Savarkundla

Savarkundla सावरकुंडला સાવરકુંડલા
Savarkundla Location in Gujarat, India
Coordinates: 21°20′13″N 71°18′36″E / 21.337°N 71.310°E / 21.337; 71.310Coordinates: 21°20′13″N 71°18′36″E / 21.337°N 71.310°E / 21.337; 71.310
Country	India
State	Gujarat
District	Amreli
Population (2001)
• Total	73,695
Languages
• Official	Gujarati, Hindi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	364515
Telephone code	02845
Vehicle registration	GJ-14
Website	www.savarkundla.com

Savarkundla (sometimes stylised as Savar Kundla) is a city and a municipality in Amreli district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is a twin city formed when the cities of Savar and Kundla merged.

Savar Kundla is also the name of a Tehsil in Amreli district. There are 84 villages in this tehsil, including Gadhakda, Ramgadh, Vijpadi, Vanda, Juna Savar, Bhuva, Badhada, Vijyanagar, Likhala, Mota Zinzuda, Nana Zinzuda, Vadal, Khadsali, Nesadi, Kanatalav, Oliya, Charkhadiya, Gordka, Bhokarva, Bhenkara, Navagam, Luvara, Dhajdi, Amrutvel and Jikiyali.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, Savarkundla had a population of 78,354. Males constituted 52% of the population and females 48%. 11% of the population was under 6 years of age.

Blacksmith (Luhar) is the largest community. This is due to iron industries like weighing scales and tools. Several other communities also abide there.

Geography

Savarkundla is situated on the southern Saurashtra plateau. It is an area of hilly terrain. Ground water table is very low. The water contains a high level of total dissolved solids along with excess levels of sodium and phosphate. The water extracted from bore-wells is hot. The Navli river flows from south to north during the monsoon season.

Economy

Savarkundla is known for producing weighing scales. One third of its total population is connected to this industry. It is the only manufacturer of mechanical weighing scales in India. It is emerging as an assembly hub for electronic weighing scales.

Savarkundla is active in agriculture, producing fruit such as Gwawa (Jamfal), and vegetables. Cotton and groundnut are the main crops. Rain is the main source of irrigation.

In 2009, a bio-waste power project was developed by Amreli Power Project Ltd. of 10 MWe capacity. Savarkundla has no GIDC.

Education

Savarkundla has a literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 60%.

Three educational institutions are affiliated to Saurashtra University:^[1]

• Shri V.D. Kannkiya Arts
• Shri M.R. Sanghvi Commerce College
• Smt. V.D. Ghelani Mahila Arts College

The city has the Industrial Training Institute Savarkundla^[2]

• Shree Badhada Kelvani Mandal Sanchalit,
• Shri K. K. Virani Institute of Pharmacy and Research Center
• Shree G.M. Bilakhiya Arts college, Vanda

Secondary schools include M.L Sheth English Medium School, St Thomas convent, V.D. Kannkia Arts and M.R. Sanghavi Commerce College, P H Banjara High School, J V Modi Highschool, S V Doshi Girls High School, Swaminarayan Gurukul Secondary and Higher Secondary School (Science -Gujarati Medium ) and K K High School.

Notables

Shri Morarji Desai, former Prime Minister of India attended the then Kundla school (now J V Modi High School). His father served in the same school as a teacher.

Culture

Darbargadh, a building in Savarkundla, is believed to be made by Jogidas Khuman, whose village, Ambardi, is 15 km from Savarkundla and is also known as 'Jogidas Khuman's Ambardi'. Multiple examples of cultural groups within Ambardi (e.g., Malani, Chodavadiya and Sabhaya).

Savarkundla is also famous for its herbal fireworks. On the night of Diwali, people from both Savar and Kundla gather on the riverfront and throw handmade fireworks, called "Ingoriya", to the opposite side. These fireworks are made by stuffing explosives inside the fruits of the Ingoriya tree. Traditionally, a fight between the two native cultural groups follows.^[3]

References