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Ahmedabad ll Rajkot ll Jamnagar ll Dwarka ll Somnath Veraval ll Sasan Gir ll Junagadh ll Bhavnagar
On May 1 1960, as a result of the Bombay reorganization act, 1960, the state of Gujarat was formed from the north and west portion of Bombay. Gujarat has always been a field for conquering and colonizing races. Ethnic and linguistic movements from the northern plains and the western ocean brought with them their own languages, arts and craft, poetry, thought forms, social practices, historical traditions, religious practices and philosophy. Gujarat spread itself into the regions of Kutch, Saurashtra and the verdant territories between the rivers Banas and Damanganga. These are fertile land of wheat, cotton, groundnut and banana plantations. A large part of southern border of Gujarat is covered with hills, which are extensions of the Western Ghats lying outside the state. The Gir Forest, the only place where Asian Lions are found, its recent association with Mahatma Gandhi, its fine Jain temples at Girnar and Patitana, Ahmedabad's rich and elaborate Indo-Serene architecture and colorful cultural scenario, make Gujarat an interesting state from tourists' point of view. General information
Festivals Janmashtami at Dwarka Dwarka, the abode of Shri Krishna. The temple, towering over the surrounding buildings was built 1400 years ago. It has several floors and is built of sandstone. The interior is simple while the exterior is covered with elaborate carvings. Janmashtami, the birthday of Shri Krishna, is celebrated with great splendour. Rows of lights are lit everywhere, kirtans and bhajans are sung, sermons are delivered and Krishna is worshipped in his infant form. Thousands of people go to Dwarka to visit the temple and participate in the fair. After visiting the main temple, devotees go to Shankhoddhar Beyt. There are some other important temples, both old and new. Among these is the temple of Shank-Narayan, dedicated to the Matsyavatar, the incarnation of Vishnu as a fish. This was constructed over 200 years ago. Kite Festival The International Kite Festival is
always held at Ahmedabad on January 14, to coincide with the festival of
Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti. It is a joyous day, with a bright sun, clear
skies and breezes strong enough to lift innumerable kites aloft. It is in
fact a celebration to mark the end of winter, when the heat of summer is
still to come. Kites are flown all over Gujarat, and Ahmedabad and Baroda
become cities of kite-flyers, when all other work is forgotten and cares
are put aside for the morrow. Kite-flying starts at dawn and
continues without a pause throughout the day. Friends, neighbors and total
strangers battle one another for supremacy and cries of triumph rend the
air when someone cuts the line of a rival. A tremendous variety of kites
is seen and the connoisseur can choose precisely what he
wants. The Sun Temple, Modhera & Dance Festival
Dangs Darbar
One of the most delightful districts of
Gujarat is the area known as The Dangs. Located high in the Satpurs hills,
adjoining the borders of Maharashtra State. The Dangs Darbar is the name of the
annual fair held in Ahwa (2000 ft from sea level) every year, a few days
before Holi. The name 'Darbar' dates back to the time of the British, when
a darbar of Rajas and Naiks of neighboring areas used to assemble there.
Today it is also called the Jamabandi Darbar, and the District Collector
officiates at it. Thousands of tribal people flock to Ahwa from all over
the district, gaily dressed in lively colors, sounding the shehnai and
beating their drums. The Darbar today attracts merchants
front as far away as Nasik, Surat and West Khandesh. Folk dances enliven
the fair during the few days it lasts. The Education Department organizes
folk dances, ras and garba program, songs and dramas. Bhadra
Purnima
On full moon days there is a virtual
festival at Ambaji, but the full moon of Bhadrapad is one of the four most
important festival days of the year, when agriculturists go to the temple
in their thousands, along with members of the general public. There is a
large fair on this occasion, while in the evening performances of Bhavai
are held, and garba programs are organized. The devout attend readings of
the Saptashati, the seven hundred verses in praise of the goddess,
and visit the temple for an auspicious view, darshan, of
her. Shamlaji Melo (Kartik Purnima Fair) The Shamlaji Temple is a renowned
Vaishnav shrine, and the deity housed therein is known by various names
including Gadadhar - bearer of the mace - and Shaksi Gopal.
Archaeologically, the temple is of importance, as it was built in the 11th
century. This is also called the Kartik Purnima Fair and is held during
the month of November, every year. It lasts for about two weeks. During
this period, nearly 200,000 people of all communities and castes including
the Garasias & Bhils, visit the fair. Trinetreshwer Mahadev Fair
Over 300 stalls are set up on the fair
site, selling numerous objects and offering various types of food and
refreshments. There are exhibitions of embroidery, a cattle show, and
competitive sports. The famous ras, garba and hudo are features of the
fair. Bhavnath Mahadev Fair The fair during Mahashivaratri is held for
five days and takes place during February, and the events associated with
it are colorful indeed. The mahapuja of Lord Shiva takes place at
midnight, in this temple, on the 14th day of the dark half of the month of
Magh. When the puja starts, naga bavas (naked sages) living nearby move
towards the fair seated on elephants, holding flags, and blowing conch
shells, sounding tungis and turis. It is firmly believed that Lord Shiva
himself visits the shrine on this occasion. Girnar is said to be the abode
of the nine Nathas, who are immortal, and eighty-four siddhas or
spiritually elevated souls all of whom also visit the temple, in their
invisible spiritual bodies. Art and Handicraft Silver
Craft The
silver craft is a specialty of Katch, in which light embossing is done on
thin silver plates and is enhanced by etching and scrapping. Attardanis
(Perfume pots), gulabdanis (Rose pots), flower-vases, trays, jewelry
boxes, powder-boxes, ashtrays and cigarette-boxes are some of the articles
of silver craft. Iron &
Brass Works Gujarat's
other paramount craft is Brass and iron works, found nowhere better than
in the former princely state of Saurashtra and Katch where descendants of
the original court swordsmiths and jewelers, now make fine beetle nut
crackers, copper coated iron bells, knives and cutlery.
Places of interest The city contains some very fine museums, the Calico Museum of Textiles being considered among the world's finest. Ahmedabad's walled city is a living testimony to its heritage of crafts as women walk by in dazzling embroidered garments and flashing ethnic silver jewelry. Traditional Ahmedabad combines mosques of inspired workmanship, wooden Jain temples, unique stone step wells and houses with ornately carved wooden balconies and window screens. Modern Ahmedabad, just across the River Sabarmati spanned by four bridges, is a showpiece of contemporary architecture with designs by Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn and the best-known Indian architects. Ahmedabad is the second largest textile city in the country and has rightly been designated as the 'Manchester of India'. The knitted fabrics of most intricacy, painted, printed and tie-dye fabrics, some of them with excellent embroidery and garishly bespangled with little round pieces of mirror, all are magnificent. How To Get There Air Rail Road
Siddi Sayyad's Mosque This mosque is a fine example of Indo-Islamic style of architecture. It was built by Sidi Saiyed, a slave of Ahmad Shah in 1572. Its most striking feature is the pierced marble windows, with fine workmanship, a stone, filigree of creepers and leaves as intricate as a lace. This small but beautiful mosque is near Sabarmati Ashram. The Calico Museum Is one of the highlight of the city. It is very interesting museum which has fabrics from all the corners of the country on display and some of them date back to Mughal times. it includes a few relics of Akbar and Shah Jahan, elaborately embroided. Adalaj Vava This step well was built in 1489 by queen Radabai, a queen of the Waghela dynasty. There are artistic galleries at various levels. Its walls and pillars wre richly decorated with carvings of leaves, flowers, birds, fish and other ornate designs. It is a five-storey structure meant for providing cool and secluded chambers during hot summer months. The Sun temple The Sun temple at Modhera a three hour journey by road north of Ahmedabad, is one of the finest examples of Indian temple architecture. Built in 1026, during the reign of King Bhinder of the Solanki dynasty, the temple is dedicated to the Sun God, Surya. Shaking Minarets Shaking Minarets of Sidi Bashir's Mosque are unique in its own way, when one minaret is shaken the other minaret vibrates too. These were constructed in this manner as a safeguard against earthquake. The Raja Bibi Moaque also has such minarets. Bhadra fort The foundation of this old fort was laid in 1411 and it once enclosed the royal palaces and gardens. Kankaria Lake It is a circular lake almost a mile in circumference, which was constructed in 1451 by Sultan Qutb Ud Din. In the center of the lake is an island garden with a summer palace known as Nagina Wadi. Rani Rupmati Mosque It is an excellent example of Indo-Islamic architecture. It was built in 1430 and named after the Sultan's Hindu queen Rupmati. Its towering minarets were destroyed in the 1819 earthquake. Juma Masjid It is one of the finest and the biggest mosques of India. Situated near Gandhi Road and Teen Darwaza, this mosque has 260 columns supporting the roof with its 15 domes. Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad is not only possessed of historic monuments, unsurpassed in their elegance, embellishment and fusion of Hindu and Muslim styles, but also of a great pilgrimage center and shrine of Mahatma Gandhi. This Ashram situated on the serene west bank of the river Sabarmati, is the place where Gandhiji lived from 1918 to 1930. Teen Darwaza This main gate in the east wall known as Teen Darwazaor Triple archway has been a silent witness to Ahmedabad's past glory and military achievements. Its strong bations and finely carved designs are beautiful. Rajkot, the former Capital of the princely state of Saurashtra was founded by the Rajput Chief Kunwar Vibhuji in the 16th century. Today it is best known as the town where Mahatma Gandhi spend the early years of his life when his father was a Diwan or Prime Minister to the king of Saurashtra. It is famous for its Bandhani Sarees, mirror-work, patch work, bead work and silk embroidery. it is also well-known for its sweetmeats. Mahatma Gandhi spent his early years here as a student of Alferd High School, when his father was the state's Prime Minister. General information
Air Rail Road In and around Aji Dam It is situated 8 km. From Rajkot and supplies the town's water. Mahatma Gandhi's Home (Kaba Gandhino Delo) Gandhi ji's ancestral home which now houses the Gandhi smriti, a permanent exhibition. Lal Pari Lake & Renderda 4.8 km. A picturesque pick nick spot. Watson Museums & Jubliee Gardens Located in the pleasant jubilee garden, the museum is a good introduction to Saurashtra's cultural heritage. It has a fabulous collection pertaining to pre-historic age, ancient and modern history, science, geology, animals, mankind etc. Jagat Mandir It is a beautiful carved temple of shree Rama Krishna Paramhans. It is made of red stones. Hanging Bridge It is one of the rare hanging bridge of its kind in India. This monumental civil works was made from wire ropes and wood during British rule. It is 165 feet long and 4.5 feet broad over the river Machchhu. Mani Mandir It was built in 1935. It is an exquisite stone complex with superb, peerless and delicate carving and a well planned garden. Founded in 1540, Jamnagar is the abode of the Jam Raval, Rajput rulers of Nawanagarh and the capital of their state, is an interesting city which enjoys a variety of distinctions. It is renowned for it s pearl fisheries, a naval base of some importance, and a certain type of tie & dye fabrics. How to get there Air Rail Road In and around Solarium Known as the Ranjit Instutute of Poly-Radio Therapy. A slowly revolving tower provides full day long sunlight. Lakhota Fort and Kotha Bastion in the centre
of old Jamnagar, on an Island in the middle of the lake, are two
magnificient old structures: the Lakhota Fort and the Kotha Bastion.
Lakhota Fort is Jamnagar's museum and its terraces display a fine
collection of sculptures that spans a period from the 9th to 18th century.
The Kotha Bastion is Jamnagar's arsenal. One of its most interesting
sights is an old well, the water of which can be drawn by blowing into
small hole in the floor.
145 km from
Jamnagar. The sacred town of Dwarka, one of the main centers of the
Krishna legend, sits on the western most tip of Gujarat peninsula, a
sentinel over looking the Arabian sea. Archeological excavations show that
present day Dwarka is the 6th city on this site, the earlier five having
been submerged in the sea. The 5 storey temple is supported on 60 columns
and is crowned by a soaring elaborately carved spire.
How to get there Air Rail Road In and around Okha A ferry ride from Dwarka to the Island of Bet near Okha makes a pleasant outing. Nageshwar Mahadev and Gopi Talav Tirth These are two other sites of religious significance near Dwarka. Nageshwar is 17 km and Gopi Talav is 23 km from Dwarka.
Porbandar South of Dwarka, on the western coast, Porbandar is a picturesque old sea port associated with the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. Commemorating this event is the Kirti Mandir memorial which contains the little room where the Mahatma was born, a library, a spinning hall. The temple is a fine fusion of Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jain, Christian and Parsi style of architecture in harmony with Gandhiji's belief in oneness of all religions. Porbandar has a pleasant beach with beach villas. Its ancient maritime activities – trade with Arabia, Africa and Persia – have given way to a thriving industry of cement and chemical units. How to get there Air Rail Road
Situated 79 km from Junagadh and 25 km from Chorwad, the legendary shore temple of Somnath is one of the twelve most sacred Shiva shrines in India. It is believed that one can sail from here to the north pole in a straight line without touching any land. According to the legend Somnath is as old as creation, built by none other that the Moon God himself. Somnath was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Mehmud of Gazni having heard of its fabulous treasures, raided it in 1026 and carried away camel-loads of jewels and gold. Historically the temple of Somnath was originally built in the 10th century and underwent successive sacking and demolition followed by reconstructions. The present shrine called Mahameru prasad was reconstructed about 25 years ago on the exact spot on the shore of the Arabian sea, where the original temple was situated.
Air Rail Road
It is situated 54 km. From Junagadh via Keshod (Where there is an airport). Sasangir sanctuary provides refuge to that rare species – the Asiatic Lion. The sanctuary covers an area of 500 sq miles of dry, open scrubland where the lions roam freely. They can be seen on guided jeep tours through the jungles. Other wildlife includes bear, antilope, hyena, fox, Indian Deer, Sambar, Chital (spotted deer), Nilgai (blue bull), Chinkara and the Chowsingha (four horned antelope) and other species of the deer family. The Sanctuary
is open to visitors from Mid-October to Mid-June, during monsoon the
Sanctuary remains closed. Permission to visit the sanctuary is given by
forest Department, Sasangir on arrival. How to get there Air Rail Road
An ancient fortified city rich in myth and legend, Junagadh lies at the foot of Girnar hill and takes its name from the old fort which circles the medival town. The Girnar hills stands from 2500 years BC having a legend of it's own. The antiquity of Junagadh go back to the time of the emperor Ashoka (250 BC) whose 14 Rock Edicts can be seen cut in to a great rock outside the city. How to get there Air Rail Road In and around Uparkot fort Famous in bygone times for its virtual inaccessibility, the Uparkot or upper fort is girdled by a wall that is, in some places, over twenty meter high. An ornate entrance gateway leads to the ruins. A Mosque still stands in a state of preservation. Ashoka's Rock Edicts On the way to Girnar, 14 Rock Edicts of the emperor Ashoka can be seen inscribed on a great bulder. The inscriptions carry Brahmi script in Pali Language and dates back to 250 BC. On the same rock are the inscriptions in Sanskrit. Maqbara The mausoleum of the Nawabs, the traditional rulers of Jungadh. The Temples of Girnar Girnar is one of the two hills most sacred to the Jain community of India. It rises to a height of more than 600 meters, it's five peaks crowned by sixteen carved and sculptured marble shrines that adorn this famous hill top temple city.
The sprawling and bleak peninsular Kathiawar takes its name after the Kathi tribe which used to roam about and rob the unwary people in bygone times. Bhavnagar, a flourishing port since ancient times was founded as a port town in 1723 by Bhavsingh ji Gohil, a Suryavanshi ruler whose ancestors had migrated from Marwar five centuries back. It was built in the wake of the Maratha invasion of Saurashtra.
Air Rail Road
In and around Gaurishankar lake A beautiful picnic spot near the lake. There is also a well laid out park. Takhteshwar temple Situated on a hill, the site provides a panoramic view. Lock Gate The first of its kind in Gujarat. The Sea water here is impounded by the lock gates to keep ships a float during low tide, which could be seen with special permission. Palitana A 56 km drive from Bhavnagar, Palitana lies at the foot of the Shatrunjaya Hill, with the Shatrunjaya river flowing to its south. The sacred hill rises in a crescendo of magnificient temples – 863 in all – that soar in marble splendor to the top of the hill. The temples were built over an impressive span of 900 years with each generation of pilgrims making its contribution to the shrines of Shatrunjaya. Velavadar National Park and Black Buck sanctuary There are more than 2000 of these graceful Indian antelopes not founded in the world outside India.
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