Khengarji I (1510–1585) was an Indian ruler belonging to Jadeja clan of Rajputs. He was the ruler of Morbi from 1538–1585 and later became ruler of kutch , assuming title of Rao of kutch, ruling unified kutch from 1548 to 1585.
22-684: Kutch Museum is a museum located opposite to the Hamirsar Lake in Bhuj , in the Kutch district of Gujarat , India. It is the oldest museum of Gujarat which was founded in 1877. It is located opposite Hamirsar Lake . The museum was earlier known as Fergusson Museum . Kutch museum was initially established as a part of the School of Arts established by Khengarji III , the Maharao of Cutch State . It
44-547: A lion and saved the life of Sultan Begada for which he was asked to name his reward. The prime ambition of Khengarji was to regain kutch and hence he asked for support to fight Jam Rawal, whereby, he was given 1000 soldiers and fiefdom of Morvi and given a title of Rao by the Sultan Mohamad Beghda in 1538. Rao Khengar now based at Morbi, with the support of army provided to him and well wishers within kutch fought with Jam Rawal and slowly started gaining
66-565: A prasad of ladoos called megh laddoos distributed to citizens. Recently, in August 2010, this historic tradition was once again en lived even though days of royalty have long gone, when the Bhuj municipal president held thanksgiving ceremony in the form of the traditional puja of the lake and offer megh laddoos to its residents at a community dinner. Records indicate that is only 18 times since independence that lake has overflowed. The lake
88-418: A large army was sent against him jointly by Mughals and Sultan Beghda to aid Khengarji. He set out for Saurashtra with his retinue, loyalist and soldiers faithful to him and established Nawanagar . Thus throne of kutch was left to Khengarji in 1548, who was its rightful heir. Khengarji I, thus expelling Jam Rawal, assumed the title of 1st Rao of kutch in 1548 and was crowned at Rapar but in 1549 he shifted
110-519: Is spread over an area of 11 ha (28 acres) and has a beautiful mid-lake garden just like Kankaria Lake of Ahmedabad . The island in centre of lake, which was earlier known as Green Island but has been renamed Rajendra Park, is maintained as a garden. Hamirsar Lake is where people go to swim, or sit under a tree and enjoy the water besides walking along the edge of the lake one can see Aina Mahal , Prag Mahal , Kutch Museum , Alfred High School and many temples, which are located on eastern edge of
132-436: Is the term used for all the descendants of the royal family who own and control their own domains allocated to them within the state and adhere to the feudal system. He established the port of Mandvi in 1580. In 1584, Mirza Ghazi Beg was born. He died at Bhuj in 1585, having had issue, including two sons - Bharmalji I and Bhojrajji Khengarji of whom Bharmalji, the elder succeeded him to throne of kutch. Bhojaraji became
154-535: The Italian Gothic style , is located on the bank of Hamirsar Lake just opposite to the Nazar Bagh Garden. It was designed by the state engineer - Mc Lelland and built by local builders known as Mistris of Kutch under supervision of State Gaidher - Jairam Ruda Gajdhar. The museum remained the preserve of the Maharao of Cutch, till 1948, who showed it only to his personal guests. In those days,
176-454: The earthquake of 2001 in Kutch , Hamirsar had lost much of its catchments, and ability to energize the acquifiers of Bhuj. However, after the earthquake, with a view to revive the traditional water system and to develop its catchment to meet the domestic water needs of population of Bhuj, awareness campaign mobilized the citizens, municipality, local press to do the bare minimum repairs to fill up
198-557: The 3rd century is also here. It also has an example of the extinct Kutchi script (now the Kutchi language is mostly written in the Gujarati script ) and a collection of coins, including the Koris - the local currency of Kutch till 1948. The museum has almost 11 sections. The archaeological section has Indus seals. Different kinds of stone tablets are available also. The painting showing
220-460: The aquifer, to fulfill the needs of Bhuj, which he had declared the capital of his kingdom in 1549. The embankment of Lake Hamrisar was made during reign of Pragmalji II and further improvements done during early part of reign of Khengarji III under supervision of state Gaidher , Jairam Ruda Gajdhar. The embankment work was done by local mason community - the Mistris of Kutch . Even before
242-532: The capital to Bhuj . Khengarji I, is also noted as he founded the united kutch State . He united Eastern Central & Western kutch into one dominion, which before him was ruled partially by other Rajput tribes like Chawdas , Vaghelas, Chauhans , Kathis apart from the Jadejas . Upon integration of kutch, in 1549, he shifted his capital to Bhuj , a city established by his father Rao Hamirji in 1510. Further, he expanded his territories beyond kutch and conquered
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#1732772836294264-714: The centre of Bhuj , the headquarters of Kutch district (Kachchh) in the Indian state of Gujarat . Hamirsar lake is a 450-year-old lake named after Jadeja ruler Rao Hamir (1472-1524), the founder of Bhuj . The lake was built during the reign of Rao Khengarji I (1548–1585), the founder of the Jadeja dynasty in Cutch , who named it after his father Rao Hamir. Rao Khengarji I chose this place as an oasis in saline and arid Kutch and, over several decades, developed canals and tunnels to bring water from three river systems and recharge
286-503: The different vocations of Kutch are on the display. There is also an excellent section which covers classical and musical instruments like Nagfani , Morchang and many others, which are put on the display of the museum. A section of the museum is devoted to tribal cultures, with many examples of ancient artifacts, folk arts and crafts and information about tribal peoples. The museum also has exhibits of embroidery, paintings, arms, musical instruments, sculpture and precious metalwork. Thus,
308-462: The lake in 2003. The lake became safe and sound before the monsoons of 2003 to impound water. Highest rainfall (22 inches) in the last 50 yrs of span was recorded in 2003 which overflowed the Hamirsar lake making it an occasion to celebrate. There is a tradition from the days when Kutch was a princely state and the puja was performed by the royalty, whenever lake overflowed due to rains and
330-523: The lake. Khengarji I Khengarji I was son of Jam Hamirji of Lakhiarviro ( kutch ), chief of one of branch of Jadeja and descendant of Othaji. It is believed that Jam Rawal attributed the murder of his father Jam Lakhaji to Hamirji, as he was killed within the territory of Lakhiarviro, where he had been invited on the pretense of resolving the dispute between the two branches. Jam Rawal, in revenge, treacherously killed his uncle Rao Hamirji in 1524 and ruled kutch for more than two decades. At
352-457: The museum broadly contains, a picture gallery, an anthropological section, an archeological section, textiles, weapons, musical instruments, a shipping section, and even stuffed animals. On the ground floor of the museum, in the center room, ‘ Airavat ’ is displayed. ‘Airavat’ is a carved, wooden, snow white Indian elephant with seven tusks. ‘Airavat’ was prepared in Mandvi in the 18th century, in
374-522: The museum was opened to the public only on important religious occasions. The museum has the largest existing collection of Kshatrapa inscriptions, dating to the 1st century. The oldest Kshatrapa six inscription-stones found in Andhau village in Khavda are moved here. They are originally on the hillock and called Lashti . They were erected in time of Rudradaman I . The only Gujarati Abhira inscription of
396-599: The territories of Rapar and nearby villages. As Khengarji was the rightful heir to the throne he was welcomed within kutch. On other hand, Jam Rawal, was finding himself squeezed in terms of manpower. He was ardent devotee of Ashapura the Kuldevi of Jadejas and folklore are that the Goddess indicated in a dream to Jam Rawal to leave Kutch and establish himself at Halar region and that she will support him in this venture. Jam Rawal, later escaped out of kutch in 1548, when
418-469: The territories of Santalpur and Chadchat near Palanpur and estate of Pandu Mehvas, which took away from Sarkhaji, the son of Lunaji Vaghela. He established Bhayyat system, thus integrating his clan and to accept him as their ruler. He gathered under him twelve Jadeja noble landowning families, who were related to him, as well as two noble families of the Waghela Rajput community. Bhayyat
440-558: The time of murder of Hamirji, his elder sons, Alioji and Khengarji both were in Ahmadabad and escaped the complete destruction of the royal family of senior branch. Further, the other two sons of Hamirji were saved from execution by the wife of Jam Rawal. Khengarji was 15 years old when his father was murdered.Hamirji's sister was wife of Mahmud Begada by her help He enlisted himself in to the army of Mahmud Begada and became his confidante. During one royal hunting party, Khengarji I killed
462-400: The worship of Tirthankar . The rest of its body is painted with flowers. The Indian Government issued a postal stamp in 1978, depicting this ‘Airavat’, under the postal series "Treasures of Museum". The oldest museum of Gujarat , Kutch Museum was also the first museum of India to become online virtual museum in 2010. Hamirsar Lake Hamirsar Lake is a man-made lake situated in
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#1732772836294484-563: Was founded on 1 July 1877. At the time of Maharao Khengarji III's marriage on 19 February 1884 many new items were received and for exhibition of which, a need for new building was necessitated. As such, on 14 November 1884, the foundation stone for the present museum building was laid by the Governor of Bombay, Sir James Fergusson and named Fergusson Museum after him by Maharao of Cutch. The building consisting of two floors which cost Rs. 32000 to construct at that time. The museum, constructed in
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