Forgotten Events: How Junagad joined the Union

August 7th, 2003 by jk | Filed under India.

Another province that did not want to join Indian union was Junagad, in the Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat. The state was predominantly Hindu, but the ruler was Muslim. According to John Keay, in his book India: A History says

At the time an estimated 11 percent of the state’s income was earmarked for the upkeep of the royal kennels, wherein some eight hundred canine pensioners lived in luxury denied to most of Junagad’s other subjects. To the nupitals of a favourite golden retriever the prince is said to have invited fifty thousand guests, including the viceroy. His decision to declare allegience to Pakistan had, though, nothing to do with dogs. It was made on the grounds of religion, for which piety his only reward was a show of strenth from Delhi which sent him winging his way to Pakistan with just four canine companions, plus a number of wives.

and Junagad joined the Union.

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