Chanch is a coastal village inRajula Taluka ofAmreli district,Gujarat,India,Asia.It is a famous tourist spot too. It has a famousPort which is its identity.
Chanch is situated near the mouth of the Motapat creek, on a rock on the shore of theArabian Sea.[1]
The village probably derives its name frombeak shaped seacoast, literallyChanch in Gujarati.[2]
Chanch was formerly infamous for it pirates so much that Gujarati termChanchia became synonymous with pirate.[1][2]
It had a population of 130 in 1880s.[1] It has now population of around 13000 which lives in scattered houses in seven clusters.[3]
Fishery and labour in saltpans is major source of income. Pearls are found in the Chanch creek.[1][2][3]
The village has three primary schools.[3]
There was a famousBaobab tree at Chanch, about 100 feet in circumference at a height of four feet from the ground. It was at least 2000 years old, and possibly was planted by one of the old navigators to or from the African coast. The tree is not considered indigenous to India, though found in many places. Usually, however, it is found growing near the coast. There are two or three of these trees growing along the southern coast ofSaurashtra such as in Mahuva. It fell down in storm later.[1]
There is abungalow on seashore built byKrishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji ofBhavnagar State. The construction was started in 1945 and ended after 10 years at the cost of Rupees 20Lakh. It has 88 rooms.[4]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Kathiawar. Vol. VIII. Printed at the Government Central Press, Bombay. 1884. p. 403.
20°57′23″N71°30′24″E / 20.9565°N 71.5067°E /20.9565; 71.5067
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