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Gujarat |
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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 neighbours it to the
north, Madhya Pradesh to the east and
Maharashtra to the southeast. |
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The most convenient entry point into Gujarat
is through the metropolis of Ahmedabad. Gandhinagar
the capital of Gujarat is in west-central
India. 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. For tourists who have
comparatively less time at their disposal
and want to 'do' Gujarat within a week,
three places may be considered a 'must' for
them. These are the Gir lion sanctuary,
Palitana temples and the Ahmedabad city. |
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Ahmedabad |
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Ahmedabad, founded in the year 1411 AD is
located on the banks of river Sabarmati.
Ahmedabad has been named after Sultan Ahmed
Shah, who was primarily responsible for
building it. |
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Today, this city is known as the 'Manchester
of the East'. One of the highly industrialised cities in India,
Ahmedabad is also India's Textile City. The old city of Ahmedabad is dotted with
labyrinthine bylanes called 'pols'. The
exquisite carved wooden mansions and havelis
are in no manner less than their stone
counterparts in Rajasthan. The city is full
ofarchitectural delights.
Though the capital of Gujarat was shifted
from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar, it is still
the second largest industrial city in
western India. |
Places Of Interest:
Ahmed Shah's Mosque, Balvatika, Teen Darwaza
and Bhadra Fort, Daria Khan's Ghummat, Siddi
Sayyad's Mosque, Gita Mandir, Swami Narayan
Temple, Hathisinh Mandir, Jhulta Minar,
Jumma Masjid , Kankaria Lake, Rani Sipri's
Mosque and Tomb, Rani Roopmati Mosque, Rauza
of Shah Alam, Sabarmati Ashram, Siddhi
Sayyad Mosque, Dada Hari Vava. |
Excursions:
Adalaj Vav- 19 kms, Lothal- kms, Patan- 113
kms, Nal Sarovar- 71 kms, Sabarmati Gandhi
Ashram- 6 kms, Gandhi Nagar- 25 kms, Modhera
(Sun Temple)- 106 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Ahmedabad is well linked with
major cities.
By Rail: Ahmedabad is directly
connected to major towns.
By Road: Baroda (Vadodara)- 113 kms,
Mt.Abu- 228 kms, Udaipur- 252 kms, Jaipur-
657 kms, Bombay- 545 kms, Delhi- 1076 kms,
Gandhinagar- 25 kms, Modhera-110 kms, Nal
Sarovar- 71 kms, Lothal- 80 kms.
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Rajkot |
Rajkot was founded in the year 1610 A.D. by
Chief Vibhaji Jadeja & Raju Sandhi. Rajkot
was once the capital of the princely state
of Saurashtra. Today it is best known as the
town where Mahatma Gandhi spent the early
years of his life when his father was a
Diwan or Prime Minister to the king of
Saurashtra. Rajkot is famous for its
Bandhani Sarees, mirror-work, patchwork,
beadwork and silk embroidery.
Best Season: October to May. |
Places Of Interest:
Aji Dam , Mahatma Gandhi's Home (Kaba
Gandhino Delo), Lal Pari Lake & Renderda,
Sardar Smriti Bhavan, Watson Museums &
Jubliee Gardens. |
Excursions:
Jadeshwar- 60 kms, Virpur- 64 kms, Bhid
Bhanjan- 60 kms, Manas Mandir -14 kms,
Gondal- 38 kms, Wankaner- 50 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Rajkot is well connected with
Bombay and Kandla.
By Rail: Well connected with major
towns.
By Road: Bombay 798- kms, Ahmedabad-
218 kms, Junagadh- 98 kms, Jamnagar- 86 kms,
Dwarka- 238 kms, Porbandar- 178 kms,
Bhavnagar- 165 kms, Sasangir- 155 kms. |
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Jamnagar |
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Founded in 1540 A.D. Jamnagar, also known as
the 'Jewel of Kathiawad', is a coastal town
about 300 kms west of Ahmedabad and 92 kms
from Rajkot. Present day Jamnagar is a charming blend of
the old and the new with its ancient
monuments and broad streets, imposing
facades, and squares which make it one of
the most beautiful cities in the Saurashtra
peninsula. Jamnagar is renowned for its
silk, gold embroidery, silver ware, Bandhani
(tie-and-dye) fabrics that are renowned the
world over. |
Places Of Interest:
Solarium, Lakhota Fort and Kotha Bastion,
Rozi and Bedi Ports. |
Reach -
By Air: Jamnagar is well connected
with Bombay and Bhuj.
By Rail: Jamnagar is well connected
all major towns.
By Road: Palitana- 246 kms, Rajkot-
86 kms, Ahmedabad- 304 kms, Somnath- 257 kms,
Dwarka-148 kms.
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Dwarka |
The sacred town of Dwarka, one of the main
centers of the Krishna legend, 145 Kms. from
Jamnagar, sits on the western most tip of
the Gujarat peninsula, a sentinel over
looking the Arabian Sea.
Archaeological excavations show that present
day Dwarka is the 6th city on this site, the
earlier five having been submerged in the
sea. The inner sanctum of the main
Dwarkadhish Temple-known as the Nij Mandir -
dates back 2,500 years. Legend has it Lord
Krishna left Mathura and settled in the
Western part of India with his Yadava clan
and built a golden city and named it
Dwarika. Dwarkanath, the main temple here,
is dedicated to Krishna. |
| Best Season: November to March. |
Places Of Interest:
Dwarkadish Temple, Bhadkeshwar Temple,
Rukmani Temple, Sunset Point, Shri Jagatguru
Shankaracharya Math, Ved Havan, Light House,
Shardapith Math Museum. |
Excursions:
Bet Dwarka (2 kms from Okha. Ferry Service
from Okha Port), Vasai- 12 kms, Pindhara- 72
kms, Harshad Mata Temple- 58 kms, Nageshwar-
16 kms, Shri Vallabhacharya 's Baithak, Okha-
32 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is
Jamnagar-148 kms.
By Rail: Well connected with all
major cities.
By Road: Ahmedabad- 438 kms, Rajkot-
234 kms, Jamnagar- 148 kms, Junagadh- 332
kms, Porbandar- 120 kms, Somnath- 249 kms,
Bhavnagar- 399 kms, Bombay- 929 kms, Okha-
32 kms. |
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Porbander |
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Porbander is Saurashtra's end - a
picturesque seaport on the Arabian Sea. It
is situated 395 Kms from Ahmedabad. It is
also known as "White City" because of its
white stone construction. It is the
birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Porbander 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. |
Best Season:
November to March. |
Excursions:
Harshad Mata Temple- 38.6 kms, Madhapur
Temple- 64.3 kms, Mul-Dwarka- 28.8 kms. |
Places Of Interest:
Arya Kanya Gurukul, Bharat Mandir, Kirti
Mandir, Sudama Mandir, and Planetarium. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Rajkot.
By Rail: Porbandar is well connected
to major towns.
By Road: Ahmedabad- 394 kms,
Bhavnagar- 300 kms, Junagadh-107 kms,
Rajkot-178 kms, Somnath- 118 kms.
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Somnath
Veraval |
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Somnath is about 5kms from Veraval. It is
believed that the Somnath temple here was
originally built by Somraj, the Moon God
himself, out of gold, and then rebuilt by
Ravana in silver and then by Krishna in
Wood, then by Bhimdev in stone. |
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temple of Somnath was believed to have been
built in 4 phases-in gold by Lord Soma, in
silver by Ravana, in wood by lord Krishna
and in stone by Bhimdev. Somnath is one of
the 12 jyotirlingas of lord Shiva. Somnath
is also known as Prabhas Patan. |
| Best Season: November to March. |
Places Of Interest:
Somnath Temple, Triveni Ghat, Ahilyabai
Temple, Junagadh Gate, Bhalka Tirth,
Dehotsarga, Manipur Masjid, Museum. |
Excursions:
Chorwad- 26 kms, Sasan Gir- 43 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport Keshod- 55
km.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is Veraval.
By Road: Somnath to Veraval- 7
kms,Bombay- 889 kms, Ahmedabad- 400 kms,
Bhavnagar- 266 kms, Junagadh- 85 kms,
Porbandar- 122 kms. |
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Sasan Gir |
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Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary, which lies on the
southwestern fringes of the Saurashtra
Peninsula (west-central India), is the last
home of some 300 Asiatic lions. It was
created in 1913 to protect the largest
surviving groups of the Asiatic lions. It
was given a sanctuary status in 1965. The
vegetation in the area consists of teak with
a mixture of deciduous trees, including sal
(Shorea), dhak (Butea frondosa), and thorn
forests. A few springs also exist, but their
flow is rather eccentric depending upon the
season. Gir Forest is today the only place
in the world outside Africa, where the lion
can be seen in his natural habitat. |
Places Of Interest:
Nalsarovar Lake and Sanctuary, Tulsi Shyam
Springs and Krishna Temple. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport Keshod-100
kms.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is Sasan
and Junagadh 65kms.
By Road: Ahmedabad- 895 kms, Rajkot
160- kms, Junagadh- 65 kms, Veraval- 43 kms.
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Junagadh |
Junagarh is situated in the western state of
Gujarat at the foothills of the Girnar
Hills. The city of Junagarh takes its name
from the fort that encloses the old city.
Junagarh was an important trade center as
testified by the Ashokan edicts dating from
250 BC. The present-day city has many
archeological sites and historical monuments
that reflect the rich history of the place.
Best Season: October to April. |
Places Of Interest:
Ashoka's Edicts, Uparkot Fort, Shrine of
Narsi Mehta, Willingdon Dam, Mahabat Maqbara,
Damodar Kund, Girnar Hills & Temple, Darbar
Hall Museum, Sakkarbag Museum, Sakkarbag
Zoo. |
Excursions:
Chorwad- 66 kms, Prabhas Patan- 92 kms,
Sasangir- 58 kms, Tulsi Shyam Hot Springs-
160 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport Keshod- 37 km
& Rajkot- 99 km.
By Rail: Well connected to Ahmedabad.
By Road: Junagadh to Bombay- 802 kms,
Rajkot- 99 kms, Ahmedabad- 315 kms, Keshod-
37 kms, Sasangir- 58 kms, Somnath- 92 kms,
Porbandar- 107 kms, Palitana- 213 kms,
Jamnagar-184 kms. |
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