Festival Detail

Orchard Palace Gondal - Huzoor Palace Complex, Gondal, Gujarat 360311

Heritage
Start at Rs. 5000

HISTORY OF GONDAL

The 11-gun salute princely state of Gondal spanned an area of about 1000 sq miles comprising four towns and more than 175 villages. The state was ruled by a dynasty of the Krishna-vanshi Jadeja Rajput clan from Thakur Shri Kumboji in the 1600s.

It was modernised by His Highness Thakore Shri Sagramji who ruled from 1851 to 1869 and became a first-class princely state in 1887 after His Highness Maharaja Bhagwat Sinhji introduced wide-ranging economic and social reforms. Under HH Bhagwat Sinhji, the state became distinguished for its number of educational and public institutions, and for possessing infrastructure that did not exist even in larger princely states or in areas under direct British rule.

HH Bhagwat Sinhji made girl child education free and compulsory, abolished 40 dues including rates, taxes, customs, octroi and export duties,started a travelling dispensary, an asylum for the maintenance of the poor and a hospital, introduced wide roads, sanitary drainage and underground electricity supplies in Gondal town, and built excellent road and irrigation networks across the state of Gondal connecting its villages and towns. HH Bhagwat Sinhji is also considered one of the pioneers of the railway industry in Saurashtra.

After he passed away in 1944, HH Bhagwat Sinhji's son, HH Bhojrajji succeeded him.The present owner of the heritage hotels of Gondal, JYOTENDRASINHJI VIKRAMSINHJI SAHIB, is the grandson of HH Bhojrajji.

The Orchard Palace was built as an annex of the Huzoor Palace, the family residence, in the late-19th century to host personal guests of the Maharajas. Converted into a seven-room heritage hotel, it is appointed with 1930s and ‘40s art deco furniture, antiques and handicrafts.

The property gets its name from the lime, chikoo and mango groves it faces to the rear. More than 80 peacocks and peahens inhabit the gardens, and a variety of other birds can be watched while walking around the grounds.

One of the highlights of the palace is the Rail Saloon of the royal family of Gondal. This saloon has been converted into a suite for a couple or a family to stay with drawing room, dining room and bedroom, beautifully finished with inlaid wood, and English washrooms with a telephonic shower.

SIGHTSEEING

Swaminarayan Temple
Lord Swaminarayan and His paramhansas often came to Gondal and bathed in the waters of the River Gondali in Gondal town. The temple near the river was inaugurated in 1934. It is an attractive building with beautiful murals inside.

Ayurveda
The Bhuvaneshwari Ayurvedic Pharmacy at Gondal has been manufacturing herbal medicines according to ancient principles from the 1910s. A visit to the pharmacy is arranged for guests. The palace management can also set up appointments with the ayurvedic doctor at the hospital for counseling or treatments. Ayurvedic massages can also be provided in the rooms.

For groups, the management can organize Art of Living and Yoga courses in collaboration with renowned foundations.

Birdwatching
Gondal is excellent for birding with many species coming into the gardens of the Riverside Palace and Orchard Palace to feed, roost or even to breed.

The lakes of Gondal attract large flocks of winter migratory birds like the demmossile and common cranes, white pelican, geese and ducks. The vegetation around the wetlands are important breeding grounds for resident ducks, ibises and wading birds.

The Umbada Veedi is a large tract of rolling grassland on the outskirts of Gondal where rufous-breasted prinia, Syke’s crested lark, skylark, rufous-tailed lark, short-toed lark, rock bush quail, grey and painted francolin partridge, chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, Montagu harrier and other birds can be seen. In the monsoon, the grassland has often witnessed the breeding of the endangered lesser florican.

Nilgai antelope, jackal, jungle cat, black-naped hare and other mammals could also be seen at the grassland as also reptiles like the monitor lizard.

Gondal is also the base to visit the Hingolgadh Sanctuary for chinkara gazelle, Botad Dhakania grassland for blackbuck antelope and the Gir Interpretation Zone for Asiatic lion.

Textiles and Handicrafts
Gondal is a centre for beadwork, embroidery, spinning, handloom weaving, woodcarving, silverware and brassware. 30 km south of Gondal, the textile town of Jetpur is known for its screen and hand-block printing.

Rajkot, 39 km north of Gondal, has the Rashtriya Shala working to revive ikkat weaving skills

Guests can also see interesting pieces from the royal family’s collection at the palaces of Gondal.

Bhuvaneshwari Gaushala and Ashwapalak
This stud farm is working towards breeding and promoting indigenous breeds of livestock like the Gir cattle and the Kathiawadi horse. It has won many prestigious awards like the Gopal Ratna.