24 to 27.qxp_A4 Temp 01/12/2014 18:21 Page 24
Kutchi Madu
A Tale of Venturesome People
T
Shyamji Krushna Varma
Kalyanji-Anandji
he history of the turtle-shaped Kutch and its people is literally grand and boastful. It is surrounded by the Gulf of Kutch and the Arabian Sea in the south and west, while northern and eastern parts are surrounded by the Great and Little Rann. Kutch district, at 45,652 square km is the second largest district in India after Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. The population of Kutch is 1700,000 and Bhuj is it’s administrative headquarter. The main towns are Gandhidham, Rapar, Nakhtrana, Anjar, Mandvi, Madhapar and Mundra with a total of 966 villages. It’s border with Pakistan lies along the Northern edge of Rann of Kutch, of the disputed Kori Creek. History says that the aboriginal people of Kutch migrated from across the neighbouring countries like Marvad, Sindh and Afghanistan. The castes and tribes of the people here include Lohana, Bhatia, Kapadi, Jadeja, Darbar, Kathi, Rajput, Leuva Patel, Brahmin, Nagar Brahmin, Khatri, Rabari, Rajgor, Shah, Bhanushali, Jain (Visha and Dasha Shreemali, Oshwal), Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya, Mistry, Kharva, Vankar, Ahir, Muslim (MemonIsmaili-Khoja). Gujarati and Kutchi languages are widely spoken here. Kutch witnessed some of the terrible tremors that had completely shaken this land. The unforgettable earthquakes in 1956 and 2001 still remind us of the massive loss in Bhuj, Nakhtrana, Anjar, Rapar and in many other villages. But there is no exaggeration in saying that this land, even after being severely hit; always stood up with a great jump
24
Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar - 2014
Azim Premji
Sanjay Lila Bhansali
start. And perhaps, this is the reason why venturesome well-built Kutchi people proclaim, ‘Asango Kutch, Kachhado Baremas (Kutchi always).’ The face of Kutch has drastically changed since 2001. It has had an immense kick-start in the fields of agriculture and industries. The prosperity of this land can be truly witnessed once crossing the Surajbari no pool. Kutch is, no doubt a mineral rich region with very large reserves of Bantonite, Bauxite, Limestone, Lignite, Gypsum, Petroleum oil and also a massive reserve of trees. That’s why industrial development can be seen here on a large scale. The big industrial groups like Tata, Adani, Welspun, Ashapura, Jindal Steel, J.P Cement and Sanchi Industries are actively operating here. Alongside, timber industries are also rapidly booming in Kutch. About 300 saw mills are active in the Gandhidham-Kandla complex. The salt industries have also been developed on a larger scale wherein about 45,000 Agariya (salt makers) from across 107 villages produce 180,000 tonnes of salt. Kutch has also witnessed many draughts due to the lack of rain and this is the reason why the Kutchi people, along with their livestock, had to migrate towards other parts of the state. But today, Kutch is completely transformed. Now, interestingly, Kutchi people produce large quantities of dates, palm cashew, coconut and kesar mangoes, that are also exported. Kutch has also given us coura-
www.abplgroup.com
geous freedom fighters like Shyamji Krushna Varma, assiduous Bhatia industrialists like Jeram Shivaji and Khimaji Ramdas, billionaire Azim Premji, well-renowned duo music composers Kalyanji-Anandji and not to mention one of the leading film directors Sanjay Lila Bhanshali. Alongside, a number of Kutchi Maadu (people) have given notable contribution towards the economy of Mumbai, South Africa, Muscat, Oman and the UK. Shyamji Krushna Varma was born at Mandvi in 1857. He was not only a freedom fighter but also was a renowned Sanskrit scholar. While pursuing his studies in Oxford University of London, he had formed the Indian Home Rule Society, India House and Indian Sociologist Group in London. In 1877, he was given the title of ‘Pandit’ from Kashi Vidyapeeth even though he didn’t belong to the Brahmin community. Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro Ltd, is one of the richest personalities. He was born in 1945 in Kutch and received a degree in electrical engineering. Today, his wealth is in the region of $17 billion and as a mark of respect, he was also conferred with the Padma Bhushan by the Indian Government in 2005. He also donated $2 billion for empowering education in India, which is really a matter of pride for every Kutchi. The historic land of Kutch has never lagged behind in the fields of music and literature. Famous Bollywood music composers Kalyanji-Anandji have their roots here. Both these brothers had a great inclination towards music since childhood. They headed to Mumbai in search of better luck and of course, the duo succeedded. They have given us great music to a range of songs and in a bid to honour their feat, the Indian Government awarded them with the Padam Bhushan as well. Sanjay Leela Bhanshali has always been famously known for his direction in films like ‘Hum dil de chuke sanam’ for showcasing Kutchi traditions, arts and culture. Due to his unique direction, he has become one of the most celebrated directors in Bollywood.