Shetrunji River Explained

Shetrunji
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:India
Subdivision Type2:State
Subdivision Name2:Gujarat
Length:277km (172miles)
Discharge2 Location:Arabian Sea
Source1 Location:Gir Jungle, near Dalkahwa, Amreli, Gujarat
Mouth Location:Arabian Sea, India
Tributaries Left:Satali, Thebi, Gagario, Rajaval, Kharo
Tributaries Right:Shel, Khari, Talaji

Shetrunji River (alternate: Satrunji) is an eastward-flowing river in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, in western India.

Geography

It rises northeast of the Gir Hills, near Dhari in Amreli district. Its course begins east-northeast along a lineament which runs parallel to the Narmada Fault,[1] passes north of Palitana's hills, Shatrunjaya, then in a southeasterly direction past Talaja Hill, through a peninsula, before reaching the Gulf of Cambay, approximately north of Goapnath Point.[2] [3] It has two mouths, one situated approximately north of the point, and the other being an additional to the north.[4] Situated eastward of the river's mouth is Sultanpur Shoal.

Shetrunji's basin has a maximum length of . The total catchment area of the basin is .[5] Along with the Ghelo, Kalubhar, and the Vagad Rivers, the Shetrunji is a principal river of the district,[6] and the second largest river in the region of Saurashtra. The brackish stream, Gagadio, joins the Shetrunji about from Krankach.[7] Khodiyar Mata is an approximately waterfall near Dhari. The topography is a mix of hills and plains.

Features

The Palitana dam was built in 1959 across the river at Nani-Rajasthali and represents Shetrunji's irrigation scheme.[8] This scheme is meant to provide river water to a cultivation area of 56000- of land.[9] Shetrunji supplies drinking water to Bhavnagar.[10] A small port is located at Sultanpur.

Culture

Palitana is situated near the river, serving as the base town for the hills of Shatrunjaya upon which are the Palitana temples, an important place of worship for Jains.A group of Derasars are located at the banks of the river near to the Shatrunjaya hills.

A shrine of Khodiyar Mata is situated within the Shetrunji's lower reaches. Middle to Upper Palaeolithic sites have been found along the river.[11] Archaeological exploration along the river has noted 22 settlements which date circa 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. The sites included nine fishing villages, a mixed use fishing-agrarian village, a mixed use agrarian-salt-farming village, as well as a regional centre. Of these, Padri village dates to the Harappan period, while Hathab village was the largest in the lower river valley,[12]

References

21.3167°N 79°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bhattacharya, Anil Kumar. Proceedings of Indian Geological IVth Session Congress, Varanasi, 1982: a volume in honour of Prof. D.K. Chakravarti. 22 December 2012. 1985. Today & Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers. 978-81-7019-270-1. 187.
  2. Book: United States. Hydrographic Office. Publications, Issue 159. 22 December 2012. Public domain. 1920. 345–.
  3. Book: Chopra, Pran Nath. Encyclopaedia of India. 22 December 2012. 1992. Rima Publishing House. 105.
  4. Book: United States. Naval Oceanographic Office. Sailing directions for the west coast of India: Includes Ceylon and Maldive, and Laccadive Islands. 22 December 2012. 1976. 132.
  5. Web site: Shetrunji River. guj-nwrws.gujarat.gov.in, Government of Gujarat. 13 March 2012.
  6. Book: India. Director of Census Operations, Gujarat. Census of India, 2001: District Census Handbook. A & B. Village & town directory; Village panchayat & townwise primary census abstract 1-25 in 28 v.: [1] Ahmadabad (2 pts.)]. 22 December 2012. 2006. Controller of Publications. 10.
  7. Book: Gujarat (India). Gujarat State Gazetteers: Surat. 22 December 2012. 1972. Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, Gujarat State. 10, 619.
  8. Book: Jain. S. Sharad Kumar. Agarwal. Pushpendra K.. Singh. V. Vijay P.. Hydrology and Water Resources of India. 22 December 2012. 1 January 2007. Springer. 978-1-4020-5180-7. 750–.
  9. Book: State Transport Review. 22 December 2012. 10. 1959.
  10. Book: Mitra, Sudipta. Gir Forest and the Saga of the Asiatic Lion. 22 December 2012. 2005. Indus Publishing. 978-81-7387-183-2. 56–.
  11. Book: Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India. 26 December 2012. 2007. order of the Governor-General of India. 121.
  12. Book: Ray, Himanshu Prabha. The Archaeology of Seafaring in Ancient South Asia. 22 December 2012. 14 August 2003. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-01109-9. 47–.