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'''Chadva Rakhal''' is protected forest reserve owned by erstwhile rulers of [[Cutch State|Kutch State (Cutch State)]] near Samatra village, about 25 km from [[Bhuj]], [[Kutch district]], Gujarat, India.<ref name="Desai2007">{{cite book|author=Anjali H. Desai|title=India Guide Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gZRLGZNZEoEC&pg=PA325|year=2007|publisher=India Guide Publications|isbn=978-0-9789517-0-2|pages=325}}</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
Erstwhile rulers of [[Cutch State|Kutch State (Cutch State 1147-1948)]] had declared 44 'grass reserves', called ''Rakhal'', in 1900s which produced animal fodder for royal cattle and generated revenues for the state. They totalled an area of more than 300 sq miles. After [[Independence of India]] in 1947, the reserves were handed over to the Forest Department except Chadva Rakhal which became a private property owned by former rulers, currently by [[Pragmulji III]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.chadvarakhal.org/history |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=Chadva Rakhal Nature Conservancy |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Chadva Rakhal Nature Conservancy |url=https://www.chadvarakhal.org/ |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=Chadva Rakhal Nature Conservancy |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Deccan Herald 2016">{{cite web | title=Son of erstwhile Kutch ruler cannot claim father's riches: Court | website=Deccan Herald | date=14 February 2016 | url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/85976/son-erstwhile-kutch-ruler-cannot.html | accessdate=14 February 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Banerjee |first=Soity |date=2025-07-05 |title=Preserving Chadva Rakhal: Meet The Man Saving Kutch's 150-Year-Old Thorn Forest |url=https://www.outlooktraveller.com/celebrating-people/preserving-chadva-rakhal-meet-the-man-saving-kutchs-150-year-old-thorn-forest |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=Outlook Traveller |language=en}}</ref> It is now tourist destination.<ref name="Desai2007" /> Chadva Rakhal is the largest reserve of them.<ref name="Desai2007" /> A part of the forest was handed over to the Forest Department of Gujarat state in 2024.<ref name=":0" /> <br />
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It is a tropical thorn forest spread over an area of 12,792 acres.<ref name=":0" /> Pragsar, a lake established in 1870s by Pragmulji II,<ref name=":1" /> has crocodiles and several species of fish.<ref name="Desai2007" /> There are 268 species of plants and animals including mugger crocodiles, leopards, caracals and pangolins are found in this forest.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web| title=Status of the biodiversity of Chadva Rakhal, Kachchh, Gujarat | url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61e972def21b8b1983214c12/t/63ea2ed9f869c7034c3fcfee/1676291841970/Chadva+Rakhal+Biodiversity+Report+by+GIDE+.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250721141325/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61e972def21b8b1983214c12/t/63ea2ed9f869c7034c3fcfee/1676291841970/Chadva+Rakhal+Biodiversity+Report+by+GIDE+.pdf | archive-date=2025-07-21}}</ref> It is managed by The Maharao Pragmulji Conservation Trust.<ref name=":1" /><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [https://www.chadvarakhal.org/ Official website]<br />
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[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kutch district]]<br />
[[Category:Forests of India]]<br />
[[Category:Forest reserves]]<br />
[[Category:Bird observatories]]</div>Alaminsorker