સંગ્રહાલયો
Museums and Collections near Nakhatrana
Three museums and collections round off a trip to western Kutch: a royal summer palace by the sea, a private fossil collection gathered over 45 years and Kranti Teerth, the memorial to a freedom fighter.
Which museums are near Nakhatrana?
Three museums and collections are within a day trip of Nakhatrana. Vijay Vilas Palace is a 1920s royal summer palace on the beach at Mandvi; Kranti Teerth, near Mandvi, honours the freedom fighter Shyamji Krishna Varma; and Kutch Fossil Park at Haripar, in Nakhatrana taluka, is a private fossil collection. The two Mandvi sites combine well in one day.
| Place | From Nakhatrana | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Vijay Vilas Palace | see map | Mandvi |
| Kutch Fossil Park | see map | Haripar, near Than, Nakhatrana taluka |
| Shyamji Krishna Varma Memorial | see map | Kranti Teerth, Maska, Mandvi |
Vijay Vilas Palace
Vijay Vilas Palace is a royal summer palace on the beach at Mandvi, built from 1920 to 1929 by Maharao Khengarji III for his heir, Yuvraj Vijayaraji, with its own private beach (Wikipedia). Visitors can see the first-floor museum and the terrace. It featured in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Lagaan.
- What it is
- Museum or collection
- Where
- Mandvi, Kutch district, Gujarat
- Distance from Nakhatrana
- Open the directions link for the route.
- By road
- By car or taxi from Nakhatrana. Open the directions link for the current route and road distance.
- Best season
- All year; mornings are cooler in summer.
- Timings and entry
- Museum floor and terrace open to visitors; an entry fee is charged.
- Nearby
- Mandvi Beach
- Directions
- Google Maps directions from Nakhatrana
Kutch Fossil Park
Kutch Fossil Park at Haripar, near Than in Nakhatrana taluka, is the private collection of Mohansinh Sodha, a Shaurya Chakra recipient who gathered fossils across Kutch for over 45 years (eSamskriti). Thousands of finds include ammonites, corals, wood fossils, dinosaur teeth, a sea cow and a tortoise, some up to 150 million years old.
- What it is
- Museum or collection
- Where
- Haripar, near Than, Nakhatrana taluka, Kutch district, Gujarat
- Distance from Nakhatrana
- Open the directions link for the route.
- By road
- By car or taxi from Nakhatrana. Open the directions link for the current route and road distance.
- Best season
- All year; mornings are cooler in summer.
- Timings and entry
- Listed as open 10 am to 5 pm, closed Wednesdays (Artessere); a family collection, so call ahead.
- Directions
- Google Maps directions from Nakhatrana
Shyamji Krishna Varma Memorial
Kranti Teerth, the Shyamji Krishna Varma Memorial near Mandvi, opened in 2010 on 52 acres (Wikipedia). It has a replica of India House, the London hostel he founded, statues of Shyamji and his wife Bhanumati, the urns holding their ashes, returned from Geneva in 2003, and a gallery on India’s early freedom fighters.
- What it is
- Museum or collection
- Where
- Kranti Teerth, Maska, Mandvi, Kutch district, Gujarat
- Distance from Nakhatrana
- Open the directions link for the route.
- By road
- By car or taxi from Nakhatrana. Open the directions link for the current route and road distance.
- Best season
- All year; mornings are cooler in summer.
- Timings and entry
- 10 am to 1 pm, then 4 pm to 8 pm (April to September) or 3 pm to 7 pm (October to March), per krantiteerth.com.
- Directions
- Google Maps directions from Nakhatrana
Frequently asked questions
What is Vijay Vilas Palace?
Vijay Vilas Palace is a royal summer palace on the beach at Mandvi, built between 1920 and 1929 for Yuvraj Vijayaraji of Kutch in a Rajput style modelled on the palaces of Orchha and Datia (Wikipedia). The first-floor museum and the terrace are open to visitors. It sits close to Mandvi Beach, so most visitors pair the two.
Who was Shyamji Krishna Varma?
Shyamji Krishna Varma was an Indian freedom fighter born in Mandvi, Kutch, in 1857, who founded India House in London in 1905 as a base for Indian students and nationalists (Wikipedia). Kranti Teerth, his memorial near Mandvi, opened in 2010 with a replica of India House and the urns of his and his wife’s ashes.
Can you see the Mandvi museums and the beach in one day?
Yes. Vijay Vilas Palace, the Shyamji Krishna Varma Memorial and Mandvi Beach are all at Mandvi, about 58 km south of Nakhatrana in a straight line. Start early, see the palace and memorial in the morning, and keep the late afternoon for the beach and the dhow-building yards.
What is Kutch Fossil Park?
Kutch Fossil Park is the private collection of Mohansinh Sodha at Haripar, near Than in Nakhatrana taluka, gathered on foot across Kutch over more than 45 years. Its thousands of finds include ammonites, corals, wood fossils and dinosaur teeth. A caretaker is on site, but the family asks visitors to call ahead for a guided explanation.
What are the timings of museums near Nakhatrana?
Kranti Teerth opens 10 am to 1 pm and again from 4 pm to 8 pm in summer or 3 pm to 7 pm in winter. Kutch Fossil Park is listed as open 10 am to 5 pm, closed Wednesdays. Vijay Vilas Palace charges an entry fee for its museum floor and terrace. Hours change on holidays, so check before you travel.