Historical

Vadnagar

Location

(42 km from Siddhpur) Vadnagar finds mention in many Hindu 'Puranas' and in the travelogue of great Chinese traveller, Hieu-en-Tsang (7th century), as a rich and flourishing town. The inscription on Arjun Bari Gate confirms King Kumarapla built the fortification of the city in 1152 AD.

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Kirti Toran

Location

It is located on the bank of Sharmishta Talav, on a road going down from Arjun Bari. It is among the few surviving examples of the entrance gates, once a regular feature of the architecture of Gujarat in Solanki period.

Architectural treatment and the exquisite stone carvings on every part remind one of Rudra Mahalaya at Siddhpur. Next to it, remains of one of the twin 'toran' provide an opportunity to appreciate the sculptural details.

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Sharmishta Talav

Location

The town sits on the high bank of Sharmistha Talav, with an overlooking promenade, in a crescent and a series of steps leading to the tank. The fortification and undulating skyline mirorred in the water of Sharmistha Talav lend a picturesque quality to the whole composition.

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Mansions Of Bohra Muslims

Location

Siddhpur is a major centre of the Bohra Muslims from few centuries. The Bohras are a rich and cultured community spread all over the major cities of the world. They are deeply attached to their native town of Siddhpur and regularly visit the town for important social ceremonies.

About a century ago, they built very beautiful mansions in a typical architectural style, from the wealth earned abroad. The well laid out paved streets, service lanes, mosques, perfect arrangement of row houses with profusely decorated facades using a common architectural vocabulary is a direct outcome of the collective vision of the Guilds of Bohra merchants.

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Courtesan’s Street

Location

Courtesan’s Street is near the Achutha Raya temple. There are many pillars that stand on either side of the street which were once parts of the pavilions.

It is said that this street was loaded with many precious items such as gems, ivory, etc. The street is 50 m wide and almost half a kilometre long and was frequently visited by merchants from all over the world.

The corners of the streets still have remains of unfinished pillars. At the north end of the street there is a small tank that is often connected to the Achutha Raya temple. There are pillars near this ruined tank whose bases have carvings of elephants on them.

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Kundi Bhandara

Location

A rare water system (collection and distribution of water) was formed in the rule of Abdul Raheem Khankhana in 1615 A.D. such systems were prevalent in Uran and Iraq. The techniques of these system were taken from these countries, during that period eight water systems were built to supply pure water to the citizens.

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Orchha Fort

Location

The fort complex is a great place to visit; hit this first to obtain an all-day ticket good for all the sights in Orchha.

Divided into 3 parts, it consists of

* Raj Mahal: Situated to the right of the quadrangle, this palace was built in the 17th century by Madhukar Shah, the deeply religious predecessor of Bir Singh Ju Deo. The plain exteriors, crowned by chhatris, give way to interiors with exquisite murals, boldly colourful on a variety of religious themes. Get a good guide inside here to take you all over the complex, including locked rooms, for a tip.

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