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DISTRICT HQ · HERITAGE TOWN · GATEWAYHimatnagar
The gateway town of Sabarkantha — Himatnagar, the district headquarters founded in the 15th century, is a busy heritage town of bazaars, old gates and a clock tower, and the natural base for exploring the forts, forests and temples of the district.
A 15th-century headquarters town
Himatnagar is the administrative headquarters of Sabarkantha district — a busy heritage town with a history dating to the 15th century, when it was founded (and from which it takes its name, after Ahmed Shah’s son Himmat Khan, or by tradition the ruler Himmat Singh). The town retains traces of its heritage — old gates, the historic core, and civic landmarks such as the clock tower — alongside the everyday energy of a modern district centre with its bazaars, markets and administrative life.
It sits on the banks of the Hathmati river, in the gently undulating country of central Sabarkantha. Himatnagar’s main importance for the traveller is as the gateway and base for exploring the district: from here, roads lead to the Idar hill fort, the Polo forest and Vijaynagar ruins, the temple town of Khedbrahma, and the dams and lakes of the region.
The town also has its own markets and the practical conveniences of a regional hub. For the visitor, Himatnagar offers the experience of a working north Gujarat heritage town and a convenient base for the rich attractions of Sabarkantha.
Himatnagar’s modern claim to fame is underfoot rather than overhead: the district’s clay beds made the town one of India’s ceramic-tile capitals, its industrial estates firing a large share of the country’s vitrified tiles — a working economy that keeps the hotels decent and the roads good, both blessings for the traveller passing through. The heritage traces repay a short wander between errands: the old gates, the mosque quarter from the founding era, and the clock-tower core where the bazaar’s rhythm has outlasted every administration.
As a base it earns its keep: Idar’s granite fort hill is half an hour south, the Polo forest and Vijaynagar ruins an hour east, Khedbrahma’s Brahma temple — one of India’s very few — an hour north on the Ambaji road, and Shamlaji’s shrine within the same radius. The Ahmedabad–Udaipur highway does the connecting; October to March is the season, and a night here positions the whole Sabarkantha circuit for an early start.
Himatnagar clock tower. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
A 15th-century foundation that became a district town
Himatnagar. Wikimedia Commons.
The town is founded in the 15th century and takes its name from its founder.
A historic core of old gates and lanes survives at the heart of the town.
Himatnagar serves as the administrative headquarters of the district.
Today it is the natural gateway and base for exploring Sabarkantha.
Reasons to make the time
Heritage
Founded around 1426 in Ahmed Shah's building century.
Clock tower
The clock tower anchors the town's civic memory.
Bazaars
Grain, cloth and ceramic trades keep the bazaars busy.
Gateway
Idar, Polo and Khedbrahma all radiate from here.
Hathmati
The Hathmati gives the town its riverside setting.
Food
Roadside dhabas serve solid north Gujarat thalis.
What to look for inside
CLOCK TOWERHimatnagar
The clock tower at the heritage core.
NEARBY IDARHill fort
A short drive.
How to spend an hour or two
See the clock tower
A civic landmark.
Walk the bazaars
The town's energy.
Explore the old gates
Heritage core.
Use it as a base
For the district.
Eat at local spots
Regional food.
Drive to Idar & Polo
From here.
Himatnagar. Wikimedia Commons.
A working heritage town
Himatnagar is a 15th-century heritage town and the headquarters of Sabarkantha — old gates, a historic core, a clock tower and the everyday energy of a district hub, on the banks of the Hathmati river.
Our Sabarkantha travel guide maps out the other places worth your time here.
Its main importance for the traveller is as the gateway and base for the district’s attractions: Idar, Polo, Vijaynagar, Khedbrahma and the dams.
The headquarters of Sabarkantha district
A heritage town founded in the 15th century
Old gates, a historic core and a clock tower
The natural base and gateway for the district
When to go
Cool and clear — ideal.
Green and lush.
Hot; early morning best.
⏰ Winter is ideal across Sabarkantha; the Polo forest is greenest after the monsoon.
Getting there
By Air
Ahmedabad airport (~85 km).
By Rail
Himatnagar station.
By Road
From Ahmedabad & Shamlaji.
Know before you go
More to see close by
DAMGuhai Dam
Quiet backwaters rich in birdlife
Vijaynagar Jungle
Vijaynagar Jungle refers to the wooded belt around the small town of Vijaynagar in the Sabarkantha…
Idar Rockscape
The Idar Rockscape is the striking landscape of giant granite boulders and rocky hills that rises…
HILL FORTIdar Hill & Fort
A granite stronghold over the town
Polo Jain Temples
Carved Jain ruins amid the jungle
Polo Forest Ruins
The Polo Forest Ruins are a group of old temples and stepwells hidden within the forested…
Where to eat near Himatnagar
THALIGujarati Thali
Comfort home cooking.
DAIRYSabar Dairy
Famous cooperative milk.
FARSANFarsan
Savoury snacks.
SWEETLocal sweets
Festival treats.
North Gujarat flavours
Expect hearty vegetarian thalis, famous Sabar Dairy milk products and local farsan.
Himatnagar FAQ
What is Himatnagar?
The headquarters and gateway town of Sabarkantha district.
How old is it?
It dates to the 15th century.
What can I see?
The clock tower, old gates and the bazaars.
Why use it as a base?
Roads from here reach Idar, Polo, Vijaynagar and Khedbrahma.
What river is it on?
The Hathmati river.
How far is Ahmedabad?
About 85 km.
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026