208.64.12.4 at 01:08, 4 May 2021

2021-05-04T01:08:08Z

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{{Infobox lighthouse
| qid = Q106499321
| yearbuilt = 1898 (first), 1958 (current)
| shape = cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern<ref>{{cite rowlett|indk|accessdate=February 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dgll.nic.in/LightHouse.aspx?Consent_id=110&Module_id=16&LocationId=3&LangId=1 Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships]</ref>
}}

'''Pirotan Island''' (also known as Pirotan) is an island in the [[Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch|Marine National Park]], [[Arabian Sea]]. It is located {{convert|12|nmi|km}} off the coast (Bedi Port), [[Jamnagar District]] of [[Gujarat]] state, [[India]]. It consists of [[mangrove]]s and low-tide beaches,<ref name="Beaches">[http://jamnagar.org/beaches.htm "Beaches of Jamnagar: Pirotan" Jamnagar the beautiful - Tourist information]</ref> and has an area of 3 square kilometres. Rozi island is located about 10 kilometres to the southeast.

Of the 42 islands in the park, Pirotan Island is the most popular and is one of the two islands where visitors are normally permitted.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}} Visitation is strictly limited, permission is required from the Forest Department, Customs Department and the Ports.<ref name="Beaches"/> The mangroves consist mainly of species of ''Rhizophora'', ''Avicennia'' and ''Ceriops''.<ref>[http://www.gujarattourism.com/destination/wildlife/marine1.html "Gujarat Tourism: Wild Life: Marine National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary" Vibrant Gujarat]</ref>

==History==
The island derived its name from Pirotan Patan, the ancient city probably at the place of Bedi Bandar.<ref>{{cite book|title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Káthiáwar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ihgIAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA26|volume=8|year=1884|publisher=Government Central Press|page=579}}</ref>

In 1867 a [[flagpole]] was placed at the northern tip of the island to aid in navigation. In 1898 it was replaced with a 21-metre masonry lighthouse, which in turn was replaced in 1955–57 with a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} lighthouse tower.<ref>[http://dgllnoida.gov.in/technical/pirotan.htm "Pirotan Lighthouse- Technical" Directorate General of Lighthouses & Lightships, India]{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1996, the lighthouse power was converted from diesel generator to solar power. The diesel generators exist for backup generation.
<ref>[http://www.dgllnoida.gov.in/history/pirotan.htm "Pirotan Lighthouse-History" Directorate General of Lighthouses & Lightships, India]</ref>

The island along surrounding coral reefs covering an area of 3 square kilometres was notified as part of [[Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch|Marine National Park]] in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.icsf.net/icsf2006/uploads/resources/legalIndia/pdf/english/state/1185003488121***Gujarat_Gulf_of_Kutch_Marine_National_Park_Notification_1982.PDF |title=Gujarat Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park Notification |access-date=2008-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719143632/http://www.icsf.net/icsf2006/uploads/resources/legalIndia/pdf/english/state/1185003488121***Gujarat_Gulf_of_Kutch_Marine_National_Park_Notification_1982.PDF |archive-date=2011-07-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Population==
The only people there on the island are the forest guard, the lighthouse people and the Mujhavar (Server) at the Holy Saint Khwaja Khizer R.A. shrine (Durgah). The sacred shrine of Khwaja Khijer Rahmatullahialaih is located on the island.<ref name="Husain2011">{{cite book|author=Majid Husain|title=Understanding: Geographical: Map Entries: for Civil Services Examinations: Second Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9VGKfQ-sQsC&pg=RA8-PA9|year=2011|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education|isbn=978-0-07-070288-2|pages=II.P.9}}</ref>

Most visitors come in the morning with the high tide and leave by evening. Weekends in winters may bring more than 200–300 visitors.

==Visiting Pirotan==
The island being protected marine park, several permissions are required for visiting. For Indian Nationals, permission from local Forest Department, Customs Department & Ports Department. Foreign nationals additionally require permission from the police office.

There is no routine ferry service to the island. One has to hire boats from the port. These boats take about 1.5 hours to reach the island. Since the beach is very shallow, the boats can only reach the island during high tide and leave the island during high tide.

==Fauna==

===Marine===
Marine life-forms found include:
{|
|
*Various types of Crabs
**Neptune
**Wolf
**King crab
**Hermit crabs
**Ghost crabs
* Sea Scorpions
|
*Wiper- Isosceles
*Sea snakes
*Sea slugs
*Sea Horse
*Squid
*Sea Anemone
*Octopus
|
*Sea Worms
*sabella
*Mud Skipper
*Sea Bonellia
*Coaster Cather
*Sea Urchin
|}

Plus there are Saw-scaled Vipers & Scorpions too

===Sea-birds===
*Pelicans
*Sea Gull
*Harring Gull
*Blackheaded Gull
*Crab Plover
*Different types of waders

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Pirotan top.jpg|View of part of Pirotan island from the top of lighthouse
File:Carpet sea anemone.jpg|A beautiful fluorescent carpet anemone found on Pirotan Island
</gallery>

==Notes==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Pirotan Island}}
* Tourist information [http://www.jamnagar.org/mnp.htm www.jamnagar.org/mnp.htm]
*[http://jamnagar-news.blogspot.com/2006/06/pirotan-island-jamnagar.html "Jamnagar-Pirotan-Island" Jamnagar News - Pirotan]
*[http://www.halar.org/travel/hiking/pirotan.aspx "Pirotan Island" Pirotan]

[[Category:Islands of the Arabian Sea]]
[[Category:Islands of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Lighthouses completed in 1898]]
[[Category:1898 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Lighthouses in India]]
[[Category:Jamnagar district]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Jamnagar district]]

Pirotan - Revision history

208.64.12.4 at 01:08, 4 May 2021