The Princely State of Gavridad, also known as Gauridad, was one of the renowned native states of India that was managed and supervised by a native prince under the guidance of the British authorities. The princely state was under the indirect control of the British Empire in India. The state was scattered over a total area of 27 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 2,115 in the year 1931. The taluka of Gavridad was situated in central Kathiawar and the territory consisted of 6 villages. The village of Gavridad was located around 5 miles towards the north of the Rajkot city. The Gavridad state consisted of 3 distinctive blocks of land, the larger 2 blocks were on the northern border of Rajkot and the smaller block was to the south, west of Gadhka and north of Mengni.
The Princely State of Gavridad was under the administrative control of the Baroda Agency, which was incorporated as a part of the Western India States Agency. Later the territory was merged with the state of Gujarat. The state was also a part of the Western Kathiawar Agency.
History of Princely State of Gavridad
The Jadeja Rajputs were the ruling family of Gavridad state. The taluka was a branch of the territory of Rajkot. The 2nd son of Thakor Meheramanji II, Modji, received Gavridad and 5 other villages in a grant or Jiwai during the latter half of the 17th century. The succession of the throne or gadi of the state was governed by the rule of male primogeniture, by which the first born or eldest child of the same parents inherited the entire estate of one or both parents, to the exclusion of all others. The native ruler of the princely state of Gavridad held the title of Thakor. He supervised the administration of the state and exercised limited civil and criminal jurisdiction.
The Thakor of the princely state of Gavridad exercised restricted civil and criminal jurisdiction. The native state paid annual tribute to the princely state of Junagadh. According to the Attachment Scheme of 1943, the princely state of Gavridad was attached to the princely state of Nawanagar
The last native ruler of the princely state of Gavridad, Thakore Saheb Ashoksinhji Laxmansinhji, who was the 7th of his line, acceded the princely state to the Dominion of India, also known as Union of India, after the country gained independence from the British Dominion in the year 1947. Later the region was incorporated as a part of the Indian state of Gujarat.
Rulers of Princely State of Gavridad
The chronology of the rulers of the princely state of Gavridad is discussed as follows-
* Thakore Saheb Modji Mehramanji
* Thakore Saheb Raghoji Modji
* Thakore Saheb Patoji Raghoji
* Thakore Saheb Modji Ii Patoji
* Thakore Saheb Meruji Modji
* Thakore Saheb Pratapsinhji Meruji
* Thakore Saheb Dipsinhji Pratapsinhji
* Thakore Saheb Bhawanisinhji Dipsinhji
* Thakore Saheb Laxmansinhji Bhawanisinhji
* Thakore Saheb Ashoksinhji Laxmansinhji
