Madhapar

Madhapar
City
Bhuj
Entrance Gate of Madhapar
Madhapar Location in Gujarat, India
Coordinates: 23°13′48″N69°42′39″E / 23.230127°N 69.710821°E / 23.230127; 69.710821
Country	India
State	Gujarat
District	Kutch district
Government
• Type	Municipal Corporation
• Body	Bhuj Municipal Corporation
Area
• Total	43.67 km2 (16.86 sq mi)
Elevation	105.156 m (345.00 ft)
Languages
• Official	Gujarati, Kutchi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	370020
Telephone code	2832
Vehicle registration	GJ-12

Madhapar is a village located in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is the richest village in India in terms of bank deposits. The village has around 20,000 households and 70,000,000,000 Indian rupee of bank deposits. ^[1]

Madhapar

Madhapar is named after Madha Kanji Solanki of KGK Community, who moved from Dhaneti village and laid foundation of Madhapar in 1473–1474 (VS 1529). ^{[2] [3]} This early Madhapar today is known as Junavaas (Old Residence). ^[3] The Patel Kanbi community moved into the village around 1576 AD (V.S. 1633). Navovaas (New Residence) was started in around 1857, by which time Madhapar had become congested and other communities like the Kanbis had also increased and prospered. ^[3]

Schools

The first government boys' school was started in 1884 by Cutch State. ^[3] The first girls' school in Madhapar opened in 1900, which was a private school built and donated by Bhimji Devji Rathod of village managed through non-profitable trust. ^[3] The first high school, Madhapar Saraswati Vidyalaya High School, was founded in 1968. ^[3]

Geology

There are two large lakes in Madhapar. One is called Jagasagar and was built by Mistri railway contractor Jagamal Bhima Rathod around the year 1900; it is named after him. ^{[3] [4]} His brother, Karasan Bhima Rathod also built an artificial lake with steps near the Suralbhit Temple, which today is known as Karasan Bhimjee's Pond. ^[4] The other is called Meghrajji Lake, named after Meghrajji, the last ruler of the Cutch State. ^[3]

Temples

Apart from Suralbhit Temple located atop hill in outskirt of village, the village houses Old Thakor Madir, Shiva Mandir and the Barla Temple were built around 1880–90 by Mistri Mandan Jiwani Chauhan, a Railway Contractor from the village. ^{[5] [6]} Temple belonging to Swaminarayan sect was built in 1949.

Virangana Smarak

On 28 August 2015, Government of India, inaugurated a memorial to commemorate a war memorial dedicated to 300 women of Madhapar village, who self-volunteered to re built the air strip for the Indian Air Force within 72 hours after it was destroyed in Pakistani air strikes during the 1971 war, thus making Indian Air Force to retaliate back and win war for India. ^{[7] [8]}

Gallery

• 
  "Virangna Smarak" A monument dedicated to the service of local women to Indian Air Force during 1971 Indo-Pakistan War
• 
  Kari Mori Lake
• 
  Banks at Madhapar
• 
  Street of Madhapar
• 
  Rogan art Artist from madhapar

References

1. "Thanks to NRIs, this is the richest village in India". NDTV. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
2. "The name of village Madhapar was given on the name of one Mr. Madha Kanji Solanki (3rd generation of Mr. Hemraj Hardas) who had shifted from Dhaneti village to Madhapar in the year 1473-74". Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
3. Mistri of Kutch, Madhapur History, Madhapar was founded by Madha Kanji Solanki, Suralbhit Temple Renovation, History of development of Madhapar over centuries, etc. in Patel community document
4. Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya Community : A brief History & Glory:by Raja Pawan Jethwa. (Kolkata, 2007). Section II: Mileage wise available Details of Railway lines laid.Pages:63 to 70
5. "સને 1881માં રેલ્વેમાં કામોમાં કમાણી કર્યા બાદ માધાપર ગામે માંડણભાઇ જીવાણીએ ઠાકર મંદિર અને શિવમંદિર, બારલા મંદિર બંધાવેલ". Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
6. "મંદિર પ્રકરણમાં ખોટા કેસ થાય તેવો મિસ્ત્રી સમાજને ભય Barla Mandir case - Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya / Mistri Samaj of Madhapar afraid of false implication". Divya Bhaskar. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
7. "War memorial for women who rebuilt airstrip for IAF in 1971 war". DeshGujarat. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
8. "કચ્છ : આ છે માધાપરની 'વિરાંગના,' 71ના પાકિસ્તાન સામેના યુદ્ઘ વખતે એરફોર્સની કરી હતી મદદ". gujarati.news18.com (in Gujarati). 14 August 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2025.