About Idar

Idar is a city and a municipality in Sabarkantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is located about 30 km north of Himatnagar and 60 km from Gujarat's border with Rajasthan. It is known for the manufacture of handmade wooden toys, tiles, its temples and various beautiful architectural monuments, including Gadh (Palace) of Idar, Roothi Rani Ka Mahal, Jain Temples, Shiva & Vishnu Temples and the temple where Raja Harishchandra got married, called as Harishchandra Ki Chouri. There are numerous Bawadis similar to the ones shown in movies like Paheli, etc. The market of toys in Idar is known as Kharadi Bazaar.

Idar is at the southern end of the Aravalli Range. Many temples of Lord Shiva are found in these mountains. In history, victory over the Idar state was considered as a difficult task. So, a famous folk song was mostly sung in traditional marriages Áme Êderio Gadh Ĵitya re aanand bhayo (We are very happy that we have captured Idar fort).

It was formerly the seat of Idar, a princely state of British India. The name Idar comes from an ancient legend. As per the legend there were two devils named Elva and Durg, who stayed in the hills of Idar. So people used to talk about the place as I-dar-chhe (meaning: there is fear), the name Idar has came from there.

History

Idar was ruled by Rathore (Jodha) Rajputs. It was founded around 1200 by Raja ANAND SINGH, with the help of his brother Rai Singh and a few horseman from Palanpur and the Kolis of Gadwara, he established himself in Idar without difficulty in 1728 or 1729. He died 1753. HH Maharaja RAJENDRA SINGHJI is the Present Ruler of this Princely State[2] In 1924 it was made part of the Western India States Agency. It was transferred to the Rajputana States in the early 1940s. In 1949 it was dissolved and split between Sabar Kantha district and Mehsana district which were at that point in Bombay State.[3] Both these districts were included in Gujarat when it was formed in 1960.