Porbandar, a city in Gujarat, lies in the south-west coast of the Arabian Sea. It is chiefly famous as the birthplace of Mahatma
Gandhi. There is only a passing reference to the sea or no reference to it at
all. But Porbandar has a tourist identity of its own with its mythology, history,
temples and the wonderful, scenic ,peaceful chowpatty
(beach). Not only that, it is situated in close proximity to world-famous
places of Hindu pilgrimage. It is flanked by Dwarka, Somnath, Bileswar ,all
within a time limit of a couple of hours
or sometimes less :hardly a distance of an hour’s journey by road. Dwarka is about
102-105 km and Somnath is less than 120 km; Junagadh, the historical city is
112 km, and Sasan Gir National Park , the home of Asiatic lions is about
166-170 km from Porbandar.
History
Porbandar is known since ancient times because it is
the birthplace of Sudama (Lord Krishna’s friend).Hence it also known as
Sudamapuri.
Porbandar city was named after Goddess Parav. Bandar
means harbor. It is an ancient port
city. Maritime activity continued here on the Saurashtra coast since
the Harappan time in the 16-14 centuries BCE (1600-1400).There was a
flourishing trade from here to Africa and the Persian Gulf.
Many years ago
it was called Pao Bandar due to its bread factories. The bread called pao ruti was made here and exported to
Arab countries.
The Jethwa clan of Rajputs ruled Porbandar since the mid-16th
century. After being subjugated by the Mughal governor of Gujarat ,conquered by
the Marathas in the latter half of the 18th century, it came under
the authority of the Gaekwad royal court at Baroda and eventually of the Peshwas.
In 1807 it came under the British Raj. After independence the state was acceded
to the dominion of India.(Source:Wikipedia)
Commerce
The main economy of Porbandar survives on tourism and
fisheries. The beach is known as chowpatty locally. There is a wide range of
hotels on the beach. Dhows are still built here and fish-drying is an important
activity. Porbandar is also the producer of gold and silver trinkets and it
manufactures fine quality silk and cotton.
The Journey
We started from Jamnagar Reliance Township at 12 p.m.
We crossed Khambaliya and then took a turn towards Porbandar. The road was
narrow and sometimes gravelly but it was tree-lined with agricultural farmlands
on either side. The scene was very soothing . The fields were mainly cultivated with ground
nuts. We went on 31st October
when the fields had been harvested and tiny green saplings of wheat were carpeted on the fields
ready to be sown. Some fields were sown with ladies’ fingers and they were already tall with a hint of lemon-yellow
flowers. Men were rounding off the crops in a high mound while a large group of snow-white herons
watched the proceedings with undivided attention: standing too close for
comfort near the farmers yet with a fearless attitude. On some fields the
farmers sat under the shade of a tree in a group eating their lunch.
Our journey continued. The road was sparsely lined
with trees. In some areas the spiky
stems bore green leaflings and though they formed a cluster with their
closely knit trees, still they were too insufficient to block the harsh
afternoon sunlight. Suddenly the road became dark with a line of
thickly-foliaged huge trees standing as colonnades on either side and making the road dark
like a moonless night.
Then we saw a tiny stream trickling, bordered by green
vegetation and we knew we were in the vicinity of a farm house. Sure enough, after
long tracks of cultivated, harvested fields we suddenly saw a white and cream hued,
two-storey house through the thick grove of coconut trees. At a safe distance
away there were some ramshackle huts.
Wherever our eyes reached there were green fields ,
rivulets, thin strands of tricking water forming streams and meadows populated
with birds especially white and grey herons.
As we neared Porbandar, the roads widened. We crossed a
bridge, with freshly-painted white railings to arrive at asphalt-paved smooth,
wide roads. Porbandar has arrived: a neat city with an air of tranquillity,
grace and elegance.
Places of Tourist Attraction in Porbandar
Bharat Mandir
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| Bharat Mandir |
The Bharat Mandir is worth a look because it is
a culmination of entire India :her
illustrious sons, her famous places, her Gods and Goddesses. The idol of Bharat
Mata is in the main hall. You climb a couple of steps and come across a gallery where a huge relief map of India
adorns the floor. The main building is two-storey and rectangular, standing in
a verdant complex. It showcases India’s rich history and heritage. There are
pictures and sculptures of Hindu mythology and history, artifacts of Indian
culture. Paintings and quotes adorn the surrounding wall and pillars. It is a
very educative place as well as pleasing to the eye and an ideal destination
not only for students but also for the general populace. Photography is allowed
in Bharat Mandir.
Planetarium
The Planetarium is just opposite the Bharat Mandir. The ticket fee is nominal. It is called Akash Griha. It is also called
Shri Jawaharlal Nehru planetarium. It is the fifth planetarium in India after
the planetariums in Pune, Delhi, Muzaffarpur and Kolkata (sequentially).It was
opened in 1965. It was sponsored by Nanjibhai Kalidas Mehta, an industrialist
and philanthropist of Porbandar. The planetarium has a gallery dedicated to
Quit India Movement. It is the first of the three 8m dome planetariums with ZeiSS ZK P1
projectors. The other two planetariums with such features are in Vijayawada and
Surat.
Kirti Mandir
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| Kirti Mandir: Entrance to Gandhiji's House (Photo:Jaydip3212, wikimedia commons) |
Another place which gives Porbandar its hallowed
identity is of course Kirti Mandir , the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi. It is a
memorial house in remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi. But the
location is in a crowded locality, through narrow lanes zigzagging around old
houses and shops. We had parked our car at Sudama Chowk and from there we took
an auto to Kirti Mandir.
Kirti Mandir
was actually built due to Nanjibhai Kalidas Mehta’s efforts and money. He
created a trust and convinced Gandhiji to sell his ancestral house to the trust
so that it could be preserved as a memorial.
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| Gandhiji's Ancestral House (Photo:Rohit Agarwal,wikimedia commons) |
Gandhiji’s house is kept in very good condition. It is
a typical Kutch style of architecture built in a haveli style. It was bought in 1777 by Gandhiji’s grandfather and
subsequently new floors and wings were added to it. The house is three-storey with 24 rooms. The doors are low and the windows are small. The inside is dark
and cool. This ancestral house of Gandhiji is entered through the museum. There
is a large courtyard at the entrance and the museum is built around it. Photographs are displayed on the walls of the slim veranda lining the corridor.
There is no entry fee. Photography is prohibited . This museum which is adjacent
to the house has rare and very old photographs of Gandhiji. The glass almirah
houses his memorabilia and utensils used by him –a tea kettle for example. There
is a library that has books written by Gandhiji and books (by other authors) propounding his
philosophy.
Sudama Mandir (Temple)
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| Sudama Mandir |
The Sudama temple dates back to the first decade of
the 20th century. It was built in 1902-1908 by H.H. Bhavsinghji
Madhavsingji , the Maharaja of Porbandar on the site of a 12th
century temple. Sudama was Lord Krishna’s close friend in whose memory the
temple is built. The noteworthy feature is the elaborately carved shikara (tower ) and the arcade supported by beautiful marble pillars encompassing the entire temple.
The multifoil arches are delicately carved. The spandrels of the arches
are intricately designed. There is also
a Sudama Kund (well) with steps leading down but it has been secured by an aluminium net.
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| The Kund |
Shri Hari Mandir
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| Shri Hari Mandir |
Shri Hari Mandir is another attraction of Porbandar. It is located in the campus of Sandipani Vidhyaniketan, a renowned Gurukul. The Gurukul is an epicenter for practical training of rituals given to Rishikumars. It is a focal point of culture and spirituality. The Mandir is dedicated to many Gods: such Lakshmi Narayan, Radha Krishna, Shri Hanumanji, Shri Ganesh, Karunamayi Ma. It is said to be one of the biggest temple in Saurashtra. Tourist footfall is also the most in this sacred place.
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| The Aesthetic Campus of Shri Hari Mandir |
Jambavan/Jambavant Cave
This cave dates back to the Ramayan age. It is just 17
km from Porbandar railway station. This ancient cave is located at Ranavav near
Porbandar city. It is situated near Saurashtra Cement factory.
Jambavan Cave or Jambavan ki Gufa was the resting
place of the warrior Jambuvan, the divine king of bears created by Lord Brahma to assist Lord Ram against Ravan. It is
believed that this is the place where Lord Krishna and Jambuvan fought for the
Syamantaka jewel for 28 days. When Jambuvan understood that his opponent was
Lord Krishna he withdrew from the battle and gave the jewel to Sri Krishna. There is an exact spot in the cave marking
the encounter of Jambuvan with Sri Krishna where he gave Sri Krishna not only the
jewel but also his daughter’s hand in marriage. The cave has 50 Shivlingas
which are natural formations. There are
two tunnels inside the cave :one leads to Dwarka and the other to Junagadh.
The Beach
Then we came to the beach. There was a lone restaurant on the beach called Jamuna restaurant. The ambience is excellent because the windows open to the sea and it is a great experience to sip a cold drink and gaze at the sea. There are many good hotels opposite the beach and we stayed in one of them. You just climb down a flight of steps from your hotel campus, cross the road and voila! The sea is here. The sea is unique because there are reefs which form table cloth-sized bays.
The sunset is a good view with the waters and the sky becoming rainbow tinted with different hues: grey, pink, crimson, maize yellow , cement –grey all stretched like a semicircle.
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| The Sun in its Last Legs |
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| Enchanting Stages of Sunset |
The reefs were a sight to behold. They looked like dried ant hills with stalagmite-like steeples and hollows. We went down to the beach to wash our feet. It was a sight to watch the waters rushing in and filling the hollows of the reef like a game of bagatelle.
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| The Reefy Coastline |
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| Small Bays Formed by Reefs |
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| Reefs Washed by the Sea |
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| Sea Inundating the Reefs |
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| The Sea at Dusk |
The beach became crowded in degrees: first the occasional walkers and tourists, then people in groups and lastly the vendors with their carts of green coconuts, chips etc. lining up the road. Since vehicular traffic of all types are banned on the beach road, the people walked and frolicked freely. There were semi-circular promenades. The beach was unearthing more beauties as we walked farther on. There were lots of stone benches and round stone stools for sitting. There were many erstwhile bungalows and new houses opposite the beach.
But what struck our attention was a massive, beige
–hued palace on the beach called Huzoor Palace. It
stretched from end to end. Its length and breadth were colossal though it was
just two-storeyed.
As the sun set, the evening turned darker and the moon
on Huzoor Palace looked brighter.
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| The Sea after Sunset |
Huzoor Palace
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| Huzoor Palace Stretching from End to End on the Beach (photo:Milanraninga80 wikimedia commons) |
The Royal Palace in Porbandar is called Huzoor Palace
and it is situated in Chowpatty Beach. It is a historical place and one of the
most sought after tourist attraction. It was built by Natwar Singhji, the last
ruler of the princely state of Porbandar during the early 20th
century. It is also known as Raj Mahal. It stands on the sea shore. Its
innumerable, large windows on both the floors open to the sea.
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| Architectural Beauty of Huzoor Palace (Photo: wikimedia commons) |
It is built in the style of European architecture with
semi-circular porticoes with neo-classical columns, fountains and gardens.
Visitors are not allowed inside the palace but during Navratri festival people
come here to pay respect to royalty.
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| The Huzoor Palace along the Seafront |
The early morning was another scene on the chowpatty, also referred to as Marine Drive. As the grey morning unfolded swimmers and
potential swimmers lined up on the beach. There was a swimming school on the
beach and also a changing room. Many boys, girls and semi-adults jumped into
the water to swim or to learn swimming.
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| The Neat Beach at Dawn |
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| The Sea in the Morning |
Dugong
Porbandar is ‘one of the last coasts remaining where the threatened
marine mammal dugong can be found’ (Wikipedia).It is called ‘daria ka gai’by
local fishermen which means sea-cow.
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| Dugong Mother and Calf (wikimedia commons) |
A carcass believed to be of a dugong was found in May 2012 on the chowpatty coastline near Porbandar.
Towards Somnath
The journey from Porbandar to Somnath is enchanting. We crossed a cement factory, Saurashtra chemicals and a Kendriya Vidyalaya and moved towards Somnath. We again crossed a bridge with moderate water running below and freshly-painted white railings with the sun rising above it.The sea was nowhere in the vicinity. The houses were neat and tidy, not any great work of architectural skill. There were however some ramshackle mansions with bosky gardens, whitish, closed windows, paint –peeling and darkish walls. They look abandoned. Probably when they were made the owners of the houses could see the sea right from their verandas.
The beach is about 2-3 km in length.There were a couple of
seating arrangements below shades and of course coconut sellers.Madhopur town
also had old houses by the sea: sad, dark and derelict.
And then started the huge coconut farms over many
acres of land, the ground dark with
their extensive foliage . An occasional elegant farmhouse stuck out through the
leaves. Some trees looked so close as if the barks would entwine each other
.The coconut trees near the road were at a suitable distance. And just by the
side of the road were very old banyan trees with their roots reaching down to
the ground.
Then we reached Somnath. Om Namay Sivah. We parked our
car at a distance and walked all the way. Cameras are not allowed inside the
temple but there are professional photographers who gave us almost instant
photographs.
The sea could be seen from the temple top .The beach
was crowded with shops ,coconut sellers ,camel rides, horse and pony rides.
Distance
Jamnagar to Porbandar is 130 km We went at an average
speed of 60 miles per hour and it took us one hour twenty minutes.
Porbandar is well connected. There are flights from
Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad. Trains run from Porbandar to Mumbai Central, New
Delhi (NDLS), Delhi Sarai Rohilla, Kochuveli (Kerala) and Howrah (Kolkata). Buses
run by State Transport Corporation and private enterprises connect Porbandar to
Ahmedabad ,Dwarka, Veraval(near Somnath), Diu, Rajkot, Vadodara, Junagadh etc.
