GUJARAT GUIDE |
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Gujarat is a vibrant land with a historical and
cultural tradition dating back to the days of
the Harrapan civilization. Prosperous and
throbbing with life, this state offers colors of
a million hues to the visitor. Since the
beginning of civilization, Gujarat has been
witness to revolutionary changes that have left
their mark on the face of time. This land of
Lord Krishna and the great Mahatma Gandhi has
been home to a multitude of cultures.
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Guide |
Hotels |
Attractions |
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GUJARAT INFORMATION |
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Visit Gujarat and explore a land of many colors. It
offers everything that will capture the canvas of your
imagination. It is the place where sea meets sparkling
sand, lush green jungles are populated with a variety of
wild species and white marble temples mirror the glory
of the Golden past. Roam in and around the ancient
Palaces that still reverberate with the glory of the
past. Water parks invite you to have a day of fun. In
addition to this tribal life, Gujarat presents a
celebration of music, dance and multicolored traditions.
You are invited to discover the many colors and revel in
them. Visit Ahmedabad and watch the buildings and other
monuments that are an example of excellent
Indo-Saracenic style. The Somnath and Akshadham Temples
in Gandhinagar are the center of pilgrimage for the
Hindus that come here from across the world. Head off to
Sabarmati Ashram that gives the minutest details about
the life of Mahatma Gandhi. |
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GUJARAT FACTS AND FIGURES |
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Area:
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1,96,027 sq km |
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Literacy Ratio: |
61.29 |
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Languages:
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Hindi, Gujrati, English |
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Number of
Villages: |
18114 |
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No. of Districts: |
19 |
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Per
Capita Income: |
7600 |
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Best
Time to visit: |
October to March |
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GUJARAT HISTORY |
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| Throughout its history,
spanning more than four millennia, Gujarat has attracted
immigrants from all over the world. They came to trade,
to plunder, to conquer, to colonise, to seek refuge and
to find their fortune on the west coast of India. Each
community brought with them a distinct style of art and
architecture, making Gujarat's many monuments an
interesting blend of internal and international
influences. Provincial wooden architecture of Gujarat can
be seen in haveli's and Darbargadh fort complexes
throughout the states, and unique blends like the
Indo-Saracenic and Mughal styles, both combining Hindu
and Muslim elements, developed within the confines of
the state. Architecture became more eclectic with the
coming of the Europeans, and it is quite possible to see
palaces that freely mix Hindu, Islamic and European
architectural styles, without a single feature seeming
out of place in the entire facade. Gujarat has stone age
sites in Rajkot district and eastern Gujarat, and the
red ware culture existed in the state before 2400 BC.
But it was the Harrapans who introduced the concept of
urbanisation in Gujarat. It is believed the Harrapans
came to Gujarat from the Indus valley in search of
trading bases, and they did find suitable ports at
Lothal, near the Sabarmati river estuary, Kuntasi near
present day Morvi, and Dhorawira in the Great Rann of
Kutch, then an arm of the Arabian sea.Gujarat has stone
age sites in Rajkot district and eastern Gujarat, and
the red ware culture existed in the state before 2400
BC. But it was the Harrapans who introduced the concept
of urbanisation in Gujarat. It is believed the Harrapans
came to Gujarat from the Indus valley in search of
trading bases, and they did find suitable ports at
Lothal, near the Sabarmati river estuary, Kuntasi near
present day Morvi, and Dhorawira in the Great Rann of
Kutch, then an arm of the Arabian sea. Lothal has some of
the most substantial remains of the Harrapan
civilisation within Indian frontiers. Excavations reveal
a town planned in a grid system with residences, copper
smithing workshops, bead factories and potteries. The
upper town on a plinth has warehouses, set above the
inundation level in this lower lying area, and residences
with kitchen and private baths that indicate they were
an acropolis for a ruler or aristocrats. The highlight
of Harrapan town planning was the system of sanitary
drainage, comprising an arterial network of underground
drains that carried wastes to nearby rivers. |
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GUJARAT TOURIST ATTRACTIONS |
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| Adaloj Vav (Ahmedabad) » Modhera (Ahmedabad) » Patan (Ahmedabad) » Dumas (Surat) » Lathol (Ahmedabad) » Nal Sarover (Ahmedabad) » Bhujio Kotho (Jamnagar) » Hajira (Surat) » Pratap Palace (Jamnagar) » Rozi Port (Jamnagar) » Bala Temple (Jamnagar) » Lakhota Palace (Jamnagar) » Jama Masjid (Ahmedabad) » City Museum (Ahmedabad) » Textile Market (Surat) » The Old Fort (Surat) |
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GUJARAT FAIRS AND FESTIVALS |
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Navratri is celebrated for 10 days preceding the festival of Dussehra - usually in
October. The most eagerly awaited festival of the year,
which celebrates harvest time, Navratri is an occasion
when both rural and urban Gujaratis worship the nine
incarnations of the Mother Goddess, Shakti, denoting
cosmic energy. The small hamlet of Ternate, about 75
kilometers from Rajkot, is the site for one of Gujarat's
most well known annual fairs, held here during the first
week of Bhadrapad (September-October). This three day
long fair is primarily a 'marriage mart', called
swayamwar, where gaily attired young men, in their
traditional attire, come to be chosen by village belles
dressed in colorful finery.
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HOW TO REACH |
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Air : Gujarat has 10 domestic airports apart from
an international airport at Ahmedabad. Most of the
domestic airlines operate out of Ahmedabad connecting it
to rest of the country.
Rail : Gujarat has a good railway network that
not only connects the state internally but connects the
state to other places in India also.
By Road : Gujarat has a better road network than
most of the other Indian states and they are in a fairly
good condition. The total road length in the state is
68,900 km out of which 1,572 km is the share of National
Highway, making the state easily accessible. |
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GUJARAT MAJOR CITIES |
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| Ahmedabad » Surat » Jamnagar » Rajkot » Bhavnagar » Baroda » Junagadh » Saputara » Vadadara » Pavagadh » Patan |
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GUJARAT WILDLIFE AND BIRDS |
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Gujarat is a unique state that has many kinds of
habitats. These varied land forms include the famous dry
deciduous forests like the Gir, majestic grasslands like
those found at Velavadar, vast landscapes harbouring
rare animals in habitats like the Little Rann of Kutch,
wetland habitats such as the Nalsarovar, marine
ecosystems such as those found near the Pirotan Islands
and the rich moist deciduous forests like those found in
the dense forests of the Dangs.
What makes this land so special is that each type of
this varied habitat contains a fascinating diversity of
wildlife, each related to the other and to its own
unique environment. Gujarat's varied lands forms are
also home to some extremely rare wildlife. The Asiatic
lion is found only in Gir. The wildass is found only in
the Rann of Kutch. One of the most threatened birds, the
great Indian bustard finds a refuge in certain pockets
of protected areas. The world's only four-horned
antelope, the chowsingha is found here in healthy
numbers. One of the largest herds of blackbucks grace
the grasslands of Velavadar and till recently Gujarat
was the place where flamingos nested in huge numbers.
Dugong, a marine mammal which resembles a seal, along
with the rare boralia species have found home in the
protected areas of the Marine National Park. |
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GUJARAT ART AND CRAFT |
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A land rich in history, culture & industry, with an
idylic location for sea trade on the west coast of India
& on the land routes between Delhi & Mumbai, Gujarat has
been the breeding ground for an amazing array of
embroidery, weaving, dyeing & printing techniques,
handicrafts made from wood, stone & metal, & folk arts
of the tribal communities. More than 4000 years ago, the
bead factories, coppersmiths potters & jewellers of
Lothal & Dholawira achieved standards of exellence &
maturity. The woman of pastoral communities have
embroidered clothes for their own trousseau for
centuries, & the tribes of the hills continue an ancient
tradition of decorating their houses with paintings,
called pectoris, & tetra cotta horses to ward off evil
spirits. |
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GUJARAT SHOPPING |
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Gujarat is especially known for its Saris. Many of these
are intricately designed with in laid Zari work. The
Patola Silk from Patan is famous and one of the biggest
selling fabrics in some of the larger cities. It is
famous for Bandhnis, traditional Gagra-Cholis are known
to be excellent craftsmen, and there is a rich arsenal
of arts and crafts at the government handicraft centres.
Jamnagar is famous for its tie-and-dye fabrics and
brightly coloured embroidery work. |
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