The region whose seamen and merchants have sailed for centuries in the oceans of the world, the region whose towns and villages treasures the legends of its warriors and saints, the regions whose beauty could only be capped by its black hills, is none other but Kachchh flanked by the Rann and by the Arabian Sea, in the northwest of the state of Gujarat. Discovery of several sites of the Indus Valley(Harappan) Civilisation have now firmly established that in the ancient times the eastern branch of the Indus emptied itself into the Rann, making Kachchh a kind of an extension of Sindh on the other side of a large freshwater lake that could be easily crossed. However, due to some seismic disturbance, sometimes in the eleventh or twelfth century, the main body of the Indus water began to move from the eastern to the western branch. As a result the freshwater lagoon dried up, and salt water began to seep into its place.
Nothing authentic is known about the period between the Indus Valley Civilization and the Bactrian rule which is referred to by Strabo (66 BC - 24 AD) who refers to Kachchh as Tejarashtra, with Tej or Tahij as its principal town. This period ended with Sakas' invasion, who set up Great Satraps in Malwa and Kathiawad. The great Rudradaman drove the Satavahansa from Gujarat and Kathiawad, and as his famous inscription of Girnar(150 AD) shows, extended his conquests through Kachchh into Sind. With the growth of the power of Magadh, Saka power declined and its rule ended in 395 AD with the victory of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya. The Chinese traveller Fa-hien who travelled in India between 399 and 414 AD has noted about the prosperity in various parts of the country, however, there is no specific reference to Kachchh in his accounts. This silence of the early Chinese traveller was to be broken more than two centuries later by yet another Chinese traveller Hiuen-tsang (399-414 AD). He refers to Koteshwar as lying on the western frontier of the country close to the river Indus and the great ocean, measuring five miles round and containing eight Buddhist convents'. He also refers to the glory of Maheshwar temple adorned with sculptures. In the intervening period Maitraka rule was established at Valabhi in Kathiawas which suppossedly ruled over Kachchh. This was the direct result of the weakening of Gupta authority. With the Arab conquest of Sindh the situation was to change dramatically. At about the same time the Chavda kingdom was rising at Patan in Gujarat. These Chavdas had to retreat westward before the advancing Vaghelas and settle in Kachchh. History now takes a definite turn. Having failed to established themselves firmly in Sind, Arabs permitted limited suzerainty to Samma rajputs whose descendents Mod and Manai were to establish themselves in Patgadh, near Gunthli. The great grandson of these Samma Rajputs was, the famous Lakho Fulani, the hero of numerous folklores of Kachchh. Born in 1920 AD he crossed the Rann to seek fortune at the court of the Chavda ruler of Patan. He won fame as a gallant soldier and astute politician. After the death of his father he returned to Kachchh. At this time Mulraj ascended the throne of Patan subverting the Chavda rule and started expanding his territories. His expansion was checked by Graharipu, Chudasama king of Junagadh who was joined in his battle with Mulraj by Lakho Fulani. The epic battle of Atkot is remembered for the courage and valour of Lakho, who ignored astrologers' advise to fall upon Mulraj, oblivious of his advancing age. Lakho died a death of a warrior and the eulogies of the battle echoes the words of Kachchhi bards that ages shall wear away, but this tale shall survive' - the tale of Lakho Fulani and his heroic fight in the Battle of Atkot.
Punarvo, Lakho fulani's nephew and heir, shifted the capital from Kera to Padhargadh. Punarvo's reign is known for the arrival of Jakhs. They were probably a shipwrecked group of Zoroastrians, seventy two men and one woman who are even today worshipped in Kachchh. As they were skilled in medicine they were liked by the villagers, however, Punarvo, his window hunted down all the Jakhs. There are temples commemorating Jakhs in some villages which keeps alive the memory of this wandering tribe that mysteriously appeared in Kachchh and met a tragic end. After the death of Punarvo there is an obscure period of more than a hundred years followed by the arrival of the brothers Lakho Lakhiar. Lakho was adopted in childhood by a childless Samma chieftain named Jada. Lakho therefore got the name Jadeja, the founder of the longest reigning dynasty of Kachchh. When the ancient kingdom of Anhilwad was destroyed by the generals of Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1298 AD, Gujarat became a province of the Sultanate of Delhi. Kachchh was not particularly disturbed as it must have paid tribute. Jadeja kings could therefore consolidate their kingdom. The most glorious chapter of the dynasty's rule was to commence with Rao Khengar who had fled to Ahmedabad to escape from the vengeful arm of his uncle Rawal in his childhood. The story of the escape of Khengar had been handed down at great length in Bardic tales. Briefly, Khengar could make his way to Ahmedabad with blessing of the Jain monk Manek Mirji who gave him a spear with which Khengar killed the attacking lion that had leapt up on the Sultan, during a hunting expedition. For this act of bravery Khengar was rewarded with some trained soldiers of the Sultan's army. With this small band he then embarked to recover Kachchh. After his victory he changed his capital to Bhuj, strengthened the fort and set up the monastery of Moti Poshal at whose head he appointed Manek Mirji as godji (a head of the monastic order). Rao Khengar ruled for seventy six long years and is regarded as a legendary figure in the Kachchh history. It was during the reign of Rao Bharmal I, son of Rao Khengar, that Jehangir visited Ahmedabad as Emperor. All the important feudatories assembled to pay their respect to the Emperor. The Rao brought a large retinue and splendid presents, as noted by Emperor Jehangir in his Memoirs - "A hundred of the highly valued Kachchhi horses, one hundred gold ashrafis, and two thousand rupees" Jehangir in turn presented Rao with Sarapai and conferred the right to strike his own coins- an extremely rare privelege - thus beginning Katchchhi Kori which continued in circulation till independence. A noteworthy incident during the intervening period is the asylum provided to Prince Dara Shikoh, the fugitive brother of Aurangzeb. The history is replete with incidents of Kachchh providing shelter to kings and saints alike. At times the asylum seekers have more than made good their host's support as in the case of the famous saint Shah Murad of Bokhara. He got exemption from tribute that Kachchh was required to pay to the Mughal Viceroys of Ahmedabad in return of the facilities that Kachchh was providing to the Haj pilgrims. Later history is marked by the rise of Devkaran Sheth as the Diwan during the reign of Maharao Desal. Sheth was a notable administrator who filled up the State coffers and laid the foundation of public services and infrastructure. However, he was killed by a jealous prince Lakho whose reign is remembered for great State activity, particularly due to the return of Ram Singh Malam who brought with him the European techiniques of foundry, ceramics, glass making and architecture. In the words of Professor Rushbrook Williams "the buildings of Ram Singh have a quality all their own which is a refreshing illustration of what the genius of India and craftsmanship of Europe can achieve." The Aina Mahal - Hall of Mirror - in the Old PAlace is the great masterpiece of Ram Singh. Yet another notable architecture is the chhatri designed by Ram Singh where lies buried the ashes of his patron and protector Maharao Lakho. The account of the period would be incomplete without reference to the reign of Prince God, Maharao Lakho's only legitimate son and his Diwan Punja Sheth. An astute diplomat and ruthless administrator Punja Sheth's overambitions was instrumental for the great misfortune that befell on Kachchh. When ditched by his patron, Diwan sought help from the State enemy, Ghulam shah Kalhora, the King of Sind. The invading forces of Ghulam Shah were met with the stubborn resistance at Jhara Hill with an ensuing battel known in the annals of history as the second battle of Jhara. Kachchhi historians claim that 100,000 perished atop the hills of Jhara. The victorious Ghulam Shah marched on Bhuj. But in the meanwhile, Punja Sheth was won over by the mother queen resulting in a stratagem which forced the invader to retire. In the early 19th century when British power became paramount the need arose to check the Kachchhi raiding across the Rann into Kathiawad. For the purpose the Company sent Lt. Col. MacMurdo who later on became Resident at Bhuj and Collector of Anjar. The accont which he presented to the Bombay Literary Society provides an interesting insight in this period of Kachchh history. Among the subsequent rulers, the reign of Maharao Pragmal is remembered for public works that he carried out. His son Maharao Khengar III who had a long reign from 1876 to 1942 finally bridged the gap between Kachchh of yesterday and Kachchh of today. |
