If one wants to see how the ships are built by craftsmen then a trip to Mandvi, a port town, located on the banks of the Rukmavati river, is a trip worth visiting. It lies about one km from the Arabian Sea at the Gulf of Kutch and about 56 km from Bhuj, (Gujarat).
This port town is said to be founded by the Khengarji, the king of Kutch in 1574. For more than 400 years, the shipbuilding industry has been the backbone for the locals at Mandvi. Mandvi was once the principal port of Gujarat, when ships from far and near used to trade here. The city used to have fortified walls around, but now, only a small portion of it remains.
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| On the ship which was being built |
With more modernized harbors like Mumbai and Surat which have larger shipping operations, Mandvi has now lost its status as a major shipping port in India. But the traditional method of building ships is still continued at this yard. One can visit this shipbuilding yard, where craftsmen assemble the huge ships with wood by hand, and we are at the liberty to watch them work and take photographs. A visit to this yard makes one appreciate the craftsmanship and skill involved and the laborious process of shipbuilding.
The other places of interest at Mandvi apart from the beautiful beach are-
The Mandvi Teerth which is a famous Jain pilgrim centre, dedicated to Bhagwan Shantinath.
Vijay Vilas Palace which has umbrella shaped domes and cupbolas of the the Bengali and Rajastani style of architecture.
The Wind Farm Beach known for its wind mill project, which was established in 1983 as the first wind energy project in Asia.
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