Zinzuwada City Guide

Zinzuwada is a fortified town located at the southern edge of the little Rann of Kutch. The town is part of several legends related to the birth of the great Solanki ruler, Siddhraj Jaisinh, son of Minaldevi, who was born by a blessing of a saint from a nearby place.

The fortification of Zinzuwada dates back to the 11th century AD. Zinzuwada was a frontier fort of the Solanki rulers and the inscriptions on the fort walls by Uda Mantri, a minster of Siddhraj Jaisinh, is proof of its antiquity. The fort is built with huge stone slabs and fortifipation is broad enough for two horsemen to pass at a time. Zinzuwada is one of the finest examples of Hindu fortifications in India, without Islamic influence. In Gujarat, another similar fort is situated at Dabhoi.

The town has four gateways in four directions : Madapol Gate, Rakshaspol Gate, Harijan Gate and Dhama Gate. Madapol Gate is one of the finest examples of entrance gateways in the Maru Gurjar architectural style. The gateway is decorated with multi layered, carved, corbelled brackets resting on pillars. Images of Ganesha, Bhairava and other protecting deities are placed in niches at a lower level on both sides. At the upper level, one can see beautifully carved jharokhas projecting above the niches. The town planning layout, location of gates and sculptural decorations are as per the ancient Hindu architectural treatises.

Other interesting structures outside the town are : the old sacred kund and the Jhileshwar Mahadev, dating back to the Solanki period.

Limbdi : (107 km from Zinzuwada)
Limbdi was the capital of the former princely State of Limbdi, ruled by the Jhala Rajputs. In the past, it was a prosperous cotton trading centre, between Saurashtra and Gujarat. The arcaded bazaar, is a conscious attempt in urban design and this unifying architectural style is a fine example of the architectural awareness of rulers of the smaller princely states of Saurashtra. The bazaar street finally leads to a beautiful palace, which is now converted into Vivekanand Memorial. The Green Chowk, Gandhi Smriti Mandir, Tower Bungalow, Jagdish Ashram, Fulnath Mahadev and Jain Bhandar- housing ancient manuscripts are also worth visiting.

Dhrangadhra : (74 km from Zinzuwada)
Dhrangadhra was the capital of the former Dhrangadhra State, under the rule of the Jhala Rajputs. For centuries, it has been known as a famous centre for excellent stone carving. The Sompuras (the traditional architects) of this town are still engaged in the same trade and are solely responsible for keeping alive the ancient architectural tradition of constructing Hindu and Jain temples in India and abroad. The finest workmanship of stone carving can be seen in all the public and royal buildings. Royal palaces of Suraj Mahal, Man Mahal, bazaars. crescent and towers in the town are fine examples of this.

Viramgam : (57 km from Zinzuwada)
This ancient town with fortification has five entrance gates. Munsar Tank, the finest example of civic architecture, is located on the western edge of the town. This is one of the largest man-made tanks in Gujarat, dating from the 11^th century. The tank epitomizes the fusion of hydraulic engineering and architectural aesthetic values of Minaldevi, who patronized the construction of this tank. The architectural style is similar to the Sahastralinga Talav of Patan. The shape of the tank is not a perfect rectangle, but like a Conch or Gomukh. Originaly there were 520 shrines on the bank of Munsar Tank, out of which 360 survive. Most of them are Shiva Shrines, along with a few Vaishnava Shrines. These shrines are typical of the early Chalukya architectural style. Each Shiva Shrine has 3 niches housing images of Mahakaal, Bhairava and Natesh. Two large twin temples, located in the middle of the south side, are also of great tourist interest.

Travel Information :
Air : Nearest airport is Ahmedabad (120 km)
Rail : Nearest railway station is Patdi (25 km)
Road : Ahmedabad (120 km)
Local transport : Non-metered auto rickshaws and Jeeps
Accommodation : Heritage hotel at Zainabad
Food : Local eating joints and heritage hotel at Zainabad on prior intimation.




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