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NATURE · RAJASTHANBanswara
The green "city of a hundred islands" on the Mahi river, a tribal heartland right on the Gujarat border.
A green city of a hundred islands
Banswara sits in the far south of Rajasthan, an unusually green district on the Mahi river, close to both the Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh borders.
It is nicknamed the “city of a hundred islands” for the many islets that dot the Mahi and its dam reservoir, and it lies in a tribal Bhil heartland with its own crafts, temples and character.
With lakes, an old palace, the revered Tripura Sundari temple and ancient shrines at Arthuna, Banswara is a peaceful, offbeat trip that is genuinely close to home for Gujarat travellers.
Islets dot the waters of the Mahi around Banswara.
Reasons to make the time
Hundred islands
The Mahi and its dam reservoir are studded with small islands, which is where the 'hundred islands' nickname comes from.
Tripura Sundari
The Tripura Sundari temple is an ancient and much-revered goddess shrine, and the district's main pilgrimage draw.
Arthuna temples
Arthuna holds a group of eleventh and twelfth-century carved temple ruins, little visited and genuinely fine.
Green & tribal
This is Bhil heartland, greener than most of Rajasthan and culturally continuous with eastern Gujarat.
Top sights in Banswara
Photos via Wikimedia Commons
How to spend an hour or two
See Mahi Dam
Take in the island-dotted reservoir, best from the higher ground above the water.
Visit Tripura Sundari
Take darshan at Tripura Sundari, the district's principal temple and an old one.
Relax at Anand Sagar
Walk the lakeside and its royal cenotaphs, which sit close to the water.
Explore Arthuna
Make time for the Arthuna temple ruins, the most rewarding thing in the district and almost unvisited.
Enjoy the greenery
Note how green this corner is — southern Rajasthan looks nothing like the desert further north.
When to go
The monsoon and the weeks after are when the district is greenest and the Mahi and its lakes are full.
November to February is cool and clear, the most comfortable season for getting around.
April to June is hot despite the greener setting; travel early in the day.
🌿 Banswara is greenest in and just after the monsoon, when the Mahi and its lakes are full.
Timings & entry
- Temples and lakes are best by day.
- Sights are scattered; a car is handy.
Getting there
By Air
Udaipur airport is the nearest, about three hours.
By Rail
Limited rail; road is the usual approach.
By Road
About 240 km from Ahmedabad; close to the Gujarat border.
Know before you go
Banswara FAQ
Why is Banswara called the city of a hundred islands?
For the many small islands that dot the Mahi river and its dam reservoir across the district, which is why Banswara is often called the city of a hundred islands. The landscape here is greener and more broken than the Rajasthan most visitors picture.
What is there to see in Banswara?
The Mahi Dam and its island-studded reservoir, the ancient Tripura Sundari temple, Anand Sagar Lake with its royal cenotaphs on the bank, and the eleventh and twelfth-century temple ruins at Arthuna, which are the most rewarding and least visited of the four.
How far is Banswara from Gujarat?
About 240 km from Ahmedabad, close to the Gujarat border in southern Rajasthan, and comfortably reachable in half a day by road.
When is the best time to visit?
The monsoon and the weeks after it for the greenery and the full lakes, or November to February for cool, clear weather that makes getting around the district easier.
Can I combine it with Dungarpur?
Yes. Dungarpur is about 110 km away and the two pair naturally into a short loop through the Bhil country of southern Rajasthan, close enough to the border to fit onto a Gujarat trip.
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Published 8 July 2026