Cricketers of fame – Ranjitsinhji, and Duleepsinhji
There have been a number of illustrious cricketers. Ranjitsinhji was the first Indian to play test cricket when he used to play for the English Cricket Team. Ranji is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsman of all time. Neville Cardus describes him as ‘the Midsummer Night’s dream of cricket’. He brought a new style to batting and revolutionised the game. Ranji Trophy is instituted after his name. Duleepsinhji was his nephew who too represented England. Vinoo Makad, Salim Durani and Ajay Jadeja, all hail from Jamnagar. The first cricketer to win Arjuna award, Amish belongs to Jamnagar City and still lives there.
Exotic underwater world of Marine Sanctuary & National Park
Jamnagar elicits the moniker of the Jewel of Kathiawar. It falls on the coast of Gulf of Kutch in the state of Gujarat, India. There are unspoilt islands and pristine beaches, hills, forest, in the bird sanctuary, marine sanctuaries with coral reef and India’s first Marine National Park.
Jamnagar City has the Country’s first Marine National Park, since 1982. This is one of the rare places in the world where one can look at corals without having to dive down into the water. One just has to walk in the water when the tide ebbs, in about 1 to 2 feet of water and watch this fascinating underwater world of corals. 162.89 Square Kilometers of Marine National Park and 457.92 Square Kilometers of Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Kutch at Jamnagar offer fascinating sightings.
In the Gulf of Kutch, 42 islands sit like little gems in the Arabian Sea. Fringed by coral reefs, sandy beaches (even during the high tide) and mangrove swamps, these islands are a treasure-trove of marine species and a paradise for birdwatchers to have whale of a time. One can see octopus, jelly fish, star fish, colourful corals, exotic marine flowering plants, puffer fish, sea horse, huge green sea turtles, lobsters, dolphins, etc. And if one is very lucky then maybe a dugong which resembles seals. Of the 42 islands, the most popular island is Pirotan (old name is “Pir jo thaan” meaning the place of the holy Saint Khwaja Khizer RahmatAllah). Pirotan Island is about 12 nautical miles from Bedi port. It’s a 2 hours journey by the boats available. One has to board the boat from Bedi port (20 minute drive from the city). Sailing midst the creeks, taking the curves covered with Mangroves on both sides on the way to Pirotan is also a wonderful experience. Narara Island is yet another delight and is accessible by road.
The Marine Sanctuary area has excellent coral reefs, 37 species of hard and soft corals, 70 species of sponges, 27 species of Prawns, 30 species of crabs, 200 species of molluscs, endangered sea turtles like the Green Sea, Oliver Riddley and Leather Back, 3 Species of Sea Mammals, 94 species of water birds, 78 species of terrestrial birds, 108 species of brown, green and red algae.
