Palanpur Travel Guide

places of interest

 

 

 

 

places of interest





Palanpur is also a city of temples. Jains, Hindus and Muslims have their famous pilgrim places in the city. The Motu (big) and Nanu (small) Dehrasar (Jain temple) are especially famous in Jains.
The Pallaviya Parshwanath Temple (Mota Dehrasar) was built by King Prahaladan (Founder of Palanpur city). It's the Temple of 23rd Lord of Jainism, Lord Parshwanath. This place comes under 108 Parshwanth Temples, which gets special attention to the devotees of Jainism.

The well-known temple of Balaram Mahadev is situated about 14 km from Palanpur. The Jessore sloth-bear sanctuary, a reserve forest sprawling over 180 km². and home to several endangered species such as the Indian sloth-bear, leopard, wild boar and porcupine, lies about 45 km from the town. There is the famous Temple Ambaji which is 55 km from Palanpur. It is also the ancestral birthplace of the majority of India's diamond trading families. India's modern diamond cutting ind ustry was founded by several Palanpuri Jain families who, in 1909, met to devise a means of lifting their village from poverty, eventually settling on the diamond trade. Because of its remote location, the families started their businesses in Bombay and, later, Surat. However, they still maintain close ties to their ancestral home. India's diamond industry, still dominated by Palanpuri Jains, now processes the majority of diamonds used in jewellery. Earlier Palanpur was known as "flower city" because of scents(Itar) available here. Palanpur is well known in Gujarati literature with its shayars like Shunya Palanpuri, Agam Palanpuri, Shail Palanpuri. The famous Gujarati columnist Chandrakant Bakshi also belongs to Palanpur. This city is also the birth place of several personalities such as Bharat Shah (a Bollywood film Producer and Financer), B.K.GADHVI(A former Member of Parliament and finance minister for state in rajiv gandhi's government.)hariBhai Chaudhary & Famous zoologist Kamlesh Joshi who belongs to jungalles group of gujarat.one of the best hotel in Gujarat which is known as the Balaram Palace just away 13 Km from Palanpur.A famous temple of Dharmata is situated near Balaram Mahadev Temple on the Road of Virampur, which is kuldevi of Sundhiya family.

Palanpur is famous for its relation to Jainism. The great Jain saint Jagadguru Shri Hirsurishwarji was born in this city. His house is located just opposite to Mota Dehrasar. Also born in this city was the famous Jain saint Acharya Shri Somsundarsurishwarji, who was the main inspiration behind world famous Jain Temple of Ranakpur, which is known for its crafting.

Hindus offers their 'pooja' in "Pataleshwar Mahadev Temple" which is situated near "Keertistumbh" An ancient temple of Lord Shiva, it's said to belong some 16th century. It's also believed to be the birth place of King Siddharaj Jaisinh, who've ruled Gujarat from Patan. Hindus have another famous temple called Mota Ramji Mandir, A temple dedicated to Lord Rama.

Palanpur is also known for its market especially its textile retail market. The major area are Station road, Delhigate, Simlagate, and the Dhalwas is the major market for shoping for the marriage

transporation

 

 


Transport

The town being the headquarters of Banaskantha district is well-connected by road and rail.
Air

The nearest airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at Ahmedabad, about 135 km away.
Rail

Palanpur Railway station has rail links to most of the cities and towns in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Road

National Highway 14 passing through Palanpur connects it with the cities of Beawar, Pali, Sirohi and Radhanpur. State Highways SH 712, SH 132 pass through Palanpur and connect it with nearby towns in Gujarat. State Highway SH 41 connects it with Ahmedabad.



history

Palanpur is a city and a municipality in Banaskantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Palanpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.

Legend has it that Palanpur was first settled by a certain Prahladan, belonging to the Paramara clan of rajputs, who received the surrounding area as appanage from his elder brother who ruled from what is now Mount Abu. It is known as Prahladanpur in history of Jainism. Palanpur town later became the seat of the eponymous princely state in British India.





History

The town was once heavily fortified with seven gates providing the only means of thoroughfare; these are now in ruins. Some of the gates known are called as follows "Shimla Gate", "Delhi Gate", "Meera Gate" and "Gathaman Gate(Darwaja)". Of much more recent vintage are the other monuments that dot the town: the "Keertistumbh" or "victory tower" was erected in the 1930s, as were the Jorawar palace(Currently used as Judicial Court) and the Balaram palace.


Palanpur was the seat of a princely state ruled by the Lohani clan of Afghans. While the earlier history of the family is obscure, the family has apparently lived in India since at least the 16th century; a forbear of the family is reputed to have wed the foster-sister of the Mughal emperor Akbar and received Palanpur and surrounding areas as dowry. However, the family comes into historical prominence during the period of instability that followed the demise of Aurangzeb in the early 18th century. It was overrun soon afterwards by the Marathas; the Lohanis followed the trend of seeking recourse in the British East India Company against them and finally entered the subsidiary alliance system in 1817, along with all other neighbouring states.

The state encompassed an area of 1766 km² (682 mi²) and a population, in 1901, of 222,627. The town of Palanpur housed a population of only 8000 people that year. The state commanded a revenue of approximately Rs.50,000/- per year, and paid a tribute to the Gaekwad, the Maratha ruler of Baroda, of Rs.2,564/- per year. It was traversed by the main line of the Rajputana-Malwa railway, and contained the British cantonment of Deesa. Wheat, rice and sugar-cane were the chief products. Watered by the Sabarmati river, the state was heavily forested in its northern reached (the present-day Jessore sanctuary) but undulating and open in the south and east. The country was on the whole somewhat hilly, being at the edge of the Aravalli Range.