Junagadh is a city, in Junagadh District, in the Indian state of Gujarat. The district of Junagadh is located on the Kathiawar peninsula in western Gujarat, with the city of Junagadh as its administrative headquarters. ... India is subdivided into twenty-eight states, six union territories and the National Capital Territory. ... Gujarat (Gu: , De: ; , IPA ; also spelled Gujrat and sometimes (incorrectly) Gujarath) contained many of the former Princely states of India, and is the most industrialized state in India after Maharashtra. ...

History

Junagadh is a former princely state of British India. In the independence and partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, the 565 princely states were given a choice of whether to join India or Pakistan. The nawab of Junagadh (a Muslim) decided that Junagadh should become part of Pakistan, which was just across the Arabian Sea. The unsettled conditions in Junagadh had led to a cessation of all trade with India and the food position became precarious. The region was in crisis and the Nawab was forced to flee to Karachi with his family and established a provisional government. Before leaving the Nawab had emptied the state treasury of its cash and securities. The Dewan of Junagadh, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, the father of the more famous Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, now decided to invite the Government of India to intervene. Bhutto wrote a letter to Mr.Buch, the Regional Commissioner of Saurashtra in the Government of India: A princely state is any state under the reign of a prince, both terms being taken in the broad sense. ... The British Raj is an informal term for the period of British rule of most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (previously known as Ceylon). ... Britains holdings on the Indian subcontinent were granted independence in 1947 and 1948, becoming four new independent states: India, Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and Pakistan (including East Pakistan, modern-day Bangladesh). ... A Nawab was originally the provincial governor or viceroy of a province or region of the Mughal empire. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... Map of the Arabian Sea. ... Karachi (كراچى) is the largest city in Pakistan and the capital of the province of Sindh. ... Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto was a well known feudal lord and politician hailing from Larkana in Sindh province of Pakistan. ... Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (January 5, 1928 - April 4, 1979) was a Pakistani politician who served as President, from 1971 to 1973, and as Prime Minister, from 1973 to 1977, of Pakistan. ... Saurashtra in between Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambat. ...

"Dear Mr. Buch,

After discussion with Mr. Samaldas Gandhi at Rajkot on October 1, Capt. Harvey Jones, senior member of Junagadh State Council, brought certain proposals for the consideration of the Council. The Council were prepared to accept them under protest but before a final decision could be communicated to Mr. Samaldas Gandhi it was thought necessary to ascertain the opinion of the leading members of the public.A meeting was therefore held this evening and the view of the leaders was unanimously expressed that instead of handing over the administration to the Indian Union through the so-called Provisional Government, it should be directly given over to the Indian Union, through the Regional Commissioner at Rajkot.

The Junagadh Government, therefore, has requested that in order to avoid bloodshed, hardship, loss of life and property and to preserve the dynasty, you should be approached to give your assistance to the administration particularly with a view to preserve law and order, which is threatened by aggressive elements from outside. This arrangement is sought pending an honourable settlement of the several issues involved in Junagadh's accession.We have already wired to His Excellency Lord Mountbatten, Mahatmaji, Prime and Deputy Prime Ministers of India, Hon'ble Abul Kalarn Azad and the Governor-General and Prime Minister of Pakistan.

I hope you will kindly respond to this request.

Yours sincerely,  :Sd/S.N.bhutto,

Dewan, Junagadh."

A plebiscite was held on 20 February 1948, in which only 91 voters out of 190,870 who voted (and an electorate of 201,457) voted to join Pakistan. India then assumed control over the entire state of Junagadh. An Azad Fauj, or liberation army, of 20,000 men with armored cars and other modern weapons entered Junagadh and the state was secured - the ruler had already left with his family for the safer pastures in Pakistan. Officially, the action was taken on the request of the Dewan of Junagadh, who feared disorder and chaos in the state. A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The Government of Pakistan protested, saying that since the accession of the state to Pakistan (September 5,1947), the Dewan had no authority to negotiate a settlement with India. Junagadh became a part of the Indian state of Saurashtra until November 1, 1956, when Saurashtra became part of Bombay state. Bombay state was split into the linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960. Saurashtra in between Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambat. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bombay state is a former state of India. ... Gujarat (Gu: , De: ; , IPA ; also spelled Gujrat and sometimes (incorrectly) Gujarath) contained many of the former Princely states of India, and is the most industrialized state in India after Maharashtra. ... Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्र in Devanagari) is Indias third largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

City

The city of Junagadh is located at the foot of the Girnar hills. Literally translated, its name means "Old Fort". Girnar, a scenic mountain range in Gujarat, India, rises to above 6000 meters, the highest peaks in Gujarat. ...

Places of Interest

In and around Junagadh :

• Uparkot Fort
• Damodar Kund
• Girnar
  • Sasan Gir Forest & Sanctuary
  • Girnar Temple
  • Tulsi Shyam Hot Spring
  • Ashoka's Rock edict
• Somnath Temple (Somnath)
• Chorwad Beach
• Ahmedpur - Mandvi beach

Girnar, a scenic mountain range in Gujarat, India, rises to above 6000 meters, the highest peaks in Gujarat. ... For other meanings, see Ashoka (disambiguation). ... The Somnath Temple in the Prabhas Kshetra in Saurashtra, on the western coast of Gujarat, India is one of the twelve Jyotirlings (golden lingas) symbols of the God Shiva. ...

Educational Institutes

• Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh[1]

sasan gir