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Zinzuwada is a fortified town located at the southern edge of the little Rann of Kutch. The town is part of several legends related to the birth of the great Solanki ruler, Siddhraj Jaisinh, son of Minaldevi, who was born by a blessing of a saint from a nearby place.
Fort: The fortification of Zinzuwada dates back to
the 11th century AD. Zinzuwada was frontier fort of the Solanki rulers and
the inscriptions on the fort walls by Uda Mantri, a minister of Siddhraj
Jaisinh, is proof of its antiquity. The fort is built with huge stone
slabs and fortification is broad enough for two horsemen to pass at a
time. Zinzuwada is one of the finest examples of Hindu fortifications in
India, without Islamic influence. In Gujarat, another similar fort is
situated at Dabhoi.
Gateways:
The town has four gateways in four directions: Madapol Gate,
Rakshaspol Gate, Harijan Gate and Dhama Gate. Madapol Gate is one of the
finest examples of entrance gateways in the Maru Gurjar architectural
style. The gateway is decorated with multi layered, carved, corbelled
brackets resting on pillars.
Images of Ganesha, Bhairava and other protecting deities are placed in
niches at a lower level on both sides. At the upper level, one can see
beautifully carved 'jharokhas' projecting above the niches. The town
planning layout, location of gates and sculptural decorations are as per
the ancient Hindu architectural treatises.
Other interesting structures outside the town are: The old sacred 'Kund'
and the Jhileshwar Mahadev, dating back to the Solanki period.
Limbdi:
(107 km from Zinzuwada) Limbdi was the capital of the former princely
state of Limbdi, ruled by the Jhala Rajputs. In the past, it was a
prosperous cotton-trading centre, between Saurashtra and Gujarat. The
arcaded bazaar is a conscious attempt in urban design and this unifying
architectural style is a fine example of the architectural awareness of
rulers of the smaller princely states of Saurashtra.
The bazaar street finally leads to a beautiful palace, which is now
converted into Vivekanand Memorial. The Green Chowk, Gandhi Smiriti
Mandir, Tower Bungalow, Jagdish Ashram, Fulnath Mahadev and Jain Bhandar
housing ancient manuscripts are also worth visiting.
Dhrangadhra: (74 km from Zinzuwada) Dhrangadhra was the capital of
the former Dhrangadhra state, under the rule of the Jhala Rajputs. For
centuries, it has been known as a famous centre for excellent stone
carving. The Sompuras (the traditional architects) of this town are still
engaged in the same trade and are solely responsible for keeping alive the
ancient architectural tradition of constructing Hindu and Jain temples in
Indian and abroad.
The finest workmanship of stone carving can be seen in all the public and
royal buildings. Royal palaces of Suraj Mahal, Man Mahal, bazaars,
crescent and towers in the town are fine examples of this.
Viramgam: (57 km from Zinzuwada) This ancient town with
fortification has five entrance gates. Munsar Tank, the finest example of
civic architecture, is located on the western edge of the town. This is
one of the largest man made tanks in Gujarat, dating from the 11th
century. The tank epitomizes the fusion of hydraulic engineering and
architectural aesthetic values of Minaldevi, who patronized the
construction of this tank.
The
architectural style is similar to the Sahastralinga Talav of Patan. The
shape of the tank is not a perfect rectangle, but like a conch or Gomukh.
Originally, there were 520 shrines on the bank of Munsar Tank, out of
which 360 survive. Most of them are Shiva shrines, along with a few
Vaishnava shrines. These shrines are typical of the early Chalukya
architectural style. Each Shiva shrine has 3 niches housing images of
Mahakaal, Bhairava ad Natesh. Two large twin temples, located in the
middle of the south side, are also of great tourist interest.
How To Get There
Air: The nearest airport is ahmedabad (120km)
Rail: The nearest railway station is patdi (25 km)
Road: It is connected with Ahmedabad by road.
Local Transport: Non-metered auto rickshaws and Jeeps.
Heritage hotel at Zainabad.
Ahmedabad: 120 kms.