Madhapar

Madhapar
village
Madhapar Location in Gujarat, India
Coordinates: 23°13′48″N 69°42′39″E / 23.230127°N 69.710821°E / 23.230127; 69.710821Coordinates: 23°13′48″N 69°42′39″E / 23.230127°N 69.710821°E / 23.230127; 69.710821
Country	India
State	Gujarat
District	Kutch district
Area
• Total	26.67 km2 (10.30 sq mi)
Elevation	105.156 m (345.000 ft)
Languages
• Official	Gujarati, Hindi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	370020
Telephone code	2832
Vehicle registration	GJ-12

Madhapar is a large village located in south western Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. Bhuj is the regional hub of the town where the nearest airport exists. It serves one flight daily to Mumbai.

Present Status

The town of Madhapar, with a population of fewer than fifteen thousand people, some 3 km from the main town of Bhuj in the province of Kutch (Gujarat), is one of the wealthiest towns in the area with an average GDP of $12,000 per person. Madhapar is also statistically wealthiest the village in the whole of Southern Asia.

In recent times, the town has become greener, with new lakes, check dams and deep bore artisan wells that provide fresh water all year round. New health centers, playing fields, parks and temples.

History

Madhapar is one of the 18 villages established by these Mistris or Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas community. In the 12th century, many people of these Mistris community moved into a village named Dhaneti and later settled between Anjar and Bhuj.^{[1][2][3] [4]}

Madhapar is named after Madha Kanji Solanki who had shifted from the Dhaneti village to Madhapar in the year 1473-1474 (VS 1529).^[5] Madha Kanji was 3rd Generation of Hemraj Hardas of Solanki dynasty of Gujarat, who moved from Halar region to Dhaneti and then to Madhapar.^[6] This early Madhapar today is known as Juna Vaas (Old Residence). These warrior Kshatriyas were later came to be known by Mistri manily because of their of occupation. These Mistris have founded the Juna Vaas and contributed a lot to the development of all early infrastructure, temples of the village and erection of other architects of Kutch. Bhimji Devji Rathod of Mistri Community built and started first Girls School in Madapar.

During the years of laying of Railway lines by British 1850–1930 many of the Mistris moved out to become big time Railway Contractors. Some of them also entered into Colliery business in Bengal - Bihar, Jharia - Bokaro Coalfields area. Among them three persons of Madhapar, a record in it-self, got the title of "Rai Sahib" by British. Their names are Rai Sahib Vishram Valji Rathor, Rai Sahib Koovarji Karsan Rathor, Rai Sahib Ruda Ladhha Chawra. Other famous names are Manji Jeram Rathod, who with Rai Bahadur Jagamal Raja Chauhan of Nagor jointly started Rajapur Colliery. Dhanji Devshi Solanki & Dhanji Devji Rathod of village also started colliery at Jharia in 1910-15.Rai Sahib Vishram Walji Rathod of Madhapar founded Ghoraghori, Ghoradongri & Tavaveli colliaries near Chhindwara.^[7] Nathu Lalji Solanki of village working from Secundrabad, was given Shir-Pav by Nizam of Hyderabad for building more than 100 miles of Railway single-handedly for Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway.^[8][8][9]

The huge pond in Madhapar, called Jagasagar was built by Mistri Railway Contractor - Jagamal Bhima Rathod around year 1900 and is therefore named after him as Jaga-sagar.^[9] Renovation work and expansion of Suralbhit - Jadeshwar Mahadev Temple near Bhuj was done by Mistris - Manji Jeram Rathod and Valji Bhimji Rathod of Madhapar Village in the year 1914 (V.S. 1971) financed by Maharao Sri of Kutch.In 1943 (V.S. 2000) Manji Jairam Rathod of Madhapar again did the renovation of Suralbhit - Jadeshwar Temple. The Step-wells popularly known as Sellor Vaav and the Hanuman Temple at Dhorava were built by father-son Mistry Jeram Madhavji & Manji Jeram Rathod of Madhapar in 1927 from his personal finance.^[9][10] Mistri Valji Bhimji Rathod of Madhapar was among the few persons who,apart from Royal family, owned car by permission of King of Kutch.^[8][9]

There are Sanatan Thakor Mandir, Mahadev Temple, Swaminarayan Temple in Madhapar. Besides, Kuldevi Temples of Solanki, Rathod & other clans of the Mistri community are also there in Madhapar.

The Patel Kanbi community moved into the village around 1576 AD (V.S. 1633) and has grown ever since. The Village was not harshly affected by the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake that had caused severe damage in the region. However, some of the century old houses of Mistris in Juna Vaas (Old Residence) with unique architect were destroyed in the earthquake of 26 January 2001.

Navo Vaas (New Residence) was started in around 1857. By which time Madhapar had become congested and members of other communities like Kanbis had also increased and prospered.^[11]

Economy

Agriculture plays a large part in the regions prosperity where most of the agricultural goods are exported to Mumbai. Agricultural goods primarily consists of corn, mangos and sugarcane.

Further, many residents of Madhapar are working abroad in UK, USA, Canada. But they prefer to save their money in India and which has made Madhapar one of the richest villages in terms of bank deposits worth over 2000 crores and the village has earned a special name in India and is considered as barometer of NRI deposits^[12][13][14]

The migrant population of Madhapar living outside India have huge love for their village and have formed community associations for example in 1968, Kutch Madhapar Karyalay^[15] (KMK) was formed in London to bind the UK Madhapar community together and maintain their cultural activities and traditions.

References

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