Lakhota Palace Jamnagar, Gujarat

Lakhota Palace and the Ranmal (or Lakhota) Lake were built in the mid-19th century by Jan Ranmal II, the king of Navanagar. Lake was intended to act as a water reservoir in times of need. The small Lakhota palace placed beautifully in the middle of the lake was the original seat of its rulers. The semi-circular bastions, canons, turrets, guard rooms with swords, musket loops, powder flasks, etc. - all hint towards the level of military preparedness of the kingdom. In case of an attack, the lake would also have acted as a moat to the fortress.

There is also a small museum within the palace which houses ancient sculptures dating from 9th to 18th century, medieval age pottery items and small firearms. Walls of the museum are covered with murals depicted scenes of past war fought by Jadeja Rajputs.

Standing right in the centre of the lake, the location of the palace is brilliant. The lake is frequented by a variety of local and migratory birds. Sightings of around 75 species of birds have been recorded; what makes it so appealing is the presence of terns, pelicans, gulls and ducks right in the heart of the city. One can take a walk on the paved path around the Lakhota Lake or sit at the benches enjoying the beautiful view of the lake, the palace and the amazing birds. The delicious food stalls nearby would complete the experience by gladdening your taste buds.

Things to do:

• 1. Bask in the history and beauty of Lakhota Palace and museum.
• 2. Boating and Birdwatching at Lakhota Lake
• 3. Visit Bala hanuman Temple – At the south east side of the lake stands the hanuman temple. Since 1964, the chants of Ram dhun – 'Shri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram' have been sung continuously at the temple, a fact which has also been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.

Popular Places Close to Lakhota Palace

1. Jamnagar City – In Jamnagar city you can visit:

• Lakhota Lake and Lakhota Palace
• Darbargadh Palace
• Bala Hanuman Temple
• Manekbhai Muktidham
• Ayurvedic University

2. Khijadia Bird Sanctuary is situated at a distance of around 14 km and hosts hundreds of local and migratory birds; a true heaven for all bird lovers. Best time to visit is between October to March.

3. Narara Marine National Park is about 55 km away and presents a wonderful opportunity to see corals as the tide ebbs at the shore.

How to Reach Lakhota Palace? You can take local transport by reaching Jamnagar city:

By Bus: Jamnagar can be accessed from various state and national highways. You can find many buses (state and private) connecting the city of Jamnagar with other places in Gujarat such as Rajkot, Dwarka, Porbandar, Bhuj, Somnath)

By Train: Jamnagar Old Railway Station is about 4 km away from the lake. Daily trains run between various cities of Gujarat (Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara). Trains from other parts of the country like Mumbai and Delhi also ply on weekly/biweekly basis.

By Air: 9/10 km lies the Jamnagar Airport which will connect you with Mumbai and major places in Gujarat (Vadodara, Ahmedabad, etc.)