The Fifth Class princely state, in Sorath prant, was ruled by Baberia Kotila kathi Chieftains.
In 1901 it comprised the town and eleven other villages, covering 50 square miles, with a combined population of 4,394, yielding 59,405 Rupees state revenue (1903–4, about half from land), paying 4,181 tribute to the Gaikwar Baroda State und Unamamuli (1225).[1]
The Legacy of Dedan: When a Local King’s Portrait Graced Mumbai’s Textile Markets
There was a time when cloth bearing the trademark of Dedan Darbar Shri Jetmal Bapu Kotila was sold across the textile markets of Mumbai.
This story belongs to the Dedan Darbargarh, located in the Khamba Taluka of Amreli district. During the era of British rule, when the British Empire spanned most of the world, they also dominated India’s textile markets. At that time, the cloth available in the market featured stamps of Queen Victoria or British Kings; their branded fabric was the most famous and widely sold.
During that period, Dedan was a thriving trade hub, home to nearly 300 merchants from the Kapol and Soni communities. Many merchants from Dedan had settled in Mumbai, including a Kapol merchant named Sheth Sha Kanji Vasanji, who owned a textile mill in Mumbai. He had a business firm in the famous "Mulji Jetha Market."
A Bold Move for Swadeshi Pride
Sheth Kanji Vasanji had a visionary thought: "If foreign cloth carries the images of British royalty, why shouldn't our indigenous (Swadeshi) cloth carry the image of our own King?" At great personal expense, he registered a trademark featuring the name and portrait of the ruler: "Dedan Darbar Kotila Jaitmal Chapraj." This cloth, bearing the Bapu’s photograph and name, became immensely famous in the high-end textile markets of Mumbai.
A Living Heritage
I am proud to be a citizen of this royal family’s estate. This is perhaps the only "Akhand" (unbroken) princely state that maintained its identity even after independence. Our village areas still bear their names: "Raningpara" is named after Raning Bapu Kotila, and "Jivapar" is named after Jiva Bapu Kotila.
Even today, as we approach the fifth generation, the bond remains unchanged. We continue to maintain the same relationship—they as our royal family and we as their citizens. As Kshatriyas, the descendants of this royalty are still the kind of leaders who would sacrifice everything for their people.
Key Historical Highlights
• Location: Dedan, Khamba (Amreli), Gujarat.
• The Visionary: Sheth Kanji Vasanji (A merchant from the Kapol community).
• The Icon: Darbar Shri Jetmal Bapu Kotila.
• The Market: Mulji Jetha Market, Mumbai (One of Asia's largest textile markets at the time).
