Bhujiyo Dungar is the hill that rises just east of Bhuj town, crowned by old fort walls and temples and now home to the impressive Smritivan Earthquake Memorial and Museum. A road and steps lead up the slope, opening into landscaped terraces with viewpoints over the city and surrounding Kutch plains. Smritivan, spread across the hill, combines a tree-planted memorial—each tree representing a life lost in the 2001 earthquake—with a modern, multi-gallery museum that tells the story of the disaster, Kutch’s resilience, local culture and disaster-management science using immersive exhibits. At sunset, the hill offers superb panoramic views while the memorial’s quiet design encourages reflection. For Ghoomein, Bhujiyo Dungar + Smritivan is the best “city view + modern museum + emotional story of Kutch” package.
About this place
History & highlights
Historically, Bhujiyo Dungar was fortified under Rao Godji I and later rulers to protect Bhuj; ruins of Bhujia Fort and a temple to Nag deity Bhujang form the old layer of the hill. After the devastating 26 January 2001 earthquake, the Gujarat government decided to build a large memorial and museum here to honour more than 13,000 victims and document the event. The Smritivan Earthquake Memorial and Museum, developed over two decades, was formally inaugurated in 2022 and is now one of India’s most significant disaster-memory and learning projects.
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