Bhavnagar is a peninsular district, which is located in the South-Eastern part of Gujarat. Bhavnagar is surrounded by Ahmedabad and Surendranagar districts on the North, the Gulf of Cambay on the East and South and Amreli and Rajkot districts on the West. Bhavnagar is a city of Gujarat, an Indian State. The city was founded by Bhavsinhji Gohil in 1723. It was named after its founder and ruler. Bhavnagar city has been the capital of Bhavnagar state. It was a princely state before it was merged into Indian Union in 1948.

Bhavnagar is located to the west of Gulf of Khambat and is situated at a distance of 228 km from Gandhinagar, capital of Gujarat. At present Bhavnagar is the administrative headquarter of the Bhavnagar district. Bhavnagar is the fifth largest city of Gujarat. It is also the second largest city in the Saurashtra region. Bhavnagar is acknowledged as the cultural capital of Saurashtra.

Bhavnagar History

the Gohil Rajputs of the Suryavanshi clam moved down to the Gujarat coast around 1260 AD, after facing severe competition in Marwar. They established three capitals namely Sejakpur, Umrala and Sihor. Khanthaji Kadani and Pilaji Gaekwad, raided Sihor in 1822-1823. These attacks were repulsed by Maharaja Bhavsinhji Gohil. He faced defeat in the battle and realized the reason for losing the battle was the location of Sihor. He established a new capital near Vadva in 1823. It was 20 km away from Sihor and named it Bhavnagar. The decision of choosing the new location was strategic and planned, because it had potential of maritime trade. Logically, Bhavnagar City was made the capital of Bhavnagar State.

The old town of Bhavnagar was a fortified town. It had gates leading to other important towns of the region. For almost two centuries, Bhavnagar continued being a major port. It traded commodities with Africa, Mozambique, Zanzibar, Singapore and the Persian Gulf.

Bhavnagar Climate

Bhavnagar has a semi-arid climate. The summers are hot and dry and prevail from March to mid-June. The monsoon season stays from mid June to October. The city receives around 550 mm of rain on average during this period. The semi-aridness is due to the citys high evapotranspiration. The months from November to February are mild with low humidity. The temperature remains around 20 degree Celsius during this time. The climate remains a bit humid throughout the year, due to nearness of the sea.

Bhavnagar Culture

Bhavnagar is considered a city of education and culture. It is a home to socialism, reforms and cultural legacy. It is also known as the cultural capital of Saurashtra. The citizens of Bhavnagar are known to be easy-going and art-loving. The culture of the city has gained much, due to the immense contribution of the artist and luminaries of Bhavnagar. Though Hindi is commonly understood, but Gujarati is the language of normal life there. The more educated population of the city have the knowledge of Engish.

Bhavnagar Tourism

Tourist paces in Bhavnagar

Takhteshwar
Nilambag Palace
Mangalsinhji Mahal Palace
Bhav Vilas Palace
Krishnakumarsinhji
Victoria Park
Darbargadh
Ganga Deri
Gaurishankar Lake
Gandhi Smriti
BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir