The former capital of the princely state of Saurashtra, Rajkot was founded in the 16th c. by the jadeja Rajputs, who ruled until independence. During the colonial period, the city was the administrative headquarters of the Saurashtra region, and today it is the district headquarters. The city is situated on the Aji River and sprawls with regal architecture. It is also an industrial center and an important hub for the body building of vehicles.
Rajkot has been under different rulers since it was founded. It has had a long history and had a significant influence in the Indian independence movement. Rajkot was home to many personalities like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Rajkot is in a transition period of growing cultural, industrial and economical activities. Rajkot is the 26th largest city of India and the 22nd fastest growing urban area of the world.
Cricket is the most famous sport in the city. One-day internationals, domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy and many inter-school and collegiate tournaments are played at the Madhavrao Sindhia Cricket Ground. The newly constructed 2nd International Cricket Stadium situated in Rajkot, Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
Garba is popular among both, men and women and is performed during the festival of Navratri. The dance starts before midnight and continues until dawn. Mata Ambe, who rides a lion, has a special reverential status with any highly religious Gujarati.
Connectivity
Rajkot has two railway stations. Rajkot Junction Railway Station is the more widely used railway station for passenger trains, and has services to all the major cities of India. The other, smaller, railway station is Bhaktinagar Railway Station, served only by trains from Somnath, Veraval, Junagadh and Porbandar.
Rajkot Airport is located at a short distance from the city and can be accessed by cab and auto rickshaw services. There are multiple daily flights to Mumbai, served by Air India and Jet Airways. Air India started the Rajkot New Delhi flight from 15 February 2015.