Pakistan still continues to claim Junagadh as her “legal territory” before the United Nations, although Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, the last Dewan of the Princely State, requested the Government of India on 8th November 1947 to take over the administration of the State. He initiated negotiations on 7th November with Samaldas Gandhi, who headed the ArziHukumat (Provisional Government), to avoid bloodshed when the Nawab had already reached Karachi, the Capital of the newly created Pakistan Union. The situation of Kathiawar was explosive. Sir Bhutto took this decision with the unanimous approval of not only his State Council but also leaders of public opinion in the State, as noted by V P Menon in “Integration of the Indian States”.
Earlier Junagadh State, where Somnath temple, the glory of India, is situated, under the rule of the Nawab, Sir Mahabatkhan Rasulkhanji III, had taken the decision to accede to Pakistan, keeping Indian leadership in the dark, following the advice of Sir Bhutto, the father of late Pakistan Prime Minister and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and grandfather of late PM Benazir Bhutto. Just before the Partition, the Dewan of Junagadh was Abdul Kadar from Sindh who favoured the State’s accession to Indian Union. But due to heart attack, he went to US for treatment on May 30, 1947, and Sir Bhutto influenced the Nawab in favour of Pakistan.
Sir Mahabatkhanji III was the last ruler of the Babi dynasty. He rushed to Karachi by plane on October 17, 1947, with his Begums, 8 sons and 10 daughters, as well as two doctors – Dr Jhaverilal Umiyashankar Vasavda and Dr Dilsukhrai Vasavda – as well as a veterinary doctor Dr Kantilal B Vyas, leaving out one of his Begums in order to accommodate his darling dogs and jewellery.
Like Jinnah, the Nawab of Junagadh also wanted to return to India. He did convey his wish to the High Commissioner Sriprakash in Karachi, but neither Indian government nor Pakistan government took him seriously. He died on November 7, 1959, at the age of 59. After his demise, his son Dilawarkhanji became ‘the 10thNawab of Junagadh’. He was made the Governor of Sindh. He died in 1989. The next Nawab Jahangirkhanji, who could become the Federal Minister of Pakistan, continues to claim: “The people of Junagadh are eagerly awaiting the Nawab to take care of them…. Pakistan is incomplete without Junagadh, Manavadar and Kashmir.” Junagadh State has not formally withdrawn the complaint from the UN as was done in the case of Hyderabad, despite the neutral referendum in February 1948 favouring accession to India.
Junagadh is the land of AdiKavi (first among the poets) Narsinh Mehta of the 15th century whose Bhajan “Vaishnav Jan To” was the favourite of Mahatma Gandhi. Kutiana, which was under Junagadh State, was the native of the forefathers of Gandhiji. Though the Mahatma was busy with national and international affairs, he definitely had a special attachment. Maybe due to that, he pronounced: “Junagadh se Pakistan jana chahie.” (Pakistan must be kicked out from Junagadh.) The Ambanis of the Reliance Empire and Shahs of Mukand Iron hailed from Chorwad of Junagadh.
A premier State of Kathiawar, bounded almost entirely by other Indian States, except for the south and south-west where lies the Arabian Sea, the State had no contiguity with Pakistan by land; and the distance by sea was about 300 miles. More that 80% of the subjects were Hindus and without bothering to consult the people, the decision was taken, and the Governor General of Pakistan M A Jinnah gave assent on September 13, 1947, to the accession with effect from August 15, 1947. The State remained as the territory of Pakistan only for 85 days!
On November 13, 1947, Sardar Patel visited “freed” Junagadh and was given a rousing reception. The Deputy Prime Minister then visited the famous Somanath temple at Prabhas Patan and was moved to find the temple which had once been the glory of India, looking so dilapidated, neglected and forlorn, notes V P Menon. The Sardar declared that it was decided to reconstruct it so as to bring it back to its original splendor. PM Jawaharlal Nehru was keen to reconstruct it with government funding, but Gandhiji favoured it through public contribution by a public Trust headed by the Jam Saheb, the Maharaja of Navanagar (Jamnagar). The Somnath temple, the Shrine Eternal, is the first among the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. Somnath means “Lord of Soma”, an epithet of Shiva. The legendary temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times by Islamic invaders and Hindu kings, respectively. These days nearly 10 million people visit the gold-plated Somnath temple every year, says P K Laheri, the Trustee-Secretary of Shree Somnath Trust, headed by former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and even PM Narendra Modi is also a Trustee.
Next Column: Guru Nanak: The Founder of Self-respecting Sikhism.
(The writer is a Socio-political Historian. E-mail: [email protected])
BOX
Lesser known facts about the Nawab of Junagadh
Sir Mahabatkhanji III, known for his love for dogs, arranging their marriage ceremonies and sometimes declaring State mourning when his beloved dog died, earned a title of villain since under the influence of his Dewan, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, he consented for the accession to Pakistan. Having many Hindu officials in his government, he hardly discriminated his subjects on religious basis. The Nawab loved to improve the breeding stock of the local Kathiawari stallions and the Gir cows. He preferred to name the cows like Ganga, Godavari, Kapila, Janaki, etc., used to take Darshan of Gaumata before going to the Durbar (Royal Court). The Nawab used to address his favourite cows as “Maa” (Mother) and would never send any cow to slaughterhouse even if one did not give milk. There was a ban to sell cows to Muslims. He banned slaughter of cows in Prabhas Patan, notes Shanbhuprasad Harprasad Desai, IAS and a celebrated Historian, in “Junagadh ane Girnar”.
Though the Nawab was fond of hunting the lions in Gir forest, none was allowed to kill animals without obtaining his permission. Mahabatkhanji hardly took any interest in day-to-day administration of the State as it was left to the Dewan. He stopped the practice of dance and Muzaras in Durbar. He never smoked or drank liquor. The Nawab was deeply interested in dramas and had established his drama troupe in the Palace, where he also used to perform the role of even Meera reciting ‘Pag Ghugharu Bandh Meera Nachi re’, keeping it away from public eyes. Parimal Roopani has brought out some new facts about the Nawab in “Narsaiyanee Nagari Junagadh”.
The Nawab would declare a compulsory wage cut for all his employees if there was no rain or not satisfactory rain, which led to the failure of the crops. He even deferred the marriage of his Crown Prince Dilawarkhanji for a year vide an official order dated January 2, 1942, when there was famine in the State, and the World War II was on. He had invited Lord Curzon and Lord Linlithgow, Indian Viceroys, to visit his State. The Nawab would proudly display the Gir cows and the newly developed Kesar and other varieties of mangoes to his guests. The State had the honour to offer hospitality to great Hindu personalities like Swami Sahjananda, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi.
