Up Bhagavatsinhji

ગુજરાતી

Gondal: of the Royalty, for the subjects

Fulchhab     Rangadhanu – Jwalant Chhaayaa

The day was 9th of March. A balladeer would say that not just men, but even the trees wept. Full moon day of Falgun. Time to spark the Holi pyre, but that day, a cremation pyre was lit in Gondal. Gondal’s regent, a man valued in many a country – Sir Bhagavadsinhji had passed away. A man whose person  needed no descriptive prefixes, now had the word “late” before his name. It is true that when men of significance pass away, their legacy lives on after them. This is Gondal state, where Bhagavadsinhji’s memory will stay ever fresh. While he is no more, his legacy is alive and well.

Gondal is blessed by the saints of the Swaminarayan movement based at their HQ there, has the energy radiating from Nathabhai Joshi’s  presence and devotion. Gondal celebrates the words of it’s sons Makarand Dave, and Anil Joshi, Gondal’s  association with poet Dhumketu, as well as Jai Vasavada and Saairam Dave. Gondal is also home to Chetan Jethavaa – Amitabh Bachchan’s garaba trainer. Gondal and its famous ganthia, as well as Khadi centres. The palaces one sees in Bollywood movies are often Gondal palaces like the Navalakha palace which reminds one of famous palaces of Rajasthan, Gondal’s vintage car museum, river side palace, and lots and lots more.

Gondal has suddenly floated up from memories because the next regent of Gondal’s royal family has been coronated – even as there are no monarchies in India, the traditions and attachment  of the populace to Royal family hierarchies endures. This bond between the royalty and populace is specifically strong in Gondal because of the dedication of the Regents to education and progress of the populace. It was Gondal state who supported Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in his efforts to set up Shanti Niketan. They honoured Gandhiji and his principles as well. The Regent went beyond prominent individuals and created the magnum opus Bhagavadgomandal – the massive lexicon cum encyclopaedia to benefit Gujarati language. Hence, it is natural that a coronation ceremony in Gondal would be a celebration for the whole of Saurashtra.

Gondal was a level one state of the Jadeja dynasty. 175 villages across its 2650 square Km area supporting a 1971 population of 200,000 citizens. (Monarchy in states of the past was removed from Independent India in 1971). However the family coronation took place on 22nd January 2024. 26th January – a few days later – is also the birthday of “Kalapi” – a prominent Gujarati poet of 19th and 20eth century – who was in fact also the regent of the neighbouring state of Lathi. Even as Bhagavatsinhji’s patronage of literature is well known, Kalapi’s contribution to Gujarati literature is broadly acknowledged. Royals of Saurashtra have always supported the domain of literature. The newly coronated head of the Gondal royal family – Himanshusinhji – has consistently spoken about continuing the royal family’s support of progress of Gondal’s people. Himanshusinhji is the current inheritor of this royal lineage.

The very mention of Gondal conjures up memories of Bhagavatsinhji. He reigned for 60 years, and made Gondal a modern advanced state in the context of those times. It may be just a bit of an exaggeration to think of him as a god like king of Gondal. He, who shared the pain not only of citizens of Gondal who were in trouble, but that of the entire world. He who encouraged universal female education, and abolished untouchability from the state. He who saved the driver of a car that had crashed into his buggy by claiming that he himself was driving on the wrong side of the road. How would such a person not attract universal respect and affection of the populace? Opulence and indulgence had no place in Gondal state.

Bhagavatsinhji’s mother Moghibaa perused vedantic studies. He was sent off to Rajkot’s Rajkumar College for studies when he was 9, but he had already exhibited a sharp intellect and pervading curiosity long before this. He was attracted to books and pictures. He wanted to be a doctor. To that aim, he left the luxuries of home, and went off to Scotland in 1886, to study medicine. He was known as a dedicated student, and returned with a LLD degree in medicine. Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 1887 and Bhagavatsinhji had represented the various states of Saurashtra at that celebration. He had recorded his experience of travel in Europe in his travelogue penned in 1883. (Dates and chronology need verification).  While what he did for Gondal was precious, but his unforgetable contribution to knowledge would be hi 281,377 word lexicon, his Magnus opus: Bhagavadgomandal. Additionally, one would recall the longest bridge of Kathiawar spanning the Bhadar river between Patanvav and Upletta, underground power cables, Kathiawar’s first 106 miles long railway track from Dhasaa to Jaamjodhpur, a 1000 culverts, 12 bridges, and 360 miles of paved roads. That a regent can achieve so much, should inspire us to call him Gondal’s CEO.

Born 24th Oct. 1865 in Dhorajee, he inherited the throne of Gondal at the age of 12, on the demise of his father Sangramsinhji who was otherwise healthy but of a meditative mind-set. Coronation came when he reached 18, and ascended the throne, and kicked off a new age in Gondal. He set the standard for a good administrator, and an effective but impressive royal. Even the media and government of England showered praise and honours on him.

He sent all of his seven sons to England for higher education. A sovereign who thought of his subjects as his family, would hear their stories from noon to 1 pm daily, and the royal family would sit down for lunch together after that around 1:30 pm. Dinner would start only after receiving an “all is well” message from all the sub-divisions of the state.

He had many cars – some of them vintage models – but he used the buggy when he wanted to review his domains. He would ride with a glass of water in his hand, and if the water spilled, he would stop and would want to know why the road was not smooth enough, and get it fixed. He took a suitable amount from the treasury as his salary. He had travelled extensively along with his Queen Nandkunvarbaa, and picked up ideas about how to improve situations in Gondal to make it progressive.  

He had established tradecraft training centres, a Ferguson Hospital and Sangramsinhji school. These are just the quick lists of developments, but the full list is long. Quetta in present day Pakistan had experienced a major earthquake, and he had sent 1 crore (10 million) rupees for relief. A donation of Rupees 30 thousand to Rajkumar College, and scholarships in the education sector of Gondal. His contribution to Gandhiji’s campaigns topped a million rupees.

Bhagavatsinhji’s name and memories are now synonymous with Gondal. This coronation in Gondal’s royal family has come after almost 50 years. Obviously, the people of Gondal are excited and happy to keep the tradition and legacy of Gondal alive and well.