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Gujarat... ...

Gujarat is one of the most rewarding states for tourists. A 1666 km long coastline had endowed the state with beaches, shore temples and coastal forts and palaces. 4500 years of history had made it the site for ancient citadels, forts, mosques, temples and princely cities. A diversity of habitats from the desert to forest, hills to the sea, makes it one of the most prolific areas for bird watching in all of Asia and home to rare and magnificent wildlife. Colorful tribal hamlets, holy places of various religious communities, picturesque cities, exquisite handicrafts, fine museums and plenty of architectural show pieces, combine to make Gujarat a paradise for visitors.
Located on the country's western coast, Gujarat is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west and southwest and Pakistan to the northwest. Rajasthan neighbors it to the north, Madhya Pradesh to the east and Maharashtra to the southeast. It has a fertile plain land in the south cut by several rivers, low hills in the west and broad mudflats in the north that adjoin the Thar (Great Indian) Desert. A varied climate characterized by a dry northwest, scorching summers, a cold winter have made this state a land of unexplainable contrasts. 

SOME PLACES OF INTEREST:
Ahmedabad is the first place to stop. Some of its sights include some outstanding mosques, including the Jama Masjid, Siddi Bashir's Shaking Minarets, Siddi Sayyed Jali and Sabarmati Ashram. The shopping paradise of gujarati handicrafts, clothes, and more... to museums like The Calico Museum of Textiles to art lovers place like Hussain Doshi Gufa, The Kankaria lake, The Zoo, The School of Architecture, The National Institute of Design, to the old Raj Bhavan to the samadhi of ex-Prime minister of India, Mr. Morarji Desai - Abhay Ghat, to various educationsl intitutes like the buildings of The Gujarat University, L. D. College of Engineering, Physical Research Laboratory(PRL), Ahmedabad Textile Industrial Research Association (ATIRA), CEPT, ISRO, Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A), Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) and various restaurants, cinema theatres, multiplex and much much more...

The National Forest Reserve for Lions - Gir forest (Sasan Gir) and other sanctuaries for birds and various types of deers, give richness to nature's endowments to the state. Gujarat's loveliest beach - and the state is well endowed with them - is Ahmedpur Mandvi whose chief attraction is the ethnic beach resort. Situated on the Gujarat Coast, Dwarka is one of the holiest centers of Hindus. The temple of Somnath and the beach of Veraval are worth visiting. The Deserts of Kutchh has uniqueness to offer with its exquisite handicrafts, needlework, the animal life (wild asses), etc. The calmness of the desert along with rich history, forts, folklore... not an easy thing to miss. The various other places like Lothal, Nal Sarovar, Bhuj, Mandvi, Narayan Sarovar, Palitana, Modhera, Vadnagar, Vadodara (Baroda), Champaner, Pavagadh Fort, Surat, Saputara hill resot, Ahmedpur-Mandvi, Tithal, Porbadar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Patan and many more..... are also worth visiting.

Capital: Gandhinagar the capital of Gujarat, is in west-central India. It lies on the banks of the Sabarmati River, north of the former capital of Ahmedabad. Laid out in residential sectors, in an ordered style influenced by the work of Le Corbusier, who designed Chandigarh, its near-symmetrical numbered streets are wide and strangely quiet, lined with lakhs of trees. An expressway connects Gandhinagar with Ahmedabad and is at a communicble distance at about an hours' drive.


History: Signs of civilization in the region that is now Gujarat date back to the period from 3000 to 1500 BC. The region was part of the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd century BC under King Ashoka. In 1818 AD, the British East India Company took control of Gujarat by administering the state through local princely rulers. With the independence of India in 1947, Gujarat became part of the state of Bombay. In 1960, Bombay state was split and Gujarat was formed from the northern and western portions, which were predominantly Gujarati-speaking areas. The remainder of Bombay state became Maharashtra state. 

The People: Gujarat's population is overwhelmingly Hindu, with Muslim and Jain minorities. The diverse ethnic groups may be broadly categorized as Indic (i.e., northern-derived) or Dravidian (southern-derived). The former include the Nagar Brahman, Bhatia, Bhadela, Rabari, and Mina castes (the Parsis, originally from Persia, represent a much later northern influx); among the people of southern origin are the Bhangi, Koli, Dubla, Naikda, and Macchi-Kharwa tribes. The rest of the population, including the aboriginal Bhil tribe, exhibits mixed characteristics. Members of the scheduled castes and of the aboriginal tribes form nearly one-fifth of the state's population. Gujarati and Hindi are the state's official languages. 

Culture: The folklore and folk culture of Gujarat can be traced to the mythology of Krishna, an incarnation of the god Vishnu. Dances in honor of Krishna have survived in the form of the popular folk dance, the 'garba'. A folk drama, the 'bhavai', also has survived. Gujarat is also famous for its art and craft products. Among the most durable and effective of the state's cultural institutions are the trade and craft guilds known as 'mahajans', which often solves disputes, acted as channels of philanthropy, and encouraged the arts. 

Occupation: Gujarat has an agricultural economy; the total crop area amounts to more than one-half of the total land area. Dairy farming, primarily concerned with milk production, is also a job sector. The state's textiles, petroleum, cement, vegetable oil, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries are also highly important. New industries include the production of fertilizers and petrochemicals. 


Climate: The northwestern part of the state is dry, with less than 500 mm rain a year. In the southern part of Gujarat, rainfall averages 2000 mm a year. In winter, temperature average between 12° and 27° C, although freezing levels have been recorded in the state. In the summer, temperatures average between 25° and 43° C and have been known to reach as high as 48° C. Best time to visit is October to March.

Festivals: Kite Festival in January; Modhera Dance Festival in January; Rann Festival in February/March; Bhavanath Fair at Junagadh in February-March; Chitra Vichitra Fair in March; Dang Durbar in March; Janmashthami in August at Dwarka; Bhadra Purnima at Ambaji in September; the three-day Tarnetar Fair in September; Navratri festival in September; Shamlaji Fair in November; Vautha Nomelo fair in November, near Ahmedabad; Somnath Fair in November/December. 


Important Information 
A devastating earthquake hit parts of Gujarat on January 26, 2001 and has caused considerable loss of life and property. A few of the cities have been been reduced to rubble, especially in the Kutchh region. Quite a few monuments have also suffered damage. It is, therefore, advisable to find relevant information before you set out to explore them.


There are many Tourist Information Offices in major cities including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, New Delhi, Kolkatta, Chennai...

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