Vijay Vilas Palace
This weathered 1920s palace lies 7 km west of Mandvi, amid extensive orchards along a private beach. Originally a summer abode for the Kutch rulers, its first floor is now the main residence of the elderly Maharajah of Bhuj.
See detailsBhadreshwar Jain Tirth Derasar
Perhaps one of the most under-appreciated sites of great significance for India's religious history is Bhadreshwar, barely a kilometer from the coast, 69 km east of Mandvi, past Mundra, and 75 km south of Bhuj.
See detailsLakhpat Fort
Only 33 km north of Narayan Sarovar lies the town of Lakhpat, with a walled fort as its main highlight. The town was an important coastal trade node in the 18th century. At the mouth of the Kori creek, the large fort walls still offer testimony to a short but glorious past.
See detailsAina Mahal
Maharao Lakhpatji commissioned the project in 1750 to architect and designer Ram Singh Malam, who lived in Europe for 18 years and had mastered several European architecture skills. An interesting legend surrounds Maharao Lakhpatji. It is said that he used his beds only for year and then auctioned them off. The museum is a royal showcase of Kutch jewellery, weaponry and art.
See detailsSharad Bagh Palace
This graceful 1867 Italianate palace, set among shade trees full of crows and bats, was the abode of the last Maharao of Kutch, Madansingh, until his death in 1991.
See detailsPrag Mahal
Named after Rao Pragmalji II, who commissioned the construction of Prag Mahal, the palace's first bricks were laid in 1865. It was designed by Colonel Henry Saint Wilkins in the Italian Gothic style. His team constituted of a number of Italian artisans and their wages were paid in gold coins. It ultimately took 3.1 million rupees to get the work done and the palace stood in its fully glory in1879. By then the regency has switched Khengarji III (Pragmalji II's son) following Pragmalji II's death in 1875. He employed the local Kutchi builder community under the guidance of Colonel Wilkins in the last phase of construction.
See detailsRoyal Chhatardis
Also known as Royal Chhatris or Cenotaphs, these are basically monuments dedicated to the lives of warrior Rajput rulers of the Kutch. The Chhatris in Bhuj were constructed in the 18th century by Jadeja ruler Rao Lakhpatji. The structure of these monuments is a unique mix of Rajputana and Mughal architectural styles. These umbrella-shaped dome structures are specimens of fine carvings in red sandstone. Almost all the Chhatardis has curved lines, domes and arches in their structure. The exterior walls are heavily ornamented, with sculptures of deities and panels depicting hunting scenes and couples in local costumes. Besides, the architecture of these structures shows a strong Islamic influence and is evident in the Mughal arches, the geometrical pattern of the jaalis and in the use of turquoise blue on a roof.
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