Panchmahal District પંચમહાલ જિલ્લો |
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District | |
Location of district in Gujarat |
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Coordinates: 22°45′N 73°36′E / 22.750°N 73.600°ECoordinates: 22°45′N 73°36′E / 22.750°N 73.600°E | |
Country | India |
State | Gujarat |
Headquarters | Godhra |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 16,30,758 |
Languages | |
• Official | Gujarati, Hindi |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Vehicle registration | GJ |
Website | gujaratindia |
Panchmahal, also Panch Mahals, is a district in the eastern portion of Gujarat State western India. Panch-mahal means "five tehsils/talukas" (5 sub-divisions), and refers to the five sub-divisions that were transferred by the Maharaja Jivajirao Scindia of Gwalior State to the British: Godhra, Dahod, Halol, Kalol and Jhalod. The district had a population of 2,025,277 of which 12.51% were urban as of 2001. Headquarters: Godhra.
The district is located on eastern end of the state. It is bordered by Dahod District to the north-east & east, Vadodara District to the south (southeast and southwest also), Kheda District to the west and Sabarkantha District to the northwest. Banswara District of Rajasthan State also borders the district in the northeast.
The history of Panchmahals district revolves around the city of Champaner. Panch mahal is a Hindi or Gujarati word derived from Panch ("five") and Mahal ("palace"). It was established in the 7th century (647) in the territory of King Vanraj Chavda of Chavda dynasty. In the 13th century, Chauhans acquired the city from Muslim rulers under Alauddin Khilji. Their rule continued until 1484, when Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat captured the city. Thereafter Godhra became center of the district under the Mughal Empire (1575 to 1727).