Bhavnagar

The Gohil Rajput of the Suryavanshi clan faced severe competition in Marwar. Around 1260 AD, they moved down to the Gujarat's coastal area and established three capitals: Sejakpur (now Ranpur), Umrala, and Sihor. Sejakpur was founded in 1194. In 1722–1723, the forces led by Khanthaji Kadani and Maratha Pilaji Gaekwad attempted to raid Sihor but were repelled by Maharajah Bhavsinhji Gohil. After the war, Bhavsinhji realized the reason for repeated attacks was the location of Sihor. In 1723, on auspicious day of vaishakh Shukla Tritiya also known as Akshay Tritiya he established a new capital near Vadva village, 20 km away from Sihor, and named it Bhavnagar after himself . It was a carefully chosen and strategic location because of its potential for maritime trade. Naturally, Bhavnagar became the capital of Bhavnagar State. In 1807, Bhavnagar State became a British protectorate. The erstwhile royal family of Bhavnagar continues to lead an active role in the public eye as well as in business (hotels, real estate, agriculture, and ship-breaking) and is held in high regard by the population both in the city as well as areas that comprised the former princely state of Bhavnagar. The city celebrated its 300th anniversary (tercentenary) in 2023. ==Geography==

Topography Bhavnagar is a coastal city on the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as Kathiawar, located at . Climate Like most of Gujarat, Bhavnagar has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSh), with sweltering, dry summers from March to mid-June, the hot and humid southwest monsoon from mid-June to October, and the very warm "winter" from November to February. There is essentially no rainfall outside the monsoon season, whilst during the monsoon the city receives around of rain on average, though variability is extreme as can be seen from annual totals as high as in 1970 but as little as in 1974. The semi-arid classification is due to the city's high evapotranspiration. The average temperature from November to February is around , with low humidity. {{cite web ==Demographics==

India census, Bhavnagar had a population of 593,768. Bhavnagar has an average literacy rate of 86%, higher than the national average of 74.04%; with male literacy of 91% and female literacy of 80%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Adult males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%.{{cite web ==City planning and architecture==

Multiple town planning schemes were designed and implemented under the guidance of the progressive rulers of Bhavnagar. During the reign of Sir Takhtsinhji, the British State Engineer Proctor Sims supervised the construction of Barton Library, Sir Takhtsinhji Hospital. It combines elements of Indian architecture with a modern outlook. • Barton Library (1895) is a two-storeyed building, appropriately designed for a road junction. It has two wings and a central tower, constructed in ashlar stone masonry, with Gothic arch windows and a sloping roof with Mangalore tiles. It is one of the oldest libraries of Gujarat and also houses a museum. • Town Hall (1932) was formerly a Darbar Hall, where the coronation of Sir Krishnakumarsinhji took place. It is an imposing structure in the colonial style, set in a well laid out garden. • Modern & Contemporary Architectural services is provided by various leading Architectural firm like SAGA whose work is diverse yet of unified character, not only functional, aesthetic and techno-savvy. Modern Bhavnagar comprises Takhteshvar Plots, Krishnanagar, Sardarnagar and surrounding area. During 1935–1937, Krishnanagar area was planned and developed by late Shri Virendrabhai C. Mehta, the official town planner for the State of Bhavnagar. In 1961, he extended his Krishnanagar plan towards Sardarnagar. In 1975, he created a master plan for Bhavnagar. A salient feature of town planning is to have gardens at the junction of roads. Gardens are located at Ghogha Circle, Mahila College Circle, Rupani Circle, Meghani Circle, Shivaji Circle, Sardarnagar Circle, Jewels Circle and Crescent Circle. The city of Bhavnagar was one of the earliest towns in Gujarat to have underground drainage, and also among the state's first cities to have a water filtration plant. ==Universities and colleges==

• Government Engineering College, Bhavnagar • Government Medical College, Bhavnagar • Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University • Samaldas Arts College (first college in Bhavnagar) • Shantilal Shah Engineering College • Smt. R.D. Gardi Bhavnagar Stree (affiliated to SNDT Women's University) Research and development Bhavnagar has a research and development centre known as Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI). ==Municipal Finance==

As per the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation reported a revenue of ₹361 crore (US$43 million) and an expenditure of ₹372 crore (US$45 million) in 2022–23. Taxes contributed to 37.4% of the revenue, while the remaining income came from non-tax sources such as grants and other municipal revenues. ==Transportation==

• Bhavnagar State Transport Bus stand • Bhavnagar Terminus railway station • Bhavnagar Para railway station • Bhavnagar Airport BHU (IATA) ==Port==

Bhavnagar port had trade links with Southeast Asia, Africa, Arabia and ports of Red Sea since the early 18th century. The old port Bhavnagar Harbar was built by the state of Bhavnagar, and hosted a light beacon since 1860. Bhavnagar port was later modernized in 1930 under the supervision of J. Johnston, then port officer of Bhavnagar state. Wharfs, warehouses, and railway transportation were added. A new port, south of the old port, was built and made operational in the 1950s due to heavy silting at the location of the old port. This port also had a lighthouse, which was damaged in the 2001 earthquake. ==Notable people==

Bhavnagar has produced many reformists, thinkers, socialists, poets, writers, artists, educationists, and independence activists. • Gijubhai Badheka – educationist and reformer • Nimuben Bambhaniya - Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India • Thakkar Bapa - social worker • Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji – last Ruler of Bhavnagar • Mulshankar Bhatt – an educationist • Nanabhai Bhatt – founder of Lok Bharti, educationist, creative writer, thinker • Nazir Dekhaiya – poet • Harvik Desai - Indian cricketer • Gangasati – a medieval Gujarati saint poet who wrote many devotional songs. The shrine of Gangasati and Panbai is situated on the riverbed of the Kalubhar river. • Devang Gandhi - Former Indian Cricketer • Parthiv Gohil – Bollywood & Gujarati film singer • Shaktisinh Gohil – Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, former minister of education, health, finance, Narmada, in Gujarat government • Sheldon Jackson – a first class cricketer of Saurashtra • Chirag Jani – cricketer of Saurashtra cricket team • Pankaj Joshi (physicist) - an Indian astrophysicist and cosmologist • Kavi Kant – a royal poet of Bhavnagar state • Apara Mehta – television actress • Asoka Mehta – (24 October 1911, Bhavnagar – 10 December 1984, New Delhi) Indian Freedom Fighter and Socialist Politician. • Balwantrai Mehta – second chief minister of Gujarat martyred in 1965. • Vaikunthbhai Mehta - a pioneer leader of Cooperative Movement in India • Asha Parekh – Bollywood film actress • Kishor Parekh - an Indian photojournalist • Daksha Pattani - Gujarati academic and author • Sir Prabhashanker Pattani - Secretary of King, Bhavnagar State • Takhtsijhji Gohil - Maharaja Of Bhavnagar. • Prahlad Parekh – poet • Ashok Chavda - Ashok Chavda, also known by his pen name Bedil, is a Gujarati poet, writer and critic. • Arvind Rathod - Film and Theatre actor • Ravishankar Raval – a painter, art teacher, art critic, journalist, and essayist • Somalal Shah – a painter • Bharti Shiyal - Former Member of parliament and former National Vice president of BJP • Gaurishankar Udayshankar, Chief minister-Regent of Bhavnagar 1870-1887 - for Takhtsinhji • Jitu Vaghani, Education Minister Government of Gujarat == See also ==