Godhra Explained

Godhra
Settlement Type:City
Nickname:Land of Cows
Pushpin Map:India Gujarat#India
Pushpin Label Position:right
Coordinates:22.7772°N 73.6203°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: India
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name1:Gujarat
Subdivision Name2:Panchmahal
Named For:Cows
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:20.16
Elevation M:73
Population Total:143,644
Population As Of:2011
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Languages
Demographics1 Title1:Spoken
Timezone1:IST
Utc Offset1:+5:30
Postal Code Type:PIN
Postal Code:389001
Area Code:02672
Area Code Type:Telephone code
Registration Plate:GJ-17
Blank1 Name Sec1:Sex ratio
Blank1 Info Sec1:935/1000 /
Demographics1 Title2:Official
Demographics1 Info2:Gujarati, Hindi, English and Urdu
Demographics1 Info1:Gujarati
Blank2 Name:Literacy rate
Blank2 Info:87.51 %

Godhra (Gujarati: ગોધરા) is a municipality in Panchmahal district in Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Panchmahal district. Originally the name came from gou which means "cow" and dhara- which have two meanings depending on how you pronounce the word: 'dharaa' means a feminine thing or person that "holds" something and it usually means"land", and the other pronunciation is 'dhaaraa' in which means "flow". However, the second pronunciation is not popular nor is usually associated with this word. Hence, 'Godhra or Godharaa' means the Land of the Cow.

Godhra is widely known in India and internationally for being the starting point of the 2002 Gujarat riots. Statewide religious riots between Hindus and Muslims began after the Godhra train burning incident near the Godhra railway station on 27 February 2002, where about 59 train passengers were burnt alive.[1] It was in Godhra that Vallabhbhai Patel first met Gandhi in 1917 and was subsequently drawn into the Indian freedom struggle.[2]

Godhra is a road and rail junction and a commercial centre for timber and agricultural produce. Industries include oilseed pressing, flour milling, and glass manufacture.

Godhra has a science, commerce, arts, law, ITI, engineering and medical colleges.

Etymology

The name Godhrā is derived from earlier Godrahaka, referring to a pond or lake where cattle or buffalo came (perhaps to bathe).[3]

As per local folklore, cows used to come here from Pavagadh for grazing.

Gujarati Historic Novel named Gujaratno Jay written by Zaverchand Meghani based on various Jain Prabandhas describes city as Godhpur(ગોધપુર).[4]

History

A bronze of Lord Rishabhanath from AD 975 was found at Akota which mentions Gohadra kula, i.e., the school of Jain monks at Gohadra.[5] The historical name of Godhra is "Godhrahk", which was established by Parmar king named Dhudhul Mandalik in A.D. 1415. Five hundred years ago, in the 15th century, the respectable Saint Shrimad Vallabhacharya in his morning ritual speech gave the example of his dream city. He explained how the city which was seen in the dream by her daughter was handed over by a Muslim resident to a Hindu family.

Demographics

As of the 2011 India census, Godhra had a population of 143,644. Males constitute 51.67% of the population and females 48.32%. Godhra has an average literacy rate of 87.51%, higher than the national average of 74.04%. Male literacy is 92.25%, and female literacy is 82.44%

India census,[6] Godhra had a population of 121,852. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Godhra has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy was 79.5%, and female literacy was 64.5%.

In 1901 the population was 20,915.[7]

Government and politics

Godhra city is governed by a municipality.[8] The city is divided into 12 wards for the purpose of administration, and each ward is represented by 3 councillors.[9] The city is also represented by an MP elected from the Panchmahal Lok Sabha constituency (erstwhile Godhra Lok sabha constituency), Ratansinh Rathore from the BJP,[10] and an MLA elected from the Godhra Assembly constituency, CK Raulji.[11]

I. I. Chundrigar, former Prime Minister of Pakistan was born in Godhra in 1897.

Religious violence

Several incidents of communal violence have taken place in Godhra before and after the independence of India. Notable acts of violence include:

Connectivity

Godhra is connected to all major towns of Gujarat by public transport service operated by GSRTC. And Godhra is a Railway Junction that connects Godhra with different parts of the state and nation.

India's biggest national highway Delhi-Mumbai expressway pass through godhra.

Culture

Religious importance

Landscape

Geographic and manmade features in the area include the Mesri River, Ramsagar Lake, Voharwad Masjid Tower, Polan Bazar, Methodist Church, Naheru Garden and, in the far east, Kanelav Lake.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: It was not a random attack on S-6 but kar sevaks were targeted, says judge . Manas. Dasgupta. 2011-03-06. 2016-10-27. The Hindu.
  2. Book: Gandhi. Rajmohan. Patel a Life. 1 January 2011. Navjivan trust. 978-8172291389.
  3. Book: Sankalia . Hasmukh Dhirajlal . Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia . Studies in the Historical and Cultural Geography and Ethnography of Gujarat . 1949 . Deccan College . Pune . 14 July 2023.
  4. Book: Meghani, Zaverchand. Gujaratno Jay. Gurjar Sahitya Bhavan. April 2011. 978-81-8461-481-7. Ahmdabad. 65.
  5. Akota Bronzes, Umakant P. Shah, 1959, p. 57-58.
  6. Web site: Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional). https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. 2004-06-16. 2008-11-01. Census Commission of India.
  7. Godhra . 12 . 173.
  8. Web site: Public Utilities Panchmahals, Gujarat, India India. 2020-09-17. en-US.
  9. Web site: Naqvi. Jawed. 2011-03-09. Godhra: fact and fiction. 2020-09-17. DAWN.COM. en.
  10. Web site: Panchmahal MP (Lok Sabha) Election Results 2019 Live: Candidate List, Constituency Map, Winner & Runner Up - Oneindia. 2020-09-17. www.oneindia.com. en.
  11. Web site: 2020-03-19. No intention to vote for Cong in RS polls: BJP MLA from Godhra. 2020-09-17. The Indian Express. en.
  12. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4370319 Engineer, Asghar Ali. “Communal Riots in Godhra: A Report.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 16, no. 41, 1981, pp. 1638–1640. JSTOR. Accessed 27 Feb. 2021.
  13. News: Communal holocaust simmers dangerously over Godhra town in Gujarat . 27 February 2021 . December 15, 1981. India Today.
  14. News: Curfew Eased in West India . 27 February 2021 . August 3, 1981 . New York Times.
  15. News: Gujarat election 2012: Deeply divided by religion, Godhra braces for second phase poll - Indian Express . 27 February 2021 . Indian Express . December 14, 2012.
  16. News: What is the 2002 Godhra train burning case? . 27 February 2021 . Indian Express . 9 October 2017 . en.
  17. Web site: The Godhra Trimandir. 2018-04-20.