Tourism

Rajkot is home to numerous national landmarks and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the India. The Jubilee Garden is a large, open park area in the center of the city featuring many monuments to colonial time. Located prominently in the center of the garden is the Connaught Hall. Other notable points of interest near the Garden include the Alfred High School, Watson Museum, Lang Library and Rotary Midtown Library.

The Rotary Dolls Museum has a collection of more than 1,400 unique dolls from all over the world.

The Lang Library and the G.T. Sheth Library collect thousands of documents and books covering every period in Rajkot and Saurashtra (region) history. Rajkot has many other public libraries with many branches throughout the city. It includes Rotary Midtown of Rajkot City Library and many more.

Other points of interest in Rajkot include Swaminarayan Gurukul, Masonic Hall, Jam Tower, Race Course, Aji Dam, Ramakrishna Aashram, Shri Ranchhoddas Ashram, Swaminarayan Temple, Gebanshah Pir Darghah, Nageshwar Parswanath Jain Temple, Balkrishna Haveli, Ishwariya Temple and Garden, Mukti Dhama, Lal Pari Lake, Randerda Lake, Kaba Gandhi no Delo: Gandhiji's ancestral home which now houses the Gandhi Smriti, a permanent exhibition. Watson Museum And Library: The Watson Museum today has a collection of human history and culture. Its collection has precious objects of colonial period of India and History of Rajkot. Located in the pleasant Jubilee Garden, the museum is a good introduction to Saurashtra's cultural heritage. Rajkot Memon Boarding;is head quater of muslim activites before 1947. Saurastra Muslim league held many muslim convention at Rajkot Memon boarding ground.

Rajkot is the 4th largest city in the state of Gujarat, India. Rajkot is the 28th urban agglomeration in India, with a population more than 1.43 million as on 2008.[5][6] Rajkot is ranked 22nd in The world’s fastest growing cities and urban areas from 2006 to 2020.[7]

Rajkot is a city of Gujarat state in India and administrative headquarters of the Rajkot District, located on the banks of the Aji River and Niari River. Rajkot was the capital of the then Saurashtra state from 15 April 1948 to 31 October 1956 before merging in bilingual Bombay State on 1 November 1956. Rajkot was merged into Gujarat State from bilingual Bombay state on May 1, 1960.




History


Rajkot has been under many different rulers since it was founded. Rajkot has a long history and played a significant part in Indian independence movement.


Foundation

Rajkot was founded by Thakur Saheb Vibhaji Ajoji Jadeja of the Jadeja clan and Sunni muslim Raju Sandhi in 1612 AD, in the middle of Saurashtra. Vibhaji Ajoji was the grandson of Jam Sataji of Nawanagar, the present day Jamnagar. Rajkot was named in honour of its co-founder, Sunni muslim Raju Sandhi.



Nawab Rule

Masum Khan, a deputy Faujdar of Junagadh's Nawab, conquered Rajkot in the year 1720 AD. and changed the name of Rajkot to Masumabad. In 1722 AD, fortress were built with about 4 to 5 kilometers perimeter and had walls that were 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. There were eight gates, each studded with iron spikes on its outer side, for access to Masumabad: Kotharia Naka, Nava Naka, Raiya Naka, Bedi Naka, Bhichari Naka, Sardhar Naka and Pal no Darwajo. Further, there was a gate without spikes called Khadaki Naka near Nakalank Temple. The ruins of the fort wall can be seen in the bastion in the Ramnath para area. Gates of Bedi Naka and Raiya Naka were modified during the colonial times. The chief Engineer of British Agency, Sir Robert Bell Booth, renovated Bedi gate and Raiya Naka gate and built the present three storied clock towers in 1892.



Jadeja rule


Masumabad was later conquered by the Jadeja clan and its name restored to Rajkot. Bavajiraj Jadeja built Darbargadh, the first palace of this princely state. Bavajiraj was succeeded by his son, Sir Lakhajiraj Jadeja, the most prominent ruler amongst the Jadeja rulers to that time, who constructed Lalpari and Randarda lakes. Dharmendrasinhji Jadeja, succeeded his father, Sir Lakhajiraj, but died while hunting of Lion in Sasan Gir and was succeeded by his brother Pradyumansinhji Jadeja, Sir Lakhajiraj Jadeja's second son. Rajkot was merged into Republic of India during Pradumansinh Jadeja's reign.


British rule

British East India Company founded the Saurashtra agency in Rajkot to moderate all princely states. The regional headquarters and residency of this agency was at Kothi Compound. British constructed many impressive colonial buildings and educational institutions, such as Connaught Hall and The Rajkumar College.
The Rajkumar College, Rajkot

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a.k.a. Mahatma Gandhi, spent the early years of his life in Rajkot when his father was a Diwan to the king of Rajkot. Gandhi fasted to ask to form a people's council and liberation of people of Rajkot at Rashtriya Shala in March 1939.



Post independence

After independence Rajkot became capital of the State of Saurashtra, headed by U. N. Dhebar as Chief Minister. Rajkot was merged into the newly-created Gujarat State when it was separated from the bilingual Bombay State on May 1, 1960. Thakore Sahib Pradyumansinhji died in 1973. His son, Thakore Sahib Manoharsinhji Pradyumansinhji, who has carved out a political career at the provincial level, succeeded him. He served as a Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for several years and as the state Minister for Health and Finance. The Heir Apparent, Yuvraj Sahib Mandattasinhji has embarked on a business career and environmentalism .

Transport

Rajkot is connected to major Indian cities by Air, Railway and Road.



Roads and highways

The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) runs regular buses to and fro from Rajkot to other cities of Gujarat.There are more than 81000 people who travelling daily with GSRTC. Rajkot is very well connected with Gujarat State Highways, National Highway 8 and East-West Corridor. Rajkot is allocated the vehicle registration code GJ-3 by RTO(Road and Transport Office) which is a government body. There are a number of private bus operators connecting city with Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other states of India.
[edit] Rail and bus

Rajkot Railway Station is a main railway junction of Saurashtra (region), trains for the all the major cities of India are available from here.

Rajkot Municipal Corporation has restored city bus services with Public Private Partnership in 2007. RMC and a private company is providing around 80 CNG buses under 15 to 20 routs in city and suburbs. RMC is also working for Rajkot Bus Rapid Transit System (RBRTS)[30] for providing better transportation within city.[31] Rajkot has sufficient number of auto rickshaws, which are running round the clock within city, most of which are converting to CNG from petrol or diesel.
[edit] Aviation
Jet Airways plane.

Aviation is developing slowly in the city. Daily multiple flights to Mumbai are served by Indian Airlines and Jet Airways and by other carriers. Intermittent services to Ahmedabad and hopping service to Bhavnagar on the way to Mumbai have been undertaken periodically. Currently Indian Airlines and Jet Airways offer daily flights between Rajkot and Mumbai Airport. A new service planned is for Rajkot-Bhavnagar-Surat route [32]. Another new service planned by Jet Airways to Mumbai and Bangalore would enhance aviation[33].

Direct Flights [34] from abroad arrive at regional International Airport in Ahmedabad, the capitol of Gujarat state, 216 km away.

Rajkot Airport[35] is located at a short distance from the city centre. The airport is owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and has a 1,841 metre long runway.