On 15 August 1947, the country became independent, and along with it the rulers of 565 princely states were freed from their treaties with the British. Under the Government of India Act 1947, they had the option to join India, join Pakistan, or remain independent. Out of these 565 princely states, nearly 281 were in Gujarat. Among them, the Nawab of Junagadh signed the document to accede to Pakistan, creating a serious crisis for his subjects. Vadodara was the largest state. After the demise of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad, his son Prataprao became Maharaja and wished to frame a separate constitution for his state.
In Bhavnagar, too, the voice of freedom was rising. During a समारोह when Sardar Patel was arriving, a section at the front of his convoy was attacked by rioters, and two Hindus were martyred. When the report of the Superintendent of Police, Chelbhai, pointed a finger at the Diwan, he was dismissed. Raja Krishnakumar Singhji was among the first to sign the document merging Bhavnagar with India. The Nawab of Junagadh fled. Prataprao came under the prime ministership (state) of Jivraj Mehta and the audit control of the Government of India and signed the document of accession.
However, the ruler of Dharampur, Raja Vijaydev, still hoped that as long as the British Governor-General Mountbatten remained, he might somehow save his state. Therefore, he did not immediately sign the Instrument of Accession.
Dharampur State dated back to the thirteenth century. It was founded by Raja Ramsinh of the Sisodia dynasty of Mewar origin, and its capital was named Rampur. When British rule was established in India, Dharampur, like other princely states, became a protectorate and was granted the status of a seven-gun salute state. In 1766, Raja Dharamdevji established a new capital and named it Dharampur after himself.
In the early nineteenth century, Raja Mohandevji became well known. After his death in March 1921, his son Vijaydevji ascended the throne. A progressive ruler, Vijaydevji undertook welfare measures for his people, the most significant being the introduction of railway connectivity. In 1928, he invited the Governor of Bombay, Leslie Wilson, as a state guest and, in his honor, developed a hill station named Wilson Hill. A stone canopy commemorating that time still stands at the crossroads of Wilson Hill. The half-bust statue of Governor Wilson, once housed there, has now been placed in the Dharampur Museum.
The tourism department has carried out some development work at this hill station, and private institutions have attempted to build hotels. However, due to water scarcity, it has not yet become very popular among tourists. Still, if one visits during the monsoon and stands atop the hill, gazing across the surrounding plains and ranges, one cannot help but fall in love with the landscape.
While returning from Wilson Hill, we stopped at Barumal.
My first visit to Barumal was in 2010–11, when I was in charge of Valsad. Swami Vidyanand of the Swami Akhandanand tradition had come there and was working for the upliftment of tribal life. His guru was from Nashik and had instructed him to go to this region and work among the tribal community to prevent religious conversions. After his guru’s demise, he came here and laid the foundation of Bhaveshwar Shivalaya.
He found a few dedicated associates, one of whom was MLA Barjulbhai. When he became the Revenue Minister in the Keshubhai Patel government, relief came from the constraints of Section 73AA. Forming a trust of tribal community members, they acquired land and began work in the field of educational development. When I visited, primary and secondary schools were functioning, along with PTC (Primary Teachers’ Certificate) education. There was also a hostel for girls. A road that was shown on paper as RCC was, in reality, a broken and dilapidated asphalt road. I had informed the then Collector for an inquiry, but I do not know what happened afterward.
Today, after 15–16 years, I visited again. Education has progressed further, with B.Ed. and college-level courses now being offered. The road, too, has been rebuilt properly with asphalt. But the most remarkable development is the grand temple complex. Along with the five-faced Panchdhatu Shivling idol of Lord Bhaveshwar Shiva, there are temples dedicated to Lakshmi Narayan, Radha Krishna, Dwarkadhish, Ganesha, five-faced Hanuman, Baglamukhi, Durga, and others. During festivals, the vast परिसर fills with devotees.
Swami Vidyanand, despite living with a pacemaker, continues to lead the region’s development by building a team of young renunciate monks. The young monk Premanand extended warm hospitality to us, and the veteran Swami Vidyanand engaged us in affectionate conversation.
That night, years ago, we had fled because of an attack of king-sized mosquitoes. But today, seeing the local development and improved facilities, we felt like staying. However, we had to move on, so promising to return another time, we proceeded ahead.
Whether Governor or Governor-General, their wives too received equal honor. Raja Vijaydevji built a museum in Dharampur in honor of Lady Wilson and had it inaugurated by her on 31 January 1928. In return, the state’s status was elevated from a seven-gun salute to a nine-gun salute. Perhaps because of cordial relations with the British, Raja Vijaydevji hoped to preserve his state despite the growing desire for independence among the people. But the Congress-led mass movement was so powerful that none remained untouched by its storm. Lord Mountbatten himself had to return to his country in June 1948. Ultimately, on 10 June 1948, Vijaydevji signed the Instrument of Accession to India, and Dharampur became an integral part of the Indian Union.
In two years, the museum will complete one hundred years. The ground floor displays the belongings of the royal family, while the second floor houses a tribal museum added to enrich it further. When I visited again after nearly 33 years, it felt as though nothing had changed. The 42-foot skeleton of a six-month-old blue whale calf, the preserved skins of leopards hunted by the kings, two stuffed tigers, wolves, jackals, birds, snakes—all remain carefully preserved. A century ago, tigers roamed these forests.
When the king traveled abroad, he brought back dolls, which were displayed in the museum to acquaint his subjects with foreign attire and customs. Weapons used by the rulers, coins, and a stamp collection are also exhibited. Maharani Kunverbha’s zari-embroidered sari still appears new. The king’s deep interest in music is reflected in the display of musical instruments and paintings depicting the moods of various ragas—a delight for music lovers.
On the second floor, statues representing major Indian tribal communities and displays of local tribal culture are arranged, though due to limited space and the passage of time, the impact feels diminished. The Bhil tribe is said to derive its name from the Dravidian word “billu,” meaning bow and arrow. The legend that Lord Krishna was struck by a Bhil’s arrow links them to ancient indigenous traditions. The Konkana community traces its roots to the Konkan region of Maharashtra.
Recently, we had visited the Odisha State Tribal Museum, so one naturally hopes to see a similarly outstanding tribal museum in Gujarat. Let us see who takes the initiative.
On the upper floor passage of the museum is an exhibition dedicated to Shrimad Rajchandra. In his famous book The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Mahatma Gandhi wrote a chapter about Raychandbhai, describing how deeply he was influenced by Shrimad Rajchandra and how he accepted him as his spiritual guide. It was perhaps the realization of the Self in his company that made Gandhi fearless and shaped him into the foremost leader of India’s freedom movement.
Shrimad Rajchandra was born in Vavania village. While engaged in trade in Rajkot, he attained great spiritual heights. He was engaged in business. He was married and had two daughters. His father was a Vaishnava and his mother a Sthanakvasi Jain. The values instilled by his mother helped him attain spiritual elevation while living a worldly life. While living a worldly life, he had attained spiritual elevation. He stayed in Dharampur for 35 days at the house of Ranchhodbhai and performed meditation and austerities in the hills and forests of Mohangadh. Later, in Nadiad, he composed 142 aphorisms titled Atma Shuddhi (Self-Purification), offering an extraordinary guide for spiritual seekers.
A young man originally from Surat, Shri Rakeshbhai, completed his doctoral research on Atma Shuddhi at Osmania University and worked to revive Shrimad Rajchandra’s spiritual path. He resolved to establish an ashram and eventually realized that dream at Mohangadh. Spread across more than 200 acres, the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Ashram has become a new identity of Dharampur. The Satpura hills have acquired a spiritual life. Its modern kitchen and dining hall can serve thousands at once; without tasting the sattvic meal here, the journey feels incomplete.
Designed by an engineer from Singapore, the pillarless hall in the form of the nine-fold Shri Yantra is remarkable. It felt more serene than the new Parliament building of India. In 2025, the Gujarat government organized a conclave of administrative officers and ministers here, affirming its stature. Whether for meditation or conferences, it is an excellent venue. The library is inviting—one feels compelled to sit and read. Spiritual seekers can access works on Indian philosophy and, in solitude, experience the insight of anekant (the many-sided truth). As Morari Bapu rightly said, Shri Rakeshbhai has expanded beyond narrowness into inclusivity. Apart from Atma Shuddhi, his discourses on the Gita, Yoga Vasistha, Ashtavakra Gita, and Kathopanishad can be accessed by scanning a QR code.
The “Divine Shop” provides an international market for products handcrafted by local people. In the 11-acre training and production center, local women earn their livelihood through their skills. Over 500 salaried workers, mostly local, are employed here. One Muslim Pinjara who arrived from Godhra empty-handed now manufactures mattresses with institutional support and, within a few years, became the owner of a three-story house.
The institution maintains a cowshed and is now building a large animal hospital, which will treat all animals and birds.
Shrimad Rajchandra lived only 33 years; hence, his 33-foot-high meditative statue inspires firmness beyond body and mind. The adjoining open-air amphitheater is ideal for morning and evening meditation sessions. Visitors may begin or conclude their visit by offering water at his lotus feet. We offered water before entering the Mahavir Swami temple, hoping for guidance on the spiritual ascent symbolized by the thirteen and fourteen stages attained by the Tirthankaras. The Makrana marble temple of Lord Mahavir is a beautiful confluence of architecture and spirituality, yet the statue of Shrimad Rajchandra on the ground floor radiates a powerful aura.
Dharampur, Wilson Hill, the museum, and the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Ashram—these cannot be fully experienced in a single day. Come, stay, and spend a few days in Dharampur.
22 February 2026
