Thara, Gujarat

Not to be confused with Tharad.

Thara
town
GSRTC Bus stand in Thara
Country	India
State	Gujarat
District	Banaskantha
Languages
• Official	Gujarati, Hindi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	385555
Telephone code	+91-02737
Vehicle registration	GJ-8

Thara is census town in Banaskantha district, Gujarat, India.

History

Kankrej Thara

The taluka of Thara, the most important of all the estates that made up Kankrej thara, consisted of 24 villages and 5 others coshared with other estateholders of Kankrej thana. Total area for the estate was 78 square miles (200 km²), and the population 8,860 (1901 Census). Revenue amounted to Rs.31,138 (in 1903-4). The two principal shareholders exercised very restricted joint jurisdictional powers through a judicial kamdar.

There were five main shareholders in Thara, grouped into two major patis or branches known as the Sardarsinhji and Jasabhai jagirs. The former was put under British management after the death of its chief in 1906. In 1926 the two chiefs named are Madarsingh Sardarsinghji (succeeded 9 June 1906), and Godadsingh Gajsinhji (succeeded 15 April 1867). They were Vaghela Rajputs, first established in the area in the 18th century. Although with the passage of time they degraded into Kolis, they were later readmitted into the Rajput class by marrying into Rajput families and refusing to eat with other Waghela Kolis. Succession in the two main shares (one in each pati or jaghir) was governed by the rule of primogeniture.

British suzerainty

The Kankrej Estates, had originally been part of the Mahi Kantha Agency, but they were transferred to the Palanpur Agency in 1844, owing to their proximity to Palanpur State. Its chiefs were bound by the same Engagements as the Chiefs of Mahi Kanthi, executed in 1812. The designation of Palanpur Agency was changed to Banas Kantha Agency in 1925. When Palanpur State was transferred to the Rajputana Agency in 1933, and the rest of the Banas Kantha Agency then merged with the Mahi Kantha Agency to form the Sabar Kantha Agency, subordinate to the Western India States Agency (WISA), Thara was became its part. On 11 November 1944 the WISA amalgamated with the Baroda and Gujarat States Agency.

Postindependence

After the independence of India in 1947 the whole area became part of Bombay State, which in 1960 was divided into the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Thara fell in Banaskantha district of Gujarat.