Kadia Kshatriyas

Kadia Kshatriyas in Saurashtra

One major community known as Kadia Kshatriyas or Gurjar Kshatriyas are found in Saurashtra, where they have founded thirty six villages in the Halar Region of Jamnagar district. The names of these villages are Ambala, Badanpur, Balambha, Bangaur, Bhimkata, Bhensdad, Bodka, Chavda, Dhrangdhra, Dhudkot, Dudhai, Fatsar, Jaiva, Jamsar, Jamyanthali, Jashapar, Jiragarh, Jivapar, Jodia, Kesia, Kharachia, Kotharia, Madhapar, Manamora, Manekpar, Manpar - Hirapar, Mavnagam, Meghpar, Morana, Padana, Rampar, Ranjitpar, Rohisada, Shampar, Untebshampar and Tankara. The Kadia Kshatriyas also live in large numbers in Savarkundla, Dhrangadhra, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Surat, Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, etc.

[edit]Kadia Kshatriyas in Kutch

Another group, who migrated to Kutch in the 12th century, created their unique identity in the Princely State of Kutch and came to be known as Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas or Mistris of Kutch. They established themselves at the village of Dhaneti and later founded nineteen villages: Nagor, Reha, Ratnal, Vidi, Kukma, Anjar, Sinugra, Chandiya, Nagalpar, Khambhra, Lovaria, Hajapar, Madhapar, Galpadar, Kumbharia,Meghpar Khedoi, Jambudi and Devaliya. They are famous designers and architects of most of historic monuments of Kutch. In the mid-19th century they also established themselves as railway contractors and coal mine entrepreneurs, and became famous across India as Kutchi Contractor. Today the Mistri of Kutch are found in almost all States of India.

Please refer to page Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas for their history and contributions in India.

[edit]Kadia Kshatriyas outside India

The diaspora of this community can be found in all major British Colonies, where they migrated in the mid 19th century. The main diaspora are found in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Fiji, and South Africa. More recently, due to political instability in last few decades, the community has migrated to United Kingdom, USA, Canada and other nations, while some have returned to India.

About us : Kadia Kshatriyas (also known as Gurjar Kshatriyas or Gurjar Kshatriya Kadia or Mistri or Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas) are a minority group of the Hindu community in Gujrat State, India. They belong to theKshatriya or Rajput clan.

They are a community of Rajput warriors, who migrated from Rajasthan to the Saurashtra region of Gujrat in the early 7th century, fighting and repelling attacks from the North-West frontiers. Some of them later moved to the Kutch region of Gujrat in the 12th century.

This group of warrior Rajput were skilled artisans and masons. They were expert in building forts, palaces, and temples, as well artistic carvings and sculpture. It was due to their special skills that they came to be known as Mistri or Kadia in Gujrat.

The major families in this group belong to Kshatriya clans having the following surnames:Rathod, Solanki, Jethwa, Chavda, Chauhan, Vegad, Varu, Maru, Makwana, Chotalia, Savaria, Sarvaiyas, Yadav,Chudasama, Vaghela, Parmar, Khodiyar, Gohil, Tank, Vadher, Padhiyar, Kacha, Bhalsod, etc.

Two major groups are at present found in Gujrat, who are perhaps a branch of same group because they both same share common history, and their family members have common surnames.