HISTORY

Gujarat Police

PRINCELY STATES

Part 1:  Balasinore - Khambat

Part 2:  Limbdi - Wankaner

History

The State of Gujarat was founded by the Bombay Reorganization Act of 1 May 1960 by splitting up the state of Bombay.

In mediaeval times Gujarat was a sultanate. In the 16th century it was conquered by Akbar (1556-1605) Portugal was the first European power to arrive in Gujarat, acquiring several enclaves along the Gujarati coast, including Damman and Diu as well as Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The British East India Company established a factory in Surat in 1614, which formed their first base in India, but it was eclipsed by Bombay after the British acquired it from Portugal in 1668. The Company wrested control of much of Gujarat from the Marathas during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. Many local rulers, notably the Maratha Gaekwads of Baroda (Vadodara), made a separate peace with the British, and acknowledged British sovereignty in return for retaining local self-rule. Gujarat was placed under the political authority of the Bombay Presidency, with the exception of Baroda state, which had a direct relationship with the Governor-General of India. From 1818 to 1947, most of present-day Gujarat, including Kathiawar, Kutch, and northern and eastern Gujarat were divided into dozens of princely states, but several districts in central and southern Gujarat, namely Ahmedabad, Broach (Bharuch), Kaira, Panch Mahals, and Surat, were ruled directly by British officials.

In 1924 Kutch and most of the states of the Kathiawar peninsula were united into the Western India States Agency. In 1933 the Mahikantha-states were added in the north.

In 1937 Rewa Kantha, Surat, Kaira, Nasik en Thana joined Baroda and made up the Baroda and Gujarat States Agency. This Agency was added to the state of Bombay in July 1947.

After Indian independence and the partition of India in 1947, the new Indian government grouped the former princely states of Gujarat into three larger units; Saurashtra, which included the former princely states on the Kathiawar peninsula, Kutch, and Bombay state. In 1956, Bombay state was enlarged to include Kutch, Saurashtra, and parts of Hyderabad state and Madhya Pradesh in central India. The new state had a mostly Gujarati-speaking north and a Marathi-speaking south. Agitation by Marathi nationalists for their own state led to the split of Bombay state on linguistic lines; on 1 May 1960, it became the new states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The first capital of Gujarat was Ahmedabad; the capital was moved to Gandhinagar in 1970.

On publications the Government of Gujarat uses the emblem of India and its title below, all in balck and white.

Gujarat Police

Arms of the Gujarat Police

THE ARMS OF THE

FORMER PRINCELEY STATES

OF

GUJARAT

Part 1: Balasinore - Khambat

BALASINORE

Nawab Babi of....

Arms: Vert, on a bend Or between two garbs proper, three katars Gules.

Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Vert and Or, a crescent (Argent).

Supporters: Two pigeons proper.

Motto: Lenar Pasethi Lidhu.

(T.)

BANSDA

Maharawul of....

Arms: Or, three dexter hands appaumé Sable, ensigned with flames of the field within a bordure gules.

Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Or and Sable a Sara (Ibis leucocephalus - Ciconiidæ) proper.

Supporters: Two bears, ensigned on the shoulder with flames proper.

Motto: Wansheshwapi Chandra

(T.)

BHAVNAGAR

Photo: NN Internet

Thakur of ....

Arms: Murray, an eagle displayed Or, on a canton of the second a lion statant of the first.

Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Marry and Or, a sambuk Argent.

Supporters: Two bisons bezanté.

Motto: Manusya Yatna Isvara Krpá (Human Effort, God’s Grace).

(T. LW. J.)

CH’OTA UDEPUR

Raja of....

Arms: Or, a demi man affronté in flames holding a sword in dexter and bow in sinister hand, all proper, within a bordure Sable, charged with eight quatrefoils of the field.

Crest: On a helemt to the dexter lambrequined Or and Sable, rising out of a mural crown Sable, a dexter arm vested Or, holding in bend sinister a sword broken and imbued proper.

Supporters: Dragons.

Motto: memoria manet (The memory Remains)

(T.21)

DEVGAD BARIA

Raja of ...

Arms: Or, a demi man affronté in flames holding a sword in dexter, a bow in sinister hand all proper, within a bordure compony Sable and Argent.

Crest: On a helmet to the dexter lambrequined Or and Sable, rising out of a mural crown Sable a dexter arm vested Or holding in bend sinister a sword broken and imbrued proper.

Supporters: Dragons.

Motto: memoria manet (The Memory Remains)

 (T.8)

* The man in flames is without any doubt a Hindu-god which, however, usually has a sword (khadga) and a shield (khetaka) in his hands. The motto was later translated in Hindi: Smarane Vartate.

DHARAMPUR

Maharana of ...

Arms: Argent, on a pile Gules between two hands couped Sable a sun in splendour.

Crest: On a helmet tot the dexter, lambrequined Argent and Purpure, a demi lion rampant Gules.

Supporters: A panther on the dexter and a bear on the sinister.

Motto: Suryavamso Dharmaraksah (The Race of the Sun is the Protector of Heavenly Law).

(T. 30)

DHRANGADRA

Raj Saheb of ...

Arms: Murray, three canopied niches Or.

Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Murray and Or, a hand clenched proper, vested Or.

Supporters: Two bulls proper.

Motto: Anatha Vajrapanjaro Mama Bahuh (My Arm Protects the Defenceless)

(T. 32.)

Arms: Murray, three canopied niches Or, the field damasqued.

Crest: A five-pointed crown and a canopied niche surrounded by four axes.

Supporters: D. A lion guardant and S. An elephant

Motto: 1 Anatha Vajrapanjaro Mama Bahuh (My Arm Protects the Defenceless) in devanagiri. 2. Sri-Sakti-Prasadana Jayatu Sri-Rajah Sukhino Bhavatu Dhararyah (The Noble King be the Conqueror by the Favour of Sri Sakti, the Noble Dara be Happy) in Sanskrit and in gujarati script.

Compartment: A platform with three steps, before the lower step a holy cow couchant.

The achievement is embellished with fructed branches.

 (J.)

GONDAL

Thakur Saheb of....

Arms: A belt and sword with the word “Gondal” at the top.

Motto: Sajyam Cha Satyam (Ready and True).           

(Leithbridge)

IDAR

Maharaja Shri Sir Kesri Singh (1868-1901)

Maharaja of ...

Arms: Barry of six Gules and Argent, on a pale raguly Vert, a tower of the second, and a canton paly of five Tenné, Argent, Gules, Or and Vert.

Crest: On a helmet tot the dexter, lambrequined Gules and Argent, a falcon rising proper.

Supporters: Two Leopards Sable.

Motto: Ama Idario Gadha Jitya (We Conquered the Fortress of Idar).          

(T. 34)

A later version on the flag of Idar, preserved in the museum in the Citadel of Jodhpur shows:

Arms: Barry of five Tenné, Gules, Azure, Vert and Or, a sun in splendour Argent and Or, and a canton Or.

Crest: On a helmet affronté lambrequined (Gules and Argent?) a falcon rising proper.

Supporters: Two horses proper.

Badge: Two swords in saltire, placed beneath the shield.

Motto: The motto written in devanagiri in golden lettering on a blue ribbon.

(DV)

Idar State Emblem (as in 1884)

JAMBUGHODA

JUNAGADH

History

The Muslim-ruled Princely State of Junagadh ("Junagarh" or the "Old City") formerly was called Sorath.

It is situated in Saurashtra (also Soruth and Sorath) a region of western India, located on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is in the south of Kathiawar peninsula, so called after the Kathi Darbar rulers who ruled part of the region once.

The rulers of Junagadh bore the title of Nawab Saheb (Lord Governor).

On the Peninsula there is also the Kachchh region which occupies the north.During British rule, Junagadh and its neighbouring princely states were supervised by the Western India States Agency (WISA).

In 1947, Junagadh's Muslim ruler desired to accede his territory to Pakistan, but the predominantly Hindu population rebelled, and while he fled to Pakistan, a plebiscite was conducted as a result of which the kingdom was merged into the Indian Union.

After India's independence in 1947, 217 princely states of Kathiawar and Saurashtra, including the former kingdom of Junagadh, were grouped together to form the province of Saurashtra. The capital of Saurashtra was Rajkot. On November 1, 1956, Saurashtra was merged into Bombay State. In 1960 Bombay state was divided along linguistic lines into the new states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The territory of Saurashtra, including that of the former kingdom of Sorath or Junagadh is now part of the state of Gujarat.

Heraldry

A coat of arms was granted to Muhammed Mahabat Khanji II at the Durbar in Delhi of 1877. It is:

Nawab of...

Arms: Vert, three besants in fess between three hills 2 & 1 proper.

Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Vert and Or, a leopards face.

Supporters: Two lions rampant Argent.

Motto: Saurashtra      

(T. 40)

It is also on a tenné (orange) banner preserved in the state palace in Junagadh, the jewel of the Order of the Star of India added.

In the Palace there is also a standard consisting of a circular screen mounted on a pole, charged with a sun radiant. This may be the former emblem of the kingdom.

Banner of 1877 and standard of Junagadh in the State palace in Junagadh. [1]

After World War I, a badge for the kingdom seems to have been adopted. It is on the red ensign, adopted 2 August 1921, but only ratified in the thirties. In it some parts of the achievement of 1877 are rearranged.

The badge is parted per fess, in chief a lion couchant guardant lying before a castle on a mountainridge with a rising sun on the sinister, and in base a coast with three ships on the roads.

In the upper part we see the Girnar Mountains (1117 m) and the Fort of Junagadh.

This badge was also used for the emblem of the Nawab and the emblem of state  [2]:

The Nawabs’ emblem consisting of the badge within a bordure with the title of the ruler in arab and latin script, surrounded by a garland.

Emblem of the State of Junagadh, consisting of the badge surrounded by a garland.

Another emblem of Junagadh, dated 1940

Garland omitted but two flags added. For this flag two stripes of red and white and a green crescent-and-star seems probable.

Achievement of the Sultan of Junagadh, 1947

Arms: On a disc “Sva Junagadh Bhayat Babi Khan Shri Sultan Muhamad Khanji” in persian script.

Crest: A crescent-and-star.

Supporters: Two lions armed with swords.

Motto: The formula of the arms in gujarati and latin script.

This achievement was probably designed when Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III wanted to join Pakistan in 1947

KACHCHH

The state was consolidated in 1549, by Sri Maharao Khengarji, the head of the Jadejaclan. This clan had originally migrated from Sindh. The capital of the State was established at Bhuj.

The achievement of the Rao of Kachchh (formerly spelled Cutch or Kutch) following a description of the Diwan of Kutch from 1876 was:

Arms: Quarterly: 1. The field of an off-white color, a trident per pale and a sword and an axe in saltire proper; 2. A sambuk on waves of the sea, all proper; 3. A holy cow in a landscape, all proper; 4. A killed tiger (depicted is a lion) in a landscape with a red sky, all proper. Over all a palmtree proper.

Crest: On an iron helmet affronté, lambrequined Vert, the crown of Kachchh surmounted by a crescent Argent.

Supporters: Two horsemen, the sinister carrying a pennon Tenné, charged with a crescent and a sun in splendour (the “Jari Patha” flag), all proper.

Motto: courage and confidence in black lettering on a yellow ribbon.

Badges: a. In dexter chief of the achievement: a castle ensigned bhuj. b. In sinister chief of the achievement: An elephant passant proper, his saddlecloth and headgear Gules, fringed Or. On his back two men (sowaris), the hindmost carrying the “Mahi Muratab” or Goldfishbanner.

(L. [3])

For his design of the arms on the flag presented at the durbar of 1877, Taylor made a selection of some of the elements presented to him and so the arms were much simplified:

Rao of ...

Arms: Gules, over a sword and axe in saltire a banner Or, on a chief Azure an eastern galley (i.e. a sambuk) Argent.

Crest: On a helmet affronté, lambrequined Gules and Or, a castle ensigned bhuj.

Supporters: Horsemen mounted proper, the dexter armed with a sword, the sinister with a lance.

Motto: courage and confidence.

(T.54

A more recent drawing of the achievement however shows the version of 1876. (J.)

KHAMBAT

Nawab of....

Arms: Vert, two eastern galleys (i.e. sambuks) meeting below a tower Argent.

Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Vert and Argent, a portcullis Gules.

Supporters: Two angels proper.

Motto: Dar Babi Farhat (This is the Gate of Joy).

T.18)

The achievement of Khambat drawn by Mr. Harold Pereira. [4]