Ranpur
| Ranpur | |
|---|---|
| town | |
 Ranpur
Ranpur
|
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| Coordinates: 22°22′31″N 71°41′23″E / 22.375160°N 71.689810°ECoordinates: 22°22′31″N 71°41′23″E / 22.375160°N 71.689810°E | |
| Country |
 India
|
| State | Gujarat |
| District | Botad district |
| Population | |
| • Total | 16,944 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Gujarati, Hindi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 382245 |
| Vehicle registration | GJ - 33 |
| Nearest city | Dhandhuka, Limbdi, Botad, Surendranagar |
| Literacy | 81.3% |
| Website | gujaratindia |
Ranpur is a town located on the bank of the river Bhadar in Botad district, Gujarat, India. According to Census 2011, it has population of 16,944,.
Ranpur is said to have been founded, about the beginning of the fourteenth century, by Ranaji Gohil, a Rajput chieftain, the ancestor of the Bhavnagar State family. The forefathers of this Ranaji, who claimed descent from Shalivahan (79 A.D.) were, in the thirteenth century, driven by the Rathors from their seat in Khedgarh on the Luni River about ten miles from Balotra in Marwar. Retreating south under their chief Sejakji they took refuge with Raja Kalat, the Chudasma ruler of Junagadh. Raja Kalat treated the strangers with kindness, and calling it Sejakpur, settled Sejakji on the site of the present Ranpur in 1194. Ranaji, Sejakji's son, married the daughter of Dhan the Mair or Koli chief of Dhandhuka, and strengthening Sejakpur with a fort called it Ranpur. Mokhadaji Gohil, Ranaji's son, increased the power of his clan and carried their capital south to Piram Island and Ghogha. On the sea he became a noted pirate, and bringing down on himself the wrath of Muhammad bin Tughluq, was defeated and slain about 1347. Though the head of their clan was killed, the Gohels kept their hold on Ranpur.
More than a hundred years later another Ranaji ruling in Ranpur, by his Rajput pride and hate of Islam, enraged Mahmud Begada (1459-1511) and was defeated and slain, and his castle and town razed to the ground. Shortly after this Halaji and Lakhdarji, Ranaji's nephews and chiefs of Muli, befriending some Jat refugees, incurred the anger of the ruler of Sindh. Hearing of his advance against them, the brothers retired to the hills, but were pursued and defeated by the Sindh force, and Halaji carried off prisoner. Lakhdarji, by the help of Mahmud Begada, redeemed his brother. And he adopting the king's religion, Islam, was restored to Ranpur and founded the family of the present Ranpur Muslims. About the middle of the seventeenth century, Azam Khan the 23rd Viceroy (1635-1642) who ruled Ahmedabad, to overawe the Kathi freebooters raised (1610 - 1642) the castle of Shahpur whose ruins still ornament the town. About a hundred years later, during decay of Mughal Empire, the Wadhwan chief attacked Ranpur. Hard pressed the Muslim chief Alambhai applied for help to Damaji Gaekwad. Damaji came and saved Ranpur. But so high a sum did he claim for his services, that to pay it Alambhai had to part with his chief town and castle. Ranpur remained with the Gaekwad till, in 1802, it was made over to the British East India Company. The people were almost entirely cultivators, Sunni Bohoras, Kumbhars, and a few Sathvaras at that time. On the raised strip of land between Bhadar and Goma rivers, the European houses were built by Mr. Jackson, Collector of Ahmedabad, around 1830 which no longer exists.
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