Wankaner is a town and municipality in the Morbi district of the Indian state of Gujarat. Situated in the Saurashtra region, it lies on the banks of the Machchhu river and was historically the seat of the princely state of Wankaner under the British Raj. The name is derived from the Gujarati words wanka (bend) and ner (stream), referring to the bend in the Machchhu river at this location.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Type | Town and municipality |
| State | Gujarat |
| District | Morbi |
| Region | Saurashtra |
| River | Machchhu |
| Languages | Gujarati, Hindi |
| Former status | Capital of Wankaner State (princely state) |
Geography
Wankaner is located in the northern part of the Saurashtra peninsula. The terrain around the town is a mix of low hills and plains, and the Machchhu river, which flows through the area, has historically supported agriculture and small-scale industry. The town lies on a rail and road corridor connecting Rajkot, Morbi and the wider Kathiawar region.
History
Wankaner was the capital of Wankaner State, a salute princely state during the British Raj. The ruling family belonged to the Jhala Rajput clan, which traces its origins to other Jhala-ruled states in the Kathiawar region such as Halvad and Dhrangadhra. The state was administered as part of the Eastern Kathiawar Agency under the Bombay Presidency.
Following Indian independence in 1947, the ruler of Wankaner acceded to the Dominion of India. Wankaner State was subsequently merged into the United State of Saurashtra in 1948, which later became part of Bombay State and, after the bifurcation of 1960, the state of Gujarat. Administratively, the town was earlier part of Rajkot district and was placed under the newly formed Morbi district when it was carved out in 2013.
Ranjit Vilas Palace
The most prominent landmark of Wankaner is the Ranjit Vilas Palace, built by Maharaja Amarsinhji of Wankaner in the early twentieth century. The palace is noted for its eclectic architecture, combining Rajput, Mughal, Gothic, Italianate and Victorian elements, with a clock tower and pillared façades. Parts of the royal estate, including the Royal Oasis and the Purna Chandra Bhuvan stepwell-cum-summer palace, have been adapted for heritage tourism.
Economy
The local economy is supported by agriculture in the surrounding villages, trade, small-scale manufacturing, and proximity to the ceramic and tile industry centred on Morbi, one of the largest ceramic clusters in India. Wankaner also has a long-established mineral water bottling activity associated with springs in the area.
Transport
Wankaner Junction is a railway station on the Western Railway zone of Indian Railways, serving as a junction between lines towards Rajkot, Morbi and Maliya. The town is connected by state highways to Rajkot, Morbi and Surendranagar, and lies within reasonable road distance of National Highway corridors crossing Saurashtra.
Demographics and civic administration
Wankaner is governed by a municipality (nagarpalika) responsible for civic services such as water supply, sanitation and local roads. Gujarati is the principal language, and the population includes Hindu, Muslim and Jain communities, with a number of historic temples, mosques and Jain derasars in and around the town.
Significance
Wankaner is significant as a former princely capital that retains substantial built heritage from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its palaces, stepwells and town planning offer an example of the architectural and political culture of the Kathiawar princely states, while its present role as a town in Morbi district links it to one of Gujarat's major industrial belts.