Porbandar
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Mahatma Gandhi's image in
the Githa Mandir, Porbandar |
Porbandar is a coastal city in the
Indian
state of
Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of
Mahatma Gandhi. It is the administrative center of
Porbandar District.
The name "Porbandar" came from the combination of two words: "Porai", the name of a local goddess, and "Bandar" means port or harbour. Thus, 'Porbandar' translates to 'Porai's harbour'. Several sources refer to the area as 'Pauravelakul', a name known to have been in use during the
10th century; this ancient name may possibly translate to 'land of Porai's clan' or to that effect. The town finds mention in the
Hindu epics as the hometown of Sudama, a beloved friend and class-fellow of lord
Krishna; the town has also often been referred to as 'Sudamapuri' on that account.
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Rokhadia Hanuman temple in 1958 |
Located in the extreme west of India, Porbandar is an important all-weather port on the
Arabian sea. It supports a population (c.2001 CE) of over 150,000. Given its association with
Mahatma Gandhi, Porbandar is today something of a tourist centre and is served by an airport and train line. Its deep sea port was built during the last quarter of the
20th century.
Places of interest
*Kirti Mandir (Birthplace of Gandhi)
*Sudama Mandir
*Nehru
Planetarium*Bharat Mandir
*Gita Mandir
*Rokhadia Hanuman temple
*Victoria Jubilee Madressa Boys' & Girls' High School, Porbandar...120 years old leading educational inststitution was founded by Sheth Haji Abdullaha Jhaveri who called Mahatma Gandhi for the first time to South Africa.submitted by : Faruq Suria, Hon. Secretary, V. J. Madressa, Porbandar.
More to add
* Rana Bapu's Mahal
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Http://tejas.lakhani.googlepages.com/Porbandar1.jpg |
* Chowpati
Submitted by : Tejas Lakhani, Pune.
Harappan settlement (1600-1400 BC)
Onshore explorations in and around Porbandar brought to light for the first time the remains of a late
Harappan settlement dating back to the
16th -
14th century BC, which is similar to that from Bet
Dwarka. This is another evidence to suggest that the Harappan legacy of activity continued till the late Harappan period on the
Saurashtra coast. The discovery of ancient jetties along the Porbandar creek signifies the importance of Porbandar as an active centre of maritime activities in the past. This is an Darjicommunity
Princely Porbandar (1600 CE onwards)
Porbandar was formerly the seat of the eponymous
princely state in
British India. The ruling family of the state belonged to the
Jethwa clan of
rajputs and had been established in the area since at least the mid
16th century. The state was subordinate to the
mughal governor of Gujarat until being overrun by the
marathas in the latter half of the
18th century, whereafter they came under the authority of the
Gaekwad court at
Baroda, and eventually of the
Peshwa. In common with the other states of
Kathiawar, the state first came into the ambit of British influence in
1807, when the
HEIC guaranteed security in the area in lieu of a fixed annual tribute to be paid to the Peshwa and the Gaekwad. In
1817, the Peshwa ceded his share to the HEIC; in
1820, the Gaekwad agreed to have the HIEC collect his due tributes in Kathiawar and remit the same to his treasury.
During the
Raj, the state covered an area of 1,663 sq.km, encompassing 106 villages and a population, in 1921, of over 100,000 people. It enjoyed a revenue of Rs.21,00,000/-. By
1947, the rulers held the style of "Highness" and the title of "Maharaj Rana Sahib"; they were entitled to a salute of 13 guns as a hereditary distinction.
Upon the
Independence of India in
1947, the state acceded unto the
dominion of India. It was merged with the 'United state of Kathiawar' with effect from
February 15,
1948 and eventually came to form part of the present-day state of
Gujarat.
Despite being the birthplace of one of the most famous leaders of the world, Porbandar has a pathetic tourism infrastructure. Although the area around Mahatma Gandhi's home has been renovated to become a temple of peace, most of the rest of the city is flithy and lacks infrastructure. The birthplace of Gandhi's wife, less than a kilometre away is an example of this.
The major complaints of tourists and would-be tourists are that the town is not known well enough, the bad traffic scenario means that bus journeys take many hours, and that the town smells horrible a mixture of fish and manure, the people of the town are oblivious to this smell.
Porbandar has an excellent beach and a brilliant azure sea which could become a tourism hot spot, however the government has failed to assure cleanliness and although the ocean itself is pristine, the beach is full of plastic bags and other non-biodegradable waste.
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Genealogy of the ruling chiefs of Porbandar*
Application of geological and geophysical methods in marine archaeology and underwater explorations
