Junagadh

Junagadh princely state was a part of Kathiawar Political Agency ruled by Babi or Babai. It covered an area of 3,284 square miles. The state was bounded by Barda and Halar in the north, Gohelwar in the east and Arabian Sea to the west and south side. The main rivers of the state were Bhadar and Saraswati. Junagadh rulers were entitled to 13 gun salute from the British authority.

The State’s capital was Junagadh town which has been a tourist attraction from those times with Girnar Mountain, Jain temples, Veraval port and Somnath temple.

Junagadh had close nexuses with the princely houses of Radhanpur, Balasinor, Bantva, Manavadar and Sardargarh. Usman Khan Babi, the descendant of the Usmankhel came to India. His son, Sher Khan Babi was the Mughal governor of Gujarat subah and established Junagadh state after Maratha Gaekwad invasion. He and his successors conquered large areas of southern Saurashtra. They ruled for next two centuries as a Maratha tributary and from 1807 came under British suzerainty. The Junagadh rulers belonged to Babi or Babai pashtuns traced from Afghanistan.