Bakrol

Origin and Ancestral Migration of the Gohil Dynasty

The ruling family of the Bakrol estate belongs to the illustrious Gohil clan of Rajputs, a branch of the Suryavanshi lineage. The early history of the Gohils is rooted in the region of Marwar in present-day Rajasthan, where they established their seat of power at Khergadh along the banks of the Luni River. In the mid-13^th century, owing to the expansion of the Rathore clan under Rao Asthan, the Gohils, led by their charismatic chief Thakur Sejakji (also known as Sejakji Harrajsinhji), migrated southward into the Saurashtra peninsula of Gujarat around the year 1250 AD.

Upon arriving in Saurashtra, Thakur Sejakji secured an alliance with the Chudasama ruler of Junagadh, Ra Noghan, who granted him several villages in the region. Sejakji founded his first capital, Sejakpur, and consolidated the clan's influence. His descendants went on to establish several prominent states in Western India, including Bhavnagar, Palitana State, and Lathi State.

Branching Out to East and Central Gujarat

As the Gohil clan expanded, different branches sought new territories across the Gulf of Khambhat and into mainland Gujarat. One prominent branch, descended from the rulers of Ghogha and Umrala, crossed into the Rewa Kantha and Panchmahal regions. In the 14^th century, Samarsinhji, a descendant of the Gohils, established the ruling dynasty of Rajpipla State after marrying into the local Parmar family.

Following this eastward expansion, a branch of these Saurashtra-Ghogha Gohils settled at Sarod (located in the present-day Jambusar taluka of Bharuch district) and subsequently moved further inland to establish their gaddi (seat of power) at Bakrol in the Panchmahal region. The estate of Bakrol was thus established as a secure stronghold of the Gohil Rajputs in central Gujarat, maintaining close familial and political ties with their ancestral parent states in Saurashtra and Rajpipla.

The British Raj and Administrative Status

During the British colonial era, the Bakrol estate was recognized as a non-salute princely state/estate under the administrative control of the British political agencies in Gujarat. Initially placed under the Rewa Kantha Agency, it was later grouped with the Panch Mahals Agency. The Thakors of Bakrol exercised civil and criminal jurisdiction within their estate, managing local revenue administration and judicial matters while paying tribute to the British Crown through the regional agency. Despite its modest size, Bakrol retained its distinct cultural and administrative identity, preserved by the martial and administrative traditions of the Gohil clan.

Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following the termination of British paramountcy in August 1947, the Thakor of Bakrol, along with other rulers of the Gujarat states, signed the Instrument of Accession to the Dominion of India. In 1948, the estate was formally integrated into the Bombay Province of India. Following the linguistic reorganization of states in 1960, the territory of Bakrol became an integral part of the Panchmahal district in the modern state of Gujarat. Today, the descendants of the ruling family of Bakrol maintain their heritage and are respected as custodians of the rich historical and cultural legacy of the Gohil Rajputs in the Panchmahal region.