BHAVNAGAR, Gujarat

Main Attraction: Nishkalank Mahadev Koliyak

Koliyak village is located at a distance of about 23 km to the east of Bhavnagar Taluka. A fair called Bhadarvi is held at Koliyak on ShravanVad 15 (Amavasya) in honour of Nishkalank Mahadev whose shrine is installed in the sea about 3 km. east of Koliyak and is attended by about 2000 people. The following temple story dates back to Mahabaratha era. Pandavas killed all the Kuravas and in order to find redemption for their sins, Pandavas met Lord Krishna. Krishna hands over a black Flag and a Black COW. 

He asks the Pandavas to follow it, when both Cow and flag turns white, they all will be pardoned. Krishna also advises them to do penance to lord Shiva, after that. The angst stricken brothers followed the cow and when they arrived at the Koliyak Beach, both cow and the flag color turned to white and then all the 5 brothers sat for deep penance, meditated on lord Shiva.

Lord Shiva impressed by the brothers showed up in lingam form to each brother. In total there were 5 (Swayumbu) lingams that showed up on their own. Lord Shiva here is known as Nishkalan Mahadev. It is said that Pandavas established Nishkalank or Nakalank Mahadev on a Amavasai of the Indian calendar month of Bhadarva.

Brief History

No specific information is available about the early political history of the district, but it seems that the imperial sway of the Mauryan Empire, the probable rule of the Indo-Greek kings like Menander and Apollodotus-II and the long reign of the western Ksatrapas extended to the whole of Saurashtra including this district.

The recent archaeological explorations and trail diggings have brought to light several Harappan sites in the district. Fragments of Harappan pottery have also been discovered at Vallabhipur.

An event recorded in the Jain tradition is associatd with Mahuva in this district. When Yaksadeva III who attained the status of Suri in Vira Samvat 585(i.e., Vikram year 115) was at Mahuva, the Mlechchhas plundered the city and took him capative along with 500 other monks of the creed. But a Mlechchha, who was originally a sravaka, got the Suri released and sent him to khatu. There he was offered eleven boys for diksa, so that the Jain church may survive. From Khatu the suri went to Ahada; where, too, he received some boys for diksa. This event is dated about V.S. 95 (38-39 A.D.)

The cave at Talaja belongs to two or three periods. The chaitra cave and the plain cells belong to pre-Christian period when Buddhist monks first came over to Gujarat (Circa 200 B.C.). The cells and halls which have Jain symbols and advanced types of pillar forms belong to the period of the later Ksatrapas (Circa 200-300 A.D.). Out of the thirty caves which are definitely Buddhistic, the Ebhal Mandapa is an eminent cave. In the façade there are large chaitya windows, with a large band of rail-pattern below them. The stupa in the chaitra cave has its capital attached to the roof.

The region represented by the modern Bhavnagar district rose to prominence when the Maitraka power was established at Valabhi (Vallabhipur) by Senapati Bhatarka, a Maitraka worshipper of Sun-God. The imperial power of the Gupta sovereign began to decline after the death of Skandagupta (467-68 A.D.). Senapati Bhatarka took advantage of the situation and established his own power in Saurashtra. But he abandoned the old capital at Girinagar (Junagadh) and made his choice for the city of Valabhi, which became the capital of the new dynasty (Circa 470 A.D.). He did not assume any royal titles formally but continued to style himself a Senapati.

In the early Christian Era, the famous Maitraka dynasty flourished from 5th to 8th century A.D. at Vallabhipur. Not only was the kingdom prosperous, but the capital was also a great seat of learning. It was an important centre of Buddhism, visited by the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsiang. After the fall of Vallabhi in the 8th century and subsequent destructions probably owing to earthquakes, the history of the region was not eventful till the rise of Gohil Rajputs in the latter half of the thirteenth century.

Gohil expelled from Ranpur in 1309 A.D. killed Koli Umo after whom Umrala was named. Their capital remained at Umrala till they conquered Sihor, which was then inhabited by Audichya Brahmins. As a result of a dispute among them, one of the sections called Visoji Gohil of Umrala came to their assistance. He defeated the other party and established his capital at Sihor in 1547.

Another branch of the Gohil rule established at Gariadhar later shifted its headquarters to Palitana and ruled there till the integration of Palitana State in Saurashtra State in 1948.

The district of Bhavnagar takes its name from the City of Bhavnagar, the former capital of Bhavnagar State and at present headquarters of the district on the formation of Saurashtra State, it was named Gohilwad district, as the most of the areas comprised therein formed part of what was prior to the independence of the country and after the advent of the British, designated it as Gohilwad prant. This particular region derived the title of Gohilwad as it was ruled by the various branches of Gohil Rajputs who came to Saurashtra from Rajasthan in the latter half of the 13th century, under their leader Jejakji Gohil. The principal branches of the Gohils which occupied this area were (1) Bhavnagar (2) Palitana (3) Vala and (4) Lathi. 

All these emerged as separate States, Bhavnagar being the largest and most progressive among them. This branch first established its capital at Umrala in 1309, shifted it to Sihor in 1547 and to the present site in 1723. Bhavnagar became a progressive State and new capital, the present city of Bhavnagar standing on the village site of Vadwa grew rapidly under its benevolent rulers and sagacious Diwans. Ghogha, once a famous port was under the rule of Rajput kings of Patan and Piram was then ruled by Baria Kolis who were conquered by Mokhadaji Gohil in 1325, but he was later on killed in a battle with Mohammed Taqhlaq, who marched from Delhi to put down his piracy at sea. Ghogha was later restored to the son of Mokhadaji but was brought under Muslim rule by 1505 A.D. and finally passed under the British in 1805. Formerly, a part of Ahmadabad district, it was included after Independence in Amreli district and finally in Bhavnagar district in 1959 after reorganization of districts.

Talaja, the taluka headquarters, it is said to be derived Talaja's name from Talav daitya or demon Taladhwaja. It is famous (i) as a birth place of the renowned Gujarati saint poet Narsinh Mehta, and (ii) for its Buddhist caves. Sartanpur, a minor port of Talaja. A battle was fought here during the regime of Sultan Ahmed II of Gujarat. Some palias (memorial stones) record the deaths of Koli Kanthad and Makwana Jajo, who fell fighting in the battle. Before 1948, the entire Saurashtra peninsula was politically fragmented into bewieldering conglomeration and administratively distributed into 222 States and Estates of various sizes and jurisdiction. The Government of Saurashtra was faced with the task of evolving a unified system of administration in place of the feudal set-up in vogue till then. The administration of the new State was organized on modern lines and the district was made the principal unit of administration. The district at that time consisted of the territories of the former princely States and Thanas of Bhavnagar, Palitana, Vala, Lathi, Raisankali, Jafrabad, Lakhapadar, Dedan and Songadh.

On the reorganization of States under the reorganization Act No. 37 of 1956, the State of Saurashtra of which the district of Gohilwad formed part was merged into the bigger bilingual state of Bombay, which came into existence from 1st November 1956. Large-scale territorial changes took place in 1959, when Amreli district was substantially enlarged by transferring a number of villages from the neighboring district, Bhavnagar or Gohilwad district in particular.

In November 1956, the states were organized under the reorganization of States and the bigger bilingual State of Bombay was formed with the inclusion of territories of Vidarbh, Marathawada, Saurashtra and Kachchh regions. The Bhavnagar district along with the other districts of Ahmadabad Division formed part of the biggest bilingual State.

The small princely states such viz Palitana, Vallabhipur and a few others are a part of the Bhavnagar district of the present day. Upon the behest of Shree Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, when the princely states were asked to get merged into the Union of India, the great king of Bhavnagar state, Shree Krishna Kamalsinghji, was the first king to hand over his kingdom to the Union of India.