The Great
Gujarat Road Odyssey – Day 8
It was a long tiring drive of more than 500 kms yesterday and you wake up groggy in the city of
Jamnagar. There are a few things you need to check out in the city before
driving to the Amazing Waterworld.
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These are the lockdown days in the time of Corona. A good time to revisit the Gujarat trip and continue from where you left
खोलो खोलो दरवाज़े
पर्दे करो किनारे खुंटे से बँधी है हवा
मिल के छुडाओ सारे
आजाओ पतंग लेके
Taare Zameen Par |
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| Another sunset on the road |
You have always associated Jamnagar
with the world’s largest refinery built by the Ambanis of Reliance group. There are plenty more historical
and sport associations with the city that was built by the Jam Sahibs of Nawanagar, a 13 gun salute state, now named Jamnagar, in Kathiawar region of Gujarat.
Before Mumbai’s Shivaji
Park, it seems Jamnagar gave rise to Indian Cricket’s biggest stars and heroes. The
legendary cricketer Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji Jadeja (Reign 1907 – 1933)
was a Jam Sahib himself. India’s premier domestic cricket championship Ranji
Trophy is named after him. Cricket runs in the dynasty and the family. His cousin Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji was another legendary star and has Duleep Trophy named in his honour.
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| Vinoo Mankad bowling his slow left arm orthodox delivery - Jamnagar and its cricketing legacy to the country |
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| British style cricket pavilion |
Surprise, surprise that is
not all. Another illustrious player Vinoo Mankad (1917 – 1978) too was born
here in Jamnagar! Now this is too great a coincidence. Apparently, there is
something about this place that makes everyone excel in cricket. In the later
days, Ajay Jadeja and Ravindra Jadeja, both born in Jamnagar, will carry the tradition
forward.
The grand old man of Indian storytelling Ruskin Bond spent his early childhood here with his father who taught English in the royal palace.
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| Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar State |
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| The Good Maharaja - Celebrating Christmas with the Polish children |
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| The Polish children dancing in their camp in Balachadi |
And then there is this
hearwarming story of the Nawanagar Maharaja. Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja (Reign 1933 –
1948), son of Ranjitsinhji, helped provide sanctuary to about 600 Polish Jew
children who arrived in 1942 after a torturous trip on a ship from Russian prisons
during the horrible days of Holocaust in World War II.
The camp for the children was built at Balachadi, about 25 kms from the
capital Jamnagar, near the summer palace. Years later the surviving children would come back to celebrate their saviour.
Before hitting the highway,
you go around the city. IAF jets scream in the skies. The air force base protects the country's oil refining assets. The Lakhota Palace built in the
middle of the Lakhota Lake is closed for repairs. You are floating around the Teen Darwaza area. Few people are on the road this early in the morning.
With its wide roads, and airy feel, the city seems to be well planned. There is definitely more to
the city, and its royal heritage. You will have to come back to Jamnagar to see its palaces, royal and cricketing legacy and the temples.
Now it is time to leave
Jamnagar and drive to the petrochemical hub of the country. For the next few days you will driving along the coastline till Diu.
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| World's Largest Petrochemical Refinery |
There are some things you
have just wanted to do. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to it though. Standing at
the gates of Sriharikota Space Centre makes sense. But standing here at the gates of the
world’s largest petrochemical refinery - does it make any sense? It doesn’t really,
but you have wanted to do this from the days Dhirubhai had set out on his own
personal mission. Your own personal mission is complete and you roll through the landscape full
of paraphernalia engaged in hydrocarbon processing and downstreaming.
Unending processions of tankers quelling the energy demand of the country roll
on the roads; huge storage tanks dot the landscape; the air heavy with smell of oil. This could
be Kuwait or even Texas.
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The most exciting story of the day is covered
here:
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| The Wonder of Narara Marine National Park - Jamnagar |
Please click the link to be amazed
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| Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) |
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| Pelican - Is it the Great White or Dalmatian Pelican |
It is late afternoon as you
again make your way towards the western edge of the country. This is Gulf of Kutch
country. Salt pans line up on both sides of the highway. The sun has turned
into a red ball racing you to disappear from the face of the earth first.
Driving on the road does feel like you are heading to Lands’ End or even Earth’s
End.
You are in the Land of Your
Own God.
The journey will continue.
Travel
Tips
- At
Narara Marine National Park hire a guide who will upturn rocks and corals
to show you crabs and octopuses. The rocks are then put back at the same
spot without harming the aquatic life
- Find out
the low tide timings before visiting. You will need 3-4 hours to
completely enjoy the park. Wear sandals/floaters as you would be wading in
about knee deep water. Carry water if you visit in hot months.
Day's
Stats
- Route
Taken – From Jamnagar taken NH 947 West. Just beyond the Reliance Refinery
turned right towards Vadinar to reach Narara Marine Park. Came back to NH 947 and then driving all the way to Dwarka
- Distance
covered today – 172 kms
- Total
Distance covered so far - 2466 kms
References
Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Kathiawar
Related Links on this blog
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