Kathiawar is a peninsula, near the far north of India's west coast, of about 61,000 km2 (23,500 sq mi) bordering the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest and by the Gulf of Khambhat in the east. In the northeast, it is connected to the rest of Gujarat and borders on the low, fertile hinterland of Ahmedabad. It is crossed by two belts of hill country and is drained radially by nine rivers which have little natural flow aside from in monsoon months, thus dams have been built on some of these. Kathiawar ports have been flourishing centres of trade and commerce since at least the 16th century.
A young Mahatma Gandhi in traditional Kathiawari dress.
Arrow Pillar or Baan-Stambh at Somnath
United Saurashtra (Kathiawar) State 1947-56
Scene in Kattiawar, Travellers and Escort, 1830
Gujarat is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about 1,600 km (990 mi) is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some 196,024 km2 (75,685 sq mi); and the ninth-most populous state, with a population of 60.4 million in 2011. It is bordered by Rajasthan to the northeast, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the south, Maharashtra to the southeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and the Arabian Sea and the Pakistani province of Sindh to the west. Gujarat's capital city is Gandhinagar, while its largest city is Ahmedabad. The Gujaratis are indigenous to the state and their language, Gujarati, is the state's official language.
From top and L-R: Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarati attire, Somnath Temple, Rann of Kutch, Dwarkadhish Temple, Statue of Unity, Laxmi Vilas Palace at Vadodara
Dholavira, one of the largest cities of Indus Valley civilisation, with stepwell steps to reach the water level in artificially constructed reservoirs
Archaeological remains of washroom drainage system at Lothal
Coin of the Gujuras of Sindh, Chavda dynasty, c. 570–712 CE. Crowned Sasanian-style bust right / Fire altar with ribbons and attendants; star and crescent flanking flames.