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Bharuch | |
|---|---|
City | |
 BAPS Sri Svaminarayana Mandiram, Bharuch | |
| Nicknames: Peanut City, City of Fertilizers, Chemical Capital of India | |
  Bharuch  Bharuch | |
| Coordinates:21°42′43″N72°59′35″E / 21.712°N 72.993°E /21.712; 72.993 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Gujarat |
| District | Bharuch |
| Established | 23/12/2022 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Bharuch Municipality |
| Area | |
• City | 43.80 km2 (16.91 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• City | 169,007 |
| • Density | 3,859/km2 (9,994/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 223,647 |
| Demonym | Bharuchi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 392001, 392002, 392010, 392011, 392012, 392015 |
| Telephone code | 02642 |
| Vehicle registration | GJ16 |
| Website | https://bharuch.gujarat.gov.in/ |
Bharuch (listenⓘ) is a city at the mouth of theNarmada River inGujarat in thewestern part of India.[1] Bharuch is the administrative headquarters ofBharuch District.
The city of Bharuch and its surroundings have been settled since times of antiquity. It was a ship building centre andsea port in thepre-compass coastal trading routes for trading with the Occident and the East, perhaps as far back as the days of earliest trade connections. The route made use of the regular and predictablemonsoon winds or relied ongalleys. Many goods from the Far East and Far West (the famedSpices andSilk trade) were shipped there during the annual monsoon winds, making it a terminus for several key land-seatrade routes. Bharuch was known to the Greeks, theParthian Empire, in theRoman Empire, the Chinese, and in other Western and Eastern centres of civilisation through the end of the EuropeanMiddle Ages and other the middle ages of the world.[2][3]
Bharuch has been the home to the Gujarati Bhargava Brahmana community for ages.[4] The community traces its lineage toBhrigu andParashurama, who is the sixth avatara ofVishnu.[5] The Bhargava community still administers a large number of public trusts in the city. However the present day Bhargava Brahmanas have migrated toMumbai,Surat,Vadodara,Ahmedabad and other countries such as France, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
Being close to one of the biggest industrial areas includingAnkleshvara GIDC, it is at times referred to as the chemical capital of India.[6] The city has chemical plants, textile mills, long staple cotton, dairy products and much more. Gujarat's biggest liquid cargo terminal is situated 50 km to the west of Bharuch, in Dahej.[7] It also houses many multinational companies, such asVideocon,BASF,ONGC Petro-Additions,Reliance Industries,Adani Ports & SEZ,Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers & Chemicals,MRF Tires,Yokohama Off-Highway Tires,Jubilant, Aditya BirlaHindalco Industries,Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited,ISGEC Hitachi,UPL (company),Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited,Deepak Nitrite,Torrent Pharmaceuticals,Petronet LNG,Godrej & Boyce,Piramal Group,Pidilite Industries,SRF Limited, Safari Equipments[8] andWelspun Maxsteel Ltd.[citation needed] The industrial estate of Vilayata houses the companies of Aditya BirlaGrasim,Kansai Nerolac Paints etc., Jhagadia houses DCM Sriram Chemicals,[9]Saint-Gobain India Ltd.,PepsiCo India Holdings Ltd. among others. Because of the distinctive colour of its soil (which is also ideal for cotton cultivation), Bharuch is sometimes referred to as 'Kanam Pradesham' (black-soil land).[10][citation needed] Bharuch is also nicknamed as 'Peanut City' for its salty peanuts, locally known as 'Khari Singh'.[11]
Bharuch was known as Bhrigukaccha (IAST:bhṛgukaccha) in Sanskrit. According to theMarkandeya Purana (5.3.181-182), the great seer Bhrigu received a boon from the godShiva and his consort, enabling him to create a greatTirtha (major pilgrimage site and centre of spiritual endeavour of sages). He founded it on the back of the giant turtle which is anavatar of the god Vishnu. The text uses the Sanskrit wordkacchapa denoting turtle. Hence, the splendid holy place was named after both the sage and the turtle: Bhrigu-kaccha.
Some sources also refer to it asBharukaccha.[12]
To the ancient Greeks, it was known as Barygaza (Ancient Greek:Βαρύγαζα)[13] (meaning "deep-treasure"), Bargosa,[14] and later the Romans adopted the Greek name of this port in Latin as Barigaza as the Latin name of this city.[a]
The name in modern Indian languages (Gujarati, Hindi) is Bharuch (IAST:bharūc). During the colonial era, it was spelled Broach.
During the Prarga–Maurya period in Gujarat, King Pradyota Mahavira of thePradyota dynasty of Ujjain ruled over Bharutkutchha in 550 BCE. He was a contemporary ofGautama Buddha. TheTheragatha, part of thePali Canon written down in Sri Lanka in the 1st century BCE, mentions Vaddha Thera and Malitavamba Thera of Bharukaccha, as contemporaries of theBuddha, while theTherigatha of the same canon mentions Vaddhamta Theri of Bharukaccha. The ancientSri Lankan chronicle, theDipavamsa, mentions that the legendary kingVijaya stopped at Bharutkutchha for three months in 500 BCE.[16]
Excavations near the banks of theNarmada River in Bharuch have revealed many archaeological and architectural wonders, mostly temples. Later Bharuch was part of theMauryan Empire (322 BCE–185 BCE), theWestern Satraps, theGuptas and theGurjara-Pratiharas.[17] It was known to the Greeks and Romans asBarygaza, and had a settlement of Greek and Roman traders.[18] As one southern terminus of theKamboja-Dvaravati Route, it is mentioned extensively as a major trading partner of the Roman and Greek worlds, in the 1st centuryPeriplus of the Erythraean Sea. One of thePeriploi describes numerous Greek buildings and fortifications in the area, although mistakenly attributing them to earlyGreeks who never reached this far south in the Indian Subcontinent, noting that they ruled only lands to the west of theIndo-Greeks controlled the western and northern regions, as well as the circulation of Indo-Greek coinage in the region:
According to historical accounts, the Pratihara Empire with the capital atBhinmal (or Srimal) was established by thePrathiharas. The kingdom of Bharuch was created by this empire.[clarification needed][17]
The Nawabs of Bharuch ruled this region of Gujarat, and in 1685, they came under thesuzerainty of theMaratha Empire, governed by thePeshwa.[20] In 1736, the Royal House of Bharuch became sovereign, ruling the region independently.[21] During this era, Bhaurch was known for its cotton production, which caused theEast India Company to set its eyes on the area.[22] In 1771, Bhaurch was attacked by the British and on 18 November 1772, it was placed underCompany rule in India.[22][23] The ruling family of Bhaurch was granted a hereditary pension by the British government.[24]
Bharuch is located at21°42′N72°58′E / 21.7°N 72.97°E /21.7; 72.97.[25] It has an average elevation of 15 metres (49 feet). Bharuch is a port city situated on the banks of theNarmada River. The damming of the Narmada led to the closure of the original port facilities, the nearest port is now inDahej. The Bharuch district is surrounded by Vadodara (North), Narmada (East) and Surat (South) districts. To the west is theGulf of Khambhat.
Bharuch has atropical savanna climate (underKöppen's Climate classification), moderated strongly by the Arabian Sea. The summer begins in early March and lasts until June. April and May are the hottest months, with average maximum temperature being 40 °C (104 °F).Monsoon begins in late June and the district receives about 800 millimetres (31 in) of rain by the end of September, with the average maximum being 32 °C (90 °F) during those months. October and November see the retreat of the monsoon and a brief return of high temperatures until late November. Winter starts in December and ends in late February, with average temperatures of around 23 °C (73 °F).
Heavy monsoon rain often brings flooding to the Narmada basin area. Baruch has witnessed major floods in the past, though flooding has been largely controlled since the damming of the Narmada.
Bharuch has always been prosperous because of its location on the Narmada River. Although water tends to be scarce in Gujarat, water availability in Bharuch has historically been reliable, allowing agriculture and related commercial activities to flourished. Bharuch is also a central stopping point for many villages surrounding its boundaries: people from smaller settlements often come to Bharuch for shopping or major purchases. In recent years, many retiring expatriates have returned to Bharuch and built new houses, giving the local economy a boost.
Traditionally, Bharuch has been the centre of the peanut-processing and marketing industry, with a well-established brand name across India.[26] Almost none of the peanuts are grown locally, but the best crops from neighbouring regions are brought here for processing. Bharuch is also the home of theBandhni method of clothing design and is well known for this traditional art form.
At present, this heavily industrialised area is renowned for its textile mills, chemical plants, long-staple cotton, dairy products, and more. Gujarat's biggest liquid cargo terminal is situated here. It also houses many reputed multinational companies such as Videocon, BASF, Reliance, Welspun Stahl, etc. Bharuch is a shopping centre noted for its salty peanuts. Because of the distinctive colour of its soil, which is ideal for cotton cultivation, Bharuch is sometimes referred to as 'Kanam Pradesh' (black-soil land).
Over the past 60 years, a major part of the population has moved to countries such as the UK, USA, the African nations, and parts of Europe.[27] This migration continues to boost the local economy, as people return for vacations and spend their earnings locally.
Bharuch was a majorseaport in the important pre-compasscoastal trading routes to points west, perhaps as far back as the days of the Pharaohs, which utilised the regular and predictablemonsoon winds orgalleys. Many goods from the Far East were trans-shipped here during the annual monsoon winds, making Bharuch a terminus for several key land-seatrade routes. Bharuch was known to the Greeks, thePersian Empires, theRoman Republic and Empire, and other Western centres of civilisation through the end of the EuropeanMiddle Ages.[2][3]
In the 1st century AD, Bharuch port has been mentioned as Barigaza. Bharuch, then a prosperous and powerful port, remained an important part of Gujarat until the 16th century. Arab traders entered Gujarat via Bharuch. British, Dutch ("Valandas"), and others recognised Bharuch's importance and established premises and local staff here. At the end of the 17th century, the city was plundered twice, but resurged quickly, giving rise to the proverb, "Bhangyu Bhangyu Toye Bharuch".
As a trading depot, the limitations of coastal shipping made Bharuch a regular terminus alongside several mixed trade routes of the famed spice and silk trade between East and West.
TheNarmada River's inland access to central and northern India, combined with Bharuch's sheltered position on theGulf of Khambhat during an era of coastal sea travel, allowed the city to grew and prosper as a transshipment centre and shipbuilding port. Until modern times,water transport was the most effective means of moving goods, and Bharuch offered sheltered waters in an era without weather forecasting or compasses, when navigating was limited to coastal routes. The east–west course of the Narmada gave access to inland empires at its upper reaches, including caravan routes to theGanges valley and the plains ofDelhi.
Between 1500 and 1700, Bharuch was a majortextile-manufacturing hub. The city was famous for itsbafta, a textile valued in the West and Southeast Asian markets. Bafta cloth was among the leading textile products exported to Europe and other parts of the world.[28]
Modern Bharuch is one of the most heavily industrialised areas, not only in Gujarat but in India as a whole, with many large chemical plants producingfertilisers,paints,dyes, cotton, textiles, and dairy products.
Bharuch also has Gujarat's biggest liquidcargo terminal. A very large fertiliser and chemical company,GNFC Ltd., has been located inNarmadanagar (a suburb of Bharuch) since 1976.
Large Indian and multinational companies, such as the Torrent Group,PepsiCo International, Guardian Corporation, Hitachi, Heubach Colors, Zydus Cadila, Cadila Health Care, Survival Technologies,Videocon,China Light and Power,BASF,Reliance,Tata Group,Aditya Birla Group, Welspun Stahl,Aventis, Gulbrandsen Technologies,Wockhardt,Rallis,Pfizer,Ciba, L&T,Bayer,Glenmark, UPL,Lupin, J B Chemicals, Gujarat Fluorochemicals,NTPC,ONGC,GAIL, OPaL SOlvay, Breeze Intermediates For Flavor & Fragrance Intermediates, Alliance Tyre Group, Fireminich, Astra Specialty Compounds, Dahej and GPEC, have set up manufacturing units in and around Bharuch andAnkleshwar.
Petronet LNG Ltd, one of the fastest-growing companies in the Indian energy sector, has established the country's first LNG receiving and regasification terminal at Dahej. Dahej is now considered one of the fastest-growing industrial areas, with companies such as ONGC, GNFC, Alliance Tyre Group, ABG Shipyard, First carbon, Indofil, Birla copper, Adani, Reliance.[29]
As of the 2011 India census,[30] Bharuch had a population of 148,391. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Bharuch has an average literacy rate of 97.06%, much higher than the national average of 74%, with male literacy at 98.5% and female literacy at 95.5%. About 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
As Bharuch is a renownedtirtha, also known as Bhrigu Tirtha in many of theHinduPuranas, it hosts a large number oftemples along the riverside. There are also a number ofmosques in the city, many of them built during the medieval era, and the most famous is theJamia Masjid Bharuch, built in 1644 during reign ofShah Jahan.[31]
Mythological figures related to Bharuch includeBhrigu Rishi,Shukra,Chyavana,Chandra,Dattatreya,Durvasa,Vamana,Mahabali,Jamadagni andParshurama, and the first mystic who self-immolated himself in Athens,Zarmanochegas. Notable historical figures include KingNahapana.
Notable people from recent times include:
Broacha andBharucha are common surnames among Parsis andDawoodi Bohras originally from Bharuch.
Broach was conquered by the Mahrattas in 1685, from which time the Nawabs of Broach continued to hold their territories as subordinates of the Peshwa.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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