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Navanagar was an Indian princely state, in Kathiawar region, situated on the south of the Gulf of Kutch. It was ruled by the Jadeja dynasty from its formation in c 1540 until 1948 when it succeed to newly formed, India. The district is now known as Jamnagar. It had an area of 3,791 square miles (9,820 km2) and a population estimated at 336,779 in 1901. Its rulers, who used the title of "Jam Sahib" were Jadeja Rajput of the same clan as the Rao of Cutch and followed the Hindu religion. They were entitled to a 13-gun salute. The state flag was a rectangular red flag with a white elephant, near and facing the hoist. During the British Raj, the state was part of the Kathiawar Agency, within the Gujarat Division of Bombay Presidency.
The state had a pearl fishery and much of its wealth came from this. Nawanagar is also famous for its former ruler Jam Saheb Ranjitsinhji (d.1933), who was a famous cricket player at Cambridge in England before his accession to the throne.
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Nawanagar was founded in 1540 AD by Jam Rawal, a descendant of the Jadeja ruler of Kutch, and was thereafter in an almost constant state of war with its neighbors and with the Mughal Empire. The "Walker Treaty of 1807" brought peace to the Kathiawar states for the first time in several generations. Nawanagar came under British protection on February 22 1812.
K. S. Ranjitsinhji was one of the world’s greatest cricket players and, later, became Jam Sahib in 1907 till 1933.[1] After his death, Ranji Trophy, a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, was started in 1934 by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Ranjitsinhji, remained the Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes (1931-1933); after his death in 1933, he was succeeded by his nephew K. S. Digvijaysinhji also remained its Chancellor (1937-1944).
Nawanagar was one of the first princely states to sign the Instrument of Accession in 1948 after Indian independence. Afterwards, the former ruler Jam Shri Sir Digvijaysinhji served as the first Rajpramukh of Kathiawar, then represented his country at the United Nations.
In 1949 after the former princely states of Nawanagar and Dhrol, Dhrafa Thana and part of Jalia Dewani in Kathiawar merged into new the state of Saurashtra. On June 19 1959, the boundaries of the district were enlarged by the inclusion of the adjoining Okhamandal, and the district was renamed Jamnagar. This district became part of the new State of Gujarat on the division of the State of Bombay on May 1 1960. [2]
| Regime | Rulers | Born | Died |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2, 1690 - October 13, 1708 | Lakhaji Tamachi | 1708 | |
| October 13, 1708 - August 13, 1711 | Raisinhji Lakhaji | 1711 | |
| August 13, 1711–1743 | Tamachi Raisinhji | 1743 | |
| September, 1743 - November 2, 1767 | Lakhaji Tamachi | 1743 | 1767 |
| November 2, 1767 - August 6, 1814 | Jasaji Lakhaji | 1814 | |
| August 6, 1814 - February 24, 1820 | Sataji Lakhaji | 1820 | |
| February 24, 1820 - February 22, 1852 | Ranmalji Sataji | 1852 | |
| February 22, 1852 - April 28, 1895 | Vibhoji Ranmalji | 1827 | 1895 |
| April 28, 1895 - August 14, 1906 | Jashwantsinhji Vibhoji | 1882 | 1906 |
| March 12, 1907 - April 2, 1933 | Ranjitsinhji Vibhoji | 1872 | 1933 |
| April 2, 1933 - August 15, 1947 | Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji | 1895 | 1966 |
The Maharaja Jamsahib of Nawanagar were also known for their Jewellery collection especially Ranjithsinhji, whose Emerald collection according Jacques Cartier was "the unequalled in the world, if not it quantity, then certainly in quality". The collection included, an emerald and pearl necklace, an art deco emerald and diamond necklace designed by Jacques Cartier, and an Emerald collar or choker also designed by Jacques Cartier.[3][4]
The 61.50 carat (12.3 g) whiskey-coloured diamond, "The Eye of the Tiger", was mounted by Cartier in a turban aigrette for the Jam Sahib or Maharajah of Nawanagar in 1934 [5].
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