Wadhwan Tourism

If you are looking for ancient forts or big palaces, do not come to Wadhwan; there is none. Neither does it have high mountains or rolling seas located within easy distance. However, if you like quaint little towns seeped with age old traditions do stop here. There will be lot to see and cherish in this part of Gujarat.

Few Ancient Monuments in Wadhwan

It is to be remembered that Wadhwan is an ancient town with its history going far behind. That is why one can find many ancient monuments located in and around the city. If you have gone through our page About Wadhwan, you must have read about Hawa Mahal and Ranik Devi Temple. These are two of the ancient structures that stand still now. Although the former has been left half finished, one can still feel its grandeur.

Raj Mahal Palace in Wadhwan

The Raj Mahal Palace is also another ancient structure located in this city. However, it has now been transferred into a heritage hotel and hence if you want to live life king size, you may come here for that. The Durbar Hall of this Palace is indeed worth seeing. It has beautiful frescos painted on the ceiling. The royal throne and the portraits of the erstwhile rulers add grandeur to the place. The marble statues of the courtyard and a fleet of vintage cars remind us of the days gone by. The palace also as a well stalked library, but to access that you need to be a guest at the palace.

Ranik Devi Temple in Wadhwan

Ranik Devi Temple has a sad story to tell. It is said, both King Sidh of Patan and King Rakhengar of Junagarh were in love with a beautiful girl called Ranik Devi.  Although she was betrothed to King Sidh, Rakhengar abducted and married her. Very soon, King Sidh attacked and killed Rakhengar. His intention was to marry Ranik Devi. However, when she heard this, she committed sati by immolating herself on the pyre of her husband. Heart-broken, king Sidh raised this temple in her memory.

Another story says that Ranik Devi was actually the queen of Wadhwan. It was King Rakhengar, who attacked the town in order to abduct her. She escaped towards River Bhogaavo and gave up her life by diving into the river. It is said that since then, the river hardly have any water.

Few Ancient Monuments Located Nearby Wadhwan

Besides, there is also the 450 years old Vadwala Temple. However, they are located just outside the city in Surendranagar Dudhrej area. Dedadara Gangva Kund, Ganga Vav, Madha Vav, Lakha Vav etc are also few of the stepwells located nearby; one should take time to visit all of them.

Religious Places in Wadhwan

Other than the above mentioned temples and monuments, there are few more temples tourists generally take time to visit. Wagheshwari temple, Swami Naryan Temple, Ganpati Fatasar, Gebensha Pir Dargha is few of the other places of religious interest in this region. If you are in Wadhwan on any Tuesday, do take time to visit Ganapati Fatsar. Hundred of devotees go there every Tuesday to pay homage to Ganapati Ji. It will also give a chance to study local population.

Gabensha Pir Dargha, on the other hand is mostly visited on Thursdays and Fridays. Although it is mainly a Muslim religious place, people of all religion go there to seek the blessings of Pir Gabensha.

Besides, there is the Digambar Jain Mandir near Moon Chowk. It attracts devotees from all over the world. It is said that Pujya Bahen Shree Champabahen attained Samyakt-Darshan at the age of 18 at this very spot. While you are here you must not miss the opportunity to pay your homage at "Samayakt-Dham", the place where she attained the Samayakt-Darshan.

Rotary Garden in Wadhwan

Other than the above mentioned temples and Dargah, there are many more, located in different parts of the city. We will however, look for places with more secular credentials.  Rotary Garden, located in the GIDC region of the city, has become a popular tourist spot. Locals also visit this garden and if you go there on weekend, you are sure to find the place flooded with people. The unique feature of this garden is that it has separate area demarcated both for senior citizens and children. The section for the elders is known as Ba Bapuji Pyramid and the area demarcated for youngsters is known as Play Park.

Visiting Bandhani Outlets in Wadhwan

Besides, you can also visit the tie and dye outlets of the town. It is to be remembered that the art was actually born in Wadhwan. A large percentage of the population is still engaged in this craft. Weaving as well as metal craft is another area of their expertise. Therefore, if you are here in Wadhwan, you cannot really go back without visiting such outlets.

Going on Excursions from Wadhwan

Wadhwan, located not far from Rann of Kutch, also offers great scope for excursions. It is also to be remembered that the district has many salt pits; in fact, country’s twenty-five percent of salt requirement is met by the salt mines in this region. One can take time to visit them.  Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, located at a distance of40 Km from Wadhwan is another place to go.

Also Read
Rajmahal Palace in Wadhwan | Transport in Wadhwan | Shopping in Wadhwan