View source for Nawanagar State

{{Short description|Former princely state in Gujarat, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}

{{Infobox former country
| area_km2               = 9820
| official_languages     = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| government_type        = [[Monarchy]]|
| year_start             = 1540
| year_end               = 1947
| s1                     = India
| flag_s1                = Flag of India.svg
| event_end              = [[Independence of India]]
| established_date1      = 1540
| established_event1     = Battle of Mitoli
| leader_title1          = [[Jam Sahib]]
| religion               = [[Hinduism]] ({{small|[[Official religion|Official]]}})<br/>[[Islam]]<br/>[[Jainism]]<br/>[[Christianity]]
| map_caption            = Navanagar, part of Bombay Presidency, 1909
| image_map              = Bombay Prov north 1909.jpg
| image_coat             = Nawanagar State-coa.png
| image_flag             = Flag of the Nawanagar State.svg
| common_name            = Nawanagar
| conventional_long_name = State of Jamnagar
}}

'''Nawanagar''' was an Indian state and then a [[princely state]] in the historical [[Halar]] region, located on the southern shores of the [[Gulf of Kutch]]. It was ruled by the [[Jadeja|Jadeja Rajput]] dynasty and became a part of newly formed [[India]]. Its capital city was Nawanagar city, now known as [[Jamnagar]]. It had an area of {{convert|3791|sqmi|km2}} and a population estimated at 336,779 in 1901. Its rulers, who use the title of "[[Jam Saheb]]" are of the same clan as the [[Cutch State|Rao of Kutch]].<ref name="EB1911">{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Nawanagar |volume=19 |pages=317–318}}</ref> They were entitled to a 13-gun salute. The state flag was a rectangular red flag with a white elephant, near and facing the hoist. During the [[British Raj|British]], the state was part of the [[Kathiawar Agency]],  within the [[Gujarat Division]] of [[Bombay Presidency]].<ref name="EB1911" /><ref>{{cite book|title=[[The Imperial Gazetteer of India|The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 18]]|chapter-url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V18_425.gif|year=1909|publisher=Oxford [[Clarendon Press]], London|page=419|chapter=Nawanagar State|ref=Im|access-date=20 February 2021|archive-date=29 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129030253/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V18_425.gif|url-status=live}}</ref>

The state had a [[pearl]] fishery and much of its wealth came from this. Nawanagar is also famous for its late ruler Jam Saheb [[Ranjitsinhji]] (died 1933), who was a famous [[cricket]] player at Cambridge in England and represented [[England cricket team|England]] in Test cricket, before his accession to the throne. 

==History==
[[File:Ranjitsinh.jpeg|thumb|Picture of [[Ranjitsinhji]], celebrated cricketer and Maharaja of Nawanagar.]]Nawanagar was founded in 1540 by [[Jam Rawal|Jam Sri Rawalji]], a descendant of the [[Jadeja]] ruler of [[Cutch State|Kutch]], and was thereafter in an almost constant state of war with its neighbours and with the [[Mughal Empire]]. Two such major wars were the [[Battle of Mithoi]] and [[Battle of Bhuchar Mori]] fought in 1591. The "Walker Treaty of 1807" brought peace to the Kathiawar states for the first time in several generations. Nawanagar came under British protection on 22 February 1812.

K. S. [[Ranjitsinhji]] was one of the world's greatest cricket players and, later, became Jam Saheb in 1907 until 1933.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/407098/Sir-Ranjitsinhji-Vibhaji-Maharaja-Jam-Saheb-of-Nawanagar|title=Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji, Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawānagar|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}</ref> The inclusive  circle of eight players promoted excellence in cricket, both in the county and domestic games. After his death, [[Ranji Trophy]], a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, was started in 1934 by [[Board of Control for Cricket in India]] (BCCI).

Jam Saheb Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji remained the chancellor of the [[Chamber of Princes]] (1931–1933).  After his death, in 1933, he was succeeded by his nephew [[Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji|Jam Saheb Shri Sir Digvijaysinhji]], who  became its chancellor (1937–1944) and continued to promote the octet circle in excellence in cricket, academics and welfare. In 1942 the Maharaja set up a refugee camp for Polish children in [[Balachadi]].

Nawanagar was one of the first princely states to sign the [[Instrument of Accession]] in 1948 after [[Partition of India|Indian independence]]. Afterwards, the late ruler, Digvijaysinhji, served as the first [[Rajpramukh]] of Kathiawad, then represented his country at the [[United Nations]].

In 1949, the princely states of Nawanagar and [[Dhrol]], Jalia Dewani in Kathiawar merged into the new state of [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]]. On 19 June 1959, the boundaries of the district were enlarged by the inclusion of the adjoining [[Okha, India|Okha]] mandal, and the district was renamed [[Jamnagar]]. This district became part of the new state of [[Gujarat]] on the division of the [[State of Bombay]] on 1 May 1960.

[[Bhanji Dal Jadeja]] commanded Jam Sataji's force during the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] attack on [[Junagadh State]] and defeated the attack.

==Rulers (Jam Saheb)==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Regime
! Rulers
! Born
! Died
|-
| 1540 – 1562
| [[Jam Rawal|Rawalji Lakhaji]]
| 1480
| 1562
|-
| 1562 – 1569
| Vibhaji Rawalji
|
| 1569
|-
| 1569 – 1608
| Sataji Vibhaji
| 
| 1608
|-
| 1608 – 1624
| Jasaji Sataji
|
| 1624
|-
| 1624 – 1645
| Lakhaji Ajaji
| 
| 1645
|-
| 1645 – 1661
| Ranmalji Lakhaji
|
| 1661
|-
| 1661 – 1664
| Raisinhji Lakhaji
|
|
|-
| ''1664 – 1673''
| ''Interregnum''
|
|
|-
| 1673 – 1690
| Tamachi Rainsinhji
|
|
|-
| 2 October 1690 – 13 October 1708
| Lakhaji Tamachi
| 
| 1708
|-
| 13 October 1708 – 13 August 1711
| Raisinhji Lakhaji
| 
| 1711
|-
| 13 August 1711 – 1743
| Tamachi Raisinhji
| 
| 1743
|-
| September 1743 - 2 November 1767
| Lakhaji Tamachi
| 1743
| 1767
|-
| 2 November 1767 – 6 August 1814
| Jasaji Lakhaji
| 
| 1814
|-
| 6 August 1814 – 24 February 1820
| Sataji II Lakhaji
| 
| 1820
|-
| 24 February 1820 – 22 February 1852
| Ranmalji Sataji II
| 
| 1852
|-
| 22 February 1852 – 28 April 1895
| Vibhaji II Ranmalji
| 1827
| 1895
|-
| 28 April 1895 – 14 August 1906
| Jashwantsinhji Vibhaji II
| 1882
| 1906
|-
| 12 March 1907 – 2 April 1933
| [[Ranjitsinhji|Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II]]
| 1872
| 1933
|-
| 2 April 1933 – 15 August 1947
| [[Digvijaysinhji|Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji]]
| 1895
| 1966
|}

==Jewellery collection==
The Maharaja Jamsaheb of Nawanagar were also known for their jewellery collection; especially Ranjithsinhji, whose [[Emerald]] collection according to [[Jacques Cartier (jeweler)|Jacques Cartier]] was "unequaled in the world, if not in quantity, then certainly in quality". The collection included an emerald and pearl necklace, an art deco emerald and diamond necklace designed by Jacques Cartier and an Emerald collar or choker also designed by Jacques Cartier.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://internetstones.com/emerald-necklaces-of-the-maharajah-of-nawanagar/|title=Emerald Necklaces of the Maharajah of Nawanagar – Internetstones.COM}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Nadelhoffer|first=Hans |title=Cartier	|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xnKpjh1gkqgC&q=Jamsaheb+Ranjitsinhji+of+Jamnagar&pg=PA169|year=2007|publisher=Chronicle Books|isbn=978-0-8118-6099-4|page=169}}</ref>

The  61.5 carat (12.3 g) whisky-coloured diamond, "The Eye of the Tiger", was mounted by [[Cartier SA|Cartier]] in a turban [[aigrette]] for the ''[[JMaharaja]]'' or [[Maharaja]] of Nawanagar in 1934.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://royal-magazin.de/india/eye-of-the-tiger.htm|title=Eye of the Tiger Turban Ornament &#124; Famous Important Diamonds &#124;Aigrette des Maharadschas von Nawanagar|website=royal-magazin.de|access-date=29 June 2021|archive-date=28 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128170024/https://www.royal-magazin.de/india/eye-of-the-tiger.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Nawanagar cricket team]]
*[[Political integration of India]]
*[[Western India States Agency]]
*[[Jam Sahib]]
*[[Jamnagar & Dwarka Railway]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*{{Official website|http://www.nawanagar.com/}}

{{Princely states of India}}
{{Princely states of the Western India States Agency}}
{{Authority control}}{{coord|22.47|N|70.07|E|region:IN_type:landmark_source:kolossus-svwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Nawanagar State| ]]
[[Category:Saurashtra (region)]]
[[Category:Hindu states]]
[[Category:Princely states of Gujarat]]
[[Category:1540 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Rajput history]]
[[Category:Jadejas]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1540]]
[[Category:Rajput clans of Gujarat]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1948]]
[[Category:1948 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Gun salute princely states]]
[[Category:States under the Kathiawar Agency]]