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 of Kutch. 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 mainly 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.

The Patel Kanbi community moved into the village around 1576 AD (V.S. 1633). 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.^[7]

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 damaged in the earthquake of 26 January 2001.

Notable Persons

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.:-

• Rai Sahib Vishram Walji Rathor (1898-1953) - noted railway contractor and coal miner, who with his father Walji Bhimji^[8] founded Ghoraghori, Ghoradongri & Tava valley collieries near Chhindwara^[8] and also worked as railway ^[9] and civil contractor from Bulsar and Ahmedabad.^[10][11][12] Mistri Walji Bhimji Rathod was among the few persons who, apart from Royal family, owned car in Cutch State. Founder of Schools at Madhapar and Valsad.^[13]
• Rai Sahib Koovarji Karsan Rathor - noted railway contractor & businessman, who established himself in Cuttack, Orissa.
• Rai Sahib Ruda Ladhha Chawra - noted railway contractor & industrialist, who established himself at Hoshangabad.

Other notable are:-

• Manji Jairam Rathore, (1886-1957) who with Rai Bahadur Jagamal Raja Chauhan of Nagor jointly started Rajapur Colliery^[14][8] and also owned coal mines at Argada and Mohuda.^[8] Also a noted railway contractor having worked chiefly as a contractor for Bengal Nagpur Railway's various new railway lines laid during 1890-1921.^[9] As an architect he renovated Suralbhit Temple in 1914 with Walji Bhimji^[6] and again in 1943 himself.^[6] As a philanthropist, he built Dhorava Hanuman Temple and sellor in 1927.^[6] As an associate of Odhavram funded monies for Ashram & Blind School at Vandhay, Kutchi Ashram at Haridwar. He and his son Narsinh Manji were among the trustees of the Jharia Gujarati Hindi Madhyamik Vidyalaya at Jharia, the Anjar Mistri Borading School, Anjar, the Poona Mistri Borading House, Pune, the Bhuj Misrti Boarding School, Bhuj and the J. B. Thakkar Commerce College, Bhuj.^[8][15]
• Dhanji Devji Rathod of village also started Central Jharia colliery at Tisra and others mines during years 1910-15, which were taken over by government in 1971 after nationalization of coal mines in India.^[8][16]
• Nathoo 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. He also did notable works for Hyderabad State, which include construction of Hyderabad State Library, Nizam Sagar Canal Works, Raipur Well Sinking works, Raipur Electric House, New Zanana Royal Palace, conservation of Bagh-e-Ala Mecca Masjid, works of King Kothi Palace, Gulbarga Summer Palace of Nizam's at Gulbarga to name a few. He was founder of Gujarati Library and Gujarati School at Secunderabad.^{[9][13][17][18]}

Schools

The first government boys school was started in year 1884.^[6] Bhimji Devji Rathod of Mistri Community built and started first Girls School in Madapar in 1900. First High school, Madhapar Vidhyalay Saraswati High School was founded in 1968.^[6]

Geology

There are two huge lakes in Madhapar, one is called Jagasagar, which was built by Mistri Railway Contractor - Jagamal Bhima Rathod around year 1900 and is therefore named after him as Jaga-sagar.^[6][9] The other one is called Meghrajji Lake named after Meghrajji, the last ruler of Cutch State.^[6] Further, Karasan Bhima Rathod also built an artificial lake with steps near Suralbhit Temple, which today is known by name Karasan Bhimjee's pond.^[9]

Temples

There are Sanatan Thakor Mandir, Mahadev Temple, Barla Temple and Swaminarayan Temple (1949) are in Madhapar. Besides, Kuldevi Temples of Momai Mata of Solanki, Rathods are also there.

As per records the old Thakor Madir, Shiva Mandir and the noted Barla Temple were built by Mistri Mandan Jiwani Chauhan of Mistri community around 1880-90 from the monies he earned as railway contract works in Sindh^[19][20]

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, mangoes 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^[21][22][23]

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^[24] (KMK) was formed in London to bind the UK Madhapar community together and maintain their cultural activities and traditions.

References

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