Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandvi, Kutch.

 Vijay Vilas Palace.

As per our ‘package’, the itinerary for the second day included a visit to the famous Bhuj Museum, followed by a visit to Vijay Vilas Palace, and finally, a trip to the private Mandvi Beach. Lunch and high tea were also included. After that, it was return to The Tent City.

Due to road construction, we were not able to visit the Bhuj Museum as originally planned. Instead, the itinerary was changed, and we were taken to 72 Jinalaya, which is around 50 kilometres from Bhuj.

After visiting 72 Jinalaya, a wonderful temple of 72 Tirthankars constructed in white marble, we proceeded to Vijay Vilas Palace, roughly 20 kilometres from Jinalaya. Along the way, we enjoyed a pleasant view of a bridge over the river Rukmavati.

The bus dropped us at the main gate, which, along with accommodation for the security staff, also has a handicraft shop named Shivraj Gadhavi.

Even though the Palace is within walking distance from the gate, there is an EV cart available to take you to the Palace through the gardens. It charges Rs 100/- per person. Taking the EV has the advantage of seeing the full extent of the garden, and the EV driver acts as a guide, informing you about the names of various trees, plants, etc.  Currently, most of the trees in this garden are Sapota/ Chikoo.

Having seen the Umed Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur and various other palaces in Jaipur. Bikaner, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, and the Mysore Palace,  the Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Baroda. The Vjay Vilas Palace, Mandavi, is a poor relation.  

When you consider that the Vijay Vilas Palace was built as a summer resort, close to the private beach, for a prince by his father, it gains in stature somewhat.  

First impression of Vijay Vilas Palace is small but imposing.

The museum on the first floor has a dining hall and bedrooms, which you can see only through the windows. Photographs and paintings are displayed on the walls.

The terrace has a top balcony or Baradari, access to which is through two circular wrought iron staircases. The best part of a visit to Vijay Vilas Palace is going to the very top, to the Baradari, to have a look at the wonderful view of the surrounding areas and experience the gentle cool sea breeze.

If you happen to be in the area, a visit to Vijay Vilas Palace is not a bad idea.

Link to video of 360 view from baradari of  Vijay palace is given below.

https://youtu.be/T-khoXBTOJk?si=1O_mWQyvAQhBwUsm

On the way to Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi, Bridges over River Rukmavati 

This photo of Bridges was taken on the move from the bus on the move.

First view of Vijay Vilas Palace. Mandvi.

We were told this was a club house once upon a time.

Looked abandoned and in disrepair.

Photo taken on the move from a moving EV-Cart.

Statue of His  Highness Maharaja Dhrij Mirza Maharao Shri Khengarji

Savai Bahadur G.C.S.I GCIE MAHARAO of Kutch, in the main garden of Vijay Vilas Palace.

Vijay Vilas Palace. Mandavi.

Photographs of cars and motorcycles.

Vijay Vilas Palace. 

The "gyan" quotes appeared quite incongruous along with these photos..

Taken unawares.

Vijay Vilas Palace.

With Manisha and Jaya Twatwawadi.

Vijay Vilas Palace.

Poor photo not focused properly.

No heart to delete.

The Terrace Vijay Vilas Palace.

The baradari has a circular dome. A wonderful vantage point for excellent all around view and relaxation in cool breeze. 

Approached by a circular Steel staircase. Apparently, staircase to this place was not included in the original drawings

Baradari's view towards the North.

Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

Baradari's view towards the West.

Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

Baradari's view towards the N- N- E.

Vijay Vilas Palace.

Baradari's view towards the South.

Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

The Baradari and the spiral wrought iron staircase to the Baradari.

Apparently, staircase to this place was not included in the original drawings.

broken window shade, indicative of poor maintenance.

Apparently, staircase to this place was not included in the original drawings

Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

At Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

Standing- Prashant Khandekar.

Sitting, L - R

Shirish Tatwawadi, Anil Bendre, Jyoti Bendre, Priti , Jaya, Manisha.

At Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

Standing- Prashant Khandekar.

Sitting, L - R

Shirish Tatwawadi, Anil Bendre, Jyoti Bendre, Velu, Priti , Jaya, Manisha.

At Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

Standing- Prashant Khandekar.

Sitting, L - R

Shirish Tatwawadi, Anil Bendre, Jyoti Bendre, Velu, Priti , Jaya, Manisha.

Installation of elevator ( lift) at Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandavi.

Even though every effort has been made to conform to traditional architecture, the new addition sticks out like a sore thumb 😕

 BYE BYE, Vijay Vilas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-khoXBTOJk

72 Jinalaya, Mandavi, Bhuj.

 72 Jinalaya, Mandavi, Bhuj.

As per our ‘package’, the itinerary for the second day included a visit to the famous Bhuj Museum, followed by a visit to Vijay Vilas Palace, and finally, a trip to the private Mandvi Beach. Lunch and high tea were also included. After that, it was back to The Tent City.

Departure time for the bus was 8:30 AM, so it was a bit early breakfast and a golf buggy ride to the bus parking. With some fast thinking and faster footwork, I managed to secure front seats for our group. In the bus, we were handed over water bottles and a bag containing soft drink tetra packs and snacks. The bus departed on time.    

We passed through Bhuj city. Our guide informed us that the approach road to the museum was closed due to concretisation work. So, to make up for missing out on the Museum, they were going to show us 72 Jinalaya, a famous Jain pilgrimage place.

72 Jinalaya is located in the village of Talwana in Mandavi Rural Taluka.

First view is of a grand three-storied, three-arched, and beautifully engraved main gate of 72  Jinalaya. Supporting main pillars are huge and adorned with temple-like engravings with beautiful statues inside. The gate is a beautiful work of engraving art worth admiring. Surprisingly, there was no boundary wall.

Large barren area, which I suppose was meant for parking, but it was not paved, and there were no markings of any kind. Our driver just parked it in that unmarked area.

After the gate, the paved path leads to the main temple, but before that, there is a circular junction with four paths leading away; one path goes toward the guest houses, etc. The straight path leads to the main temple, and the paths to the left and right lead to Guru Mandirs. The Guru mandirs are dedicated and are, in fact, samadhi mandirs of revered spiritual gurus. The one in white marble is dedicated to Acharyabhagawant Gunasagar Surishwarji Maharaj, who was the pioneer and inspiration behind the entire 72 Jinalaya Tirth. The other guru mandir, made of red sandstone, is dedicated to His Holiness Kailas Sagar Surishvarji.

The main complex consists of 72 temples dedicated to 24 Tirthankars of the past, 24 Tirthankars of the present and 24 Tirthankars of the future. The main temple is dedicated to  Adiswar Bhagwan (Lord Rishabhdev).

The temples are built of pristine white marble. Pillars, arches and walls are all beautifully engraved with floral designs and statues of gods and goddesses. Every inch of the pillars and the arches/ torans is the finest example of engraving artwork in floral and geometric patterns. The beauty of the inlay work with colourful precious and semiprecious stones in exquisitely carved designs on the flooring will rival even the famed engravings of the world-famous Taj Mahal.  

A notice displayed there informed the visitors that photography was prohibited inside the temple. I was feeling sad as I could not record the exquisite beauty of the temple as a remembrance of our visit to this marvel in marble. However, it was at this time that a group of Jain pilgrims came for a visit, they carried out obeisance and puja and later posed for photos with the main temple in the background. This also allowed me a chance to take some photos and carry the memories of this beautiful place.

The riveting beauty of the engravings and inlay work with precious and semiprecious stones done by the master craftsmen in building the temple in pristine white marble was worth every minute spent there.

Definitely worth a visit.

Jain Piligrims taking photos/

72 Jinalaya.

Tulasi Hotel. Bora Caves.

 By the time we neared Bora Cvaes, it was well past 1 PM, and all of us were famished.

Prashant was very keen to try out the Bamboo chicken Biryani. Marinated chicken, spices and rice mixture are stuffed in a hollow bamboo piece, and then put in the fire. From experience, the cooks know when the biryani will be ready for serving. The aroma of the bamboo imparted to the biryani has made this dish famous in the area.

Our driver took us to this place, the Tulsai Hotel, close to and on the approach road to the Bora Caves. It was crowded and almost full, so they found one of the empty tables after a short wait. If the crowd was an indicator, the place appeared to be well patronised. We ordered the Bamboo chicken Biryani, and a veg biryani was also ordered for Tats and Jaya. The Bamboo chicken Biryani was quite good. The ambiance etc is far from what one is used to in 3 to 5-star hotels, but the crowds and the noise, hustle and bustle in Tulasi Hotel create its own ambience. Link to the video on how the Bamboo chicken Biryani is served is given below https://1drv.ms/v/c/34a943f0d162c11d/IQBslktQHrZfSacLUdmRPkMXASC3bUcYPW1Fbep1NtfZpO8?e=Kf3N9T

Suset point. White Rann. White Dessert View Point 2

 Suset point. White Rann. White Dessert View Point 2.

As per our booking, the itinerary for day one was arrival, Check-in formalities, lunch and at 5:30 PM departure for Sunset Point in the White Rann in an A/C bus from the bus parking.

White Rann, or White Desert of Rann, as it is known, lies north of the Tent City. 

We exited Tent City through the gate and the guard post near the PM cluster and crossed White Desert Road.

For a minor road in the rural Gujrat, this road carries a surprisingly large amount of traffic, 24X7, mostly huge dumper trucks and large 12- to 16-wheeler trucks, all carrying salt produced in the salt pans of the white rann. Besides carrying all that traffic, this road, which is a blacktop road, is a clear-cut dividing line between the desolate and barren desert of White Rann to the North of the road and the villages with a productive population and greenery of the babul trees all around to the south of the road. The contrast is stark and truly astonishing. 

As you cross the road and progress deeper in the White Rann, initially, there are small trees, shrubs and patches of grass. Within 100 meters or so in the white Rann, all the shrubs and grass patches give way to very fine whiteish-looking sandy soil. Thereafter, as far as the eyes can see, there is not a blade of grass, trees or any habitation, and this can be clearly seen in the video attached.

The bus dropped us about a kilometre and a half in the white Rann. A few camel carts were waiting at the bus stop. The framework and mattresses, etc., of the carts are all covered with a cloth with a patchwork of cloths which creates a riot of colours. Due to this colourful patchwork, mirror work and colourful tassels, these camel carts have a very decorated and festive look.

These camel carts take you about a kilometre to Sunset View Point in the White Rann.

The Tent City has erected a permanent big three-dimensional letters reading “ RANNUTSAV”, and every day in the evening, guests are brought to this ‘sunset point’.

Enterprising persons have taken advantage and started providing adventure sports in the form of motorised parasailing, local attire for people to dress up and get photographed, and a gadget with a circular rotating platform to create a ‘reel’. The general atmosphere is very much like a village ‘mela’ with everyone having a good time.

We saw some people on a bund and decided to join them to see what lies on the other side. Through the muddy trench and loose gravel, we dared to climb the bund. The seawater was trapped behind a huge area enclosed by bunds to produce salt as the trapped seawater evaporates and leaves behind layers of salt, which seems to be big business around here.

I had seen photos of White Rann where the ground looked as white as it would look after a snowfall, and so I was expecting vast expanses of snow-white ground. What I saw was that though the ground looked white, it was a dull white made up by very fine soil/sand all around and not the pure whiteness of the salt.

Even though you are taken to what is called sunset point, the whole area of White Rann is so flat without any structures or trees or high-rise obstructions that you have a very clear and unobstructed view of the horizon, and the whole of White Rann is a big, big sunset and sunrise viewpoint.

Visibility was not too good. Plenty of clouds. It was doubtful if we would be able to see the sunset, so we got on the camel cart for the bus stop and returned to the tent city.

Overall, nice outing with a little bit of adventure in climbing the bund.

Video taken from the bus. On the way to White Rann Sunset Viewpoint.Within a short distance all the shrubs and grass patches are replaced ny whitish fine sand.

Bus drop point at white Rann. 

From here, one gets on to nicely and colourfully decorated camel carts which take you further about a kilometre to Sunset View Point in the White Rann.

Bus drop point at white Rann. 

From here, one gets on to nicely and colourfully decorated camel carts which take you further about a kilometre to Sunset View Point in the White Rann.

Bus drop point at white Rann. 

From here, one gets on to nicely and colourfully decorated camel carts which take you further about a kilometre to Sunset View Point in the White Rann.

The Tent City has erected a permanent big three-dimensional letters reading “ RANN UTSAV”, a photo shoot point

 Though it looks white, it is whitish sand all around and not the pure whiteness of the salt as I have seen in many photos of the White Rann.

Few people could be seen a couple of kilometres further, near the horizon. Maybe the White Rann was really pure white of the salt deep in the white rann around where they were.

Selfie at Sunset Point. White Rann.

The bund behind which is the trapped sea water.

Sun Set Point. White Rann.

Literally a riot of colours, the patchwork, the mirror work, the colourful tassels all go to make up a very decorated and festive-looking camel cart.

Sun Set Point. White Rann.

Trapped sea water behind a huge area enclosed by such bunds. 

The Settalite view of Google Maps shows hundreds of square areas similarly enclosed by such bunds to produce salt from seawater.

Big business around here.

Sun Set View Point, White Rann.

Selfie on the bund, at Sunset Point. White Rann.

Trapped sea water behind the bund. 

Sun Set View Point, White Rann.

Visibility was not too good. Plenty of clouds. It was doubtful if we would be able to see the sunset.

Arrived at Sunset view Point.

Arrived at Sunset View Point.