14/10/19 : Jamnagar

14/10/19 : Jamnagar city

We woke up early and went and washed and freshened up and packed our baggage and ready to get down at Jamnagar station.  We arrived at 9 0’clock and was out of the station and looked out for our car booked through the hotel.  Innova was there waiting and we were on our way to our hotel.  We had booked this car for next 4 days until we return back.  We were booked at Hotel President in the city itself, at Teen Batti Chowk.  It was a 4 star, now under OYE booking and we had a nice 2 rooms booked next to each for 4 nights  and it was a spacious hotel, facing the road, with clean bathroom. 

After freshening up and resting for some time, we went out looking for local authentic Kathiyawadi food, we were directed to Brahmaniya Dining Hall, a very famous Hotel for Kathiyawadi Food in Jamnagar. It was a restaurant on first floor where we were served Kathiyawadi food in thali. The food served was vegetarian and it was lovely and we enjoyed ourselves.  Couldn’t make justice for the never ending food being supplied by the Waiters.  We walked back to the hotel well fed and went off to sleep.

In the evening our car took us, first to the old township to visit old Annapurna Temple which the Maharaja used to worship but once he moved to his Lakhota Palace, he had his own temple there. 

By the time we reached, it was late and the Palace was closed but we walked around the courtyard which had four passage and in one passage we had the statue of Maharaja Rawalji riding a horse.  The lake around had all migratory birds swimming and diving for fishes.  It was lovely to sit around, watch the sun setting and birds chirping away.  Our little hero was the cameraman and clicking away.  Overlooking the palace was the fortress for soldiers who were guarding the Maharaja and his family and the palace.

Lakhota Palace and Museum

This former fortress in the center of a scenic lake is now a museum with antiquities on display. It's a beautiful place with pond, very nicely and neatly maintained.. Very rare to find rubber track at public place in India.. It has a small museum but beautifully maintained.

On an island in the center of the lake stands the circular Lakhota tower, built for ...
a moat, the tower known as Lakhota Palace now houses the Lakhota Museum. .

Lakhota Palace and the Ranmal (or Lakhota) Lake were built in the mid-19th century by Jan Ranmal II, the king of Navanagar. Lake was intended to act as a water reservoir in times of need. The small Lakhota palace placed beautifully in the middle of the lake was the original seat of its rulers. The semi-circular bastions, canons, turrets, guard rooms with swords, musket loops, powder flasks, etc. - all hint towards the level of military preparedness of the kingdom. In case of an attack, the lake would also have acted as a moat to the fortress.

There is also a small museum within the palace which houses ancient sculptures dating from 9th to 18th century, medieval age pottery items and small firearms. Walls of the museum are covered with murals depicted scenes of past war fought by Jadeja Rajputs.

Standing right in the centre of the lake, the location of the palace is brilliant. The lake is frequented by a variety of local and migratory birds. Sightings of around 75 species of birds have been recorded; what makes it so appealing is the presence of terns, pelicans, gulls and ducks right in the heart of the city. One can take a walk on the paved path around the Lakhota Lake or sit at the benches enjoying the beautiful view of the lake, the palace and the amazing birds. The delicious food stalls nearby would complete the experience by gladdening your taste buds