Anjar is a town, township and municipality of the Kachchh district (Kutch)in the state of Gujarat, India. Founded in 650 AD, Anjar is a culturally diverse town of historic importance in the region. It is home to several historic religious temples, including the Jesal-Toral Shrines built in honour of a fourteenth century couple, whose lives inspired works of art and cinema. The town was devastated by several earthquakes, including the 1819 Rann of Kutch earthquake and 2001 Gujarat earthquake. In recent years, Anjar has become a hub of manufacturing activity.

History

thumb|Inscriptions of Anjar

The foundation and early history of the town is unclear, due to a lack of written evidence and documentation. Popular folklore suggests a group of settlers led by Ajay Pal Chauhan (also called Ajepal) – the brother of the king of neighbouring Ajmer – arrived in Anjar in 650 AD (Samvat 707).

There are two main stories about the origin of the name Anjar. The first story suggests the city was named after Ajepal, a famous historical warrior, as the area was originally known as "Ajay Vas." The second story believes the name comes from the phrase Ann-Bajar, which translates to "Grain Market." Because the region had plenty of water and good soil for farming, it became a popular place for trading grain (Ann). Over time, the name Ann-Bajar was shortened in the local language to become "Anjar."

Anjar was gifted to Fateh Muhammad in 1800, who extended the town's trading routes by establishing the Tuna Port. By 1901, the population of the town had increased to 18,014.

Since the earthquake of 1819, Anjar has endured several other major earthquakes. The town was the epicenter of the 1956 Anjar earthquake, which destroyed approximately 1,350 homes and killed around 115 people, injuring hundreds more. The 2001 Gujarat earthquake caused large scale devastation in Anjar. The earthquake resulted in the destruction of the entirety of the "old town" district. 143 people were killed in a single incident when the buildings on both sides of a narrow laneway collapsed on to students as they were celebrating Republic Day. Around 2,000 people died in Anjar as a result of the earthquake, and over 6,000 families were made homeless. According to official estimates, between 13,805 and 20,023 people died – and over 166,000 people were injured – in the Kutch region as a result of the earthquake. The region was drastically redeveloped following the 2001 earthquake.

Notable People

Farhan Memon is a poet and Lyricist who works in Bollywood and Gujarati Movies born in Anjar Kutch. He wrote lyrics for many hit songs including 'Rang Dariya' from movie CHEHRE Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi.

Demography

As of the 2011 Indian census, the total population of Anjar is almost 150,000, with a male—female ratio of approximately 90%: 78,000 male to 70,000 female.

Geography

thumb|Gate of Anjar

Anjar is located at and has an average elevation of . The land is mainly dry, arid flatland. In the late 19th century, the town was greatly dependent on well irrigation for its water supply, and was listed in the 1878 and 1911 editions of Encyclopedia Britannica as being only north of the Gulf of Kutch. However, the town is nearly away from the gulf, and is also south of the Great Rann of Kutch, a seasonal salt marshland.

Climate

Anjar is in a region classified on the Koppen-Geiger system as hot semi-arid climate, or BSh. There are three distinct seasons in Anjar: winter, summer, and the rainy season. The town can experience severe winters, which span from November to February with temperatures dropping as low as . Summer usually begins in March and lasts until July or August, with the town frequently experiencing strong heat waves. The monsoon season typically ranges from September to October, when the town experiences the majority of its yearly rainfall. On average, the region receives of rainfall per year.

Amba Mata's shrine and the adjoining monastery were built from the fragments of older temples; the large red-stone door over the gateway features carved drawings of Devi, indicating it may have originated from a Shakta temple. The adjoining monastery belongs to the Atits of Ajepal, with an inscription of 1842 on the door. Located outside the town walls, Ajepal's shrine is a small domed room featuring images of Ajepal on horseback and Ganesha (Ganpati).

Buildings

thumb|[[MacMurdo's Bungalow]]

MacMurdo's Bungalow is a state-protected monument due to the interior wall paintings depicting scenes associated with Krishna and Rama. However, the exterior of the building is now in a neglected condition.

Cuisine

Anjar cuisine is famous both in India and internationally. The local specialty is Dabeli, a masala-spiced mashed potato mixture served in a burger bun and garnished with pomegranate seeds or peanuts, and served with a variety of chutney. Farsan is another local delicacy. Anjar is also home to region-specific varieties of mango (Kesar Keri) and date palm fruit (Kharek). The region also produces a locally sourced form of buttermilk known as "Chhash".

Culture

thumb|Kalash Circle

The people of Anjar come from a wide variety of backgrounds. The three most populous religions are Hindu, Jain and Islam. Gujarati, Kutchi and Hindi are the most commonly spoken languages. Major festivals from multiple religions are celebrated in the town, including Hindola, Navaratri, Ram Navami, Sharad Purnima, Diwali, Holi, Eid al-Fitr and Ramadan.