Bagasara

Origin and Foundation of Bagasara

Bagasara, situated in the Kathiawar peninsula of Gujarat, was a prominent princely state ruled by the Wala (or Vala) clan of the Kathis. The Vala Kathis established their dominance over the region during the medieval period. The foundation of the Bagasara branch of the Wala dynasty is traditionally traced back to Vala Mancha Bhaiya of Devgam, who along with his followers acquired the town in the early 16^th century. Under his descendants, Bagasara grew into a flourishing center of trade and regional political influence.

The Wala Dynasty and Customary Rule

The rulers of Bagasara belonged to the Jetani branch of the Vala Kathis. A unique feature of the Kathi rulers was their adherence to the customary law of inheritance known as Bhagvand, which dictated the equal division of the state's territory and revenues among all male heirs. While this system prevented the concentration of absolute power in a single ruler, it led to the fragmentation of the state into several small holdings or estates, whose chiefs were collectively known as the shareholders (Bhagtdars) of Bagasara. Despite this internal division, the town of Bagasara remained the shared capital and administrative nerve center of the taluka.

British Period and Judicial Administration

With the arrival of the British East India Company and the subsequent establishment of the Kathiawar Agency in the early 19^th century, Bagasara was brought under British suzerainty. The British categorized the various states of Kathiawar into classes based on their size, revenue, and historical importance to streamline colonial administration and settle territorial disputes.

Bagasara was placed under the Sorath Prant of the Kathiawar Agency. Due to the fragmentation caused by the Bhagvand system, the British judicial system restricted and defined the judicial powers of the local Kathi talukdars. The jurisdictional powers of the state were as follows:

• Criminal Jurisdiction: Powers to sentence offenders up to two years of rigorous imprisonment and to impose fines of up to 2,000 Rupees.
• Civil Jurisdiction: Powers to hear cases and award decisions involving amounts or fines of up to 5,000 Rupees.

More severe civil and criminal cases were referred to the court of the British Political Agent stationed at Rajkot or the local Thandar.

Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following India's independence from British rule in August 1947, the Wala rulers of Bagasara signed the Instrument of Accession, choosing to integrate with the newly formed Dominion of India. On February 15, 1948, Bagasara formally merged into the United State of Kathiawar, which was later renamed Saurashtra State. In 1956, Saurashtra was merged into the Bombay State, and following the linguistic reorganization of states in 1960, Bagasara became an integral part of the Amreli district in the state of Gujarat. Today, the town of Bagasara is recognized for its historical monuments, traditional brassware industries, and rich Kathiyawadi heritage.

References and External Links

• To read more about the historical gazetteer entries of Bagasara, visit the Digital South Asia Library - Imperial Gazetteer of India.
• For geographical and modern administrative details, view the Bagasara Wikipedia Page.