Wadhwan

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Wadhwan
State  - District(s)	Gujarat  - Surendranagar
Area
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Population (2001)  - Density	61,739  -

Wadhwan is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^GRIndia, Wadhwan had a population of 61,739. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Wadhwan has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 63%. In Wadhwan, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] Geography

It is located close to the dry riverbed of the River Bhogavo.

[edit] History

It was also the centre of an Indian Princely state of the same name. It was formarly known as Wardhmanpuri.

A mythological woman named Ranak Devi is reputed to have cursed the river to never have water even when it rained. She was a Sati, and so it is believed that there is no water because of the curse.^{[citation needed]}

There is a vave (a structure / pit in the ground with steps leading to underground water) that is believed to take away newlyweds and so elders advise new generations to keep their distance from it.^{[citation needed]}

There is a high wall around most of the old town but now the town has grown and it extends belond the older wall.

There is a large community of Khatris[a community of people involved in coloring clothes] in the city these days. The business of bandhani [a type of colouring and designing clothes] is one of the major businesses in the city.

There are number of educational institutions being established in the city.