Palanpur is an important city in the district of Banaskantha in the western state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarter and the largest city in the district. The town got its name from the Palansi Chauhans who came and occupied the city in the 14th century.

It was earlier known as Prahladanpur, believed to be named after the founder of the place – Prahladan belonged to the Paramara clan of the Rajputs. It was a princely state during the rule of the British in India.

Palanpur is a historical city and at one point in time the town was heavily protected by forts on all sides, with entry being possible through one of the seven gates to the city. These forts and gates are now ruins around the city and are an important tourist attraction.

The Keerti Stumbh, also called the Victory Tower is another important tourist site in Palanpur, apart from the Zorawar Palace and the Balaram Palace which stand as reminders of Palanpur’s princely history.

Surrounded by hills of the Aravalli Range, the town of Palanpur is quite scenic with views of the surrounding mountains and the landscape. The town is considered an important religious place for people of the Jain community and there are as many as 14 Jain temples in Palanpur. The most famous among them are the Motu Derasar and Nanu Derasar.

Tourist Places in Palanpur

There are many temples under the Hinduism and Jainism sects in this place. The Pallaviya Parshwanath Temple or the Motu Derasar built by King Prahaladan and the Nanu Derasar are the important Jain temples of Palanpur. The Pataleshwar Mahadev Temple situated near the Keertistumbh and the Mota Ramji Mandir are the Hindu temples.

Some of the Hindu temples within reachable distance from Palanpur are the famous Ambaji Temple, Kedarnath Mahadev Temple and Balaram Mahadev Temple.

Best Time to Visit Palanpur

The best season to visit Palanpur is the winter season. The temperature remains comfortable and is apt for visiting the monuments and other places of interest in Palanpur. The best months to visit are October, November, December, February and March.

How to Reach Palanpur?

By Air : The nearest International Airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, roughly two and half hour drive from the city. The Airport is well connected with major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Pune and Ahmedabad and is also connected with Bangalore, Hyderabad, Madras and Jaipur.

By Rail : Palanpur has its own Railway Station named as Palanpur Railway Junction which is connected to the major cities of Gujarat. It is linked with the cities like New Delhi, Bangalore, Mysore, Nasik, Mumbai, Vadodara, Anand, Chennai, Kanyakumari, Puri, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

By Road : Palanpur is 28 Kms from Deesa, 72 Kms from Mehsana, 127 Kms from Gandhinagar, 145 Kms from Ahmedabad, 207 Kms from Udaipur, 217 Kms from Anand, 260 Kms from Vadodara, 321 Kms from Rajkot, 485 Kms from Kota, 519 Kms from Jaipur and is connected through Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) and some private travel services.