Explorations in Gujarat History

The purpose behind this initiative

The history of Gujarat is a vast and captivating tapestry, intricately woven with stories of ancient civilizations, powerful dynasties, cultural resilience and above all the enterprise of the wonderful people of Gujarat. Yet, much of this rich history remains underexplored by the younger generation, who often lack a single, comprehensive source to learn about their heritage in a language they can connect with. This website is a humble attempt to address that gap. The idea is to make available the complete history of this magnificent state in one place, specifically for youngsters, and in their own language. While this is a work in progress, critical observations and feedback from readers are not only welcome but essential to ensure the narrative remains engaging, accurate, and accessible.

My personal association with Gujarat 

I spent most of my district tenure, in the Kathiawar region of Gujarat in the districts of Kutch, Junagadh, Bhavnagar. Rajkot, Ahmedabad and then Palanpur. In addition, there was a huge opportunity to visit other areas of the state as part of my official responsibilities as Health Commissioner. This was an excellent period of exploration of the region, learning, self-development and integration with the Gujarati society.  During these years I was fascinated by the people, their cultural legacy and history. Therefore, after retirement in 2017, I thought of documenting the history of Gujarat, unknown to many in the younger generation, not only in this region but also across the country. 

Gujarat’s Ancient Legacy

It is believed that Lord Krishna left Mathura to settle on the west coast of Saurashtra at Dwarka. The archaeological findings from areas like Lothal, Dholavira, Rangpur, date back to the period of the Indus Valley Civilization. The ancient city of Lothal was where the first port was established. Dholavira in Kutch is one of the largest and most prominent archaeological sites in India belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization.

The Mauryan Empire 

Subsequently, the Mauryan Empire, during the reign of Emperor Ashoka (c. 268 to 232 BCE), marked a significant era in the history of Gujarat. The Girnar Rock Edicts, located near Junagadh, are among the most important Ashokan inscriptions in Gujarat. These edicts contain 14 major rock edicts and a separate minor rock edict, providing valuable insights into Ashoka's reign, his Dhamma, and the administration of the region. Ashoka sent his son Mahendra (Mahinda) to Sri Lanka for propagation of Buddhism.

Buddhist Influence - Vallabhi an important center for Buddhist learning

Ashoka's influence, particularly his embrace of Buddhism, left a lasting impact on the region's culture, religion, and architecture. The present day Vallabhipur, then known as Vallabhi in Bhavnagar, was an important center for Buddhist learning in Western India for centuries (475-776 AD). This facility was well-known for its religious tolerance and it embraced teaching different philosophies and attracted foreign pilgrims and monks from countries like China. Although a significant learning center for Hinayana Buddhism, along with Buddhist ideas, Brahmanical sciences were also taught. There have been references of Brahmanic students studying at Vallabhi.

Xuanzang, a Chinese pilgrim, came to Valabhi in the middle of the seventh century, when he visited the institution, there were about 6000 monks studying there. According to Yijing, who came at the end of the 7th century, the University at Vallabhi, was on par with the Buddhist monastic center of Nalanda. The patron kings of the university from the Maitraka dynasty fell victim to an Arab assault in 775 CE and the university suffered a setback as a result of this.

The Origin of Gujarat’s Name

The state however derives its name from ‘Gujjaratta’ – meaning ‘the land of the Gujjars’, a nomadic people who came to India in the wake of the invading Huns.  It is believed that starting with the 5th century.  their migration to India was a gradual process that occurred over several centuries. The exact place of origin of the Gurjaras in Central Asia is a matter of debate among historians and scholars. However, based on various theories and evidence, it is believed that the Gurjaras migrated from the following regions:

• Some scholars suggest that the Gurjaras originated from the Aral region (modern-day Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan):, which was an important center of trade and culture in ancient times.

• Another theory suggests that the Gurjaras came from the Khorasan region (modern-day Afghanistan and parts of Iran):  which was a major cultural and intellectual hub in the ancient world.

• Yet other researchers propose that the Gurjaras migrated from the Sogdiana region (modern-day Tajikistan and parts of Uzbekistan), which was a significant center of trade and commerce on the Silk Road.

. Since then, the state has seen the rise and fall of a number of mighty empires.

The prominent Hindu rulers 

The prominent Hindu kings during the period were;  Mularaja: In 940-941 AD, he overthrew the last Chavda ruler of Gujarat and established his own sovereign realm, with his capital at Anahilapataka. After Mularaja, Bhima I emerged as a significant leader during (1022-1064 AD). He constructed the Sun Temple in Modhera. His wife Udaymati constructed the Rani ki vav step-well in his memory.  During his rule, Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and looted Somnath.

Following Bhima I, Karna, his successor, conquered a Bhil chieftain and established Karnavati, near modern-day Ahmedabad. His successor, Jayasimha Siddharaja (1092-93 AD) consolidated and expanded the kingdom. After  conquering parts of Malwa(1137), he took the title of Avantinath (Lord of Malwa). He was a devotee of Shiva and built the Rudra Mahakala temple at Siddapura. The temple stood in the centre of a courtyard with a mandap fifty feet square having a porch on three of its sides. Around the court there were eleven other shrines to the Rudras. The temple was adorned with a large number of columns, statues, golden pinnacles and carved screens. As a tribute to the royal restorer, the town of Sristhala came to be known as Siddhpur. 

Kumarpala: his successor, was the last renowned royal proponent of Jainism. Not only did he promote Jainism, he also reconstructed the Somnath temple. He was just, religious and benevolent. Due to his valour & other qualities, he was respected in countries not even under his direct rule. The inscription at Lakhan’s Mandir in Chittor, dated 1151, states, “What was he like, who by his invincible mind, crushed all his foes, whose commands the other sovereigns placed on their foreheads.” According to historical records, Kumarapala’s dominion stretched from Chittor and Jaisalmer in the north to the Vindhyas and the Tapti river in the south. It is believed that Gujarat reached its peak prosperity during Kumarapala’s reign. No wonder historians often remember Kumarpal Solanki, as & the crest-jewel of the Chalukyas (Solankis).

The Solanki dynasty left a lasting legacy in Gujarat’s history, with their rule witnessing both remarkable achievements and challenges. Their era shaped the region’s socio-political landscape. Despite their eventual decline, their contributions to art, architecture, and governance continue to be remembered and revered in the annals of Indian history.

The Advent of Muslim Rule

The second battle of Tarain in which, Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithvi Raj Chauhan, in 1192 is regarded as a watershed event in Medieval India. It led to the defeat of the Rajput powers & laid the foundation of Muslim rule in North India, which led to the establishment of Delhi Sultanate comprising of The Slave dynasty  - Mamluks (AD 1206–AD 1290), the Khaljis (AD 1290–AD 1320), the Tughlaqs (AD 1320–AD 1412), the Sayyids (AD 1412–AD 1451) and the Lodhis (AD 1451– AD 1526). 

The fortunes of Gujarat also underwent a change when in 1299 the forces of Allauddin Khalji, conquered Gujarat by defeating Karna the Waghela king of Gujarat and brought it under the rule of the viceroys appointed by the Delhi Sultans. A second invasion in 1304 resulted in the end of the Waghela dynasty in Gujarat. From 1298 onwards, till 1758, Gujarat was under Muslim rule for around 460 years. 

The reign of the viceroys appointed by the Delhi Sultans

In the first phase we have the reign of the governors sent by Khilji and Tughlak sultans from 1299 to 1407. Towards the end of this period, Tughlak Sultan Nasir-ud-din Muhammad appointed Muzaffar Shah as the governor of Gujarat in 1391. Muzaffar Shah was the son of Saharan, a Rajpoot of the ancient Tank clan, who embraced Islam and was patronized by the Emperor Feroze Tughlak. 

Timur’s Invasion of India and Sack of Delhi

After his victorious sweep over Persia and Mesopotamia to Asia Minor on the west, and his occupation of Afghanistan on the south, Timur Lang, or Tamerlane, the great conqueror, turned his attention to India as the next country in which to wage a holy war and from which to carry away rich spoils. Timur’s sacking of Delhi, at the end of the 14th century, shook the Delhi Sultanate and weakened it considerably. The regional governors started having ambitions of Independence. Tatar Khan son of,  Muzaffar Shah wanted to take on the weakened Delhi sultan, when his father prevaricated Tatar Khan deposed him in 1403, imprisoned him and declared himself sultan under the name Muhammad Shah. He marched towards Delhi, but his uncle Shams Khan poisoned him along the way. 

The independent Sultanate of Gujarat

Muzaffar Shah again assumed leadership of the Gujarat administration in 1404, on release from prison after the death of his son Tatar Khan. With the further weakening of the Tughlaks Gujarat's governor Muzaffar Shah asserted his independence in 1407. He declared himself an independent monarch and assumed the title of Muzaffar Shah. He established the powerful Muzaffarid dynasty, which ruled Gujarat  from 1407 to 1573.  Muzaffar Shah abdicated the throne in 1410 in favour of his grandson Ahmad Shah I, due to his declining health.  He was however killed by Ahmad Shah as he held him responsible for his father’s murder, despite protestations to the contrary by Muzaffar Shah. 

The foundation of Ahmedabad

On succeeding to the throne in 1411, at the age of 19, Ahmad Shah  moved the capital from Patan to a new city on the banks of the Sábarmati, to which he gave the name of Ahmedabad. The suggestion of a new capital is ascribed to the king's spiritual adviser, Sheikh Ahmed Khuttoo Gunj Buksh, and it was carried out under the personal supervision .of "four Ahmeds," viz., Ahmed Shah himself, Sheikh Ahmed, Mulik Ahmed, and Quazi Ahmed. The cornerstone of Ahmedabad's foundation was marked by the construction of Manek Burj, the eastern bastion situated on the banks of the Sabarmati River. The bastion takes its name from the revered 15th-century Saint, Maneknath. It is believed that Saint Maneknath played a pivotal role in aiding Ahmed Shah I during the construction of Bhadra Fort in 1411. The presence of Maneknath's name in the bastion's title serves as a testament to the harmonious coexistence of diverse cultures and traditions in the city of Ahmedabad.

The Bhadra palace the royal residence and the seat of the Government was the centre of the new city. It received magnificent additions in subsequent reigns, and other edifices, some of which still survive as public buildings and make the enclosure, yet called ‘the Bhadra’, now, as ever, the seat of government. The city was known for its beautiful mosques. The principal architectural beauty of the Ahmedabad mosques is said to rest on three features; the exquisite device by which light is introduced into the body of the building, the graceful minarets & the delicate tracery. The mode of lighting and ventilating the interiors was an invention of Gujarat architects that ensured that all the light and air required can be admitted, while the direct rays of the sun and the rain are effectively excluded. The Ahmedabad minarets produced examples that surpass those of Cairo, in beauty of outline and richness of detail.  The unique feature is that the minaret is a part of the mosque and not merely a tower built on the roof. The third feature, the tracery of Ahmedabad mosques has been much admired. It has been found in rich profusion in arches, windows and screens between the pillars.  The standing example is the world famous, Sidi Sa’id Mosque. No wonder the city of Ahmedabad is described as Zinat-ul-Bilad, ‘the beauty of cities’, on the silver coins of the period. 

Ahmad Shah’s grandson, Mahmud Begada (1458–1511) if not the greatest, is certainly the most popular, of the kings of Ahmedabad; he is to the Moslem what Sidh Raj is to the Hindoo-a nucleus around which gathers romance and tale. His personal strength, courage, and military skill are as conspicuous as his, religious bigotry and his stern but farsighted statesmanship, that ensured that he ruled the state for over half a century. Mahmud the conqueror derived his appellation of Begada from the reduction of the two forts of Junagadh and Champaner (Pavagadh).

He is remembered as one of the most powerful and influential rulers of Gujarat known for his military prowess, administrative reforms and architectural patronage. His long reign witnessed a period of significant economic prosperity and flourishing of culture. He left an indelible mark on the history and landscape of Gujarat.

Gulf of Cambay vital to the trade with Malacca

Gulf of Cambay was always vital to the trade initially with the Roman empire and subsequently with the decline of Rome, with Malacca from the port of Cambay. It was  dominated by the enterprising Gujarati merchants. Textiles were key in such a pattern of intra Asian trade. Javanese and Malays, for instance, would not accept any other products apart from textiles in exchange for foodstuffs and spices. Burma (Myanmar) exchanged rice and silver from Pegu for the textiles traded by Indian merchants. Commercial links between South Asia and Southeast Asia were so strong that according to the Portuguese apothecary Tomé Pires, Malacca could not ‘live without Cambay, nor Cambay without Malacca’. 

Encounters with the Portuguese over control of sea routes  

The prosperity of the region attracted the Portuguese, who were looking for a sea route as the land route was dominated by the Ottoman empire. In pursuit of this goal, Vasco da Gama became the first European explorer to find a sea route to India albeit with the help & guidance of a Kutchi sailor Kanji Malam, who guided him from Malindi on the east coast of Africa to Kozhikode (Calicut) in 1498. The Portuguese wanted to establish direct trade routes to Asia and bypass the intermediate in the Middle East. Div with its natural harbour and strategic location therefore, quickly became a point of interest for the Portuguese. In 1509, the Portuguese and their allies defeated a combined fleet of Gujarat Sultan, the Mamlook Sultan of Egypt and solidified Portuguese dominance in the region. The Portuguese soon established a trade Monopoly, controlling the import and export of goods passing from the gulf of Cambay. They imposed taxes and tariffs benefiting from the lucrative spice trade that passed through the region.

The Portuguese position was further strengthened, when the last of the prominent independent Sultans of Gujarat Bahadur Shah sought their help against the Mughal emperor Humayun, who invaded Gujarat in 1534. He entered into the fateful treaty of Bassein (Vasai) with the Portuguese Viceroy, Nuno da Cunha under which, he transferred to the king of Portugal the fort & island of Bassein, the whole of Salsette the group of islands now forming Bombay besides smaller islands like Karanja, Elephanta and others. By the second Treaty of Bassein in October 1535, between the same two parties, the Portuguese were given permission to build a fortress at Div.  Humayun however had to leave Gujarat to meet the challenge to the Mughal throne by Sher Shah Suri. Now that Bahadur Shah was free from the threat from Emperor Humayun, he tried to retrieve Div. In the process however, he perished as he was drowned by the Portuguese in the harbour of Div. The subsequent independent sultans were generally weak and incompetent, and there was internecine warfare between the nobles, which attracted the attention of the Mughals.

The Decline of the Sultanate - Mughal rule in Gujarat

The decline of the independent sultans in Gujarat started with Humayun conquering Malwa from Bahadur Shah in 1535. Subsequently the Mughal emperor conquered Gujarat. Humayun was however forced to go east to tackle the rebellion by Sher Shah Suri. This enabled Bahadur Shah to reconquer Gujarat. 

It was finally left to Akbar to conquer Gujarat in 1573. So pleased was Akbar with the conquest of the prosperous province of Gujarat that he ordered the construction of Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575 to commemorate his victory. Akbar was known for his religious tolerance and administrative reforms. During the reign of Jahangir the British, who helped the Mughals to deal with the Portuguese were given permission to set up a factory at Surat, which had ominous consequences for the country.  He also gave land to Parsi religious heads at Navasari. The first edition of Jahangir Nama the emperor’s autobiography was published. During this period Shah Jahan was appointed as the subedar of the province.   During this period the shahi bag was constructed at Ahmedabad.     

This however, turned out to be a period of crisis for Jahangir, The origin of crisis which plunged the country into a civil war, was the complete estrangement of relations between, Shahjahan & Nurjahan, which had been excellent thus far, because of the latter’s designs to secure the throne for Jahangir's youngest son Shahriyar who had married Nurjahan’s daughter by her former husband. This scheme obviously clashed with the natural expectation of Shahjahan, who had hitherto been the emperor's favorite son and was regarded by all as the heir apparent.  Interestingly the rebellion failed, interalia as the Gujarat Diwan, remained loyal to the emperor and ensured that the state resources were not used by the rebellious prince.   The situation was however handled wisely and in due course Shah Jahan became the emperor of India.      

In 1645, Shah Jahan appointed Prince Aurangzeb then in his 27th year, to the responsible post of viceroy of Gujarat. The events that happened during his viceroyalty are of special interest as they show that even at this early stage his character manifested that religious intolerance and puritanical zeal, which subsequently led to events that embittered his life and paved the way for the decline of the empire. 

The conversion of the Jain temple of Chintamani at Saraspur into a mosque was one such event. The temple was subsequently restored to Seth Shanti Das Jawahari and the latter was put in possession so that he & his co-religionists could worship therein according to their creed. That Shah Jahan, who did not show his father’s or Akbar’s toleration for Hindu shrines should thus have so definitely reversed the action of his own son and made such complete restitution of the temple to the Jain magnate shows the personal influence of Shanti Das the Jeweler & the honour and respect in which, he was held at the royal court.  

In the war of succession Aurangzeb, 1654-58 initially collaborated with Prince Murad the subedar of Gujarat, and after a long drawn out fratricidal battle, took the throne of Delhi.  In due course Prince Murad was also executed by Aurangzeb, like his other brothers.  Aurangzeb was however, to soon alienate the powerful Rajputs by his unwise religious policies.  Towards the end of his reign 1701-07 the Marathas made inroads into Gujarat under Dhanaji Jadav and Balaji Viswanath. 

The Mughal rule in Gujarat finally came to an end in 1758, with the defeat of the Mughal viceroy Momin Khan by the Marathas. In turn the Marathas were overpowered by the English - read on the full details in the following pages.

This is work in progress – the readers critical observations would therefore be more than welcome!