Junagardh/Junagarh State and Coins

 

Junagardh or Junagarh was a princely state in Gujarat, originally a patty Rajput kingdom until conquered by the sultan of Ahmadabad in 1462. It was ruled by the Muslim Babi  dynasty in British India, until its integration into the Union of India in 1948. Muhammad Sher Khan Babi was the founder of the Babi Pashtun dynasty of Junagarh in 1654. His descendants, the Babi Nawabs of Junagarh, conquered large territories in southern Saurashtra. 

                                      

Junagarh, One Mohur, Rasul Muhammad Khan, 1906, gold, weight 11.5 gm, 

                                      

Location of Junagarh, among all the districts shown in green

During the collapse of the Mughal Empire, the Babis became involved in a struggle with the Gaekwad dynasty of the Maratha Empire over control of Gujarat. Mohammad Khan Bahadur Khanji I declared independence from the Mughal governor of Gujarat subah, and founded the state of Junagarh in 1730.

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Coat of Arms

                                      

During the reign of his heir Junagarh was a tributary to the Maratha Empire until it became a British suzerainty in 1807 under Mohammad Hamid Khanji I, following the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

In 1807, Junagarh became a British protectorate and the East India Company took control of the state. By 1818, the Saurashtra area, along with other princely states of Kathiawar, were separately administered under the Kathiawar Agency by British India.

                                          

Mohammad Mahabat Khanji II, the Nawab of Junagarh, with young Mohammad Bahadur Khanji III in 1870s

In 1947, upon the independence and partition of India, the last Babi dynasty ruler of the state, Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III, decided to merge Junagarh into the newly formed Pakistan.The Hindu majority in the state objected. After a plebiscite held in February 1948, 99.95% of the population voted for India and Junagarh was  merged with India. On 1 November 1956, Saurashtra State was merged with Bombay State. Bombay State was split into Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960, and Junagarh district is now one of the districts of Gujarat.

Coins of Junagarh

                                           

Junagarh, One Dokdo, Bahadur Khan, 1823-1831, copper, weight 6.5 gm 

                                             

Junagarh, One Dokdo, Rasul Muhammad Khan, 1906, copper. weight 3.7 gm, Obverse: Inscription ''Ek paisa Junagarh Riyaasat'' with VS date 1963, Reverse: Inscription ''Devanagari-Shri Sorath Sarkaar'' with AH 1325, date

                                            

 

Junagarh, One Dokdo, Rasul Muhammad Khan, copper, weight 4.5 gm, Obverse: Ek paisa Junagarh Riassat, Reverse: Devanagari, Shri Sorath Sarkaar, with date VS 1964

                                         

Junagarh, One Dokdo, Rasul Muhammad Khan, copper, weight 4.5 gm, Obverse: Ek paisa Junagarh Riassat, Reverse: Devanagari, Shri Sorath Sarkaar, with date VS 1964

                                             

Junagarh, Bahadur Khan, Nazarana Kori, 1834, silver, weight 4.7 gm, Obverse: Within dotted border, top two lines   in Urdu, 3rd line in Nagari''Sri Diwan'', Reverse: Date on top, AH 1249, in Devanagri, at left ''Gadh'' Ba for Babi dynasty VS date in Gujarati, bottom, in Urdu,  ''Zarb''

                                            

Junagarh, One Mohur, Rasul Muhammad Khan, 1906, gold, weight 11.5 gm, Obverse: Lettering Nawab Bahadur Rasul Muhammad Khanji, Reverse: Zarb Junagadh AH, 1325

                                             

Junagarh, One Kori, Muhammad Mahabat Khanji II, 1854-1864, silver, weight 4.6 gm, Obverse: Top two lines in Urdu, 'Badshah Ghazi', Muhammad Akbar, third line in Devanagari 'Shri Divan', Reverse: Date on top AH 1273, In Devanagari, at left Gadh, Ba, VS date in Gujarati, bottom in Urdu, 'Zarb'

Junagarh State

Coins of Junagarh State