Gondal, Gujarat

Gondal is a city and a municipality in Rajkot district in the Indian state Gujarat. Gondal state was one of the eight first class princely states of Kathiawar Agency during Bombay Presidency. The current population of town is around 200,000.

History

Gondal finds mention in texts like Ain-i-Akbari (written in the reign of Akbar) and Mirat-i-Ahmadi as Vaghela state in Sorath (Saurashtra). The Gondal state in Kathiawar Agency was founded in 1634 AD by Thakore Shri Kumbhoji I Meramanji from Jadeja dynasty, who received Ardoi and other villages from his father Meramanji. RoyalArk With his fourth descendant Kumbhoji IV, the State raised itself, by acquiring parganas of Doraji, Upleta, Sarai etc. The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1908. v. 12, p. 319

Later Sir Bhagwant Singhji who reigned from 1888 till his death in 1944, was its most noted ruler, known for his various tax reforms, compulsory education for women and also removing the purdah tradition for women at a time when the royal households of India were known for this tradition. TIME, Monday, Nov 24, 1930.

Moreover, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan ancestors belong to Paneli village in Gondal state.

The Gondal town lies on the banks of Gondali river and in 1901 it had a population of 19,592 and has a railway station on the branch line between Rajkot-Jetalsar on the Western Railway Line of...
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