Almost everywhere in Gujarat, tourists will come across something interesting to see and soak in the hospitality of the monuments and their historic importance. There are hundreds of historical sites throughout the state of Gujarat giving it a unique place in the tourist places of India. Some of these structures have high inflow of visitors, but there are also many such place which have endured the saga of time and have remnants left over to speak about the rich heritage of this state. Among the different cities in Gujarat, which have such historical importance for the state as well as the country, the city of Jamnagar holds special mention.

History of Jamnagar

In 1920s, the then Maharaja Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji helped in the extension of the city of Nawanagar, just south of Gulf of Kutch. From the state capital city of Gandhinagar, it is about 337 kms south. In recent years, due to various oil refineries, it was nicknamed as ‘Oil City of India’. But, its history is also resplendent with many interesting facts. Jamnagar was the capital of the princely state of Nawanagar established by Jam Rava Jadeja in 1540 AD. Mythology tales of this city are also associated with Lord Krishna. This land was founded along the banks of the rivers Rangmati and Nagmati. Plenty of interesting sightseeing places are found in Jamnagar, besides this place being important for oil refineries, Bandhani fabric and other temples.

History of Bhujiyo Kotho

Bhujiyo Kotho is one of the imperial structures of Jamnagar. It was built by the earlier rulers of this city who wanted to protect the city from invasion particularly from the side of the rivers. This was the reason for building it close to the Lakhota Lake. Due to its height, Bhujiyo Kotho was used to have a panoramic view of the entire city of Jamnagar which in those days was known as Nawanagar. Since this place was exclusively used for military purposes, locals were not allowed inside it. But, in years after independence, it was possible to be visited by crossing a bridge over the rivers.

Importance

Because of the large size and circumference, it was a sight worth seeing by the tourists. Five floors of Bhujiyo Kotho were used for keeping guard against the foreign attacks as well as over the lake. At times of fighting, the ruler used to go into the lowest floor, while the upper floors were used as watch towers. The top floor had a large water tank over which a replica of a peacock was perched. The entry point to the city of Jamnagar was known to be through the Khambhaliya Gate, near to which is this mammoth structure. Guns were placed on the first floor from where the enemies could be fired upon. All the directions could be accessed and hence, it was considered to be safe. There was a chakri in the central dome of Bhujiyo Kotho which was used to transport soldiers into Bhuj to pass on messages to the king. Most of this building was collapsed during the earthquake of 2001 and since then, tourists are not allowed into this historic building.

Reaching There

Jamnagar is located at about 92 kms from Rajkot and tourists can get off at Bedi Gate for sightseeing of Bhujiyo Kotho. Several state road transport buses as well as private buses travel from Rajkot to Jamnagar. Domestic airlines connect Jamnagar to various cities in Gujarat as well as to Mumbai for easy access to Jamnagar by tourists.