Population: 408,690
Telephone Area Code:  0288

Pop: 408,690
Tel Area Code: 0288

Prior to independence, the princely state of Jamnagar was ruled by the Jadeja Rajputs. Ajay Jadeja comes from Jamnagar. The city was built around the small Ranmal Lake, in the centre of which is a small palace, reached by a causeway. Jamnagar has a long history of pearl fishing and tie-dyeing, but in modern time its more well known for having the only ayurvedic university in India and a temple listed in the Guinness Book of Records (see below under Bala Hanuman Temple). The old part of town has a number of interesting and impressive old buildings, such as the Mandvi Tower, and is very colourful. The centre of the old town is known as Darbar Gadh, a semicircular gathering place where the former Maharaja of Nawanagar used to hold public audiences.

City Guidance
The state bus stand and the new railway station are several km apart and both are a long way from the centre of the city, so you'll: need to take an auto-rickshaw. Most of the best-avoided bottom-end guest houses are near the old railway station, in Teen Batti Chowk. There are a couple of more commodious economical places near Bedi Gate. English-language dailies can be found a the newsstand near the Hotel Swati restaurant .The Corporation Bank, just inside Bedi Gate, exchanges travellers cheques on weekdays between 1am and 3 pm. You may have to remind them to give you an exchange certificate.

How to reach !

Air
The Indian Airlines off ice (Tel: 550211) on Bhid Bhanjan Rd is open from 10.30 am to 5 pm. Indian Airlines has four flights a week to Mumbai (US$80) Bookings can also be made with save time Travels (Tel: 71739), between Bedi Gate and the town hall.

Bus
There are STC buses to Rajkot every 30 minutes (Rs 20), and other departures to Dwarka, Porbandar, Bhuj, Junagadh and Ahmedabad. Rather than compete with each other, the private bus companies have complicated bus bookings for travellers by each operating services to different destinations. Sapan Travels (Tel: 71646) just off Pancheshwar Tower Rd, books buses to Rajkot (two hours, Rs 25) and to Ahmedabad (six hours, Rs 80). Pavan Travels (Tel: 552002) on the same road, also has departures to Ahmedabad, as well as to Mumbai (20 hours, Rs 200). Shivshakti Travels (Tel: 70091) in the basement of the building opposite the bus stand, has departures almost every 15 minute to Rajkot, as well as services to Junagadh (three hours, Rs 35), and twice-daily departures to Bhuj (six hours, Rs. 70).

Train
There are direct trains from Mumbai and Ahmedabad via Rajkot. The fare for the 321 km trip to Ahmedabad is Rs 115/275 for a 2nd/1st-class sleeper, or Rs 76/360 on the daytime service. The 813km trip to Mumbai costs Rs 212/700. To Dwarka, the I 32km journey takes three hours by express train, or a tedious 51/2 hours on the daily `fast passenger service (Rs 36).

Getting Around
There is no minibus service to the airport, which is a long way out. Auto-rickshaw drivers demand at least Rs 30. A rickshaw from the bus stand to the Bedi Gate area costs about Rs 8. To the new railway station, about four km north of the city centre, expect to pay about Rs 15.