Lighthouses of India: Southern Gujarat, Daman and Diu

This page lists lighthouses of India's coastline on the northern end of the Arabian Sea, including the southern part of the large state of Gujarat and the tiny union territory of Daman and Diu. This is a busy coastline, and to protect shipping Gujarat has more lighthouses than any other Indian state. The political history of this region is quite complex. In the British Empire of India, the majority of the modern territory of Gujarat was divided into numerous principalities that had control over local economic affairs. Several of these Indian states built lighthouses, including several that survive. After India became independent in 1947, much of the coastline of Gujarat was included in the state of Saurashtra. In 1956, Saurashtra was merged into the large state of Bombay, and then in 1960 the northern portion of Bombay state was split off to form Gujarat. However, lighthouse administration has been under federal control since 1947. Lighthouses and aids to navigation in India are administered by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), an agency of the Ministry of Shipping. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. General Sources DGLL - Saurashtra and Kachchh District Lighthouse photos and data from the district office of DGLL in Jamnagar. DGLL - Mumbai District Lighthouse photos and data from the district office of DGLL in Mumbai, which is responsible for Daman and the east side of the Gulf of Khambhat. Lighthouses in India Photos available from Wikimedia. Indian Lighthouses Historic postcard images posted by Michel Forand.

New and old Daman Lights, Daman, April 2006 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Premshree Pillai

Daman District Lighthouses
Note: Formerly part of Portuguese India, Daman is now part of the union territory of Daman and Diu. Daman is a small district surrounded by the state of Gujarat just north of the Maharashtra border. It was ceded to Portugal by the Sultan of Gujarat in 1539 and remained a Portuguese colony until it was occupied by Indian forces in 1961.
* Daman (1) (Damão, Rio Sandalcalo)

1884 (Portuguese). Inactive since 1999. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) round masonry tower with gallery and a small light on a post. Lighthouse painted white. Premshree Pillai has the photo above, Monica Reis has a photo, Vishvesh Chauhan has a photo also showing the new lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The Daman lighthouses are associated with a 16th century Portuguese fort, Moti Daman, one of the best known tourist attractions of the territory. Located just inside the outer wall of the fort, on the south side of the entrance to the Daman Ganga River. ARLHS IND-129.

* Daman (Daman Ganga) (2)

1999. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 10 s. 31 m (102 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with horizontal black and white bands. Premshree Pillai has the photo above and also a good closeup, a 2007 photo is available, Wikimedia has distant views, and Google has a satellite view. Located just outside the walls of the Moti Daman fort on the south side of the entrance to the Daman Ganga River. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-128; Admiralty F0484; NGA 28100.

Note: Eastern Gujarat surrounds a large estuary, the Gulf of Khambhat (Cambay). The Valsad, Navsari, Surat, and Bharuch Districts are on the east side of the gulf, an industrial zone not much visited by tourists. Port facilities are developing quickly in this area to serve New Delhi and the other major cities of northern India.

Valsad District Lighthouse

* Valsad Khadi (Bulsar Khari) (4)

1998 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) square steel skeletal tower with gallery and a small lantern. There is a 1-story equipment shelter in the base of the tower, and a 1-story keeper's house adjoining the lighthouse. Entire lighthouse painted white. Google has a satellite view. The first two lights were on masts; an earlier skeletal tower was built in 1966. Located about 2 km (1.25 mi) south of the mouth of the Auranga River, 8 km (5 mi) west of Valsad. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0480; NGA 28108.

Navsari District Lighthouse

* Kanai Creek

1983. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery and a small lantern, painted with horizontal black and white bands. Google has a satellite view. Located in the fishing village of Onjal Machhiwad, about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) north of the entrance to the Kanai Creek estuary, about 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Navsari. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-143; Admiralty F0479; NGA 28112.

Surat District Lighthouses

* Wasi Borsi (2) 1982 (station established 1965). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 7 s. 34 m (112 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. The design of the present lighthouse is unusual; the light is supported by four square concrete pillars, with the stairway exposed between them. Google has a good satellite view. The first lighthouse was a skeletal tower. Located at the south end of a barrier island about 25 km (15 mi) west of Navsari. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-167; Admiralty F0478; NGA 28116. * Hazira (Hajira, Taptee, Suvali Point) (2) 1966 (station established 1836). Active; focal plane 39 m (118 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 25 m (82 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof painted red. Google has a satellite view. Hazira, at the southern entrance to the Gulf of Khambhat, was one of the first British light stations in India. Today Hazira is being developed as a major port facility to relieve pressure on the overcrowded piers of Mumbai. Located on a promontory on the north side of the entrance to the Tapti River estuary from the Gulf, about 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Surat. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-136; Admiralty F0476; NGA 28120. Dandi Point Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white light, 2 s on, 8 s off. 26 m (85 ft) skeletal tower. No photo available, and the light has not been found in Google's satellite view of the area. Located at the mouth of Bhagva Creek, about 25 km (15 mi) west of Surat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0472; NGA 28124. Bharuch District Lighthouses Luhara Point (2) 1977 (station established 1887). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a round concrete base. Lighthouse painted in a red and white spiral pattern; lantern painted white. A DGLL photo appears at right, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was a skeletal tower. Located on a point of land near Ambetha, at the entrance to the Narbada River, which leads to the port city of Bharuch. Accessible by a walk of about 1.5 km (1 mi) from the village of Luhara. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0470; NGA 28128. GCPTCL Jetty 2009. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 35 m (115 ft); red flash every 5 s. 35 m (115 ft) terminal control building supported by concrete piles. Building painted yellow with brown trim. A small photo is available (near the bottom of the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located near the end of the long jetty, projecting into the estuary about 5 km (3 mi) north of Luhara Point. Site and tower closed. Owenr/site manager: Gujarat Chemical Port Terminal Company, Ltd. Admiralty F0469.5; NGA 28130.

Luhara Point Light, Bharuch DGLL photo

Devjagan

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous white light. 13 m (43 ft) round stone tower. No photo available; an indistinct Google satellite view may show the lighthouse. Located on a point of land at the entrance to the Dhadar River estuary (the northeast fork of the Gulf of Khambhat), about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Devjagan. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0468; NGA 28132.

Bhavnagar District Lighthouses
Note: The lighthouses in this group are located along the west side of the Gulf of Khambhat in the eastern part of the region known as Saurashtra. Saurashtra was a separate state from 1947 to 1956; under British rule it was called Junagadh.

* Bhavnagar Old Port (2) 1932 (station established 1860). Inactive since 26 January 2001, when the lighthouse was largely destroyed by an earthquake. Originally a 12 m (39 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Forand has a postcard image of the lighthouse. A modern lantern was added in 1959. By 2001, silting of the estuary had forced relocation of most port activities downstream, so there seemed little point in repairing the old lighthouse. Located in the old port of Bhavnagar, on the west side of the Gulf of Khambhat. Site presumably open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-125; ex-Admiralty F0462; ex-NGA 28140. Johnston Point (2) 1949 (station established 1936). Inactive since 26 January 2001, when the lighthouse was largely destroyed by an earthquake. Originally a 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. No photo available. Located on the point on the northeast side of the entrance to Bhavnagar Creek. The lighthouse is in an area of extensive mud flats and is not easy to access. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty F0457; ex-NGA 28136. Ruvapori (Ruvapari) (2) 1922 (station established 1891). Active (?); focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 12 s. Square 1-story wood keeper's house with a pyramidal corrugated iron roof, mounted on Burmese teak pilings; since 1994 the light has been shown from the top of a tall mast mounted on the roof. DGLL's photo appears at right, and Google has a satellite view; in both views the lighthouse appears to be high and dry on mud flats. The original lighthouse was destroyed by a tropical cyclone in 1920. The survival of this remarkable pile lighthouse is astonishing. The 16 teak straightpiles are about 450 mm (18 in) in diameter. Located on the south side of the entrance to what is now the Bhavnagar New Port, about 11 km (7 mi) east of the town. It may be possible to walk to the lighthouse, but this doesn't appear to be a very attractive option. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-162; Admiralty F0456; NGA 28156. * Ghogha (4) 1961 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red light occulting once every 15 s. 16 m (52 ft) square (?) cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. Malam Rizwan has a photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. (Rizwan's photo does not show the round lighthouse seen in the DGLL photo, but this would not be the only case in which DGLL shows the wrong lighthouse.) The station was inaugurated in 1856 with a mast light; this was replaced by a cast iron tower in 1887 and then by a masonry tower in 1936. Although Ghogha is a minor port, the present lighthouse functions mostly as an approach light for Bhavnagar. Located on the west side of the Gulf of Khambhat at Ghogha, about 22 km (14 mi) southeast of Bhavnagar. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-134; Admiralty F0452; NGA 28176.

Ruvapori Light, Bhavnagar DGLL photo

Lightship Perigee

1973 (station established 1936). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 7 s. 21 m (69 ft) unstaffed steel lightship; the solar-powered light is shown from a square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with gallery. Entire vessel painted red. This lightship, the third to serve on the staton, marks a dangerous shoal in the channel on the approach to Bhavnagar. Although it seems an anachronism, the ship was reported still on station in 2010. Located 3 km (2 mi) northeast of the Ghogha lighthouse; there should be a distant view from the Ghogha waterfront. Site and vessel closed. ARLHS IND-144; Admiralty F0449; NGA 28184.

Piram Island

1865 (extensively rebuilt in 1965). Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 27 m (89 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a circular 2-story base. Lighthouse painted with horizontal black and white bands. Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was repaired after a damaging fire in 1928. In 1965 its height was increased by 3 m (10 ft) and a new lantern was installed; the photo suggests that only the 2-story base remains from the British lighthouse. The island is privately owned and available for purchase or development. Located on the southwest side of the island, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Ghogha. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-006; Admiralty F0448; NGA 28180.

* Alang 1965. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 3 s. 24 m (79 ft) hexagonal cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal black and white bands. Google has a satellite view. Alang is the site of a huge shipbreaking yard, where obsolete ships are scrapped. Located on the southwestern shore of the Gulf of Khambhat, about 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Alang. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-123; Admiralty F0446; NGA 28188 * Gopnath Point (2) 1975 (station established 1879). Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. The DGLL page does not have correct data for this light. A 2009 photo is at right, Wikimedia has a view, a small distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. The new lighthouse is 500 m (0.4 mi) north of the old one. There are beach resorts in the vicinity of the lighthouse. Located on a promontory marking the southwestern entrance to the Gulf of Khambhat from the Arabian Sea, about 32 km (20 mi) east northeast of Mahuva. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-135; Admiralty F0444; NGA 28192. * Gopnath Point (1) 1879. Inactive since 1975. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round masonry tower with double gallery, painted white. Lantern removed. The DGLL page has a photo of the old lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. This abandoned, historic lighthouse was built by the government of Bhavnagar state. Clearly endangered: the lighthouse appears to be in deteriorating condition. Located near the point of the cape. Site open, tower closed. * Jhanjhmer (2) 1970 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) square masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern dome painted red. Mohan Khare has a watercolor painting, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was a small lantern atop a fort built by the prince of Bhavnagar; the present lighthouse stands on the ruins of the same fort. Located on a bluff about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of the Gopnath Point lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-140; Admiralty F0442; NGA 28196. * Jegri Island (Mahuva) (2) 1960 (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal black and white bands. A closeup photo and a distant view from the sea are available, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was mounted on the keeper's house. Jegri is a small island just off the coast at Mahuva, linked to the mainland by a bridge. Located on a high bluff at the south point of the island; accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-139; Admiralty F0438; NGA 28200.

New Gopnath Point Light, Gopnath, October 2009 Panoramio photo copyright rajeycalling; permission requested

Amreli District Lighthouses

Shialbet (Savaibet) 1967. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); four white flashes every 30 s. 27 m (89 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. Google has a satellite view. Savaibet is a small island separated from the larger island of Shialbet by a narrow channel at high tide. Located about 25 km (15 mi) east of Jafarabad. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-164; Admiralty F0436; NGA 28204. Pipavav Range No. 1 Front Date unknown (around 1996?). Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 3 s. 35 m (115 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Pipavav is a privately-developed port sheltered by Savaibet. Located on the west side of the harbor. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0437.7. Pipavav Range No. 1 Rear Date unknown (around 1996?). Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white light occulting once every 6 s. 45 m (148 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located about 250 m (800 ft) north of the front light. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0437.71. * Jafrabad (Jafarabad) (2) 1875 (station established 1865). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white flash every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) round three-stage tower with lantern and two galleries, painted white; lantern roof painted red. This lighthouse, built by the Indian princely state of Janjira, originally included the lower two stages, an octagonal stone tower on a 2-story square base. DGLL's photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was extended by about 6 m (20 ft) in 1962 by adding a round section above the octagonal tower. Located on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Jafarabad. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-137; Admiralty F0432; NGA 28208. Southeastern Junagadh District Lighthouses * Rajpara (Saiyad Rajpara Bandar) (2) 1963 (station established 1960). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) square concrete tower atop a 1-story concrete equipment room. Google has a satellite view. The original light was on a short skeletal tower. In 1993 the light was moved from the top of the tower to the roof of the equipment room as part of conversion to solar power. Located in Rajpara, a small fishing port 22 km (14 mi) east southeast of Una. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-159; Admiralty F0430.6; NGA 28232. * Simar (2) 1958 (station established 1901). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 10 s. 7 m (23 ft) concrete post mounted on a 1-story square concrete equipment room. Lighthouse painted white. Google has a satellite view. The original light was mounted on the old Portuguese fort of Simar, nearby. Located on the waterfront in Simar, a small fishing port 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of Una. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-165; Admiralty F0430; NGA 28236.

Jafrabad Light, Jafrabad DGLL photo

* Nawabandar (Nava Bandar) (3)

2009 (station established 1896). Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); four white flashes every 12 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. The Navy has a small photo on page 19 of the Indian Notices to Mariners for 16 April 2009, and Google has a satellite view. The DGLL page has a photo of the second (1920) lighthouse, a 7 m (23 ft) tower. Located on a promontory about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Una, on the south side of the entrance to Nava Bandar harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-156; Admiralty F0426; NGA 28244.

Diu District Lighthouses

Note: The island of Diu, separated from the mainland by a narrow tidal creek, was occupied by Portugal in 1535 and remained part of Portuguese India until 1961. Since then, the island has been linked with Daman as a district of the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. *** Cavaleiro (2) 1967 (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white flash every 2 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with horizontal black and white bands. Vivek Agrawal has a 2008 closeup, another 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse stands in the historic Portuguese fort at Ghoghala, opposite the eastern end of Diu Island. Site open, tower reported open for climbing for a small fee. ARLHS IND-127; Admiralty F0420; NGA 28264. Forte do Mar 1902. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green flash every 4 s. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, painted white. The light is mounted atop a ruined Portuguese fortress. Sanju Mehta's photo is at right, a 2010 photo is available, Michael Brunet has a photo, Stane Rauh has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view of the fortress. Located on an islet north of the Cavaleiro lighthouse; the Forte do Mar and Forte do Diu bracket the entrance to Diu harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty F0422; NGA 28256. * Couraca 1902. Active; focal plane about 40 m (131 ft); red flash every 4 s. 4.5 m (15 ft) hexagonal masonry tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo is available, the Navy has a closeup photo on page 18 of the Indian Notices to Mariners for 16 April 2009,and the tiny tower is just visible in Google's satellite view. Located at the eastern tip of Diu island, marking the harbor entrance. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0424; NGA 28260.

Forte do Mar Light, Diu, February 2009 Flickr photo copyright Sanju Mehta; used by permission

Southwestern Junagadh District Lighthouses

* Diu Head (1) 1882. Inactive since 1969. 9 m (30 ft) hexagonal masonry tower rising from a square masonry keeper's cottage. The old tower was formerly used to support a water supply tank. The photo at right shows the former lighthouse on the left, with the tank removed. ARLHS IND-132. * Diu Head (2) 1969 (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 59 m (194 ft); white flash every 10 s. 37 m (121 ft) hexagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. DGLL's photo is at right, Derek Johnson has a July 2005 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Diu Head is the southernmost point of Saurashtra, making this a crucial light for shipping along the coast. Located on a promontory on the west entrance to Madhwad Bay, about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Diu Island. The promontory is accessible from the mainland by a mile-long causeway. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-131; Admiralty F0414; NGA 28268. * Bhirbhanjan 1936. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical brick tower, painted red with a white horizontal band. The small tower is probably centered in a Google satellite view. Located on the beach 3 km (1.8 mi) east of the Veraval lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-168; Admiralty F0412; NGA 28276. Veraval East Breakwater Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 3 s. 4 m (13 ft) light centered atop a 1-story square masonry tower. Kamal Jhamb has a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Veraval harbor. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0410.1. * Veraval (1) 1865. Inactive since 1965. 14 m (56 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and double gallery. No current photo available, but the British Library has a historic photo and the lighthouse is visible in a Google satellite view. We need information on the status of this historic tower. Located at the root of the main (southwest) breakwater of Veraval harbor. Site probably open, tower closed. * Veraval (2) 1965 (station established 1865). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white light occulting once every 15 s. 30 m (98 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, D-shaped in cross section, with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story control center. Lighthouse painted with horizontal black and white bands. A 2010 photo and another view are available, and Google has a satellite view. The two-tier lantern was designed to carry powerful lights, but since 1996 only the upper tier has been lit. Veraval is one of the most important ports for the fishing fleets of Gujarat, so this light station has always been an important one. Located about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the harbor of Veraval. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-166; Admiralty F0410; NGA 28272.

Diu Head Light, Velan DGLL photo

* Mangrol (3)

1985 (station established 1877). Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 35 m (115 ft) hexagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. The lighthouse also has an observation room at the watch room level, plus a control center encircling the middle of the tower. Lighthouse painted with horizontal red and white bands. A 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Mangrol is an important fishing port in western Gujarat. According to DGLL, the original light, a mast light, was "later" moved to the roof of the port building. Located about 300 m from the beach and 500 m (0.3 mi) east of the waterfront in Mangrol. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-147; Admiralty F0406; NGA 28280.

* Mangrol (2)

1880 (station established 1877). Inactive since 1985. Approx. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower mounted atop the old port administration building. The building appears in a Google satellite view. The lighthouse replaced a temporary mast light. Located on the waterfront of Mangrol. Site probably open, tower closed.

Mangrol West Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 3 s. 4 m (13 ft) light centered atop a 1-story square masonry tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Mangrol harbor. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0406.1.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: South: Goa and Maharashtra | West: Western Gujarat

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Posted February 6, 2006. Checked and revised January 9, 2013. Lighthouses: 40. Site copyright 2013 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.