Bhuj

The city of Bhuj in Kutch district, Gujarat, former capital of the Jadeja Rajput Kutch princely state (1549-1948) and the seat of the subcontinent's unique Kutchi culture. The 26 January 2001 Bhuj earthquake (Mw 7.6, 51 seconds, epicentre 20 km northeast of the city) killed over 20,000 people, destroyed 400,000 homes across Kutch, and devastated central Bhuj including the Aina Mahal (18th-century mirror palace of Rao Lakhpatji, 1752) and the Prag Mahal (Italianate 1865). The subsequent reconstruction brought seismic building codes to Gujarat and a massive internally-funded rebuild; most monuments have been restored by 2015. The earthquake occurred on Republic Day during the Bhuj Republic Day parade, maximising casualties among civic gatherings.