City of kingsmen

As a city, Rajkot is a place few tarry; perhaps oil executives will pause here before hurrying to Jamnagar, tourists will mark a pit-stop on the way to Sasan Gir. If they stop to look up for a minute, they'd see a busy, dusty city, where buildings huddle against the midday heat and where drivers are liberal with their horns. They'd hurry faster. It'd be a shame though.

Because scratch the surface and Rajkot bleeds history, one intertwined with royalty, the freedom movement and, of course, cricket. It's here that Gandhi spent his formative years, graduating from Alfred High School, while his father served as the diwan of Rajkot. Ranjitsinhji went to school here, at the Rajkumar College, where once only the progeny of Kathiawar royalty studied. Parts of the old walled city still remain, and wandering through these streets is magical, where filigreed balconies look down on narrow alleys, flanked by hawkers selling everything from bangles to ghee.

But cricket is bringing people to the city more and more, and match days can get very busy. It's a great time to wander the city and soak in its unique eccentricities and, perhaps, you'll find yourself coming back for more.

Summer months in Rajkot, from March to June, can get unbearably warm and dry with daytime temperatures peaking at 40-42°. Wear loose, comfortable cotton clothing, carry a scarf or a cap to cover your head with and stay hydrated at all times.

Rajkot airport lies just 3km outside the city and has daily flights to Mumbai. Trains connect Rajkot to Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Kolkata and Amritsar, Patna and Bhopal. Regular ST routes also ply between Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Junagadh and Bhuj.

Auto rickshaws are the most popular way of getting around the city. Expect to pay about Rs 100 for a rickshaw from the airport to the centre of the city and Rs 50 from the train station. The Rajkot Municipal Corporation also operates a Bus Rapid Transit System that runs from Gondhal Chowk to Madhapar Chowk. App-based cab service Ola has recently begun operating in the city as well.

The Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium lies about 12km outside city limits, on the highway to Jamnagar and it's not always easy to find a ride back after a match. Most residents depend on their own cars or hired taxis to ply them to and fro.

Most of Rajkot's hotels are in and around the city centre, so budget for the travel to and from the stadium.

High-end
Never mind the slightly dated opulence of the Seasons' (from Rs 6000) rooms; this is still the best hotel in Rajkot. Rooms are huge and airy and there's a pool to cool off in when the weather gets too warm. It is a fair distance from the city centre (8km) and stadium (12km) though. Regency Lagoon Resort has both villas (from Rs 15,000) and suites (from Rs 4000) spread around a lovely garden. It gets busy during wedding season and also hosts a number of conferences so booking early is advised. The Imperial Palace (from Rs 5700) is very popular with business travellers who like their clean rooms and excellent vegetarian food.

Mid-range
The endearingly kitsch Chouki Dhani (from Rs 3500) is a mock-up of a Rajasthani village and the closest hotel to the stadium. Stay in a traditional Rajasthani mud-hut, dine on Kathiawari-Rajasthani cuisine and even take a camel ride within the hotel premises if you fancy. Do note that weekends can get loud as families descend on the space for a day out. Marasa Sarovar (from Rs 3800) is a no-nonsense business hotel in the heart of the city that also incidentally houses the only non-vegetarian restaurant in Rajkot. The Fern Residency (from Rs 4000) is a modern business and leisure hotel right by the city centre and on one end of the Jamnagar-Rajkot Highway that leads to the stadium.

Budget
Hotel Pallav (from Rs 2500) has small but clean rooms and easy access to transportation at the city centre. Hotel Classique (from Rs 1500) has VFM rooms and in-room breakfast, and is a five minute walk from the main bus stand. Home-style food and excellent service makes Hotel Jyoti (from Rs 1000) a great bargain for budget travellers.

Though Rajkot runs the gamut of the usual Indian, Chinese and Mughlai restaurants, to really eat the city, sit down for a lavish Kathiawari thali

High-end
Lord's Banquet Restaurant has been a family favourite in Rajkot for generations, and its popularity hasn't waned; expect a 30-minute wait for a table. The sizzlers here come highly recommended. Senso at the Imperial Palace does a range of quick street-style food, including pav bhaji and parathas. Jaddu's Food Field, homegrown hero Ravindra Jadeja's restaurant, does everything from Mexican to Thai and Punjabi, but reviews are mixed. Even so, on match days don't expect to get anywhere near the restaurant.

Mid-level
Rajkot's most popular thali place is at The Grand Thakar and long waits are a given. Get a token, stand in line, then polish off a plate of Kathiawari specialties for the very reasonable price of Rs 220. Temptations, run by the Lord's Banquet management, specialises in continental nibbles like baked mac and cheese, fondue and the ever-popular sizzlers. The best Punjabi food in Rajkot is at Flavours, but for the non-vegetarian food in the city, head to Marasa Sarovar's rooftop restaurant Sky Lounge, where views of the city are served with a side of kebabs and grills.

Budget
The ever reliable Sankalp chain of South Indian fast food restaurants turns out crisp dosas and fluffy idlis on Ring Road. But to really experience Rajkot's food scene, head out to the streets around Ring Road and Racecourse road to sample ragda "petis" (fried discs of potato and gram served with white pea curry), bhel dabeli (boiled potatoes and spices sandwiched inside a pav served with crisp sev) and Rajkot's famous gathiya and fafda chutney (fried gram flour twists) with sweet tamarind chutney and a side of fried chillies. Penda (a sweet made of caramelised milk solids) at Jay Siyaram Pendawala on Yagnik Road is a must-try.

There's no real party scene in Rajkot, set as it is in a dry state (A few hotels will still serve non-Indians alcohol if you apply for a permit showing your passport), but that doesn't keep families from spilling out on the streets late at night to chat, eat and gossip. Rajkot's nightlife is mostly concentrated around Race Course Road, where ice-cream vendors and fast food stalls buzz till the wee hours of the morning.

Visit the Watson Museum, put together by Colonel John Watson, a political administrator of the Kathiawar region and enthusiastic hoarder. This eccentric jumble of things includes replicas of artefacts found in Mohenjodaro, textiles and jewellery from Saurashtra, scuptures, paintings and questionable taxidermy.

Peek into Gandhi's early life at the Kaba Gandhi no Delo, where he lived from the age of six, while his father Karamchand Gandhi served as the diwan of Rajkot. A museum called Gandhi Smriti now holds family photos and bits of interesting information about Gandhi's formative years. An NGO also runs weaving and sewing classes for young girls here.

Get schooled at Rajkumar College, or just drop by to see where erstwhile royalty lived and studied in Rajkot. Ranjitsinji and his nephew Duleepsinhji both went here, and this is also where Ranji first played cricket (and tennis), representing the school as captain from 1884 to 1888, before shipping off to England.

Stop at the Rotary Doll Museum, a delightfully eccentric display of dolls, er… dolled up in costumes from countries around the world with little dioramas of famous landmarks as well.

Spot a lion at Sasan Gir. A four-hour drive away from Rajkot, Gir is home to the last of the Asiatic Lions that once roamed from Eastern Europe to South Asia. The lion population today is estimated at a healthy 500-odd individuals, which means an excellent chance of spotting them on safari.