Porbandar, also called the ‘White City’ – alluding to its white stone constriction, is a picturesque harbor town lying on the western coast of
Saurashtra, in
Gujarat. Its pleasant beaches, grasslands, hills and lakes allure tourists from all over the country. The place is best known as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. Porbandar is 295 km south-west of
Ahmedabad.
Porbandar is the combination of two words, ‘Porai’ and ‘Bandar’, which means port. It had been mentioned in the epic of Mahabharata as ‘Sudamapuri’. It was the last capital of the erstwhile Jethwa
Rajputs. During the Mughal reign, the town was a major maritime trade center and a thriving port. Rana Sartanji established the present Porbandar as the capital of his kingdom in 1785. It attained the heights of civic development during the British rule of India.
Porbandar stands out in terms of town planning and the many stone buildings that dot the cityscape are garnished with ashlar masonry and have rich carving. Temples, mosques and beautiful edifices overlooking the sea, on the marine drive, adds to the charm of this heritage coastal town.
Places of tourist interest include Kirti Mandir, Nehru Planetarium,
Bharat Mandir, Huzoor Palace, Daria Rajmahal, Morvi and Victoria Jubilee Madrassa.Gondal, Kuchdi, Ghumli, Gope and Barda Hills constitute enchanting excursions in the vicinity.
Porbandar is also a paradise for bird watchers - great flocks of flamingoes and other migratory birds can be seen in close quarters around the coastal marshes.
November to March is the best time to visit Porbandar.
Porbandar Airport has flights to Ahmedabad. Porbandar Railway Station has trains to Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Vadodara and Surat. National Highway 8B passes through Probander. Regular bus services connect the town with Rajkot, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Mumbai and Gandhinagar.