One of the cleanest and fastest growing cities of India, Rajkot is a city of substance in Gujarat. Located on banks of Niari and Aji River, the city has many hotspots that are of curiosity to travelers. A lot of importance comes to the city owing to the fact that father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi has spent some initial years of his life with his parents in Rajkot.
This happens to be from the time when his father used to be a Diwan in the court of the then king of Rajkot. So Rajkot treasures and preserves a lot of tokens from that epoch. Not only the present but the history of Rajkot has also been equally glorious and important for India. It is an old city which used to be the capital of princely state of Saurashtra from the year 1948 to 1956 and was later merged into the state of Bombay. Apart from being a city of significance from historical, cultural and tourism angles, Rajkot has also been a place of importance from trade and commerce point of view.
Major Tourist Attractions in Rajkot
- Karba Gandhi No Delo/ Mahatma Gandhi House – This is the house of Mahatma Gandhi where he lived from the age of six. It was built in 1880 and is an ideal example of a Saurashtra house. The house exhibits a rare collection of objects related to Gandhi Ji’s life. There is a small weaving institute in its premises which aims to preserve Gandhi Ji’s love and dedication for handloom.
- Watson Museum – Perpetuating a valuable assortment of precious items from the era of colonialism, Watson Museum is one of the best Museums in Gujarat. Apart from this, there are some ancient relics from Mohenjodaro civilization as well. The museum was started in 1888 to honor the efforts of Colonel James Watson, the administrator of that time.
- Jubilee Garden – Constituting of a number of olden monuments of colonial period, Jubilee Garden is a very big park in Rajkot. There is a Connaught Hall at the center of the garden. There are quite a lot of other places of tourist interest close to the hall which include Rashtriya Shala, Lang Library, Mohandas Gandhi High School and Rotary Midtown Library.
- Hanging Bridge – Located in Morbi, Hanging Bridge is another tourist’s favorite destination in Rajkot. Made up with the use of only wire ropes and wood, this 165 feet long and 4.5 feet broad bridge is hanging over the river Machchhu. Crossing the Hanging Bridge can be an experience to be remembered for life.
Besides those that are mentioned above, there are many other places of tourist interest in Rajkot
- Aji Dam, Ishwariya Temple
- Kaba Gandhi’s Gate
- Tankara, Mukti Dham
- Jagat Temple
- The Lang Library
- Rotary Dolls Museum
- Rajkumar College
- Race Course and
- Rampara Wildlife Sanctuary
Festivals and Fair
The city of Rakjot gets filled with vibrancy and liveliness during the festival of Navratri when umpteen dandiya and garbha festivals are organized throughout the city. There is a lot of excitement and celebrations in Rajkot during the nine days of Navratri.
Best time to visit
From the month of October till February is the time of winters in Rajkot. With temperatures ranging between 10 and 20 degrees, the city becomes quite pleasant for tourists. Another good time to be around Rajkot is during the season of monsoon which starts by the end of June and lasts till September. Summers which begin in March and last till June are quite hot and not a good time for travelers to be here.
How to reach
By Air – Rajkot has an airport of its own which is located at a distance of about 4km from the main city. There are regular flights to and from all the major cities of the country.
By Rail – Rajkot Junction, Bhakti Nagar and Khanderi are the three railway stations in Rajkot. These are served by regular trains connecting the city to all the major towns and cities of Gujarat as well as other states of the country.
By Road – Getting to Rajkot by road is also quite easy and convenient owing to its connectivity with National Highway No.8. There are regular and frequent buses of state as well private transport service providers for Rajkot from all the major towns and cities in and around Gujarat.
