17 Top Tourist Places to Visit in Bhuj

At a distance of 4 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Shree Swaminarayan Mandir is a Hindu temple located in the heart of Bhuj city, Gujarat. Situated near Kutch Museum, it is one of the famous temples of Shree Swaminarayan and among the best places of sightseeing in Bhuj.

Shree Swaminarayan Mandir was constructed by Swaminarayan, the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday in 1822. This mandir comes under the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi. The earthquake in 2001 destroyed much of the city of Bhuj, including the side of the temple facing north which was built by Lord Shree Swaminarayan. Miraculously the divine idols remained as they were, without any damage. Later, in 2010 a new temple was constructed quite close to the old temple where all the divine idols were moved. The temple is one of the most expensive temples in Gujarat. Around 600 sculptors worked with the devotees for .....

...read more

At a distance of 3 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Bhujia Fort is an ancient hill fort situated on Bhujia Hill in the outskirts of Bhuj city in Gujarat. It is one of the historical forts in the Kutch region, and among the prime tourist places to visit as part of Bhuj holiday packages.

Bhujia Hill Fort, also known as Bhujiya Fort is built on a hill overlooking the town of Bhuj. The fort gets its name from the temple of snake god Bhujanga situated atop the hill. According to history, the Bhujia Fort was built between 1715 - 1718 CE by Jadeja Chief, Rao Godaji. However, the fort was completed by his son, Deshalji I. The fort has stood against six major battles which were fought in the years 1700-1800 AD between Rajput rulers of Kutch, the Muslim raiders from Sindh, and Mughal rulers of Gujarat. The British colonel William Coir took over the fort in 1819. The fort has been under the occupation of the Indian Army after India's independence .....

...read more

At a distance of 10 km from Bhuj, Vande Mataram Memorial is a museum situated at Bhujodi village near Bhuj in Kutch district of Gujarat. It is one of the popular monuments in Gujarat and among the best place to visit in Gujarat.

The Vande Mataram Memorial is a humble and yet the most ambitious offering of the Ashapura Foundation to the country. Built over an area of 12 acre, the Memorial is a non-profit institution that seeks to immortalize the most important episodes in India's freedom struggle from the revolt of 1857 right up to the country's Independence in 1947. The purpose of this museum is to create a respect for freedom fighters of the country. It is a once-in-lifetime experience for every Indian who is keen to reconnect with his roots and who seeks to renew and restore his sense of national pride.

The primary structure of the museum, measuring over 100,000 square feet, is modeled on the likeness of the Indian Parliament Building. .....

...read more

At a distance of 4 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Kutch Museum is a museum situated on the banks of Hamirsar Lake in Bhuj. It is the oldest museum in Gujarat and among the popular places to visit in Bhuj.

Kutch Museum was established in 1877 by Maharao Sir Khengarji III of Kutch as School of Arts. The present structure of the museum was built in 1884 to exhibit the wedding gifts of Maharao Sir Khengarji III. Earlier the museum is known as Fergusson Museum after Sir James Fergusson, the Governor of Bombay, who laid the foundation stone for the present museum building in 1884. The Museum was the private retreat for the Maharaos who showed it only to their guests. However, after independence, the museum came to be known as the Kutch Museum and was open to the public.

The stunning two floor building of the museum is constructed in a typical Italian Gothic style of architecture. Designed by the state engineer, Mc Lelland, the museum was built by local builders known as Mistris of .....

...read more

At a distance of 2.5 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Aaina Mahal or Aina Mahal is an 18th century palace located next to the Prag Mahal Palace in Bhuj, Gujarat, India. It is one of the elegant monuments in Bhuj and among the famous Bhuj Tourist Places.

Also known as Mirror Palace, Aaina Mahal was built in 1761 CE during the reign of Rao Lakhpatji. The fabulous Aina Mahal is a part of the extravagant Darbargadh Palace of Bhuj. It was built under the craftsmanship of the famous architect Ram Singh Malam. Malam designed the building in a mixed Indo-European style and set about creating the materials for the palace locally. He personally crafted the fountains, mirrors and glasswork, as well as many other wonders of artisanship. Spread over two floors, the building features Darbar Hall, a hall of mirrors, and suites belonging to the various members of the royal family.

The Aina Mahal was converted into Madanji Museum in 1997. Due to the Gujarat earthquake in 2001, the palace was .....

...read more

At a distance of 2.5 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Prag Mahal is a 19th century royal palace situated next to the Aina Mahal in Bhuj city of Gujarat, India. Situated in the heart of the city, it is one of the elegant palaces of Bhuj kings and among the popular places to visit during your Bhuj trip.

Prag Mahal is named after Rao Pragmalji II, who commissioned it in 1865. It was designed by Colonel Henry Saint Wilkins in the Italian Gothic style. The construction of the palace was completed in 1879 during the reign of Khengarji III, the son of Rao Pragmalji II and it costs 3.1 million rupees. Many Italian artisans and local mistris were involved in its construction along with Colonel Wilkins.

The palace is made of Italian marble and sandstone from Rajasthan. The grand palace boasts of Gothic-style windows and Corinthian pillars around it. One can observe some intricate carvings done on the walls with beautiful art, along with .....

...read more

At a distance of 5 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Bharatiya Sanskruti Museum is a cultural center as well as a museum located along the College Road in Bhuj city of Gujarat. Also known as Folk Museum, it is one of the top cultural centers of Gujarat and among the must visit places in Bhuj.

Bharatiya Sanskruti Darshan Museum was established by Ramsinhji Rathod, a scholar of the folk art of Kutch, around sixty years back. It functions as both a museum and cultural center to showcase unique and rare pieces of crafts and folk arts of the Kutch region. Many specimens of the art and craft belong to the remote regions of Kutch District are exhibited in the museum. These artworks have been collected by forest service officials while travelling around the district.

The museum has been designed in the form of a hut with a huge stone door adorned with beautiful rock carvings. There are five major sections in the museum in including Anthropology section, Sahitya Chitra, Artifacts Section .....

...read more

At a distance of 15 km from Bhuj, Living and Learning Design Centre (LLDC) is a textile museum situated at Ajrakhpur near Bhuj in Kutch district of Gujarat. Situated on Bhuj-Bhachau highway, it is one of the popular tourist places in Bhuj.

Started by Shrujan Trust in 2016, the Living and Learning Design Centre (LLDC) is a multi-dimensional crafts education and resource center dedicated to preserving and promoting the crafts of Kutch. The main aim of LLDC is to train, educate and support crafts persons to practice their traditional crafts for contemporary markets so that they can earn a dignified and prosperous livelihood. Over three thousand five hundred craftswomen are part of Shrujan's family now.

Situated in a sprawling eight-acre campus, the Living and Learning Design Centre has a Crafts Museum, Crafts School and the residential enclaves. The museum comprises, four galleries including a temporary exhibit area. The main gallery is devoted to the permanent collection of the .....

...read more

At a distance of 4 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Hamirsar Lake is an artificial lake located in the heart of Bhuj city in Gujarat. It is the largest manmade lake in Kutch region and among the best places to visit in Bhuj.

Named after the founder of Bhuj Rao Hamir, this 450 years old lake was built during the reign of Rao Khengarji I (1548-1585). The embankment of Lake Hamirsar was made during reign of Pragmalji II and further improvements done during the reign of Khengarji III. The primary purpose of the lake was to fulfill the domestic needs of Bhuj in ancient times. Hamirsar Lake was well developed with a channel and tunnels that used to carry water from three rivers to fill the town's water reservoirs. This water system was damaged during the earthquake of 2001 in Gujarat. The municipality and people of Bhuj restored the water system to its original form once again in 2003 and the water of Hamirsar Lake became potable.

The lake is spread over an area of 28 acres and has .....

...read more

At a distance of 4.5 km from Bhuj Railway Station, the Royal Chhatardis of Bhuj are the cenotaphs of Bhuj Royal family situated to the southwest of Hamirsar Lake. Located close to Ranjit Vilas Palace, this place is one of the popular tourist attractions in Kutch.

Also known as Royal Chhatris or Cenotaphs, these are basically monuments dedicated to the lives of warrior Rajput rulers of the Kutch. The Chhatris in Bhuj were constructed in the 18th century by Jadeja ruler Rao Lakhpatji. The structure of these monuments is a unique mix of Rajputana and Mughal architectural styles. These umbrella-shaped dome structures are specimens of fine carvings in red sandstone. Almost all the Chhatardis has curved lines, domes and arches in their structure. The exterior walls are heavily ornamented, with sculptures of deities and panels depicting hunting scenes and couples in local costumes. Besides, the architecture of these structures shows a strong Islamic influence and is evident in the Mughal .....

...read more

At a distance of 12 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Tapkeshwari Temple is a Hindu temple located to the south of Bhuj city in Gujarat. It is one of the sacred temples in Bhuj and among the must visit Bhuj Tourist Places.

Dedicated to goddess Tapkeshwari, the temple is situated in a valley surrounded by the hills. The name of the temple comes from the Gujarati word 'tapakvu,' which means 'to drop.' According to history, this used to be the site of a year-round spring, causing water to 'drop' down the cliff walls. No spring is present today.

There are many caves on the hill. The rock cut by dripping water has formed a unique formation that will make marvel at the nature. Visitors need to climb a flight of steep steps to reach the caves from the temple. One can get a panoramic view of Bhuj city and its surroundings from the top of the hill.

Timings: 8 AM - 5 PM

...read more

At a distance of 4 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Sharad Baug Palace is a royal palace situated on Sanjog Nagar Road on the eastern end of the Hamirsar Lake in Bhuj. It is one of the palaces of Bhuj royalty, and among the must-visit places as part of Bhuj sightseeing packages.

Sharad Baug Palace was built in the year 1867 and is positioned right in the middle of the Sharad Baug Park, among the prime Bhuj attractions. Sharad Baug used to be the residence of the Royals until Madansingh, the last king of Kutch who died in the year 1991. The palace is a splendid piece of work that reflects a fusion of the Indian and the Italian style of architecture. The sitting room, living room, and bedroom occupy maximum space in the palace while the dining room is in another building. The furniture design has an Italian influence while the tapestry on the walls is purely Indian.

The .....

...read more

At a distance of 14 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Khamir Craft Resource Centre is located at Kukma village near Bhuj in Gujarat. A favourite place for art enthusiasts and shopaholics, this is one of the beautiful places to visit in Bhuj as part of Bhuj Packages.

Born in 2005 as a joint initiative of Kachchh Nav Nirman Abhiyan and the Nehru Foundation for Development, Khamir is an organization which was set up to strengthen and promote local crafts after Bhuj and its surrounding villages were devastated by the massive earthquake in 2001. It was started as an education, training, demonstration and interpretation facility in the areas of craft, environment and heritage conservation in Kutch and is supported by Government of Gujarat. It also works to enable artisans to develop a strong market and business orientation to source relevant resources for rejuvenating their craft sector and to forge creative partnerships within the artisan community as well as with the global community.

The .....

...read more

At a distance of 3.5 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Ramkund is an ancient stepwell situated near Kutch Museum in Bhuj. It is one of the historical places in Bhuj and among the popular places to visit in Bhuj.

Ramkund Step well is a square shaped well with a height of 56 feet on one side. The architecture of the well is geometrical and worth the visit. The walls of the well are adorned with the carvings of characters like Lord Ram, Devi Sita, Lakshmana and Lord Hanuman from the great Hindu epic Ramayana. One can also see the 10 incarnations of lord Vishnu on its walls. Ram Dhun Temple is another attraction of this site, which is located just in front of the well.

Timings: 9 AM - 6 PM

...read more

At a distance of 25 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Kera Shiva Temple is an old Hindu temple situated in Kera village near Bhuj city in Gujarat. Also known as Lakheshwara temple of Kerakot, it is one of the ancient temples in Kutch and among the popular Bhuj Tourist Places.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kera Shiva Temple was built during the reign of the Solanki dynasty in the later part of the 10th century. The Solankis, referred to as the 'Chalukyas of Gujarat' were patrons of many important temples in the area. Shiva Temple at Kera is one of the many temples built by the Solanki rulers. The major part of the temple got destroyed in the earthquake of 1819 and the Bhuj earthquake of 2001 but the temple's spire, inner sanctum and the sculptures are still in an attractive condition.

The shrine is built of red stones in Solanki architectural style. The interior of the temple is square in shape and the walls of the temple are around 3 feet thick. The presiding deity is in the form of .....

...read more

At a distance of 55 km from Bhuj, Kutch Fossil Park is a museum located in the Haripar village of Gujarat. Situated near Dhinodhar hills, it is one of its kind museums in India and among the best places to visit in Bhuj.

The Kutch Fossil Park was founded in the year 2002 by the visionary Mohan Sinh Sodha, the man who single-handedly worked and is continuously adding to the collection of the several fossils that are on display in the small 2 rooms' exhibition area. He has been doing this for almost 4 decades now since his first rendezvous with a fossil called Ammonite in the 70s. The discovery of that fossil changed his life and he went on to collect many of the fossils ranging from plants, fruits, gems, animals, reptiles etc.

The most astounding fossil exhibited here is of the Dinosaur and its egg that has been collected over the time in bits and pieces and then restructured to give a good shape. Recently he found a Sea cow fossil, which was reconstructed with the help of .....

...read more

At a distance of 15 km from Bhuj Railway Station, Rudramata Dam is an earthen dam situated at Nokhania village in Bhuj Taluk of Gujarat. Built on the Khari River, this is the biggest in the Kutch district, and among the famous Bhuj tourist places.

Also known as Rudrani Dam, the construction of the dam was started in 1959 and was completed in 1970. The catchment area of the dam is 572 Sq.km and the gross storage capacity is 65 cubic millimeters. This artificial reservoir supplies water to deserted areas around Bhuj.

Considered as biggest Dam of Kutch, the view from the top of the dam is breathtaking. There is one beautiful temple near the Dam called Rudra Mata temple. The temple complex houses the 400 years old Rudramata Temple with smaller temples devoted to other Gods and Goddesses. One can also visit Rakshak Van on the banks of the dam.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

...read more