Gondal, -

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Rajkot

Gujarat

India

GUJARATI AND ENGLISH

October To March

+91 (02825)

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Drive south from Rajkot to Gondal and you pass Vintage Fords and Buicks taxis of a bygone era still plying the roads of Saurashtra. Gondal, a city state mere 35 km away from Rajkot ruled by a family of car enthusiasts whose royal passion resulted in a fine collection of automobiles which are now part of a museum in the palace premises. Such was the royal passion that Gondal had the best planned and well designed road system in preindependent Gujarat.

The town of Gondal normally experiences a pleasant climate throughout the year, and the basic seasons in Gondal are the seasons of winter, summer and monsoon. The region of Gondal experiences a tropical climate similar to its neighboring regions in Gujarat. Summers in the town of Gondal are normally during the months of March, April, May and June. These four months experience very high temperatures, as temperatures peak to values of forty two degrees (42°C) during the summer months. The minimum temperature during the summer months will be around twenty four degrees (24°C). This is not a good time to visit Gondal. The monsoon season in Gondal experiences moderate showers through the months of July, August, September and October. Humidity hits a peak during this time due to the dry summers and sudden rainfall. You can visit Gondal during this time, provided you carry along proper rain gear. The months of October, November, December and January are the winter months in Gondal. During these months, the town will experience a maximum temperature of twenty four degrees (24°C) and a minimum temperature of ten degrees (10°C). This is the best time to visit the town of Gondal, as the weather is cold and appealing.

The 11-gun salute princely state of Gondal spanned an area of about 1000sq miles comprising four towns and more than 175 villages. The state was ruled by a dynasty of the Krishna-vanshi zJadeja Rajput clan from Thakur Shri Kumboji in the 1600s. It was modernized by His Highness Thakore Shri Sagramji who ruled from 1851 to 1869 and became a first-class princely state in 1887 after His Highness Maharaja Bhagwat Singhji introduced wide-ranging economic and social reforms. Under HH Bhagwat Sinhji, the state became distinguished for its number of educational and public institutions, and for possessing infrastructure that did not exist even in larger princely states or in areas under direct British rule. HH Bhagwat Singhji made girl child education free and compulsory, abolished 40 dues including rates, taxes, customs, octroi and export duties,started a travelling dispensary, an asylum for the maintenance of the poor and a hospital, introduced wide roads, sanitary drainage and underground electricity supplies in Gondal town, and built excellent road and irrigation networks across the state of Gondal connecting its villages and towns. After he passed away in 1944, HH Bhagwat Sinhji's son, HH Bhojrajji succeeded him.The present owner of the heritage hotels of Gondal, JYOTENDRASINHJI VIKRAMSINHJI SAHIB, is the grandson of HH Bhojrajji.