Mehsana
Mehsana is in North Gujarat, India. The city does not have many places of interest for tourists but can serve as a base for excursions.
Understand
[edit]Established in the 14th century, the city was under the Gaekwads of Baroda State from the 18th century to the independence of India in 1947.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]By bus
[edit]Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC/ST), provides bus service connecting all major cities and towns of Gujarat. Go 2 Old Bus Sation. or 3 Mehsana Central Bus Port (New Bus Station). to catch a bus.
By Jeep
[edit]Shared Jeeps are available from Adalaj near Ahmedabad but they are somewhat crowded and uncomfortable.
By plane
[edit]The nearest airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at Ahmedabad. 4 Mehsana Airport. It has no scheduled flights 
Get around
[edit]- 5 Mehsana Municipal City Bus Service. 8AM-9PM. 8 buses ply on 8 routes across the city. Toranwali Mata Chowk Bus station is central bus hub. Tickets ₹5-₹10. Free for women and disabled.
- Autorickshaws are the other main local mode of transport. Shuttles are available for transport in the city.
See
[edit]
Map of Mehsana
- 1 Boter Kothani Vav (Mehsana stepwell) (Near Ambaji Temple). A stepwell built in 1674 CE during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. It has unique twin wells. It is now polluted and in poor condition. The oldest surviving monument of the city. Free.
- 2 Rajmahal, Near Old Bus Stand, Rajmahal Road. Closed, requires permission for access. Built in 1904 by Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda State, it was used as the government office and later as the court until 2017. It has three floors and 130 rooms.
- 3 Swami Vivekanand Lake (Para Talav). 7AM-8PM. Redeveloped in 2019, the lake has a children's playground, yoga centre, food court, jogging tracks and boating facilities. ₹10.
- 4 Arvind Baug. A garden.
- 5 Biladi Baug (Mahatma Gandhi garden). A garden with children play area. It has another small stepwell known as Badiyashi Vav built by Shah Virchand Jadavji.
- 6 Simandhar Jain temple. 6AM-9PM. Built in 1971, a large Jain temple dedicated Simandhar Swami, a Jain Tirthankara. A fine example of Maru-Gurjara temple. Free.
- 7 Dudhsagar Dairy (Amul). A postmodernist building designed by Achyut Kanvinde. You can watch dairy processing here. Requires prior permission for visit.
- 8 Manoranjan Parshwanath Jain temple (Mota Derasar), Choksi Bazar, Pilajiganj, ☏ +91 2762221253. 7AM-noon, 5PM-7PM. A more than hundred years old Jain twin temples. The central deity Parshwanth was consecrated in Samvat 1920 and is among 108 major Parshwanath temples. The other central deity is Sumatinath. This beautiful two storeyed temple has glass studded roofs and pillars. There are five footprint shrines on the roof accessible only by special permission. No photography without permission. Free.
- 9 Toranwali Mataji temple, Pilajiganj. The town deity of Mehsana. According to the legend, the temple marks the foundation of the town.
- 10 Jain Dadawadi (Adinath Paduka and Ravisagar Gurumandir), Panch Limdi. Consecrated in Samvat 1956, the hall has a shrine containing footprints of Jain Tirthankara Adinath. The footprints of Jain Muni Ravisagar was consecrated in Samvat 1979 while the idols of Ravisagar and Sukhsagar were installed in Samvat 1991. Later a separate shrine dedicated to Buddhisagar was built outside the hall in Veer Samvat 2495. All these are respected Jain monks so the shrines are visited by their followers. The complex is under reconstruction as of 2024. Free.
- 11 T. J. Highschool. Founded in 1889. Old school building.
Do
[edit]- 1 Fun Blast, Nr. D-Mart. 11AM-11PM. Enjoy at game and adventure zone for kids and adults. Indoor games, arcade, bowling, trampoline, zipline and many more. A multicuisine restaurant Multi Menu is also there. ₹20 entry, extra for each game, minimum ₹500 card.
- 2 Swimming Pool at Atal Sports Centre. 6AM-noon, 3PM-8PM, Sun Closed. Enjoy an hour of swimming pool in summer heat. Confirm timing. ₹50 for an hour.
- 3 Sardar Patel Stadium. Enjoy a cricket match at local stadium during tournament seasons.
- 4 Wide Angle Cinema. Noon-9PM. Watch Bollywood or Gujarati film. Online Ticket booking available. ₹250-600.
Buy
[edit]There are three shopping malls around Panchot Bypass Circle which can fulfill all needs of tourist.
- 1 D Mart, Panchot Bypass Circle, ☏ +91 9375585450. 8AM-10PM. A shopping mall. Free parking.
- 2 Reliance SMart, Panchot Bypass Circle. 10AM-10PM. Shopping mall for groceries primarily.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Sahyog Sweets and Namkeen (Opp. Dudhsagar dairy). Try Penda or Devda, the sweets or Bhakharwadi, a spicy snack. Fast food, groceries and milk products are available.
- 2 Nilkanth Restaurant, Nr. Sahaj Villa, Radhanpur Road, ☏ +91 9737746440. 11AM-2PM, 6-11PM. Multi-cuisine restaurant. ₹500 for 2.
- 3 Domino's Pizza. 10AM-11PM. Try local flavoured pizza. ₹600 for 2.
In winter (December-January), special popular local dishes; Tuver Totha (bean dish), Lili Haldar Shak (raw turmeric dish), Dungaliyu (onion dish) and Ragad Dal (40+ vegetable dish); are served in several highway food stalls and restaurants. These all are extremely spicy dishes and use large amount of various varieties of vegetables, chilly, onion and garlic. They are specially served in private farm parties. Try it on your own tongue's risk!
Drink
[edit]- 1 Madhvi Dairy, Radhanpur Chowkdi, ☏ +91 9824062255. 8:30AM-11PM. Drink lassi and milkshakes. ₹90-100.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hotel Sahara Bridge, Apollo Enclave, Opp. Simandhar Jain temple (Modhera Chowkdi), ☏ +91 2762 230823. Check-out: 10AM. Upscale hotel. Western toilets, AC rooms, multi-cuisine restaurant, laundry, room service. Single ₹800-1600, Double ₹1000-1750, Extra bed ₹150.
- 2 Hotel Tulsi and Restaurant, Opp. Nagalpur Bus Stand, Nr. Nagalpur College, ☏ +91 2762 233491, +91 7698164429. Simple rooms, multi-cuisine restaurant (₹500 for two), AC options, room service, budget option. Double ₹1400.
- 3 Malgudi Food Inn, Fatehpura Bypass Circle, ☏ +91 9824352944. Great food at multi-cuisine restaurant. AC, room service, laundry. ₹1700 for 2.
Connect
[edit]- 1 Head Post Office, Visnagar Link Rd, Behind GEB, Balark Park Society, Ramdevnagar. 10AM-4PM.
- 2 Blue Dart Express, 41, Sardar Patel Vyapar Sankul, Opp. Nalanda School, Urban Bank Road, Malgodown. 9:30AM-7:30PM. Courier service.
- 3 Government district library. 10AM-5PM. Open Wi-Fi by GTPL.
- 4 Lions Hospital. Medical facilities including for emergencies.
- 5 Civil Hospital (General Hospital). All basic medical facilities operated by Government.
Nearby
[edit]See
[edit]- 12 Rajgadhi Timbo. An ancient Jain temple excavated from a mound.
- 13 Shakti Kund, Akhaj. Built in the third quarter of the 10th century during Chaulukya rule. The stepwell has many figures of goddesses and gods in its niches. Must be part of large temple complex in past like Modhera Sun Temple. A small museum nearby holds parts of the former temple.
Do
[edit]- 5 Shanku's Water Park and Resort, Amipura, Ahmedabad-Mehsana Highway. Get cool in summer in water park. It has many water rides. Shanku's Natural Health Centre (Next to Shanku's Water Park), ☏ +91 9099 080 086. A wellness centre which offers traditional naturopathy, meditation, massage and yoga therapies. Organic food and balanced diet are available. 3-10 days packages. Call +91 2762 282351 for rates.
- 6 Bliss Aqua World Resort. 9AM-4PM. Enjoy a day at the water park. M-Sa ₹650, Su ₹800, food and costumes extra.
- 7 Tirupati Natural and Water Park (20 km from Mehsana, 5 km from Visnagar), ☏ +91 2765 264111, +91 2765 285695, +91 63520 14079. 8:30AM-6:30PM, Water Park from 2-5PM. Spread over an area of 50 acres. Rides, boating, gardens, water park and picnic spots. Barren land was cultivated and converted into this park by locals. Guest house with 15 cottages. Restaurant. Entry ₹60, ₹40 for group of 40 people (Zula Vihar ₹20, Hightech Riders ₹20 Extra).
- 8 Tirupati Rishivan Adventure Park (Vijapur-Himmatnagar Highway), ☏ +91 6355019530, +91 9824042900 (for Meera Hotel), +91 7016720010. 9AM-6PM, Water Park noon-5PM. Water park and adventure park with many rides. Meera Hotel Resort with lodging and stay facilities. Outside food allowed. Entry ₹100+tax, each ride ₹20-60,Water Park ₹300,.
- 9 Nimba Nature Cure, Baliyasan (Ahmedabad-Mehsana highway), ☏ +91 834731 3333, +91 81550 12302, +91 81550 12274, info@nimba.in. A wellness centre offering therapies ranging from physiotherapy, yoga, naturopathy and Ayurveda. Rejuvenate your health. Single ₹6500-7500, double ₹11000-13000.