Saurashtra

Saurashtra, also spelled Surashtra and historically known as Kathiawar, is a peninsular region in western India that constitutes the southern part of the state of Gujarat. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west and south and by the Gulf of Khambhat to the east, occupying the Kathiawar Peninsula. Major cities in the region include Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Junagadh, Morbi, Dwarka, and the districts of Gir Somnath and Devbhoomi Dwarka. The area is predominantly Gujarati-speaking and has a long maritime and agrarian heritage.

Historically, Kathiawar was home to ancient trading communities and successive powers, including the Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty, the Gujarat Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. In the modern era, the princely states of Kathiawar were federated into the United State of Kathiawar in 1948, joined the Indian Union, and, in 1956, became part of Bombay State. With the 1960 creation of Gujarat state, Saurashtra became a major geographic and cultural subregion of Gujarat. The area includes the Gir Forest National Park, the last surviving habitat of the Asiatic lion.

Economy and culture: The regional economy is anchored in agriculture—cotton, groundnut and sesame—fishing and dairy, with Jamnagar hosting a major refinery and petrochemical complex. Tourism and pilgrimage are important, with landmarks such as the Somnath Temple, Dwarka and Bet Dwarka; Porbandar is Gandhi’s birthplace. The region also features historic forts and a rich maritime heritage.