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This ancient port on the Saurashtra
Peninsula, on the Arabian Sea is mentioned in
Skanda Purana as Sudamapuri and Ashmawati. It
is the city of a mythological story about the
great friendship between Lord Krishna
and Sudama. Porbandar was the last capital
of the Jethwa Rajputs, who ruled this area for
about 1200 years. Shifting capitals from Ghumali,
Ranpur and Chhaya. Present day Porbandar was established
as a capital by Rana Sartanji in 1785 A.D. Porbandar,
originally a fortified town, with high rampart
walls, bastions and five gates, lost it’s
fortified by the order of Colonel Lally in 1888
AD. Even today, a ritual to circumambulate the
fortified is performed by Hindus.
The
prosperity of Porbandar was due to maritime trade
and it was a thriving port in the Mughal period.
It was attacked by the Portuguese in the wake
of achieving supremacy over Sea trade in 1531
AD. The Walker Treaty of 1807 AD between the ruling
clans of Saurashtra and the British put an end
to the feuds and it resulted in a favorable environmental
for the civic development of the Porbandar state.
The
most impressive feature of Porbandar is the city
planning and the stone building with ashlar masonry
and rich carving. The facades of the houses on
either side of the streets, with series of windows,
caved 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.
Kirti
Mandir ids built next to the birthplace of Mahatma
Gandhi, who was born here in 1869 AD.
Lacs of Indian tourists visit the house of the
Mahatma and Kasturba, his wife. Kirti Mandir has
a Gandhian library and a prayer hall.
There
is no Indian, who has not heard of the legendary
friendship of king and devotee – Krishna
and Sudama – Starting from the ashram Sandipani
Rishi and culminating at the court of Lord Krishna,
in the city of Dwarka. The Story comes alive with
the sight of a beautiful temple in the middle
of Porbandar town. In whole of India, this is
the only temple dedicated to Sudama. The maze
on the platform in the campus is an interesting
feature.
Rana
Sartanji built Darbargadh, the fortified palace,
with a huge carved stone entrance gate flanked
by high turrets and massive wooden doors. It is
a typical example of such royal enclosures situated
within the town of Gujarat. The nearby edifices
on the left of the entrance are also good examples
of large mansions with courtyards and intricately
carved wooden elements.
Rana
Sartanji built the three-storeyed summer pavilion,
Sartanji Choro, in Rajput style as a retreat in
the midst of the garden, each side representing
a different season. The pillars with images of
musicians, profusely carved foliated arches and
a single dome at the top gives an idea of bygone
days, when Rana Sartanji used to compose poems
in Braj bhasha, sitting under this pavilion.
Huzoor
Palace is located at the end of Marine Drive,
in a huge campus. The sprawling palace, built
in the European style with sloping roofs is a
horizontal structure with several wings and big
windows, overlooking the sea. The wings are interspersed
with the back and front yards, bringing nature
and the building together by gardens fountains.
The Semi-circular porticos with neo-classical
pillars, decorated entrance gate and commanding
view makes it a must for the visitors. Other such
examples of royal and public heritage buildings
from the colonial period are public library, old
Raj Mahal (Now a college), Victoria Jubilee Madresa,
Collectorate, Bhavsinhji High School, Natwarsinhji
Sports Club. |
