Sirohi: History, Geography, Places to See

The name Sirohi had been derived from Siranwa hills on the Western Slope of which it stands. In the book “Travels in Western India” Col Tod has suggested that the name of the territory might have derived from its position at the head (Sir) of the desert (Rohi), Sirohi. Another story about the origin of its name is that it derived from “Sword”. Deora Chauhans, the ruler of Sirohi state were popularly known for their bravery and famous swords.

It is one of the fascinating districts of Rajasthan offering some good places of tourists importance like Mount Abu, Sun Temple, Chandravati, Ajari Temple, Sarvadham Temple, Pavapuri Temple etc.

History of Sirohi:

In 1405, Rao Sobha Ji (Sixth in descent from Rao Deoraj, the Progenitor of the Deora Clan of Chauhans ) founded a town Shivpuri on eastern slope of Siranwa hill which is called KHUBA.

Sehastramal, the son of Rao Sobha ji founded the present city SIROHI on western slope and laid foundation stone of the Sirohi fort on second day of Vaisakh in the year 1482 (V.S.) i.e. 1425 (A.D.) on the top the present town of Sirohi and made it his Capital which lies on the Western Slope of the Siranwa hills, later all the area under Deoras came to be known as Sirohi.

After Independence an agreement was signed between Central Government and minor ruler of Sirohi State, with this the State Administration of the Sirohi State was taken over by Bombay Government from 5th January 1949 to 25th January 1950. The first administrator representing a bombay state was Prema Bhai Patel. After final merger with Rajasthan in 1950, an area of 787 Sq. Km. consisting of Aburoad and Delwara tehsils of Sirohi district was renamed with the Bombay State on 01, Nov. 1956, after the recommendation of the State organisation Commission, which forms the present position of the district

Geography of Sirohi:

Sirohi district is broken up by hills and rocky ranges. The granite massif of Mount Abu divides the district into two portions, running from north-east to south-west. The south and south-east part of the district, which lies between Mount Abu and the main spine of the Aravallis, is mountainous and rugged, and is drained by the West Banas River. Abu Road, a station on the main Delhi-Ahmedabad rail line, lies in the valley of the West Banas. Dry deciduous forest is common in this part of the district, and the higher elevations of Mount Abu are covered in conifer forests.

The portion of the district west and north of Mount Abu is drier, lying in the rain shadow of the mountain, which blocks the southwest monsoon. The southwest corner of the district is drained by the Sukri river, an intermittent stream that drains the western slope of Mount Abu. The northwestern portion of the district is drained by tributaries of the Luni River. The Northwestern thorn scrub forests cover the western and northern portion of the district.

Major Rivers: Jawai, Sukhadi, Khari, Bodi, Krishnavati, Kapalganga, and Banas.
Major Dams: Banas, Oda, Danta, Chandela, Girwar, Niboda, Javal, KarodiDwaj, and Angor.
Major Crops: Millets, Pulses, Sesame, and Red Chillies.

Location, Area & Administration:

Sirohi district is situated in the south-west part of Rajasthan between 24°20′ and 25°17′ North Latitude and 72°16′ and 73°10′ East Longitude. It is bounded by district Pali in the north-east, district Udaipur in the east, Jalore in the west and Banaskantha district of Gujarat in the south.

The district has an area of 5136 sq. kms which is divided into 5 tehsils namely Sirohi, Sheoganj, Pindwara, Abu Road and Reodar for administration purposes.

Population

According to the 2011 census Sirohi district has a population of 10,37,185. The district has a population density of 202 inhabitants per square kilometer. Sirohi has a sex ratio of 938 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 56.02%.

Map:

How to Reach:

By Air: The airport at Udaipur is the nearest to the district, almost 110 km. This airport is served by a good number of flights from Jaipur and other cities. Aburoad and Sirohi also have an airstrip.
By Trains: There are several trains connecting the district with the rest of Rajasthan and India as a whole. The railway stations at Sirohi Road and Abu Road are the primary railway stations. Other nearby stations are Banas, Swaroopganj, Kishanganj, Kevarli, Maval and Morthala. Trains operating along the Ahmedabad-Delhi line pass through the district.
By Roads: In order to get to the city, travellers can drive down National Highway 14, which links it to Gujarat and Pali. The State Highway 19 links the district with Jalore district. There are a good number of buses that run to and fro from these places.