Sleep It’s not diffidult to find reasonable accommodation in the city WHY GO? The bazaars in Bhuj sell exquisite Kutchi handicrafts, and the historic palaces here, such as Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal, are eerie but beautiful. Textile tourism attracts visitors from all over the world, but the main draw is the uplifting prospect of seeing a town that has picked itself up in the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster. WHAT IS THERE TO DO? The main attraction in Bhuj is the walled complex of Darbargadh, which hosts the Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal. Visit the Kachchh Museum, bazaars selling traditional Kutch handicrafts and finally, a calm-inducing stepwell. The great Gujarati thali and the resort promoting ‘endogenous tourism’ are not to be missed. Situated south of town, Hotel Mangalam 6 offers big, bright, modern rooms (although there are only 17) and good views of Bhuj. Sanjeev Kapoor’s famous Yellow Chilli restaurant is here, and free airport transfers are available (00-91-2832-220303; mangalamhotels.com, info@ mangalamhotels.com; Mangalam Cross Rds, Sanskar Nagar; from ` 1,200). Located near Darbargadh in the old city, Gangaram Hotel and Guest House 7 offers a variety of rooms and a restaurant with delicious food (00-91-2832- 254438; hotelgangaram@yahoo. co.in; Darbargadh Chowk; from ` 1,400). Even though the hotel receives mixed reviews, Hotel KBN’s 8 location in the heart of the town, 15 minutes away from the airport, is its USP. This 24-room property has excellent service and spacious, clean rooms, some featuring circular beds! (00-91- 2832-227251; hotelkbn.com, [email protected]; Station Rd; from ` 1,900 with bed tea) With stylish wood-panelled rooms and an angular glass- and-red exterior, Hotel Ilark 9 is a good option as a place to stay in Bhuj. The deluxe rooms are particularly nice (00-91-2832- 258999; hotelilark.com, info@ hotelilark.com; Station Rd; from ` 2,200). Hotel Prince 10 has excellent service, smart rooms and good food. The hotel is located close to the airport and the railway station (00-91-2832-220370; hotelprinceonline.com, info@ hotelprinceonline.com; Station Rd; from ` 3,000 with breakfast). BEST FOR PALACES 1 The Italian-Gothic-style Prag Mahal is located within the walled complex of Darbargadh. The Durbar Hall, a room of decayed magnificence, with broken chandeliers and classical statues, is also found here, and is worth a visit (New Palace; 9am – 12pm and 3 – 6pm; entry ` 10). BEST FOR HISTORY 2 In Darbargadh, also visit Aina Mahal, or the ‘Hall of Mirrors’, designed in an Indo-European style. The museum here has royal family memorabilia, Chinese- styled tiles, paintings and mirrors (Old Palace; 9am – 12pm and 3pm – 6pm Sun – Fri; entry ` 10). BEST FOR MUSEUMS 3 The Kachchh Museum is the oldest museum in Gujarat. It houses the largest collection of Kshatrapa inscriptions, dating back to 1AD and dioramas of Kutch tribal costumes (College Rd; 10am – 1pm and 2.30pm – 5.30pm Thur – Tues, closed on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month; entry ` 2). See & do BEST FOR TEMPLES 4 Visit the Swaminarayan Temple for its brightly-coloured wood carvings that depict Lord Krishna and Radha. This temple marks the place where Swaminarayan sat with local holy men when passing through Bhuj (00-91-2832-250231; Tirth Dham). BEST FOR WELLS 5 For some peace and quiet, head to the Ramkund Stepwell. Located across from the Kachchh Museum, this neatly-designed, square stepwell has sculptures of characters from the Ramayana and the incarnations of Lord Vishnu along the walls. TURN OVER FOR MAP AND NUMBER LOCATIONS Bhuj, Gujarat Tear out page here then fold along the dotted lines Fold 2 Fold 1 MINI GUIDE December 2012 Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, earthquake-hit Bhuj, the capital of Kutch, is an interesting town that has been wonderfully resurrected Prag Mahal is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside Left: Prag Mahal should be a must-see on your list of things to do in Bhuj Right: Traditional clothing is bright and colourful, a sharp contrast to the dull hues of the desert
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Sleep
It’s not diffidult to find reasonable accommodation in the city
WHY GO?The bazaars in Bhuj sell exquisite Kutchi handicrafts, and the historic palaces here, such as Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal, are eerie but beautiful. Textile tourism attracts visitors from all over the world, but the main draw is the uplifting prospect of seeing a town that has picked itself up in the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster.
WHAT IS THERE TO DO? The main attraction in Bhuj is the walled complex of Darbargadh, which hosts the Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal. Visit the Kachchh Museum, bazaars selling traditional Kutch handicrafts and finally, a calm-inducing stepwell. The great Gujarati thali and the resort promoting ‘endogenous tourism’ are not to be missed.
Situated south of town, Hotel Mangalam 6 offers big, bright, modern rooms (although there are only 17) and good views of Bhuj. Sanjeev Kapoor’s famous Yellow Chilli restaurant is here, and free airport transfers are available (00-91-2832-220303; mangalamhotels.com, [email protected]; Mangalam Cross Rds, Sanskar Nagar; from ` 1,200).
Located near Darbargadh in the old city, Gangaram Hotel and Guest House 7 offers a variety of rooms and a restaurant with delicious food (00-91-2832-254438; [email protected]; Darbargadh Chowk; from ` 1,400).
Even though the hotel receives mixed reviews, Hotel KBN’s 8 location in the heart of the town, 15 minutes away from the airport, is its USP. This 24-room property has excellent service and spacious, clean rooms, some featuring circular beds! (00-91-2832-227251; hotelkbn.com, [email protected]; Station
Rd; from ` 1,900 with bed tea)With stylish wood-panelled
rooms and an angular glass- and-red exterior, Hotel Ilark 9 is a good option as a place to stay in Bhuj. The deluxe rooms are particularly nice (00-91-2832-258999; hotelilark.com, [email protected]; Station Rd; from ` 2,200).
Hotel Prince 10 has excellent service, smart rooms and good food. The hotel is located close to the airport and the railway station (00-91-2832-220370; hotelprinceonline.com, [email protected]; Station Rd; from ` 3,000 with breakfast).
BEST FOR PALACES 1 The Italian-Gothic-style Prag Mahal is located within the walled complex of Darbargadh. The Durbar Hall, a room of decayed magnificence, with broken chandeliers and classical statues, is also found here, and is worth a visit (New Palace; 9am – 12pm and 3 – 6pm; entry ` 10).
BEST FOR HISTORY 2 In Darbargadh, also visit Aina Mahal, or the ‘Hall of Mirrors’, designed in an Indo-European style. The museum here has royal family memorabilia, Chinese-styled tiles, paintings and mirrors (Old Palace; 9am – 12pm and 3pm – 6pm Sun – Fri; entry ` 10).
BEST FOR MUSEUMS 3
The Kachchh Museum is the oldest museum in Gujarat. It houses the largest collection of Kshatrapa inscriptions, dating back to 1AD and dioramas of Kutch tribal costumes (College Rd; 10am – 1pm and 2.30pm – 5.30pm Thur – Tues, closed on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month; entry ` 2).
See & do
BEST FOR TEMPLES 4
Visit the Swaminarayan Temple for its brightly-coloured wood carvings that depict Lord Krishna and Radha. This temple marks the place where Swaminarayan sat with local holy men when passing through Bhuj (00-91-2832-250231; Tirth Dham).
BEST FOR WELLS 5
For some peace and quiet, head to the Ramkund Stepwell. Located across from the Kachchh Museum, this neatly-designed, square stepwell has sculptures of characters from the Ramayana and the incarnations of Lord Vishnu along the walls. TURN OVER FOR MAP AND NUMBER LOCATIONS
Bhuj,Gujarat
Tear
out
pag
e he
re th
en fo
ld a
long
the
dott
ed li
nes
Fold 2
Fold 1
MINI GUIDE December 2012
Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, earthquake-hit Bhuj, the capital of Kutch, is an interesting town that has been wonderfully resurrected
Prag Mahal is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside
Left: Prag Mahal should be a must-see on your list of things to do in Bhuj
Right: Traditional clothing is bright and colourful, a sharp contrast to the dull hues of the desert
032-033-Bhuj-STAN.indd 139 09/11/12 10:47 AM
MINI GUIDEBhuj, Gujarat
EssentialsGETTING THEREJetKonnect, IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet fly to Bhuj Airport from all major metros via Mumbai, while there is a direct flight from Mumbai. Return fares from Mumbai start from ` 6,800. The airport is located 3km from the city centre.
THE COST
DIFFICULTY OF TRAVEL
WHEN TO GOThe best time to visit is between September and February as the temperatures are cooler, compared to the unbearable summer months.
Getting around
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HIGHLOW
See Eat & drink Sleep
The North Indian fare at Noorani Mahal is spicy and tasty
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MahadevGate
HamirsarTank
RajendraPark
Bus Stand Rd
StationRd
Lal Tekari
Hospital Rd
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Shroff Bazaar
Lang
aSt
Sanskar Nagar Rd
NewVegetableMarket
OldVegetableMarket
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To Airport (5km)
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To Bhujodi(7km)
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To HotelMangalam(600m)
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To TrainStation(1.25km)
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To DistrictSuperintendentof Police (100m)
AndamanSea
B a y o f B e n g a l
A r a b i a n S e a
I n d i a n O c e a n
CHINA
BHUJ
PAKISTAN
INDIA
A few nights at Shamm-e-Sarhad Village Resort will give you an insight into Kutchi rural life
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Eat & drink
For more details, log on to lonelyplanet.com
FIND OUT MORELonely Planet India is great for information on Bhuj. Full of useful tips and suggestions, it also carries a map.
Located in the Banni grasslands 63km north of Bhuj, the Shamm-e-Sarhad Village Resort is a project to promote ‘endogenous tourism’, which helps visitors understand the livelihood and culture of Kutch. Run by the Halepotra community, the accommodation includes bhungas (circular mud huts with sloping roofs and neat interiors), and luxurious tents. You can go bird-watching or visit villages in the area such as Hodka,
Side trip
‘Authentic’ is the best word to describe the food at Green Rock Restaurant 11, which is famous for its lunchtime thalis as well as an extensive all-vegetarian menu. The Gujarati thali is a great option here (00-91-2832-253644; greenrock restaurant.com; Chatthi Bari Ring Rd, near ST Station; 11am – 3pm and 7pm – 10.30pm; mains from ` 90, thali from ` 120).
Within Hotel Mangalam is the amazing Yellow Chilli 12. A branch of a chain run by chef Sanjeev Kapoor, this eatery serves delicious vegetarian and creative Mughlai dishes (see Sleep for details; lunch and dinner; mains from ` 150).
Another quality restaurant is Sankalp 13, winner of the Times Food Award, which offers authentic South Indian specialties. Head here for your fix of southern delicacies (00-91-2832-254303; hoteloasis bhuj.com/sankalp,restaurant.html; Hotel Oasis, New Station Rd; 11am – 11pm; mains from ` 50).
A great air-conditioned restaurant for vegetarian North
and South Indian and Chinese cuisines is Hotel Nilam 14, where you are greeted by bow-tied, waistcoated waiters. The famous Gujarati thali is also available here (Station Rd; mains from ` 60, thali ` 110).
Noorani Mahal 15 is a rare North Indian, non-vegetarian restaurant in Bhuj. Most of the dishes here are chicken, but there’s also mutton and vegetarian food cooked either in the tandoor or in a spicy curry (00-91-2832226328; Station Rd; 11.30am – 3pm and 7pm – 11pm; mains from ` 55).
or listen to folk songs under the open sky (00-91-2803-296222; hodka.in, [email protected]; Hodka Village, Banni; Oct – Mar; from ` 3,200 all-inclusive).
032-033-Bhuj-STAN_R1.indd 140 17/11/12 12:25 AM
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