The Naulakha Palace, in Gondal town of Rajkot district, Gujarat, is the oldest surviving palace of the former Gondal princely state and the reason most travellers stop in this quiet Saurashtra town. It stands inside the old walled Darbargadh, close to the Gondali river, and is now run as a private museum by the royal family, who still use its durbar hall.
Naulakha Palace is a three-storey carved-stone palace in Gondal, Gujarat, best known for its jharokhas (enclosed stone balconies), carved columns and a spiral staircase. Built by the Gondal rulers and now a family museum, it is usually visited alongside the town’s heritage-hotel palaces and royal car garages.
Key takeaways
- Naulakha Palace is the oldest extant palace in Gondal, Rajkot district, Gujarat; Wikipedia’s article dates the building to 1748 within the Darbargadh complex, while other summaries place it loosely in the 17th century.
- The name comes from its cost of about nine lakh rupees (₹9,00,000) at the time it was built, the same meaning behind the Navlakha Sun temple at Ghumli — a different, much older site.
- The palace is now a private museum (silver caskets, trophies, textiles, toy cars and the scales used to weigh the Maharaja against gold or silver); the royal family still uses the chandelier-lit durbar hall.
- Nearest airport is Rajkot, about 41 km away; Gondal has its own railway station, and Ahmedabad is roughly 250 km by road.
- Gondal’s Orchard and Riverside palaces are heritage hotels; the Orchard complex holds the royal vintage-car garages and the Maharaja’s private railway saloon, now a suite.
- Best visited from November to February, when Saurashtra’s daytime heat eases.
About Naulakha Palace and Gondal
Naulakha Palace is the oldest palace in Gondal, a town on the Gondali (Gondli) river in Rajkot district, Gujarat. According to its Wikipedia entry, the building dates to 1748 and was raised under Haloji Sagramji within the Darbargadh, the walled palace complex of the Gondal rulers; some travel summaries instead describe it loosely as 17th-century, so treat the exact year as uncertain. The claim that it is the oldest palace in the area is marked “citation needed” even on Wikipedia, so it is best read as the commonly repeated local account.
Gondal was the seat of a princely state founded in 1634 by Kumbhoji I of the Jadeja clan. Its best-known ruler, Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji (reigned 1888–1944), is remembered for administrative and social reforms, including compulsory schooling for girls and ending purdah (female seclusion) in his own household. Much of what you see in Gondal today — the palaces, the car garages, the railway saloon — ties back to his long reign.
The palace itself is three storeys high, with an open arcade on the first floor flanked by towers. Its carved stone facade carries jharokhas, slender columns and arches, and eaves worked with real and mythical animals. Inside, a pillared courtyard leads to a winding (spiral) staircase and to the durbar hall, lit by chandeliers and hung with antique mirrors, which the present Maharaja still uses.
Which Navlakha is this?
This is the Gondal palace, not the temple. “Navlakha” or “Naulakha” simply means “nine lakh” and is attached to several unrelated places across India, so it is easy to confuse. Give the full name — Naulakha Palace, Gondal — when you plan or ask for directions.
- Navlakha Sun temple, Ghumli — a ruined 12th-century Sun temple in Devbhoomi Dwarka district, Gujarat, built by the Jethwa rulers. It shares the “nine lakh” naming story but is a temple, not a palace, and lies far to the west near Porbandar.
- Navlakha, Indore — a residential locality and bus stand in Madhya Pradesh, named after a temple in that city. Not a palace at all.
If you are building a wider Gujarat trip, our Gujarat travel guide sets Gondal in the Saurashtra circuit alongside these other sites.
Best time to visit
The comfortable window is November to February, when Saurashtra’s fierce summer heat has passed. Gondal sits in a hot, semi-arid belt: April to June is very hot, the monsoon (roughly late June to September) brings rain and humidity, and winter is mild and dry. The palace is indoors and open year-round, so the season mainly affects how pleasant it is to walk the town and nearby sites.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Nov–Feb | Mild, dry days and cool nights; the best time for sightseeing and day trips. |
| Summer | Mar–Jun | Hot to very hot; midday sightseeing is draining. Carry water and plan early starts. |
| Monsoon | Jul–Sep | Rain, humidity and greener surroundings; the river and dams fill up. |
| Post-monsoon | Oct | Warm but easing; shoulder season with thinner crowds. |
How to reach Gondal
The quickest route is to fly to Rajkot and drive about 40 km south to Gondal. Gondal lies on the Rajkot–Junagadh road and rail corridor, so it is easy to fold into a wider Saurashtra trip.
- By air: The nearest airport is Rajkot, listed at about 41 km from Gondal. Rajkot has domestic connections to major Indian cities; Ahmedabad’s larger airport, roughly 250 km away, is the main alternative.
- By rail: Gondal has its own railway station on the Rajkot–Jetalsar line (Bhavnagar railway division). Reconfirm current trains and timings on IRCTC or the National Train Enquiry System before you travel.
- By road: Gondal is well connected by state highway. Taxis and buses run frequently from Rajkot; the drive takes a little over an hour depending on traffic.
| From | Distance (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rajkot (airport / city) | ~40–41 km | Nearest airport; about 1–1.5 hours by road. |
| Ahmedabad | ~250 km | 4–5 hours by road or train; larger airport. |
| Virpur (Jalaram shrine) | ~18–19 km | Short hop east; also reachable by local train. |
| Junagadh | ~70 km (estimate) | Gateway to Girnar and onward to Gir; verify locally. |
What to see at the palace and in Gondal
Allow a half to full day: Naulakha Palace needs about an hour, and the car garages, railway saloon and a temple fill the rest. The palaces sit within walking or short-drive distance of one another inside the old royal precinct.
- Naulakha Palace museum — the main draw. The former living quarters hold silver caskets that carried messages and gifts to Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji for a royal jubilee, along with textiles, brassware, royal wardrobes, a library, trophies won by Gondal princes, toy cars and old hand-painted wooden toys. A large pair of scales recalls the custom of weighing the Maharaja against gold or silver, with the equivalent given to charity. Admire the jharokhas, carved eaves and spiral staircase on the way through.
- Royal garages (vintage and classic cars) — a well-kept collection of the royal fleet, displayed at the Orchard/Naulakha precinct. Counts given online range from about 32 to 38-plus vehicles; the heritage hotel’s own site lists cars such as a 1937 Packard 120 convertible, a 1941 Cadillac sedan, several 1947 American models (Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln, Oldsmobile, Studebaker), a 1955 Cadillac limousine and a 1973 Rolls-Royce.
- Royal railway saloon — the Maharaja’s private rail carriage, which he could attach to scheduled trains. It is displayed in the gardens of the Orchard Palace and has been converted into a hotel suite.
- Riverside and Orchard palaces — now heritage hotels (see below), pleasant to walk around even if you are not staying.
- Bhuvaneshwari temple and Ayurvedic pharmacy — a temple and peeth with an attached Ayurvedic pharmacy, reported to date to around 1910 and among the older such pharmacies in Gujarat, where you can see traditional medicine-making.
| Spot | Why go | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Naulakha Palace museum | Carved stone palace and royal family museum | ~1 hour |
| Royal garages | Vintage and classic cars of the Gondal royals | 30–45 min |
| Royal railway saloon | The Maharaja’s private rail carriage | 15–20 min |
| Bhuvaneshwari temple & pharmacy | Temple and old Ayurvedic pharmacy | 30–45 min |
Suggested itinerary
Gondal works well as a day trip from Rajkot or as an overnight heritage stay. A simple plan:
- Day trip from Rajkot: Drive down in the morning, tour Naulakha Palace and the car garages, see the railway saloon, visit the Bhuvaneshwari temple, and return to Rajkot by evening.
- Overnight heritage stay: Check in to the Orchard or Riverside Palace. Take the guided palace tour that hotel guests are given, spend the afternoon on the cars and temple, and keep the next morning for a short trip to Virpur before moving on towards Junagadh or Gir.
Where to stay
Gondal’s signature stays are its two heritage-hotel palaces; Rajkot (about 40 km away) has the widest choice of ordinary hotels. Book heritage rooms ahead, especially in the November–February season.
- Heritage (Orchard Palace): A former guest wing of the Huzoor Palace, set in a garden with the royal cars and the railway-saloon suite on the grounds.
- Heritage (Riverside Palace): A colonial-style palace built in 1875 by Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji for his son, Yuvraj Bhojraji, beside the river.
- Mid-range and budget: Standard hotels and lodges in Gondal town and a far larger set in Rajkot, suitable if you only want a day visit to the palace.
Guests at either heritage palace are given a guided tour of Naulakha Palace. Room rates were not available from an official source at the time of writing; treat any figure you see online as indicative and confirm directly with the property.
Food to try
Expect Kathiawadi (Saurashtra) Gujarati food — largely vegetarian, with a mix of sweet, spicy and tangy notes. The heritage hotels serve set thalis; the town has simple local eateries.
- Gujarati thali (a platter of rotli, dal, kadhi, vegetables, rice, farsan and sweets).
- Bajra no rotlo (thick pearl-millet flatbread) with white butter and jaggery.
- Kathiawadi sev-tameta nu shaak (a tomato and crisp-noodle curry).
- Fafda-jalebi and ganthiya (deep-fried gram-flour snacks), common across Saurashtra.
Budget breakdown
A day trip here is inexpensive; the cost swings mainly on whether you stay in a heritage palace. The table below is a planning estimate for two people, not a quoted tariff.
| Item | Indicative cost | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Rajkot–Gondal taxi (return) | ₹1,500–3,000 | Full-day cab for ~80 km round trip plus waiting. |
| Palace museum entry | Entry fee applies | No official online rate; reports vary widely. Confirm at the gate. |
| Meals (two, one day) | ₹500–1,200 | Local eateries to a hotel thali. |
| Heritage palace room (optional) | Varies — book direct | Rates not officially published; confirm with the property. |
Permits, fees and rules
No special permits are needed to visit Gondal or Naulakha Palace — it is an ordinary open town in Gujarat, with no Inner Line Permit or protected-area clearance required. Entry to the palace museum is ticketed, but no official fee or set of timings is published online and traveller reports conflict, so reconfirm the current charge, opening hours and any midday closure at the gate or with the heritage hotel before you go. Photography norms and any restricted rooms are set by the family-run museum on site, so ask on arrival rather than assuming.
Practical tips
- Connectivity and money: Gondal is a regular town with mobile network, ATMs and widespread UPI; Rajkot has fuller banking if needed.
- Medical: Rajkot, about 40 km away, has the nearest large hospitals; carry routine medicines.
- Timing your visit: The museum has been reported to close for lunch, so arrive mid-morning or confirm hours first to avoid a wasted trip.
- Dress and conduct: Dress modestly for the temple; the palaces are private property run by the royal family, so follow staff instructions on photography and off-limits areas.
- Solo and women travellers: Saurashtra towns are generally easy for day visits; stick to daytime road travel between towns and pre-book taxis.
- Packing: Light cottons and sun protection for most of the year; a light layer for winter evenings.
Nearby places
Gondal pairs naturally with Rajkot and the pilgrim town of Virpur, and sits on the road towards Junagadh and Gir.
| Place | Distance (approx.) | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Virpur | ~18–19 km | Jalaram Bapa shrine, a major Gujarat pilgrimage site in the saint’s former home. |
| Rajkot | ~40 km | Saurashtra’s main city; Gandhi’s childhood home (Kaba Gandhi no Delo) and museums. See our Gujarat guide. |
| Junagadh | ~70 km (estimate) | Girnar hill temples, Uparkot fort and the gateway to Gir. |
| Ahmedabad | ~250 km | Gujarat’s biggest city and UNESCO-listed old town — see the Ahmedabad travel guide. |
Frequently asked questions
Where is Naulakha Palace and which district is it in?
Naulakha Palace is in Gondal town, Rajkot district, Gujarat, in the Saurashtra region of western India. It stands inside the old walled Darbargadh complex near the Gondali river. The nearest airport is Rajkot, about 41 km away, and Gondal has its own railway station on the Rajkot line.
How old is Naulakha Palace in Gondal?
Naulakha Palace is the oldest surviving palace in Gondal. Its Wikipedia entry dates the building to 1748, raised under Haloji Sagramji, while some travel summaries describe it loosely as 17th-century. The exact year is not firmly documented, so treat 1748 as the most commonly cited date rather than a certainty.
Why is it called Naulakha (Navlakha)?
The name means “nine lakh” and is said to reflect the roughly nine lakh rupees (₹9,00,000) the palace cost to build. The same “nine lakh” naming lies behind other Indian sites, such as the Navlakha Sun temple at Ghumli, which is a separate and much older monument, not this palace.
What can you see inside Naulakha Palace?
Naulakha Palace is now a private museum. Displays include silver caskets presented to Maharaja Bhagvatsinhji, royal textiles and wardrobes, a library, trophies, toy cars and the large scales used to weigh the ruler against gold or silver for charity. Its carved jharokhas, columns and spiral staircase are highlights in themselves.
Can you stay in Gondal’s palaces?
Yes. The Orchard Palace and the Riverside Palace are run as heritage hotels, and their grounds hold the royal vintage-car garages and the Maharaja’s private railway saloon, now a suite. Guests at either palace are given a guided tour of Naulakha Palace. Book rooms directly with the property, especially in winter.
What is the entry fee and timing for the Naulakha Palace museum?
Entry to the museum is ticketed, but no official fee or set of opening hours is published online, and traveller reports disagree — some even note a midday lunch closure. Reconfirm the current charge and timings at the gate or with the heritage hotel before visiting, rather than relying on unofficial figures.
Last updated and sources
Gondal suits travellers who like princely-era history, cars and quiet heritage stays, best folded into a wider Saurashtra trip. Come in the cool November–February window and give the town at least half a day.
Last updated: 30 October 2026. Fees, timings and permits change — reconfirm with official sources before you travel.
Sources: Wikipedia — Naulakha Palace; Wikipedia — Gondal, India; Wikipedia — Navlakha temple, Ghumli (disambiguation); Heritage Palaces Gondal (HGH Group) — Royal Garage. Accessed September 2026.
