Issue 13 NOV.-DEC. 2009 VOL.3, NO.1 P a g e 1 patra AGCET LANGUAGE CLUB PRESENTATION Editorial ‘e-patra’ GUJARAT SPECIAL: make you aware of ef- English. At last Books enters into forts people are putting Buddy with a book on Vol.3 We are glad to share our forward to promote Gu- Gujarat and Gujaratis happiness of completion jarati language. In fact, along with regular sec- of 2nd year for online in modern era many lan- tion of useful websites: publication of ‘e-patra’. guages are dying slowly on Gujarat. With this 13th issue on and gradually with the GUJARAT, ‘e-patra’ en- So, ‘e-patra’-an online ters into Voume-3. magazine in English this time deals with Gujarat Our 1st year completion and Gujaratis. Being a issue Nov.-Dec.-2008 was Gujarati, let me take this a special issue on India. opportunity to share my Gujarati blogs with all Here you will find lot of of you. You may visit information about Guja- these two blogs of mine rat and Gujaratis. This passage of time. So this for my Gujarati poems. time we have also given kind of efforts by Chan- a list of some Gujarati daria Foundation is truly www.shabdatirath.blogspot.com websites and blogs. worth considering. Hats www.navigujaratikavita.blogspot.com off to Mr. Ratilal Chan- Hope you would find it interesting. daria. --NIKHIL JOSHI One thing here I would In this special issue, find INSIDE THIS like to highlight here is Gujarati poems by (Chief Editor, ‘e-patra’) I S S U E : the section on Gujarati Meerabai and Narsinh [email protected] Resources which can Maheta translated into Editorial 1 One Click...all about Gujarati Gujarat 2 www.kutchmitradaily.com www.kesudo.com www.gujarattimes.com www.antarnivani.wordpress.com www.gujaratsamachar.com/ www.aalekhan.wordpress.com Gujarati Resources 4 Www.bombaysamachar.com/new/ www.tahuko.com www.sandesh.com www.rankaar.com Beyond the Beaten www.akilanews.com www.webmehfil.com 6 Track www.divyabhaskar.co.in www.gujaratinews.co.uk Gujarat Special Books Buddy & www.sambhaav.com Click Station 12 Useful Websites e-patra Issue 13 NOV.-DEC. 2009 VOL.3, NO.1 P a g e 2 GUJARAT…..GUJARAT…..GUJARAT…..GUJARAT…..GUJARAT…..GUJARAT….. (information courtesy: www.gujaratonline.com) sity (1955) in Vallabh Vidyanagar, The factors such as policies of the Rul- and Saurashtra University (1967) ers, living style of people, the world- in Rajkot, Veer Narmad South Gu- wide influence on the Society,etc. are important for any Literature to flourish. jarat University in Surat and Guja- In Gujarat, due to the development of rat Technological University in Ah- trade and commerce, religious influ- ence of Jainism as well as Hinduism, medabad. and also due to the safety and encour- agement of the Rulers like Siddhraj, Agriculture: The leading crops are Solanki and Vaghela Rajputs, the Liter- ary activities were in full force from the rice, maize (corn), peanuts, cotton, 11th century. and tobacco. Among livestock Ancient Literature Gujarat , is one of India's most in- raised are buffalo and other cattle, dustrialized states, in western In- sheep, and goats. Salt, manganese, Early 11th Century dia, covering an area of 196,024 sq limestone, and bauxite are mined. Due to flourishing trade and commerce in Ahmedabad and Khambat (Cambay), km (75,685 sq mi). It has a fertile Petroleum production began in the entertainment activities started de- plain land in the south cut by sev- 1960, and an oil refinery is located veloping. Through the Jain Saints, Story-tellers, Puppet Shows, Bhavai eral rivers, low hills in the west, at Vadodra. (dramas), the Literature related activi- and broad mudflats in the north ties also began. This gave birth to An- that adjoin the Thar (Great Indian) Industries: One of India's most in- cient literature and the 11th century noted poet Hemchandra (1088-1172). Desert. dustrialized states, Gujarat main- Narsinh-Yug (period between 11th-14th tains a variety of industries, the century) The FIRST age began for Gujarati lan- Geographical: The climate of Gu- principal ones being general and guage and Literature. The literature is jarat is varied. The northwestern electrical engineering and the divided into many different part of the state is dry, with less manufacture of textiles, vegetable parts.Duha became popular for its beautiful way of encouraging the peo- than 500 mm (20 in) of rain a year. oils, chemicals, soda ash, and ce- ple through poetry. Fagukavya were In the more temperate central part ment. New industries include the created as a poetic descriptive way of something, be it rains, religion, or na- of the state, the annual rainfall is production of fertilizers and petro- ture. Vasantvilas (1452) is a classic more than 700 mm (28 in). In the chemicals. example of it. The prose such as Trib- southern part of Gujarat, rainfall huvan Prabandh were simply the phi- losophical way of expressions. A lot of averages 2000 mm (79 in) a year. Political: The state capital is Gan- stories came into existance by way of In the winter temperatures average dhinagar. The state has a single- folk-literature. Sadyavatscharit (1410) by Bhimdev is an interesting example. between 12° and 27° C (between chamber legislative assembly with Bhakti-Yug (15th-18th century) 54° and 81° F), although freezing 182 members. The state sends 37 This is the age when Jain and Hindu levels have been recorded in the members to the Indian national poets have given Literauture in abun- dence, to Gujarat. The prose and po- state. In the summer temperatures parliament: 11 to the Rajya etry created were mostly to encourage average between 25° and 43° C Sabha (Upper House) and 26 to religion and worship. The Gita, Ma- habharat, Vedas, Bhagvat were in- (77° and 109° F) and have been the Lok Sabha (Lower House). Lo- stantly popular and worship and offer- known to reach as high as 48° C cal government is based on 19 ad- ing love to God through this, stayed in (118° F). ministrative districts. the hearts of people for long. Narsinh Mehta's creations are considerd the best. With this there was also crea- People: The population was History: Signs of civilization in the tions of prayers (Mira), Jain history, etc. 41,309,582 at the 1991 census, giv- region that is now Gujarat date Jain Literature (15th century) ing it an average density of 211 back to the period from 3000 to In 15th century, Jain poets' creations persons per sq km (546 per sq mi). 1500 BC. The region was part of of stories, Updesh, history, philoso- phy, etc. are note-worthy. More than 70 percent of the popu- the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd lation is Hindu; there are also sig- century BC under King Asoka. In Modern Literature (19th century) nificant minorities of Muslims and 1818 the British East India Com- With the British Government and the Jains in Gujarat In 1991 more than pany took control of Gujarat ad- new technology of printing and press, 60 percent of the population was ministering the state through local there began the education of English language. The new age brought a lot of literate. princely rulers. With the independ- newspapers, magazines, etc. to spread ence of India in 1947, Gujarat be- the awareness in the Society. With this, the literature became much more Education: Gujarat has two offi- came part of the state of Bombay. and activities started in all fields rather cial languages: Gujarati, which is In 1960 Bombay state was split up, than just the ancient religious way of derived from Sanskrit, and Hindi. and Gujarat was formed from the poetry. The creations reflect to social welfare, criticism, plays, new age Several universities are located in northern and western portions, thinking, country-worship, the values Gujarat including Bhavnagar Uni- which were predominantly Gujarati of life,etc. versity (founded in 1978) in Bhav- -speaking areas. The remainder of nagar, Gujarat University (1950) in Bombay state became Maharashtra Ahmedabad, Sardar Patel Univer- state. e-patra Issue 13 NOV.-DEC. 2009 VOL.3, NO.1 P a g e 3 Gujarat History - Milestones: tion in India. The cities Mohenjo place to worship Krishna. Daro and Harappa were discovered 2500 BC. Harappans appeared in 1920s. This society spread from Jain: from Northern India to settle down, the present borders of Iran and Af- and established over a hundred ghanistan to Kashmir, Delhi, and The Jainism is widely followed in towns and cities. Gujarat, covering an area larger Gujarat since years. The oldest • 100 to 500 BC. Yadavas, than the Egyptian and Syrian do- temple is believed to be of Shank- Krishna's clan, held power over minions put together. It lasted until heshwar Parshwanath in North Gu- much of Gujarat, with their capital the heavy floods swept away the jarat. Taranga temples were built at Dwarka. towns and villages in Sind, during the Solanki period and they • 200 BC. Political history began Saurashtra, and South Gujarat. are better preserved than the tem- with the powerful Mauryan empire, Lothal, close to the Gulf of Cam- ples of Mount Abu, Girnar and established by Chandragupta with bay in South Gujarat, was a major Shatrunjay. Palitana, is India's prin- its capital at Junagadh, and reached port, and source of shells which the cipal Jain pilgrimage site, the tem- its peak under Ashoka. Harappans made into jewellery. ples dated 5th century. • 100 AD. Satraps, members of The work of Indus Valley artisans the Saka tribes, gained control over shows a high degree of craft spe- Muslim: Saurashtra.