Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandvi

Built in 1929 by Rao Vijayrajji, this palace is very well-maintained, and often the scene of filming for Bollywood productions. It was built of red sandstone in the Rajput style, with a main central dome, Bengal domes at the sides, bastions at the corner, and colored glass windows. The balcony at the top affords a superb view of the surrounding area, and the king's tomb can also be seen.

Ship Building Industry

Mandvi is famous for a 400 – year – old shipbuilding industry & craftman who use traditional techniques to build ships for domestic & international clients. On the banks of the Rukmavati River, just south of the bridge, you can visit the still-active shipbuilding yard. and you can feel free to watch them work. The timber is imported from Malaysia & kandla port. The ships are manufactured & painted in mandvi & engine is generally fitted in Dubai. Mandvi’s port decilmed in the early 20th C, due to changes in navigatin policy & a silting harbor. Today most ships are uses for trade between Mumbai & Dubai. If you have never seen handmade boats being built, it will make you truly appreciate craftsmanship--the process is long and elaborate and shoddy workmanship means risking sailors' lives.

Boards must be painstakingly crafted, planed and fitted by hand, for a watertight fit along the long curves of the hull line. You will likely encounter legions of craftsmen working hard amidst giant piles of sawdust. Also, because of the shipbuilding industry, there is a heavy timber trade in Mandvi. Appox. 1500 Ships belong to Mandvi, & each voyages requires a crew of nineteen. We suggest this area as a must visiting places of Mandvi.

Shyamji Krishna Varma Memorial

The British ruled over India for over two hundred years. They ruthlessly exploited India’s economic resources and mercilessly oppressed the people. Many individuals took on the might of the British to free India. Shyamji Krishna Varma chose to take this fight to British soil and made London his base.

Shyamji Krishna Varma was born on 4th October, 1857 in Mandvi town of Kutch district of Gujarat. He was one of the foremost freedom fighters in the history of the freedom movement of India with high sense of patriotism and selfless service for the nation. He had organized a revolutionary center in "India House" at London and propagated the cause of India’s independence through his writings in his publication journal called The "Indian Sociologist".

Shyamji Krishna Varma was not alone in his work. He was joined by many other great radical Indian Nationalists who were committed to free their motherland from the yoke of British rule. Many great revolutionaries made the supreme sacrifice and laid down their lives to see their country free, both in India as well as abroad.

The Memorial’s objective is to pay tribute to the contribution of Shyamji Krishna Varma and also to educate the young generation about those great Indians who sacrificed everything for the country’s freedom