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Bhavnagar

Bhavnagar located in the peninsular part of the state of Gujarat is an important trading post for cotton products in the western region of India. Apart from that, the city is also of great importance commercially for its proximity to the Gulf of Cambay and the Arabian Sea. Named after its founder and ruler, Bhavsinhji Gohil, Bhavnagar founded in 1723 AD is also known as Kathiawar. It remained a major port, for almost two centuries, trading commodities with Africa, Mozambique, Zanzibar, Singapore and the Persian Gulf. This flourishing maritime trade resulted in the high rate of urbanization surplus wealth and cosmopolitan culture of the town. Though the city is comparatively new and you would find a few historical monuments and sites, you would love to visit some of the places located in and around the city. You would also love to lap up the traditional Gujarati culture that the city has to offer. It was ruled by the Gohil Rajput clan and was the capital of Bhavnagar State, the first princely state to join independent India in 1948.

Some of the important tourist spots in Bhavnagar are

The Takhteshwar Temple: This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built on a small hillock overlooking the city by the local royal family. It not only offers a great view of the city and the adjacent Gulf of Cambay, but is also an important pilgrim center. Thousands of pilgrims visit this temple every year. The high shikhara rising above the pillared rectangular mandapa (stage) makes it an important landmark.

Gandhi Smriti Museum or Gandhi Memorial:This is another important tourist attraction, which houses a collection of photographs and memorabilia associated with Mahatma Gandhi. There is a library inside with Gandhian books for reading. It also has a fine collection of art objects representing the culture of the Saurashtra region. Near Gandhi Smriti, you can see the Clock Tower, which is an important landmark of this city.

Gangajalia: This is another temple dedicated to Gangadevi, with a chhatri, pavilion and bridge- all in white marble. It is located in the middle of a former tank. It was designed by Sir John Griffith, principal of Sir J.J. School of Arts, Bombay and built by Maharaja Takhtsinghji in memory of Maharani Majirajba in 1893 A.D.

Town Hall: An imposing structure in the colonial style, set in a well laid out garden, this was actually a Darbar Hall, where the coronation of Sir Krishnakumarsinhji took place. It also has the Victoria Park, which covers an area of about 500 acres with diverse flora and fauna. This park is a paradise for bird watchers and nature lovers.

Gaurishankar Lake: This is an important picnic spot with its well-maintained parks and a beautiful garden known as Pil Garden. There is a small planetarium for children to visit near this place. A dry lake, it is also used for organizing fairs and other public events.

The Central Salt and Marine Research Institute: It is an important place to visit and a must for science lovers. This institute is located on Waghavadi Road and enjoys immense popularity.

Samaldas College: This College established 100 years ago is an important monument and it is said that Mahatma Gandhi was once a student here in 1884 AD.

The Barton Library: It is a beautiful two storied building, appropriately designed for a road junction. It has two wings and a central tower, constructed in ashlar stone masonry, with Gothic arch windows and a sloping roof with Mangalore tiles. It is one of the oldest libraries of Gujarat and also houses a museum.

The Water Lock Gate: This place is also worth paying a visit, as it is the first of its kind in Gujarat. The water locks maintain the water level of the docks, thus helping ships to stay afloat at the time of low tide.

You can see this place with special permission.

Visiting places around Bhavnagar

There are number of interesting tourist places around Bhavnagar.

Valabhipur: This is an ancient city famous for its ruins and is located about 42 kilometers northeast of Bhavnagar.

Velavadar National Park: Located about 65 km north of Bhavnagar this unique grassland ecosystem has attracted fame for the successful conservation of the black buck - the fastest of the Indian antelopes, the wolf and the lesser florican.

Palitana: This famous town, which is 51 km southwest of Bhavnagar, is famous for its Jain temples. The Palitana Jain Temples are probably the most important and famous of the Jain temples in India. Located at Palitana, a distance of 51 kms from Bhavnagar, the 863 temples are built in clusters at the Shatrunjaya Hill. The temples are dedicated to the 24 Jain Tirthankars of Jainism. And all the shrines contain the idols of the Tirthankaras, with bejeweled eyes.

Palitana is also considered holy by the Hindus, as the three Pandavas Yudhishthir, Bheem & Arjun of the great epic Mahabharata got Nirvana here. Hence, this place is also known as Siddhakshetra, where one attains Moksha. One of the temples even houses beautiful idols of Yudhishthir, Bheem & Arjun of the great epic Mahabharata.

So sacred are the temples for the Jains that they consider the temple city as an abode for the Gods. And no one is allowed to stay overnight at the place. The pilgrimages are even not allowed to carry food along the temple trail that starts from the foot of the hill that has 3745 steps up to the peak of the summit. Of course, there are a number of water posts for drinking that have been made available along the course. Devotees take around two hours to reach the top but every devout Jain make it a point to reach the top once in a lifetime. The major spot up the hill is the one with the footprints of the Tirthankaras.

Apart from Jain devotees, the temple city is also one of the greatest tourist attractions in Gujarat for foreign tourists, for the beautiful architectural designs that have been carved on white marble and plaster walls of the temple. The white temples look like a cluster of miniature ivory structures when seen from a distance.

But as you approach the temple city, the temples raised on a common plinth, with each successive level within the temple reflected in a higher spire above the ceiling, you feel you are looking at a mountain peak with larger temples growing in scale like waves. For the devoted, it seems as the temples are trying to rise higher in the skies to build a communion with the Almighty. Sunrise behind the temples is a great sight. One can enjoy views from the summit of the hills and the river Shetrunjaya. On a clear day, the Gulf of Cambay seacoast can be seen.

The most important temple you should visit when you are here is the temple dedicated to the first teerthankara of Jainism Shri Adishwar. Other significant temples are Kumarpal, Vimalshah, Sampriti Raja and the Chomukh. The Chomukh temple with its four-faced deity of Adinath enshrined on a marble pedestal in a shrine open on all four sides is an architectural masterpiece. Kumarpal Solanki, a great Jain patron, probably built the earliest temple. The temple has a fabulous collection of jewels, and these can be seen with special permission. The temples date from 11th to the 20th century. While atop you may also visit a Muslim shrine of Angar Pir. The childless women seek the Pir's blessings to be blessed with children. They offer miniature cradles to the Pir and the shrine is strewn with such cradles.

For the visiting traveler, the Palitana town is a good place to shop for textile related handicrafts and has a Jain kala sansta.

Commanding a special place on the Gujarat travelers' map, Palitana is a `must visit' destination for the Jains and all those who would like to witness what the subtle combination of human enterprise, architectural skills, and channelised religious fervor can achieve.

Sihor: Located at a distance of 28 km, Sihor is an interesting tourist destination with its historic old palace of the Maharaja of Bhavnagar, featuring gardens, wall paintings and woodcarvings. It can also be used as a base to visit Alang Ship Breaking Yard, the Jain temples of Talaja, the historic town of Vabhipur and the Velavadar National Park.

Khodiyar Mata: You may visit this place situated 4 kms from Sihor to pay your obeisance at the famous shrine of the family Goddess of the rulers of the former Bhavnagar. The deity is held in great reverence and the shrine with 36 pillars and a vast mandap presents a serene sight. The panoramic views from this place are worth watching.

Mahuva Shore: Located at a distance of 150 km, a minor part Mahuva is famous for its handicraft work in wood and ivory. Lacquer work on wooden furniture and toys are its speciality. The place is also the home of the famous 'Jamadar' mangoes similar to the Alphonso. There is an old mosque, Laxmi-narayan Temple and a Jain Dehrasar in this place. The Pipavav project nearby is fast coming up as a major port and coastal industrial centre.

Alang: A modern wonder of Gujarat, the ship-breaking yard at Alang is a fantastic spectacle in itself. It is located on the coast between Bhavnagar and Talaja. Large ships from America, Europe, Asia are brought here to be scrapped. The reason behind the selection of this site was the nature of its tide, suitable for such maritime activities and the proximity of industrial zones that could utilize its metal and other scrap. It's India's largest ship-breaking site. Here supertankers, container ships, warships and other vessels are reduced to scrap by 20,000 workers toiling day and night. It is located at a distance of 50 km from Bhavnagar.

Gopnath: Located at a distance of 89 km from Bhavnagar, Gopnath is beautiful hamlet on the coast of the Gulf of Khambhat. Vying for eminence on the tourist circuit in this place is a heritage hotel - Gopnath Bungalow. It was a pleasant sea-shore retreat of Gohil rulers of Bhavnagar. The bungalow built in a European colonial style with cottages and mansions surrounding the courtyard face the sea and offers a beautiful view of the gulf.

It attracts marine life and bird watching enthusiasts to the rocky shores on the coast. It is also renowned for the temple of Gopnath Mahadev, where Narsinh Mehta is believed to have performed penance.

Gadhada: Famous for its Swaminarayan Temple, Gadhada is a premier town on the pilgrim circuit of Gujarat. The temple, built in 1829 A.D. is a fine piece of architecture with a high plinth, spacious square, an assembly hall and large sarais.

Reaching there

By Air: Bhavnagar has an airport, which is southeast of the city center.

By Rail: Bhavnagar has a railhead of its own and it is on Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar railway line

By Road: Bhavnagar is well connected by road with towns and cities in Western and Northern India. Ahmedabad is 200 kms, Rajkot is 178kms and Vadodara or Baroda is 280 kms and 690 km from Mumbai (Bombay) from Bhavnagar. The main bus stand is about a kilometer from Ganga Jalia tank.

Staying there

For those of you who are on low budget can get cheap accommodation in the old city near the railway station. Medium-budget hotels are common here, with very few high-end hotels.

Some of the Bhavnagar hotels are Vrindavan Plaza Hotel, White Rose Hotel, Sun N Shine, Blue Hill Hotel, Apollo Hotel, Nilambag Palace Hotel and Palace Utelia. Among these, the Nilambag is a popular heritage hotel in Bhavnagar. Located at a distance of 8km from Bhavnagar airport and 2km from Bhavnagar railway station, it is an ideal blend of the traditional Gujarati culture and modern luxuries.

Though you may visit Bhavnagar any time of the year, we suggest it is best during winters (November to February). As the city is located at sea level, it can be really humid in the summers.