Guj: મુન્દ્રા mundrā
‘Picturesque’ -Town/Port (Kutch District), Gujarat
From Guj/Hindi: manōhara, ‘picturesque’,
Mundra is a medieval port town founded by Rao Bhojrajji I in the 17thC and built by Vardhman Sheth, a Jain ship-owner and merchant.A legend tells of how Pir Hazrat Shah Murad Bukhari, a Sufi mystic, saved one of his ships. Vardhman built the port in his honour and wanted to name it Madabad in his honour. The Pir refused and insisted it be called Munahra/Manohara, the ‘picturesque’. Pir’s shrine is still frequented by sailors before embarking on a voyage.
The modern Mudra is India’s largest private port and its Coal Import Terminal is the world’s largest.
The shrine of Pir Hazrat Shah Murad Bukhari, Mundra Nizil Shah
