Shetrunji River (alternate: Satrunji) is an westward-flowing river in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, in western India.
| Shetrunji | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | India |
| State | Gujarat |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Gir Jungle, near Dalkahwa, Amreli, Gujarat |
| Mouth | |
• location | Arabian Sea, India |
| Length | 277 km (172 mi) |
| Basin size | 5,636 square kilometres (2,176 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Arabian Sea |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Satali, Thebi, Gagario, Rajaval, Kharo |
| • right | Shel, Khari, Talaji |
Geography
editIt rises northeast of the Gir Hills, near Dhari in Amreli district. Its course begins east-northeast along a lineament which runs parallel to the Narmada Fault,[1] passes north of Palitana's hills, Shatrunjaya, then in a southeasterly direction past Talaja Hill, through a peninsula, before reaching the Gulf of Cambay, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Goapnath Point.[2][3] It has two mouths, one situated approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north of the point, and the other being an additional 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north.[4] Situated 4.5 miles (7.2 km) eastward of the river's mouth is Sultanpur Shoal.[2]
Shetrunji's basin has a maximum length of 227 kilometres (141 mi). The total catchment area of the basin is 5,636 square kilometres (2,176 sq mi).[5] Along with the Ghelo, Kalubhar, and the Vagad Rivers, the Shetrunji is a principal river of the district,[6] and the second largest river in the region of Saurashtra. The brackish stream, Gagadio, joins the Shetrunji about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Krankach.[7] Khodiyar Mata is an approximately 50 feet (15 m) waterfall near Dhari. The topography is a mix of hills and plains.
Features
editThe Palitana dam was built in 1959 across the river at Nani-Rajasthali and represents Shetrunji's irrigation scheme.[8] This scheme is meant to provide river water to a cultivation area of 56,000–86,000 acres (23,000–35,000 ha) of land.[9] Shetrunji supplies drinking water to Bhavnagar.[10] A small port is located at Sultanpur.[2]
Culture
editPalitana is situated near the river, serving as the base town for the hills of Shatrunjaya upon which are the Palitana temples, an important place of worship for Jains.A group of Derasars are located at the banks of the river near to the Shatrunjaya hills.
A shrine of Khodiyar Mata is situated within the Shetrunji's lower reaches.[citation needed] Middle to Upper Palaeolithic sites have been found along the river.[11] Archaeological exploration along the river has noted 22 settlements which date circa 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. The sites included nine fishing villages, a mixed use fishing-agrarian village, a mixed use agrarian-salt-farming village, as well as a regional centre. Of these, Padri village dates to the Harappan period, while Hathab village was the largest in the lower river valley,[12]
References
edit- ^ Bhattacharya, Anil Kumar (1985). Proceedings of Indian Geological IVth Session Congress, Varanasi, 1982: a volume in honour of Prof. D.K. Chakravarti. Today & Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers. p. 187. ISBN 978-81-7019-270-1. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ a b c United States. Hydrographic Office (1920). Publications, Issue 159 (Public domain ed.). pp. 345–. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Chopra, Pran Nath (1992). Encyclopaedia of India. Rima Publishing House. p. 105. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ United States. Naval Oceanographic Office (1976). Sailing directions for the west coast of India: Includes Ceylon and Maldive, and Laccadive Islands. p. 132. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ "Shetrunji River". guj-nwrws.gujarat.gov.in, Government of Gujarat. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
- ^ India. Director of Census Operations, Gujarat (2006). Census of India, 2001: District Census Handbook. A & B. Village & town directory; Village panchayat & townwise primary census abstract 1-25 in 28 v.: [1] Ahmadabad (2 pts.). Controller of Publications. p. 10. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Gujarat (India) (1972). Gujarat State Gazetteers: Surat. Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, Gujarat State. pp. 10, 619. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Jain, S. Sharad Kumar; Agarwal, Pushpendra K.; Singh, V. Vijay P. (1 January 2007). Hydrology and Water Resources of India. Springer. pp. 750–. ISBN 978-1-4020-5180-7. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ State Transport Review. Vol. 10. 1959. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Mitra, Sudipta (2005). Gir Forest and the Saga of the Asiatic Lion. Indus Publishing. pp. 56–. ISBN 978-81-7387-183-2. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India. order of the Governor-General of India. 2007. p. 121. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ Ray, Himanshu Prabha (14 August 2003). The Archaeology of Seafaring in Ancient South Asia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-0-521-01109-9. Retrieved 22 December 2012.