Once the capital of the princely state of Bhavnagar, today it is the
headquarters of the district by the same name. Founded in 1743 A.D., it was once
a flourishing port. Today, however the only activities related to sea; in the
vicinity of Bhavnagar take place at the port of Ghogha and at
Alang which is also Asia's largest ship
breaking facility.
For the tourist the
city serves as a convenient base for visiting the Jain temples at
Palitana on the Shetrunjay hills.
PLACES OF INTEREST
GAURISHANKAR LAKE
It is usually dry
now a days and used for organizing fairs and other big public
events. It also has a picnic spot nearby and a beautiful garden
known as Pil Garden (now I don't know why they call it by this
name).
TAKHTESHWAR TEMPLE
Located atop a small
hill this temple is a very popular spot for people to hang out
especially in the evenings and weekends. It also is a popular picnic
spot and offers a panoramic view of the city of
Bhavnagar.
LOCK GATE
The first of its
kind in Gujarat, this gate is used to trap the sea water so as to
keep the ships in the harbor afloat during the period of low tide.
However, a visit to this place does require special permission from
the concerned authorities.
PALITANA
Palitana is about 50
kilometers away from Bhavnagar. It lies at the foot of the
Shetrunjay Hill and has the Shetrunjay river flowing to the south.
The sacred hill rises in a crescendo of magnificent temples - 863
in all - that soar in marble splendor to the top of the hill. The
temples were built over an impressive span of 900 years with each
generation of pilgrims making its contribution to the shrines of
Shetrunjay.
How to Reach : By
road from Ahmedabad
or flight from Bombay
.
| 
