Lunawada
The district town with a princely past — Lunawada, the headquarters of Mahisagar district and the former capital of a princely state, is a quiet town of heritage buildings, a historic lake and the everyday life of eastern Gujarat.
A former princely capital
Lunawada is the administrative headquarters of Mahisagar district — a quiet town with a notable history as the former capital of the Lunawada princely state, which it remained until the integration of the princely states into India after Independence. The town retains traces of its princely past — heritage buildings, the old palace, and the layout of a settlement that was once the seat of a ruling house.
Like many of Gujarat’s former princely towns, Lunawada combines this historic character with the everyday life of a modern district headquarters: bazaars, administrative offices, and the steady rhythm of a regional centre. Lunawada is also known for its historic town lake and the surrounding water bodies, which provide a scenic and civic focus to the town.
For the visitor, Lunawada serves as the natural base for exploring Mahisagar — the dinosaur park at Balasinor, the Kadana Dam, the Mahi river country and the tribal areas of the east — and offers the quiet pleasures of a heritage district town off the main tourist routes.
The excursions make the base worthwhile. Balasinor, under an hour away, holds Raiyoli — one of the world’s largest dinosaur hatchery sites, its fossil park and museum built around eggs and bones of the sauropods and the predator named for the region, Rajasaurus narmadensis. Kadana Dam’s reservoir spreads its backwater country toward Rajasthan, Kaleshwari’s medieval sculpture group hides in the hills near Lavana, and the Mahi’s river country fills the gaps with ghats and small shrines.
In town, walk the lake at evening, look for the palace facades and gates around the old core, and eat where the bazaar is busiest. Lunawada sits about two hours from both Ahmedabad and Vadodara via Godhra; October to March is the comfortable season, and the town’s unhurried pace is the point rather than a shortcoming.
A princely capital that became a district town
Lunawada.
The Lunawada state's Solanki-line rulers governed from here for centuries.
Palace buildings and old gates mark the princely-era core.
The new Mahisagar district made the old capital its headquarters.
The town works today as the region's quiet heritage base.
Reasons to make the time
Heritage
A princely seat from the medieval centuries to 1948.
Town lake
The town lake gives Lunawada its civic centrepiece.
Bazaars
Bazaars and offices keep a district capital's rhythm.
Gateway
Balasinor's dinosaurs and Kadana's dam are day trips.
History
Gates and palace fragments recall the ruling house.
Quiet
Tourism has not yet found the town — its charm.
What to look for inside
District town
Princely heritage at the district's heart.
Town water
A civic focus.
How to spend an hour or two
See the heritage buildings
The princely past.
Visit the town lake
A civic focus.
Walk the bazaars
Everyday life.
Use it as a base
For the district.
Learn the history
A former capital.
Explore from here
Balasinor, Kadana, Mahi.
A heritage district town
Lunawada is the headquarters of Mahisagar district and the former capital of the Lunawada princely state — a town that retains heritage buildings, the old palace and the character of a former ruling seat, combined with the everyday life of a modern district centre.
Its historic town lake and its position as the gateway to the wider district make it the natural base for exploring Mahisagar. A working district town and heritage settlement; the base for exploring Mahisagar.
The rest of the district is covered in our Mahisagar travel guide.
The headquarters of Mahisagar district
Former capital of the Lunawada princely state
Heritage buildings, the old palace and a town lake
The natural base for exploring the district
When to go
Cool and clear — the best season.
Mahi and Kadana in full flow.
Hot; early morning best.
⏰ Winter is most comfortable; the monsoon fills the Mahi and the Kadana reservoir.
Getting there
By Air
Vadodara (~110 km) or Ahmedabad.
By Rail
Godhra / Anand; Lunawada station.
By Road
From Godhra and Vadodara.
Know before you go
More to see close by
PALACEBalasinor Palace
A Nawab’s garden-palace heritage stay
LAKESLunawada Lakes
Serene waters around the royal town
Tribal Deities & Kaleshwari
Sacred groves of the Bhil people
DAMKadana Dam
A mighty reservoir on the Mahi river
1Raiyoli Dino Eggs
Stand where dinosaurs nested 65 million years ago
Raiyoli Fossils
The Raiyoli fossils are the celebrated dinosaur remains found near the village of Raiyoli in eastern…
Where to eat near Lunawada
Gujarati Thali
Hearty home food.
Tribal food
Maize & forest produce.
Local dairy
Fresh milk & ghee.
Local sweets
Festival treats.
What to eat
Hearty Gujarati thalis, tribal maize dishes, fresh local dairy and festive sweets.
Lunawada FAQ
What is Lunawada?
The headquarters of Mahisagar district and a former princely capital.
What is its history?
It was the capital of the Lunawada princely state.
What can I see?
Heritage buildings, the old palace and the town lake.
Why visit?
As the base for exploring the district's attractions.
What is nearby?
Balasinor's dinosaur park, Kadana Dam and the Mahi river.
Is it a tourist town?
No — a quiet heritage district town off the routes.
Related places across Gujarat
Barumal Shiva Temple
A serene riverside forest shrine
Trimandir
A vast modern non-sectarian temple
BIRDSPorbandar Bird Sanctuary
A central wetland alive with migratory birds
HERITAGESayla
An old town of saints & havelis
Swaminarayan Mandir
A graceful sampraday shrine in town
PILGRIMGabbar Hill
The Goddess’s original seat, with a ropeway
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026