Bhuj is an important place in the state of Gujarat. This place has rich and ancient cultural heritage. This place has remnants of the rich Indus Valley civilisation, various samples depicting the richness of the South Asian countries, archaeological pieces that reflect the rich heritage, symbolic representations of the Mahabharata and Alexander’s rule and reflections of the Naga, Jadeja Rajput, British, Gujarat Sultans and various other dynasties. This place is believed to be around 4000 years old and the main profession of the population of Kutchch was to involve in trading with civilisations from far across the globe like Middle East, Greece, Zanzibar and various other countries depicting different religions and culture.

Kutchch is known for its vast coastlines and seashores which are frequented by various tourists as they provide peace and tranquillity. This area is famous for festivals like Drang and Ravehi melo. It is during these fairs that Kutchch witnesses various stalls that are set up in the avenues of these fairs. These stalls sell exquisite pieces of silver jewellery, embroidered textiles, intricate handicraft, fabric and silverware that are rare and heavy. Tourists are advised to carry a map while travelling in Bhuj so that they don’t feel stranded during their stay here.

Bhuj is located between Rann and Gulf of Kutchch. It is located in the north western area of Gujarat. This is a commercial centre where wheat, cotton, barley and salt are cultivated in large numbers. This place is also famous for handicrafts and heavily worked textiles and fabric. One of the major tourist attractions in Bhuj is the museum that was constructed in the 18th century. This was earlier a palace. This place is one of the first places that have a pond that is operated by solar power. There is a huge network of buses and trains in this place and there is an airport too. During 2001, Bhuj was attacked by a terrible earthquake.

Best Time to Visit Bhuj

As in the case of most of other Indian cities, Bhuj too experiences three main seasons: summer, monsoon and winter in that particular order. Summers can be scorching in Bhuj as the city experiences severe heat waves. Though monsoon season lasts for four months, one cannot expect rainfall to be regular here. Winters are cold and the climate is quite dry during this time. Therefore, Bhuj should be visited just after the monsoon and during the onset of winter, months between October and February are the ideal period to visit Bhuj because of the cool and comfortable climate.

March to May is the time when summer season is at its peak in Bhuj. While the minimum temperature hovers around 28 degrees Celsius, the maximum temperature sometimes touch 40 degrees Celsius too. Tourists are advised to avoid visiting Bhuj during this time as the months between April and May can make them feel very uncomfortable. The months between June and September are the time when the place receives its yearly quota of rainfall. Especially, July is the wettest month of the year, post which, the effect of monsoons comes down. October and November mark the end of monsoon and onset of winter. The climate is very pleasant and is most apt for tourists. Winter season is between December and February, where temperature comes down to 13 degrees Celsius on certain days. Most of the tourists love the winter at Bhuj.

Culture in Kutch and Bhuj

Bhuj is one of the most important places for shopping in India for handicrafts. This is a place which sees a culmination of artists from neighbouring villages who bring their work to Bhuj for sale. The phenomenal display of artefacts, handicrafts and embroidery leaves the local and international tourists stunned. One must visit places like Shrujan, Women Artisan’s Marketing Agency (WAMA) and Kutchch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS) to learn about the intricacies of Kutchch embroidery patterns.

Kutchch, on the other hand is a place that has very little population. People of 18 kinds of tribes have settled here and it explains the small, yet immensely diverse population of Kutchch. These people follow different culture and languages. Kutchch keeps changing its face with every passing season. The jewellery and the textiles available in this place speak volumes about the rich culture of Kutchch.

Fairs and Festivals

Every year, during the months of February and March, a famous fair known as Rann Utsav is conducted at Bhuj. It is celebrated at the same time as the famous Hindu festival of Mahashivarathri. One tour around Bhuj will help the tourists to understand the rich culture and values of the region. This place is renowned for its handicrafts and jewellery. This is also known as Desert Festival.

During the months between December and January, a famous festival known as Kutchch Mahotsav is celebrated with huge pomp and splendour. This is attended by loads of tourists from all over the globe as it is accompanied by scintillating cultural performances like song, dances and drama. This place is famous for its mountains, beaches, deserts, historical and archaeological monuments and forts.

Tourist Attractions

Aina Mahal

This can be literally translated as “Palace of Mirrors” and it was built around 200 years ago during the times when Lakshpatji ruled over the place. This magnificent palace has now been converted to a museum and is one of the most visited places of Bhuj. The museum is known as Maharao Madansinhji Museum, where some rare paintings and photos are on display. The tourist office is found right at the porch of the museum.

Chattardi

These are a collection of tombs built of sandstone. These are found on the Cenotaph’s complex of Bhuj. The largest and most famous tomb belongs to Rao Lekha. It was constructed during 1770 AD. This tomb has many individual balconies and a roof that has intricate carvings. It is in the shape of a polygon. Some other notable tombs here belong to Rao Pragmal, Rao Desai and Rao Rayadhan.

Kutchch Museum

This is the most famous tourist attraction in Kutchch. This museum houses some of the rare and antique idols and sculptures belonging to different eras. Each exhibit that is put up for display is chosen after careful consideration, years of effort and research and lots of attention to detail. This museum was the brain child of Maharao Kengharji and is one the oldest in Gujarat. Tourists can easily understand about the exhibits, as explanations about them are provided in English as well as Gujarati languages. Kshatarapa inscriptions, believed to be belonging to the 1st century AD are found in this museum in large numbers.

Prag Mahal

This is a visual delight thought it is in a dilapidated state. This is also called New Palace and is located in close vicinity to the Aina Mahal. This palace, with its broken chandeliers and ruined antique statues in the Darbar Hall have caught the fancy of many a filmmaker in the Hindi and Gujarati languages. Parts of films like “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” and “Lagaan” were shot here. The huge pillars of Corinthian patterns and flora and fauna from Europe, represented in Jali work are some of the attractions at this palace.

Shri Swaminarayan Temple

This temple, that was constructed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan during 1824 suffered immensely during the 2001 earthquake that hit Gujarat in a big way. Reconstruction process was held in a phased manner and during 2010, the magnificent new structure was built completely. Only rich materials like marble and gold were made use of while constructing this temple. The main deities here are Swaminarayan and Nar Narayan.

How to Reach

By Air

Mumbai and Ahmedabad are the closet airports to Bhuj. Flights are frequent (daily in the case of Mumbai sector) from Gujarat to almost all the important cities in the country.

By Train

The main railway station of Bhuj is just about 9km from the city. There are some important trains that pass through Bhuj. Palanpur and Gandhidham are some of the other nearby rail stations that are connected to other major cities in the state.

By Road

Private and Government sector buses are available in plenty in Gujarat. All major cities are well connected with comfortable and luxurious buses. Ahmedabad is a 7 hour journey by bus and there are buses that connect to cities in Rajasthan as well.