Sojitra
Sojitra is a village in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is in the Anand district, situated at 22°33′N 72°43′E. Its nearest villages are Isnav (4 km away), Dabhou (6 km away), Gada (4 km), Devataj (2 km), and Limbali (3 km). The village is home to several schools, including Smt. H.J. Patel Primary School for Girls, inaugurated by the Governor of Gujarat in 2006 and The M.M. High School and Library. Sojitra also has a number of temples dedicated to different deities of Hindu and Jain faiths.[1] Sojitra is place of visa mevada Digamber jain panch. Once it was a town village located nearby Khambhat. When Khambhat was a major port on the confluence of Mahi Sagar, highways emerging from Khambhat passed through Sojitra to far away hinter lands. This had made Sojitra an important industrial center. It was the hub of businessmen, money lenders and famous artisans. The ponds (kund), step well, Jain temples, Buddha statues, Masjid of the village still provide a glimpse of its glorious past and antiquity. The statues found during the excavation of the pond traces the existence of the village as far back as second century BC according to the archaeologists.[2]
Sojitra | |
|---|---|
Villages in Gujarat | |
| Coordinates: 22°33′0″N 72°43′11″E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Gujarat |
| District | Anand |
| Population | |
| • Total | Approx. 15,000 |
History
Ancient documents and archaeological surveys indicate that Sojitra is an ancient town that has experienced several name changes and been under the control of many different political entities. Popular mythology of the area credits the current incarnation of the village as originally being settled by Sojan Rabari and his family, who named it either Sojanpur or Sojatypur. At some point, this was shortened to Soja, which later morphed into the current name. Virabhai Patel is the father of Sojitra as to the recorded fact from 1116 AC and the descendants. Interesting find in time lineage of King Prithviraj Chauhan (1149–1192 CE), in reference to Solanki Raj BhimDev, our ancestors settled during this period in Davataj and ViraBhai bought the land Davataj from Bhimdev Solanki in this period.
The village proper itself was mostly settled and established by family members of the Patel family line. In 1527, when the immediate area was under the control of Raval rulers, Surabhai Patel left Chapaner and moved to Adalaj and again in 1552 with one of his two sons, Virabhai Patel, to Devataj. In 1575, Muzfarshah the Second, allotted the land of Sojitra to Jeshangbhai Patel, the son of Virarabhai Patel, for hereditary use. The land was distributed among seven inheritors: Harakhjibhai, Sunderbhai, Bhuderbhai, Saudasbhai, Meghabhai, Amabaidas and Mahibhai Pragdas (Mahibhai Pragdas are brothers). The Patidars of the seven Khadkies were their descendants.
Above all, the most notable and prodigal son of Sojitra is Dr Yogendra Kumar Makwana, who went to become home minister in Mrs Indira Gandhi's cabinet. He held various portfolios ranging from home to communications, steel and mines in Mrs Gandhi as well as Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet. Born to a middle-school head master belonging to the vankar community of the scheduled castes, he studied law and practiced in the Gujarat High Court before becoming a member of Rajya Sabha in the year 1973. He made many contributions to the upliftment of the depressed classes, notably among them is the revival of the special component plan of the government of India.
The Patel family has also produced a number of individuals who have been influential in the Indian government. In the state of Gujarat, Shri Bhaikaka the Founder of Vallabh Vidhya Nagar, Kamalaben Maganbhai Patel held the position of Deputy Minister of the State; Dr. Thakorbhai Patel was Cabinet Minister of the State of Gujarat; and Ravajibhai Maganbhai Patel served as Secretary of the Gujarat Congress Committee. In the state of Bombay, Dr. Bhaskarbhai Patel was the Deputy Minister of the State; and Jashbhai Jivabhai Patel served as the Controller of Iron & Steel. In the national government, Gopalbhai Shivabhai Patel was the Chairman of the Unit Trust of India; and Chimanbhai Patel was the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department of the Government of India.
Temples
- Shri Sat Kaival Mandir
- Shri Ambe Mata Temple
- Shri Khodiyar Mata Temple
- Shri Vaherai Mata Temple
- Shri Bhramani Mata Temple
- Shree Kshemkalyani Mata Temple
- Neelkanth Mahadev
- Shri Swaminarayan Temple
- Shri Kishordas Maharaj Temple
- Navdurgha Mata Temple
- Shree Ramji Mandir
- Shasandevi Mata Temple
- Vidhya Nagar Founder Shri Bhaikaka
- Shree Neminath Digmber Jain Mandir
- Shree Shanti Nath Digmbve Jain Mandir
- Shree Paras Nath Dibmber Jain Mandir
- Shree visa mevada Digmber Jain vadi
- Shree Annapurna Mata Mandir
- Shree Lakshminarayanan Mandir
- Shri Bhathiji Maharaj Mandir
- Santaram Mandir