Naliya
Encyclopedia
Naliya is an town, which is also Taluka headquarter of Abdasa Tauka of Kutch District of Gujarat, India
.
It is located on Western end of Kutch at a distance of 17 km from ancient port of Jakhau
.
Naliya is centuries old town, which boasts of Jain temples built several centuries ago.It is a famous Jain pilgrimage center and one the famous five Jain temples of Abdasa ni Panchtirthi ( meaning five-temples of Abdasa ) is in the town. Other Jain temples are in nearby places in Abdasa Taluka. The main architects of these centuries old beautiful Jain temples were Mistris of Kutch.
Naliya is also famous for Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary also known as Lala–Parjan Sanctuary, which is located nearby the town. With an area of about only 2 square kilometers, it is the smallest sanctuary in the country. There are approximately 30 Great Indian Bustard
s here, second only to Desert National Park, Rajasthan
.
Naliya also has a Indian Air Force
station, which was built here in view of the town's proximity to Pakistan. Nos 45 and 101 Squadrons IAF fly Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
s from the base.
Although, the town had a railway line laid by Cutch State Railway
, during the time of regency, which connected town with Bhuj
. The line was abandoned later converted to metre gauge in 1980 for military purpose. However, the line was till recently not used for public but only for military purpose and transportation of freight mainly minerals and cement. Recently gauge conversion
to broad gauge has been approved by Government of India.Now a Passenger train between Gandhidham
and Naliya runs daily.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
It is located on Western end of Kutch at a distance of 17 km from ancient port of Jakhau
Port of Jakhau
The Port of Jakhau is a fair weather port on the Gulf of Kutch, Kutch District, in the state of Gujurat, India. Situated on Godia Creek, and from the village of Jakhau, it provides an anchorage port...
.
Naliya is centuries old town, which boasts of Jain temples built several centuries ago.It is a famous Jain pilgrimage center and one the famous five Jain temples of Abdasa ni Panchtirthi ( meaning five-temples of Abdasa ) is in the town. Other Jain temples are in nearby places in Abdasa Taluka. The main architects of these centuries old beautiful Jain temples were Mistris of Kutch.
Naliya is also famous for Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary also known as Lala–Parjan Sanctuary, which is located nearby the town. With an area of about only 2 square kilometers, it is the smallest sanctuary in the country. There are approximately 30 Great Indian Bustard
Great Indian Bustard
The Great Indian Bustard or Indian Bustard is a bustard found in India and the adjoining regions of Pakistan. A large bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs giving it an ostrich like appearance, this bird is among the heaviest of the flying birds...
s here, second only to Desert National Park, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
.
Naliya also has a Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
station, which was built here in view of the town's proximity to Pakistan. Nos 45 and 101 Squadrons IAF fly Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
s from the base.
Although, the town had a railway line laid by Cutch State Railway
Cutch State Railway
The Cutch State Railway also spelled as Kutch State Railway was an isolated Indian narrow gauge railway in Princely State of Cutch.The railway ran north from the port of Tuna towards Anjar in the Kutch. The railway was financed by the Maharao Khengarji Bawa of Cutch, and the initial section to...
, during the time of regency, which connected town with Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
. The line was abandoned later converted to metre gauge in 1980 for military purpose. However, the line was till recently not used for public but only for military purpose and transportation of freight mainly minerals and cement. Recently gauge conversion
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to broad gauge has been approved by Government of India.Now a Passenger train between Gandhidham
Gandhidham
Gandhidham is a city and a municipality in the Kachchh District of Gujarat state of India. The town was created in the early 1950s for the resettlement of the refugees from Sindh of Pakistan in the aftermath of the partition of India....
and Naliya runs daily.