Sea-City Porbandar

 A Land of  Mythology,History,Astronomy,Culture and Spirituality.                                    

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                  Sea-City Porbandar

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-16^th century. After being subjugated by the Mughal governor of Gujarat ,conquered by the Marathas in the latter half of the 18^th 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 31^st  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

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

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. 

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)

Sudama Mandir

The Sudama temple dates back to the first decade of the 20^th century. It was built in 1902-1908 by H.H. Bhavsinghji Madhavsingji , the Maharaja of Porbandar on the site of a 12^th 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.

The Kund

Shri Hari Mandir

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.

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.

The Sun in its Last Legs

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.

The Reefy Coastline

Small Bays Formed by Reefs

Reefs Washed by the Sea  

Sea Inundating the Reefs

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.

The Sea after Sunset

Huzoor Palace

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 20^th 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.

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.

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.

The Neat Beach at Dawn

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.

                   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. 

We felt sad that we had left the sea behind us but that was not to be because we saw the sea at a great distance. It was all along with us  and just when we felt that the sea was far away, we travelled just a bit and the sea was right next to the highway; so near as if the  with white foam on the sea were lashing at us. We had reached Madhopur beach.

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.People who live near the sea should not have any sorrow because all sorrows and lack pale into insignificance before the illimitableness of the sea signifying man’s potential and his beauty which are far, far greater and stronger than man’s sorrow.

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.             

 

Tags: Mahatma Gandhi, Sea, Planetarium, dugong, Sudama

Photographs:Bulbul Sur