About
Jamnagar:
Jamnagar is a city and a
municipal corporation in Jamnagar district in the Indian state
of Gujarat. The city was built up substantially by Maharaja
Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in the 1920s, when the district was
known as Nawanagar. The district lies just to the south of
the Gulf of Kutch.
Jamnagar has shot to prominence
as Reliance Industries, India's largest private company, established
the world's largest refinery near Moti Khavdi village.
It is also home to Essar Oil, another important oil refinery
of India.
History:
The founder of the princely
state of Jamnagar was the Jam Rawal, who descended on the
northern coast of Kathiawar in 1535 A.D. Jam Rawal's father
Jam Lakhaji ruled in Terabanu in Kutch. According to bardic
chronicles, Jam Lakhaji had two cousins Tamachi Deda and Hamirji
Jadeja, they envied his reputation for valor. Their envy was
heightened by the fame of Jam Lakhaji at the siege of Pawagadh.
So largely did he contribute to its capture by Bahadurshah,
the Emperor of Gujarat, that he was bestowed 12 villages by
him. As Jam Lakaji was going to take possession of his new
fief, he was treacherously killed by his cousins Tamachi Deda
and Hamirji Jadeja. Jam Lakhajis son Jam Rawal escaped and
on growing up, took vengeance of his fathers murder in the
same manner by killing Hamirji Jadeja. Hamirjis two sons Khengarji
and Sahibji fled to Delhi and after twelve months of waiting
to meet the Great Moghul Emperor Humayun, they got the chance
to join the crowd goingalong with the Emperor for lion hunting.
During the lion hunt, they got
the chance to kill the lion just when it was going to attack
the Emperor. As a reward, an army of 1,00,000 was sent with
them to regain back their kingdom. When Jam Rawal heard of
the two princes coming back to the Kutch with the imperial
army, he started getting ready for the battle. On one night,
Goddess Ashapura came in his dream and told him that as he
had broken the oath taken on her name about not killing Hamirji,
even though, he was the person responsible for the death of
his father. She should have punished him, but as he had at
all other times honored her. So he should no longer dwell
in Kutch but cross the sea and take Kathiawar as a dwelling
place.
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