| Dhrangadhra | |
| — city — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Gujarat |
| District(s) | Surendranagar |
| Population | 70,653 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 64 metres (210 ft) |
| Website | www.naimisar.com/Dhrangadhra/ |
Dhrangadhra is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the state of Gujarat, India. During the period of the British Raj, the city was the capital of Dhrangadhra state, one of the eight first-class princely states (13-gun salute) of the Kathiawar Agency in the Bombay Presidency.
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Dhrangadhra grew from the state of Jhalawad which was founded about AD 1090. This state was ruled by the Jhala Rajputs.[1] In AD 1735, Dhrangadhra was founded as its capital. The state was then renamed Dhrangadhra-Halvad state from the initial name of Kuwa, Halwad.
In 1941 the princely state of Dhrangadhra had a population of 94,417 living in an area of 1,167 square miles.[2]
In 1948 the state of Dhrangadhra was made part of the Zalawad district in Saurashtra. In 1956 it became part of Gujarat. Dhrangadhra also contains the Gobar gas plant, which is located at Navalgadh village.
In Sanskrit dhrang means a stone, and dhara means the earth. It is believed that because of the strong and widespread black stone bedrock found immediately under the soil of the place, the town is thus named.
Dhrangadhra is located at .[3] It has an average elevation of 64 metres (209 feet).
As of 2001[update] India census,[4] Dhrangadhra had a population of 70,653. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Dhrangadhra has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 75% and, female literacy is 59%. In Dhrangadhra, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Today Dhrangadhra is the No.1 developing Taluka in the Gujarat. It has one of the largest soda ash plant in India, which is known as DCW Ltd. It has one army cantonment. There are also many ginning and pressing factories involved in the cotton industry. There is a famous temple and a place of worship to God Swaminarayan.
The name of this place is 'BHAGWATDHAM' Shri Swaminarayan Gurukul; which is situated at Halvad road. There is a residential school run by Shri Narnarayandev Education Trust. The name of the school is SHRI SWAMINARAYAN HIGH SCHOOL. There are 800 students residing in this campus.
There is a famous institute for the co-education in kinder garten, Primary, HighSchool, Higher Secondary. known as "SHISHUKUNJ", working since 1949. Apart from this, now education is evolving with a good pace in Dhrangadhra with higher awareness among people of Dhrangadhra about education.
There is a very famous temple at pond shore it is known as "JOGASHAR". It is a temple of God Ganesh There is only two "Ekdanta Ganesha" in India. One at Titval and other at Dhrangdhra.
With both sacred and secular architecture influenced by local medieval history, Dhangadhra today is a modern town with the population of about 100,000, which includes Hindus, Muslims, Zoroastrians and Jains. The affluent are traders in the local cotton and salt trade that has existed for over 300 years, while the majority are farmers and shopkeepers. It has industries such as DCW with chemical products, Mausam brand food products such as Spices, delecious pickles in various flavours, sauces, pastes, sherbats, ketchup etc. by K.P. Industries and many other industries in GIDC area. The provincial town boasts several hospitals, schools and a college. Along with regular telephone and portal services, email facilities are also available in the town.
Temples, step-wells, palaces and mosques from various historical periods exist in various states of preservation. There are more than 100 places of worship, and ancient art and craft traditions such as stone sculpture, jewellery making, tie and dye fabrics and embroidery prosper.
Dhrangadhra is also famous for its Stone artwork. The 'Sompura' from Dhrangadhra have built and designed many Jain derasars - a type of temples of Jain people all over Gujarat and India.
Dhangadhra is a railway junction on the Western Railway (India) and is connected to Ahmedabad and other regions of Kutch and Saurashtra by road and rail links. There are auto rickshaws (three-wheeler hooded taxis) and larger un-hooded three-wheelers called Chhakada which typically run on modified Royal Enfield engines, are available for travel within the town and surrounding areas.
The Rabari and Bharwad farming communities that raise cattle, sheep, goat and camels live in villages surrounding the town. Each summer, the outskirts of the town also hosts a camp of snake charmers. Dhrangadhra is also the headquarters of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, which is responsible for the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary on the Little Rann of Kutch, home to the last three species of Asiatic Wild Ass.
Dhrangadhra has a long history starting from Lower Paleolithic Period. The evidence come from the river bed of the Bhadar river which flows along with the Dhragadhra taluka. Moreover, there are lots of sites spreading over the vast land belonging to Harappan Period. Recent studies in the area suggests that the Dhragadhra and Halvad taluka was the fronteer of the so called sorat Harappans which bifurcates the Sidhi Harrapans of Kutch & Sindh. These are recent studies made by Arun Malik, a PhD scholar of The M.S. University of Baroda and now he is with Archaeological Survey of India.
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