies along the northern edge of the Rann of Kutch, of the Sir Creek . The Kutch peninsula is an example of active fold and thrust tectonism . In Central Kutch there are four major east-west hill ranges characterized by fault propagation folds with steeply dipping northern limbs and gently dipping southern limbs. From
2492-792: The Mahābhāṣya , the Bṛhat Saṃhitā by Varāhamihira , the Kāvyamīmāṃsā, the Bṛhatkathāmañjarīi, and the Kathāsaritsāgara . They are described as part of a group of other warlike tribes from the northwest. There are references to the warring mleccha hordes of Sakas, Yavanas, Kambojas and Pahlavas in the Balakanda of the Ramayana . H. C. Raychadhury saw in these verses the struggles between
2581-493: The 2011 census Kutch District has a population of 2,092,371, roughly equal to the nation of North Macedonia or the US state of New Mexico . This gives it a ranking of 217th in India (out of a total of 640 ). The district has a population density of 46 inhabitants per square kilometre (120/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 32.16%. Kutch has a sex ratio of 908 females for every 1000 males, and
2670-510: The Butkara Stupa in Swat by an Italian archaeological team have yielded Buddhist sculptures thought to belong to the Indo-Scythian period. An Indo-Corinthian capital of a Buddhist devotee in foliage has been found which had a reliquary and coins of Azes buried at its base, dating the sculpture to c. 20 BCE. A contemporary pilaster of a Buddhist devotee in Greek dress has been found at
2759-685: The Indus Valley , and other regions. The Indo-Scythians extended their supremacy over the north-western subcontinent, conquering the Indo-Greeks and other local peoples. They were apparently subjugated by the Kushan Empire 's Kujula Kadphises or Kanishka . The Saka continued to govern as satrapies , forming the Northern Satraps and Western Satraps . The power of the Saka rulers began to decline during
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2848-774: The Saka language (also known as Khotanese), first documented in the Tarim Basin . During the Achaemenid conquest of the Indus Valley c. 515 BCE, the Achaemenid army was not Persian and the Saka probably participated in the invasion of northwest India. The Achaemenid army was composed of a number of ethnic groups who were part of the Achaemenid Empire . The army included Bactrians, Saka, Parthians , and Sogdians . Herodotus listed
2937-827: The Wusun and the Xiongnu . They were forced to move south, again displacing the Scythians (who migrated south towards Bactria and present-day Afghanistan and south-west towards Parthia . A tribe known to ancient Greek scholars as the Sacaraucae (probably from the Old Persian Sakaravaka , "nomadic Saka") and an allied people, the Massagetae , came into conflict with the Parthian Empire in Parthia between 138 and 124 BCE. The Sacaraucae-Massagetae alliance won several battles and killed
3026-691: The pointed hat typical of the Scythians . Kushan men seem to wear thick, rigid tunics, and are generally represented more simplistically. Indo-Scythian soldiers in military attire are sometimes represented in Buddhist friezes in Gandharan art, particularly in the Buner reliefs . They are depicted in loose tunics with trousers, with heavy, straight swords. They wear pointed hoods or the Scythian cap; this distinguishes them from
3115-587: The 2nd century CE after the Indo-Scythians were defeated by the Satavahana emperor Gautamiputra Satakarni . Indo-Scythian rule in the northwestern subcontinent ended when the last Western Satrap, Rudrasimha III , was defeated by the Gupta emperor Chandragupta II in 395 CE. The invasion of the northern Indian subcontinent by Scythian tribes from Central Asia, often referred to as the Indo-Scythian invasion, played
3204-659: The Bambhan, the Malwan, the Kankawati , and the Saraswati rivers. However sea water from the Arabian Sea still continues to be driven into the Great Rann by storm tides aided by high winds. Water remains a serious issue in Kutch. Kutch's thirst for water is satisfied by Narmada river flowing from Sardar Sarovar dam. Kutch is divided into four zones: Under the Kutch princely state , Kutch
3293-574: The Erythraean Sea describes the Scythian territories: Beyond this region ( Gedrosia ), the continent making a wide curve from the east across the depths of the bays, there follows the coast district of Scythia, which lies above toward the north; the whole marshy; from which flows down the river Sinthus , the greatest of all the rivers that flow into the Erythraean Sea, bringing down an enormous volume of water (...) This river has seven mouths, very shallow and marshy, so that they are not navigable, except
3382-552: The Hindus and the invading hordes of mleccha barbarians from the northwest beginning in the second century BCE, and fixed the date of the Ramayana around (or after) the 2nd century CE. The Mahabharata also alludes to the invasion of mixed hordes from the northwest, with prophetic verses that "...the Mlechha (barbaric) kings of the Shakas, Yavanas, Kambojas , Bahlikas ... shall rule
3471-493: The Indo-Greek practice (since Menander I ) of depicting gods forming the vitarka mudra with their right hand (like Zeus on the coins of Maues or Azes II ), the Buddhist lion on the coins of those two kings, or the triratana symbol on the coins of Zeionises . Other than coins, few works of art are known to indisputably represent Indo-Scythians. Several Gandharan sculptures show foreigners in soft tunics, sometimes wearing
3560-507: The Indo-Parthians, who wore a simple fillet over their bushy hair, and which is worn by Indo-Scythian rulers on their coins. With their right hand, some form the karana mudra to ward off evil spirits. In Gandhara, such friezes were used to decorate the pedestals of Buddhist stupas . They are contemporary with other friezes representing people in Greek attire, hinting at an intermixing of Indo-Scythians and Indo-Greeks. In another relief,
3649-625: The Indo-Scythians. Following military pressure from the Yuezhi (predecessors of the Kushana), some Indo-Scythians moved from Bactria to Lake Helmond (or Hāmūn) and settled in or near Drangiana ( Sigal ). The region came to be known as "Sakistana of the Skythian ;Sakai [ sic ]" towards the end of the first century BCE. The presence of the Saka in Sakastan in the first century BCE
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3738-427: The Kutch District of the Indian state of Gujarat including the Great Rann of Kutch (also on BSF controlled "snow white" Rann within), Villages and Border Security Force (BSF) Posts in Banni grasslands and the Rann, Tera fort village, Lakhpat fort village, Khera fort village, a village in southern Kutch, some ancient temples of Kutch and with parts and a song filmed on set in Mumbai's Kamalistan Studio. Just after
3827-403: The Parthian kings Phraates II and Artabanus I . The Yuezhi tribes migrated east into Bactria after their defeat, from which they conquered northern India to establish the Kushan Empire . The Saka settled in Drangiana , a region of southern Afghanistan, western Pakistan and southern Iran which was then named Sakastan or Sistan . The mixed Scythian hordes who migrated to Drangiana and
3916-409: The Sai country (Central Asia) to Chipin. The Scythian groups who invaded India and established kingdoms included, in addition to the Saka, allied tribes such as the Medii , Xanthii , and Massagetae . These peoples were absorbed into mainstream Indian society. The Shakas were from the trans-Hemodos region—the Shakadvipa of the Puranas or the Scythia of classical writings. At the beginning of
4005-486: The Sai-Wang as the Śaka Murunda of Indian literature; murunda is synonymous with wang (king, master or lord). Bagchi interprets Wang as the king of the Scythians, but distinguishes the Sai Sakas from the Murunda Sakas. The Sai Scythians may have been Kamboja Scythians; the Sai-Wang were part of the Parama Kamboja kingdom of Transoxiana , and returned after being evicted from their ancestral land. Maues might have belonged to this group of Scythians who migrated from
4094-408: The ancient Sakas ("Sakai") were nomadic people . The first rulers of the Indo-Scythian kingdom were Maues (c. 85–60 BCE) and Vonones (c. 75–65 BCE). The ancestors of the Indo-Scythians are thought to have been Saka ( Scythian ) tribes. One group of Indo-European speakers that makes an early appearance on the Xinjiang stage is the Saka (Ch. Sai). Saka is more a generic term than a name for
4183-405: The area of textile art. Kutch Embroidery is dense with motifs, and a variation with mirrors sewn into the embroidery is one of the signature arts of this region. Within the category of Kutch embroidery there are several sub-categories as each tribe and sub-tribe produces a unique signature form of art. Kutchi embroidery is an evolving expression of the craft and textile traditions of the Rabaris,
4272-402: The capacity at Abdasa location from 3–9 million tons per annum. By 2015, the company plans to produce 20 million tons. Kutch district has a scanty forest cover. Hence there is negligible risk of illegal cutting of forests. This coupled with the adequate facilities available at Kandla port has helped establish the timber market. In 1987, "Kandla Timber Association" was formed in order to resolve
4361-567: The city of Palacenti and the city of Sigal ; in that place is the royal residence of the Sacae; and nearby is the city of Alexandria ( Alexandria Arachosia ), and six villages. From petroglyphs left by Saka soldiers at river crossings in Chilas and on the Sacred Rock of Hunza in Pakistan, Ahmad Hassan Dani and Karl Jettmar [ de ] have established the route across the Karakoram mountains used by Maues (the first Indo-Scythian king) to capture Taxila from Indo-Greek King Apollodotus II . The first-century CE Periplus of
4450-453: The early Saka layer (layer number four, corresponding to the period of Azes I , in which a number of his coins were found). Several of them are toilet trays roughly imitative of finer Hellenistic examples found in earlier layers. Azes is connected to the Bimaran casket , one of the earliest representations of the Buddha. The reliquary was used for the dedication of a stupa in Bamiran, near Jalalabad in Afghanistan , and placed inside
4539-471: The earth un-righteously in Kali Yuga ..." A portion of Central Asian Scythians under Sai-Wang reportedly moved south, crossed the Pamir Mountains and entered Chipin (or Kipin) after crossing the Xuandu (懸度, Hanging Pass) above the valley of Kanda in Swat . Chipin has been identified by Pelliot, Bagchi, Raychaudhury and others as Kashmir , but other scholars identify it as Kafiristan . Sai-Wang established his kingdom in Kipin. Konow interprets
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#17330856644214628-484: The east, the Indian king Vikrama retook Ujjain from the Indo-Scythians and celebrated his victory by establishing the Vikrama era in 58 BCE. Indo-Greek kings again ruled and prospered after Maues, as indicated by the profusion of coins from Kings Apollodotus II and Hippostratos . In 55 BCE, under Azes I , the Indo-Scythians took control of northwestern India with their victory over Hippostratos. Excavations organized by John Marshall found several stone sculptures in
4717-423: The ethnicities of the Achaemenid army, which included Ionians (Greeks) and Ethiopians . These groups were probably included in the Achaemenid army which invaded India. Some scholars (including Michael Witzel ) and Christopher I. Beckwith suggested that the Shakya – the clan of Gautama Buddha – were originally Scythians from Central Asia, and the Indian ethnonym Śākya has
4806-416: The existence of two major ports i.e. Kandla and Mundra transportation as a business has thrived. Since historical times the people of Kutch have formed the backbone of trade between Gujarat mainland and Sindh. After the formation of Pakistan this trade stopped for good, but due to the inception of the Kandla port, trade boomed again. Kandla port is also in Kutch. It is considered Gateway to India's North. It
4895-436: The far western edge of India has resulted in the commissioning of two major ports: Kandla and Mundra . These ports are closest to the Gulf of Arabia (and thus to Europe by sea). The hinterland of north-western India hosts more than 50% of India's population. Quality of roads is good in Kutch. The large part of the growth of Kutch came after intense development by the state government as part of 2001 earthquake relief. Due to
4984-442: The film shooting of Refugee finished, the film crew of another Bollywood film Lagaan descended on Bhuj in Kutch and shot the entire film in the region, employing local people and villagers from miles around. A set of a full period Village was constructed for the film with typical Kutch style mud houses or huts with thatched straw roofs called boongas . Indo-Scythians The Indo-Scythians (also called Indo-Sakas ) were
5073-407: The first century CE, Isidore of Charax notes their presence in Sistan. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 70–80 CE) documents a Scythian district in the lower Indus Valley, with Minnagra its capital. Ptolemy (c. 140 CE) also documents an Indo-Scythia in south-western India which consisted of the Patalene and Surastrene (Saurashtra) territories. The second-century BCE Scythian invasion of India
5162-423: The first century CE, describes in Kharoshthi script the gift of a stupa with a relic of the Buddha by Nadasi Kasa (Rajuvula's queen). The capital also mentions the genealogy of several Indo-Scythian Mathura satraps. Rajuvula apparently eliminated Strato II (the last Indo-Greek king) c. 10 CE and took Sagala , his capital city. Coinage of the period, such as that of Rajuvula, tends to be crude. It
5251-405: The first millennium; Kathiawar and Gujarat were under Western Satrap rule until the fifth century. Rudradaman I 's exploits are inscribed in the Junagadh rock inscription . During his campaigns, Rudradaman conqured the Yaudheyas and defeated the Satavahana Empire . The Western Satraps were conquered by the Gupta emperor Chandragupta II (also known as Vikramaditya). Indo-Scythian coinage
5340-487: The gradual increasing dimension of the linear chain of hillocks towards the west along the Kutch mainland fault and the epicentre of the earthquake of 2001 lying at the eastern extreme of Kutch mainland fault, it is suggested that the eastern part of the Kutch mainland fault is progressively emerging upward. It can be suggested from the absence of distinct surface rupture both during the 1956 Anjar earthquake and 2001 Bhuj earthquake , that movements have taken place along
5429-442: The help of Greek coin-makers. Indo-Scythian coins continue Indo-Greek tradition by using the Greek alphabet on the obverse and Kharoshthi script on the reverse. A portrait of the king is absent, with depictions of the king on a horse (sometimes on a camel) or sitting cross-legged on a cushion instead. The reverse of their coins typically show Greek gods. Buddhist symbolism is present in Indo-Scythian coinage. The Indo-Scythians adopted
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#17330856644215518-437: The one in the middle; at which by the shore, is the market-town, Barbaricum . Before it there lies a small island, and inland behind it is the metropolis of Scythia, Minnagara ; it is subject to Parthian princes who are constantly driving each other out ... The Indo-Scythians established a kingdom in the northwest near Taxila , with two satraps : one at Mathura in the east, and the other at Surastrene ( Gujarat ) in
5607-414: The outer belt of the Rann of Kutch. Kutch is surrounded by the Gulf of Kutch and the Arabian Sea to the south and west, while the northern and eastern parts are surrounded by the Great and Little Rann (seasonal wetlands) of Kutch. It is also next to the border with Pakistan , a neighbouring country of India. When there were not many dams built on its rivers, the Rann of Kutch remained wetlands for
5696-413: The population moved west to the Ili River region. They displaced the Saka, who migrated south into Ferghana and Sogdiana . According to the Chinese historical chronicles (who call the Saka "Sai" 塞): "[The Yuezhi] attacked the king of the Sai, who moved a considerable distance to the south and the Yuezhi then occupied his lands." Sometime after 155 BCE, the Yuezhi were again defeated by an alliance of
5785-409: The preceding Mauryan layers or the succeeding Kushan layers. The palettes often depict people in Greek dress in mythological scenes; a few have Parthian dress (headbands over bushy hair, crossed-over jacket on a bare chest, jewelry, belt, baggy trousers), and fewer have Indo-Scythian dress (Phrygian hat, tunic and straight trousers). A palette found in Sirkap , now in the New Delhi Museum , shows
5874-413: The rainy season runoff. While most of these dams do not affect the Ranns, as they are on rivers that feed directly into the Arabian Sea, storage of rainy season water upstream from Kutch and its use in irrigation has resulted in less fresh water coming into the Ranns of Kutch during the rainy season. This is true of the Great Rann, but particularly true of the Little Rann which is fed by the Luni , Rupen ,
5963-409: The rest of Gujarat. Languages of Kutch district (2011) According to the 2011 Census, Kachchhi speakers are a majority in 5 out of the 10 tehsils: Abdasa (76.06%), Lakhpat (69.71%), Mandvi (62.48%), Nakhatrana (54.54%) and Mundra (50.66%). In addition, they are 43.39% in Bhuj, 18.06% in Anjar and 14.13% in Gandhidham. However in Rapar and Bhachau, they are only 0.14% and 1.05% respectively. Kutchi
6052-442: The same origin as "Scythian". This would explain the strong Saka support of Buddhism in India. The Persians, the Saka and the Greeks may have participated in the later campaigns of Chandragupta Maurya to gain the throne of Magadha c. 320 BCE. The Mudrarakshasa says that after Alexander the Great 's death, Chandragupta Maurya used a Shaka - Yavana - Kamboja - Parasika - Bahlika alliance in his campaign to take
6141-409: The same spot, again suggesting a mingling of the populations. Reliefs at the same location show Indo-Scythians , with characteristic tunics and pointed hoods, with reliefs of standing Buddhas. The Indo-Scythians were named "Shaka" in India, a variation of the name "Saka" used by the Persians for Scythians. Shakas are mentioned in the Purāṇas , the Manusmṛti , the Rāmāyaṇa , the Mahābhārata ,
6230-484: The same type of soldiers are playing musical instruments and dancing; in Gandharan art, Indo-Scythians are typically depicted as reveling devotees. A number of stone palettes in Gandhara are considered representative of Indo-Scythian art. The palettes, which combine Greek and Iranian influences, often have a simple, archaic style. Stone palettes have only been found in archaeological layers corresponding to Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian rule, and are unknown in
6319-443: The seventh century, Kutch was being ruled by Charans , Kathis , and Chavdas . The Chavdas ruled the eastern and central parts by the seventh century, but Kutch came under the rule of the Chaulukya dynasty by the tenth century. After the fall of Chaulukya, the Vaghelas ruled the state. By the thirteenth century, the Vaghelas controlled the whole of Kutch and adopted a new dynastic identity, Jadeja . For three centuries, Kutch
6408-468: The southwest. The presence of the Scythians in modern Pakistan and north-western India during the first century BCE was contemporaneous with the Indo-Greek kingdoms there, and they apparently initially recognized the power of the local Greek rulers. Maues first conquered Gandhara and Taxila in present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan c. 80 BCE, but his kingdom disintegrated after his death. In
6497-572: The sovereignty of the British East India Company in 1819, when Kutch was defeated in battle. That same year, the state was devastated by an earthquake . The state stabilized and flourished in business under subsequent rulers. Upon the independence of India in 1947, Kutch acceded unto the dominion of India and was constituted an independent commissionaire . It was made a state within the union of India in 1950. The state witnessed an earthquake in 1956 . On 1 November 1956, Kutch State
6586-525: The specific problems of timber importers and timber allied industries coming up during the period. The timber industry is growing at a faster pace with 300 saw mills working in Gandhidham-Kandla Complex. The Little Rann of Kutch is known for its traditional salt production and various references mention this to be a 600-year-old activity. During the British period, this activity increased manifold. It
6675-460: The state and founded the current lineage of rulers at the start of the seventeenth century. The descendants of the other brothers founded states in Kathiawar . After turbulent periods and battles with the armies of Sindh, the state was stabilized in the middle of the eighteenth century by a council known as Bar Bhayat ni Jamat who placed Rao as a titular head and ruled independently. The state accepted
6764-476: The stupa with several coins of Azes. This may have happened during the reign of Azes (60–20 BCE), or slightly later. The Indo-Scythians were connected with Buddhism. In northern India, the Indo-Scythians conquered the Mathura region c. 60 BCE. Some of their satraps were Hagamasha and Hagana, who were followed by Rajuvula . The Mathura lion capital , an Indo-Scythian sandstone capital which dates to
6853-482: The surrounding regions later spread into north and south-west India via the lower Indus valley. They spread into Sovira , Gujarat, Rajasthan and north India, including kingdoms on the Indian mainland. The Arsacid emperor Mithridates II (c. 123–88/87 BCE) pursued an aggressive military policy in Central Asia and added a number of provinces to the Parthian Empire . This included western Bactria, which he seized from
6942-667: The third year of Kanishka (c. 130 CE), when they pledged allegiance to the Kushans. The Yuga Purana describes an invasion of Pataliputra by the Scythians during the first century BCE, after seven kings ruled in succession in Saketa following the retreat of the Yavanas. According to the Yuga Purana , the Saka king killed one-fourth of the population before he was slain by the Kalinga king Shata and
7031-778: The throne in Magadha and found the Maurya Empire . The Saka were the Scythians; the Yavanas were the Greeks , and the Parasikas were the Persians . During the second century BCE, a nomadic movement began among the Central Asian tribes. Recorded in the annals of the Han dynasty and other Chinese records, the movement began after the Yuezhi tribe was defeated by the Xiongnu and fled west; this created
7120-480: The university, offering courses in humanities, science, commerce, medicine, nursing, education and computer science. Professional courses in engineering, pharmacy and management are regulated through the Gujarat Technological University . Kutch district is inhabited by various groups and communities. One can find various nomadic, semi nomadic and artisan groups living in Kutch. Rabari constitute
7209-461: The villages of the district, staple foods include kadi-khichdi , milk, and bajra (pearl millet). The latter of these was introduced to the region by a king named Lakho Fulani, who was himself introduced to the grain during his period of exile. Bajara na rotla with curd and buttermilk is also a staple among the Gujarati people. In the region, milk is considered to be a sacred food; an offering of milk
7298-419: Was always considered a backward region due to its location and submerged geography. The situation seemed to have worsened after the disastrous Kutch earthquake in 2001. But in the next decade, the economy took an almost miraculous jump start due to the intense efforts of the Gujarat government. Kutch today is a growing economic and industrial hub in one of India's fastest growing states – Gujarat. Its location on
7387-517: Was divided and ruled by three different branches of the Jadeja brothers. In the sixteenth century, Kutch was unified under one rule by Rao Khengarji I of these branches, and his direct descendants ruled for two centuries and had a good relationship with the Gujarat Sultanate and Mughals . One of his descendants, Rayadhan II, left three sons, of whom two died, and a third son, Pragmalji I took over
7476-581: Was divided into Bani, Abdasa, Anjar, Banni, Bhuvad Chovisi, Garado, Halar Chovisi, Kand, Kantho, Khadir, Modaso, Pranthal, Prawar, and Vagad. Kutch District is further divided into six subdistricts, each comprising one or two taluka : From the city Bhuj various ecologically rich and wildlife conservation areas of the Kutch district can be visited such as Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary , Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary , Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary , Kutch Bustard Sanctuary , Banni Grasslands Reserve and Chari-Dhand Wetland Conservation Reserve . According to
7565-615: Was gradually replaced with that of the Kushans , one of the five Yuezhi tribes who lived in Bactria for over a century and expanded into India during the late first century CE. The Kushans regained northwestern India c. 75 CE and the Mathura region c. 100 , where they prospered for several centuries. Indo-Scythians continued to hold the Sistan region until the reign of Bahram II (276–293 CE), and held several areas of India well into
7654-414: Was merged with Bombay state , which in 1960 was divided into the new linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra , with Kutch becoming part of Gujarat as Kutch district. The district was affected by a tropical cyclone in 1998 and the earthquake in 2001 . The state saw rapid industrialization and growth in tourism in subsequent years. Kutch District, at 45,674 square kilometres (17,635 sq mi),
7743-642: Was the brother of King Maues . The Indo-Scythian satraps of Mathura are sometimes called the Northern Satraps to distinguish them from the Western Satraps ruling in Gujarat and Malwa . After Rajuvula, several successors are known to have ruled as vassals of the Kushans . They include the "Great Satrap" Kharapallana and the satrap Vanaspara , who are known from an inscription discovered in Sarnath and dated to
7832-508: Was then overthrown by Indo-Scythians . The region was later ruled by the Maurya Empire and Sakas . In the first century CE, it was under the Western Satraps , followed by the Gupta Empire . By the fifth century, the Maitraka dynasty of Valabhi took over from which its close association with the ruling clans of Gujarat started. Hieun Tsang refers to Kutch as Kiecha in his writings. In
7921-413: Was used to fund a substantial part of the military expenses of the British government. Communities involved in salt production are mainly Chunvaliya Koli, Ahir and Miyana (Muslim), residing in 107 villages in the periphery of Lesser Rann of Kutch. These communities are traditionally known to have the skills of salt production and are known as 'Agariyas'. Water quality in 107 villages of Lesser Rann of Kutch
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