Mandavi: Palaces, Beaches and Windmills
Being at Mandvi
Gujarat has only recently after a spate of
"Kuch Din to gujariye Gujarat mein" has recently arrived at the
tourism scene like a big boy and this is because there is so much on offer that
a week's journey is required to explore just one district. The jewel in
Gujarat's crown is invariably the district of Kutch and one of the must visit
destinations while you do your desert circuit is the beachy Mandvi
What to visit/do in Mandvi
Mandvi Shipyard: This shipyard is a
teleportation device it seems, the minute the vistas of the shipyard open you
feel you have been transported back 500 years. Wooden ships in various stage of
their building process are a delight to behold and reinforce the reputation of
Kachchi fisherfolk as renowned seamen.
Vijay Vilas Palace: There are multiple
things worth mentioning once you visit the palace, let's list down
individually. One, the architecture is distinctly of Rajasthani origin and it
seems for once that you are standing somewhere near Jodhpur or Bikaner. Second,
the palace has a well maintained garden, which poses itself for a venue of a
perfect stroll. This expanse of greenery is extremely rare in this arid
district. Third, the magnificent views from the rooftop. One can stare
endlessly at the stark changes in the scenery lying ahead. There are beaches,
sand , gardens, windmills, dusty houses, wooden ships, clear blue waters,
fishermen nets, painted camels and what not. The words seem to be of utter
disuse to justify what can only be witnessed with one's own eyes.
Windfarm Beach: The beach seems to be a
reincarnation of Juhu beach with all the food stalls selling famed Gujarati and
Mumbai snacks and ofcourse it comes with associated plates,glasses and plastics
strewn around. You can throw in the horse and camel manure too as they are
aplenty offering you rides of different lengths as per your pocket. If riding a
horse into the sunset is your dream, Mandvi provides the perfect backdrop for
doing so. And the beach has windmills. WINDMILLS on a beach!! A truly
picturesque setting after all
The
abovementioned description of Mandvi might have portrayed a pretty banal
picture of a beach. If what's so special here is the question looming in your
mind, then let us put that curiosity to rest. This has the best possible
sunset. Period. How? There is a small manmade cement trip which separates the
shipyard from the beach, which stretches reasonably far into the ocean. So what
you should do? Exercise your muscle and hop on (You might need someone else's
help to do so) and walk till you reach till the end and then what!! Nothing, you
don't need anything else where water surrounds you from three sides and there
is a picture-perfect sun in your foreground.
Where to eat?
You should definitely, I repeat,
definitely drop in at Osho Lodge for arguably the best Thali of your life and
if not, then definitely the best Value-for-money Thali during a roadtrip. The
lodge is situated at one of the most congested areas of town hence it is a bit
difficult to reach via a 4-wheeler which one needs to park at a nearby road.
The restaurant from the outside seems to be in a dilapidated condition but
these notions come to naught once you enter the establishment. There is only
thali available on menu and you definitely need nothing else, the variety, the
taste, the cordial service will make you curse yourself later on why you didn't
eat more or on the contrary why you ate so much. The choice is yours but the
outcome is the same, a satisfied self.
So…
Gujarat is a land of deserts, vegetarian
cuisine, temples, modi, industry and progress. What doesn’t figure is that it
is a state with the longest coastline and hence in addition to ports it is
bound to have magnificent beaches too. T1his post was aimed at providing that
small window into the beachy world of Gujarat.
!Mandvi
Tip!
The
Mandvi shipyard is extremely difficult to find and Google maps are upto no good
here. Only follow the main roads as they are wider and the remainder of the
town is extremely congested which makes navigating a 4-wheeler downright
frustrating
Reaching
Mandvi
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