Sightseeing Highlights
Due to its rich heritage, Porbandar has many outstanding tourist highlights. The most important activity is exploring the town itself with its city planning and the stone buildings with exquisite mason work and rich carving. The facades of the houses on either side of the streets, with carved windows and gateways, displaying a unique architectural style, make Porbandar one of the few cities that must be enjoyed on foot.
You must pay a visit to Kirti Mandir that has been built as a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi and lies next to his actual birth house. Another attraction is the Darbargadh fort that is the fortified palace of the city. It was built by Rana Sartanji who established Porbander as a capital and has a huge stone entrance, with high turrets and massive wooden doors.
The other must-see is the famous Krishna-Sudama temple in the center of town. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that this is the only Sudama temple in the world.
You can visit the summer pavilion of the Rana called Sartanji Choro and the Huzoor Palace. Rana Sartanji built the three-storeyed summer pavilion in Rajput style as a retreat in the midst of the garden, each side representing a different season. There are many other heritage buildings and architectural marvels that dot this city, which can make for an interesting heritage holiday.
Other Activities
Take a break from the heritage tour, and make a trip to the nearby Modpar Fort that is about 70 kms away to have a picnic there. The Barda wild life sanctuary and the Harshad Mata temple are two other popular trips that many tourists take when they visit Porbandar.
On the southern coast, between Veraval and Dwarka, Porbandar is a small but busy town that is edged by a beach. In ancient times, the city was called Sudamapuri. During the Mughal period it was a bustling maritime trade center with a thriving port. Porbandar was also the last capital of the Jethwa Rajputs, who ruled this area for about 1200 years. Originally a fortified town with high rampart walls, bastions and five gates, Porbandar lost its fortification by the order of the British. Because of the long line of temples and beautiful public buildings and edifices overlooking the sea on its main stretch, Porbandar is famous as a coastal heritage town of Gujarat. It is also famous as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. |
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