Porbandar
was established as a capital by Rana Sartanji in 1785 AD. Porbandar,
originally a fortified town. with high rampart walls, bastions and
five gates, lost its fortification by the order of Colonel Lally
in 1888 AD. Even today, a ritual to circumambulate the fortification
is performed by Hindus.
The most impressive feature of Porbandar is the city planning and
the stone buildings with ashlar masonary and rich carving. The facades
of the houses on either side of the streets, with series of windows,
carved gateways, using eclectic architectural language, invites
tourists to experience the streetscape on
foot. The
series
of vistas enriched by a skyline of temples and beautiful public
buildings and edifices overlooking the sea on Marine Drive puts
Porbandar on the list of coastal heritage towns of Gujarat.
Tourist
Destinations:
» Planetarium
Across
the muddy creek, which is spanned by the Jynbeeli (once Jubilee)
Bridge, are the Nehru Planetarium and the Bharat Mandir. Flocks
of flamingoes are an unexpected sight along the creek. Men and women
enter the planetarium from the verandah by separate doors whose
panels celebrate Indian nonalignment, showing Shastri with Kosygin
on one side and Nehru with JFK on the other! The planetarium has
afternoon sessions in Gujarati.
» Porbandar
Sea Beach
The
town has developed at the south-east shore on the Arabian Sea .
At the foot of the town is the once beautiful Porbandar Sea Beach
that, however, stench today. In the past it was called the Willingdon
Marina Beach. And there is the Huzur Palace , the palace of yore
oa the beach. You can also visit the factory here where gold and
silver cigarette cases and vanity bags are manufactured.
» Bharat
Mandir
The
large Bharat Mandir hall is in a charming irrigated garden opposite
the planetarium. On the floor inside is a huge relief map of India
and the building's pillars are brilliantly painted with bas-reliefs
of over 100 religious figures and legendary persons from Hindu epics.
The verandah's six distorting mirrors are popular with children.
» How
to reach Porbandar
By
Air : Porbandar is connected by air to Mumbai
By Rail : Railway station on Porbandar-Ahmedabad railway line
By Road : Ahmedabad (412 km), Rajkot (187 km), Jamnagar (124 km)
