Forts

Kanthkot Fort

Kanthkot is an old and isolated rocky hill which was the capital of Kathis 5 kilometers. Its ggwalls were made by massive blocks and repaired by smaller stones. After Kathis this fort was taken by the Chavdas. After the Chavdas, the solankis came and then the vaghelas.

In the favour of Mod's help, Dharam Vaghela gave not only the fort "Kanthkot" but also his daughter in marriage to mod's son Sad. Sad declared Kanthkot as his capital .Sad wanted to build a hill on Kanthkot but, he was touched the great local ascentic Kanthadnath. Finally, being angry he destroyed it. The son of Sad, but named the fort 'Kanthadurg'.

In 11th century, Bhimdev sought shelter from Mehmood Gazni at Kanthkot . In the end of the 16th century. Abdul fazal who is one of the chief of the Kutch forts had mentioned Kanthkot. In 1816 A.D. the British took a charge of Kanthkot.

There are two large deep wells and one damaged step well built of blocks of sand stone in the west of Kanthkot. There remain three temples on the hill which are: Kanthadnath, Jain temple for Mahavir and the temple of sun.

                                       
                     Roha Fort

 Roha Fort is situated about 50 kilometers for away from Bhuj. It covers almost an area of 16 acres and it is connected by main road. Its height is 500 feet from the ground level and 800 feet from the sea level.


Roha was the leading Jagir of Kutch which is also known as 'Roha Sumari Fort'. About 52 villages are under this fort Sahebji, the brother of Rao Khengarji-1 (1510 - 1585) set up the Roha village and died in the battle with Raysinhji Zala. Two big tanks were made by his successor jiyaji and a Fort was built by his son Thakore Naganji.


Maharao Deshaji honoured Thakore khengarji and gave him a close place in the Darbar of Bhuj. Thakore Kalapi who was lathi of Surendranager district married with his grand daughter Rajba. Kalapi was one of the famous poets.


120 princesses sought asylam with Abda( jagirdar of Abdasa ) who died in the battle with Allaudin Khilji. Consequently 120 princesses sacrificed their lives and took Samadhi here. Thakore Virensinhji sahib who is the present of Roha lives in Bhuj and he wants to develop the Roha hill as a tourist point.



                        Tera Fort

Tera Fort is situated about 85 kilometer in the west of Bhuj. It is in Abdasa Taluka. two lovers of Arts. Thakore Sumaraji and his wife Baisaba improved the condition of Durbargadh in1845. Tera Fort is situated on the banks of Tratara( three lacks Chattasar, Sumrasar and Chatasar ).


Maharao Deshalji Jadeja had two sons named Pragmalji and Gagubha. He loved Gagubha very much as he was the youngest son. Therefore, Maharao Deshalji made him the Ruler of Tera Jagir. there were 41 villages under this Jagir. So, it was one of the largest Jagir of Kutch.


There are Ramayana wall paintings on the walls of Tera Fort Elaborate curved and nice paintings are on the glass of the Jain Temple. There are some curved Jarukhas and Damaged chhatris, statues in Tera Fort. The main crafts of Tera are Bandhani ( tie and die ). Block printing, Mirror work and Jat's Embroidery.


Tera also has good wildlife like Chinkara, Blue Bull, Wild Boar, hyena, The Great Indian Bustered, Peacock, Block partridge etc. A very famous temple Pingleshwar with nice beach is about 35 kilometers far away from Tera.   

Kutch History

Kutch was formerly in independent state, founded in the late 13th century by a Samma Rajput named jada, from which name the Jadeja Rajputs derive their patronymic. The jadeja dynasty ruled not only Kutch but also much of neighbouring katheawar for several centuries until the independence of India in 1947. In 1815 Kutch become a British protectorate and ultimately a princely state whose local ruler acknowledged British sovereignty in return for local autonomy. Bhuj was the capital of princely state Kutch .One surviving relie of the princely era is beautiful Aina mahel, built in the 1760s at Bhuj for the Maharao of Kutch by Ram Singh Malam who had learnt glass, enamel and tile work from the Dutch. Along with that during that time period Kutch had its own currency while the rest of British India was using rupees. The Maharao also had built at his expense the Cutch state railway.

Upon the independence of India in 1947 , Kachchh acceded unto the dominion of India and was constituted an independent commissionerate.It was created a state within the union of India in 1950, On june 1, 1948, Chhotalal Khovshaldan Desai became its first cheif commissioner. He was succeded by Sambhajirao Appasaheb Ghatge in 1952. He was in office till october 31, 1956. On november 1,1956, Kuchchh was merged with Bombay state, which in 1960 was divided into the new linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharastra, with Kachchh becoming part of Gujarat state.

The Kutch district with 45662 km2, is the second largest district in India .The administrative headquarters is in Bhuj which is geographically in the centre of district, other main towns are Gandhidham,Raper,Nakhatrana,Anjar,Mandvi,Madhaper and Mundra. The district has 966 villages.

The district had a population of 1583225.Motor vehicales registered in Kutch district have their registration number Starting with GJ 12.

The languages spoken predominanily in Kuchchh is kuchchhi and to lesser extent has become extinct and it is occusionally written in the Gujarati script are available in Kachchh museum. Increased use of Gujarati language is mainly, because of being it a mediam of instruction in schools often Kachchi language in mistaken as dialect of Gujarati however this is not true kuchchhi language bears more similiarity with sindhi than Gujarati.