Junagadh City District Independence Day November 9 1947 Events Festival News Gujarat India

Junagadh City District Independence day November 9, 1947(Junagadh Aazad Din-Divas)

Junagadh celebrates its independence day by running a marathon.

While the rest of country celebrates its Independence Day on August 15, erstwhile princely state of Junagadh City District has a special day to commemorate the occasion for its own. Like every year, this year too, denizens celebrated Junagadh Independence Day with pomp and glory on November 9.

A special Run for Junagadh' marathon was organized this year to commemorate the Independence Day. Hundreds along with Junagadh City mayor Satish Captain, prominent citizens and school students ran with gusto on Monday.

Apart from Captain, Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) commissioner R M Sharma and deputy mayor Girish Kotecha also ran alongside the students of several schools. The event began with a puja ceremony at Vijay Stambh (victory mast) erected in the memory of Junagadh's independence on November 9, 1947.

Other programme included Swatchhata Abhiyaan (cleanliness drive) Rally', in which cadets from National Cadets Corps (NCC) and students of Sardar Patel Education Trust took part.

In the evening, JMC organized a grand fireworks programme at Bahauddin College. The event also marked felicitation of freedom fighters associated with Aarzi Hukumat' (temporary government). After Nawab Mohammad Mahabat Khanji III, king of Junagadh, chose to accede the state to on September 15, 1947, a group of Junagadh citizens formed Aarzi Hukumat under the leadership of Samaldas Gandhi to spearhead the freedom struggle.

Then Government of India called for a plebiscite, citing 80 per cent population being Hindu as the reason against Nawab's decision to accession. As part of the offensive launched against Nawab, the government suspended supplies of fuel and coal to Junagadh, snapped air and postal links, deployed army around the city and brought Mangrol Town and Babariawad, parts of Junagadh state, under its control.

Finally, succumbing to the military onslaught, Nawab along with his family fled to. The then Junagadh Court, in the wake of Nawab's fleeing, formally invited the Indian government to take control of the state's administration on November 9, 1947.

Junagadh City Navratri Garba Festival Events News Samachar Gujarat India

Garbis with Sidi sounds, folk dance a treat for spectators

Gharbo joya ghana ghar, maro nesh aner; ma aav ramva tu, tane parona karau anner... is one of the popular Kathiawadi dohas that garba revellers will be dancing to.

The age-old forgotten compositions and garbis written by poets like Dayaram and Kavi Narmad will be revived this year. City-based singers are busy researching and practising the novelty they promise to offer. Navratri is better known as the festival of dance rather than a festival of music. Not staying too far away in the race, singers are looking for innovation just like garba enthusiasts. A singer has even experimented with the beats taken from the African tribe residing in Junagadh, the Sidis, who have a peculiar music and dancing style.

Urmish Mehta, a city-based singer, said, "Revival of the garbas that were popular during the days of our grandmothers is not a cakewalk. I plan to perform that are very popular in Gir and tadpadi Kathiawadi doohasPorbandar region. I am also composing songs from old popular poetry." Inspired by bongo beats of the Sidis, Mehta has fused it into garbas this time.

Another popular city-based singer, Arun Rajguru, said, "Bollywood songs had become an in thing in the last few years. This year, I have picked garbas that were popular in Kathiawad, Saurashtra and Kutch. These are mostly songs praising Goddesses and invoking their blessings during the celebrations."

Sur-tal, a dance troupe that has been performing for last 15 years, sent one of its members to Kutch to learn their traditional dances - goff and panchiya - that are performed only by men. There are also rasado and ankhiya from Saurashtra. These dances are done with a lot of vigour, energy and action," said Darshit Shah.

"We are using Rabari and Kutchi props during performance. One of them with 10-feet-long curtains will have members of the troop dancing along with it. Other props used are kartal, dhaja, earthen pots and bamboo sticks, all in one performance," said Purvi Shah, founder of a group.

Junagadh City District Swine Flu News Samachar Gujarat India

Divine medicine for Swine Flu.

The swine flu scare has gripped the entire nation, and the people in Junagadh, too seem highly ‘concerned’ about it.

People are coming up with various kinds of ideas, from preventive measures to medication to other ways of fighting the virus. In one such concerned move on Saturday, students of the College of Agriculture Engineering and Technology organized a yagna on the Junagadh Agricultural University campus.

They offered aahuti invoking the ‘God of Fire’ to incinerate the swine flu virus to ashes! Some passers-by, who although didn’t seem interested in offering prayers to Agnidev, did wish that the students succeeded in their attempt.

They believe that the idea was not bad if the deadly virus could be controlled this way.

Junagadh City News Samachar - Wildlife Conservation Week at Sakkarbaug Zoo

The 146-year-old Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh is celebrating Wildlife Conservation Week from Sunday. As part of the celebrations, zoo authorities have come up with wild animal adoption and zoo friend schemes for locals.

No entry fee will be charged throughout the week. A cheetah photography competition will be held on August 22 and 23.

Zoo Director V J Rana said: “The wild animal adoption and zoo friend schemes are open for all. An individual, organisation, NGO and business house among others can adopt species like mammals, birds and reptiles.”

Under this scheme, the adopter has to bear the expenses of the adopted animal for at least a month. In return, the adopter will have the right to name the animal besides getting a certificate and free entry to the zoo, he added.

According to Rana, the zoo is home to over 1,100 wild animals and houses 83 species of mammals, birds and reptiles. It is the only zoo in the country to have two pairs of African Cheetah, which were brought here recently from Singapore. The zoo was established in 1863 by the erstwhile princely state of Junagadh.

Girnar Lili Parikrama Junagadh City Gujarat India

Girnar Lili Parikrama will start from November 9 & will finish at 13 November.

Around one million Hindus will participate in Girnar’s anual Lili Parikrama(Green pradakshina or circumambulation).

The 36-km parikrama will start from 9th of November and end on 13th. According to Gujarati Hindu calendar Parikrama starts from Kartik 11 to 15 every year.

Girnar (Junagadh- Saurastra) the tallest mountain of Gujarat is 6 km. from Junagadh City.

On an average, about 7 lakh devotees attend the function but as Gir forest has a lush green look after good monsoon this year, it may attract one million devotees.

In year 2003 Parikrama had attracted 1.2 million devotees.

According to popular belief, after winning the war at Kurukshetra, Pandavas had done the parikarma to seek God’s blessings.

As the stretch of the Parikrama passes through the forest, it is an adventurous trip for the youngsters. After the rainfall, the ponds and rivers are full of water adding to the scenic beauty of the forest and hills, so this year many more youngsters will participate in the Parikrama. Youngsters see it as solving a dual purpose. They complete a ritual as they enjoy the beauty of Gir forest.

Necessary arrangements have been made by Junagadh District Collectorate, police, forest department, health and water supplies department and other voluntary organisations to ensure smooth celebrations of the five-day Girnar Parikrama.

The Parikrama will commence from Girnar Taleti, night halt at Jinabava Madhi, and MarvellaBordevi and return to the starting point on the fifth day.

The forest department has put a ban on plastic bags and gutkha. Anyone found violating the ban will be fined, said forest department officials.Many voluntary organisations have also come forward to ensure uninterrupted water and food supply at regular intervals.

Medical camps have also been arranged by the health department at various points.

The forest department has finished patching up roads on the 36-km stretch. Some 7 km (1/5 of the total route) of the parikrama route is more or less damaged due to heavy rains in late monsoon this year. The ground has been leveled and cactus and other wild plants have been removed from the roads.

Narendra Modisir to visit Junagadh on Maha Shivaratri

Junagadh Girnar Taleti Bhavnath Temple:-

Narendra Modisir will become the first Gujarat chief minister to take part in the annual Maha Shivaratri fair held here at the Bhavnath Mahadev Temple at the foothills of Mount Girnar.

In Junagadh,This is most wonderful events at Shivaratri.

The five-day festival of Bhavnath began March 1 with the ‘dvaja’ ceremony (flag hoisting) atop the temple, situated seven kilometres from the city.

The “maha puja” of Lord Shiva takes place at midnight at the temple on the 14th day of the dark half of the month.

On Maha Shivaratri night, sadhus from different parts of the country move towards the fair holding flags and tridents and blowing conch shells.

A palanquin carrying a decorated idol of Lord Dattatreya precedes them. Once the procession ends, the Nagas take a dip at the Mrigi kund in the temple premises.

The Bhavnath Mahadev Temple is surrounded by many equally ancient and holy places, all of which snugly rest at the foothills of Girnar. Maha Shivaratri is one of the important annual fairs of Gujarat.