________________ CHAPTER 20 INTRODUCTION There are many reasons people leave their homeland to go to places of better opportunities. The main reason is the economy, which may be man made or due to natural disasters. Halar is on the periphery of the monsoon belt and receives irregular rainfall, which often drops below normal. A number of disasters fell on the land of Halar. In addition to a succession of famines between the years 1880 and 1940 A.D., the land was struck with major epidemics and natural disasters such as cyclones, locusts and floods, causing considerable hardship. Due to lack of rain there were no harvests. People were without jobs. There was a lack of economic opportunities. Even Jam Ranjit Sinhji, the ruler of Navanagar State in 1910 A.D. said, "Subjects of this state are noted for a spirit of commercial enterprise which makes them seek their fortunes elsewhere as they find only a limited scope within my own territory." In 1924 A.D. he told British officers, "The people leave for want of occupation in the land of their birth." Because of these natural calamities, declining prices of farm produces, rise in the cost of living, increase in population, limited opportunities, constant harassment by marauding band of robbers and bandits, the drought of 1895-1896 A.D. and the great killer famine of 1899-1901 A.D., all played a part in the decision to migrate. It was a common practice to move from one village to other for economic and political reasons. Migration from villages to Jamnagar became more common in the second
