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About Gujarat |
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Gujarat is one of
the most diverse states in India. Gujarat derives its name
from the word 'Gujaratta'. Gujaratta means the land of gurjars.
The gurjars were a sub-tribe of the Huns who ruled the area
during the 8th and 9th centuries AD. They passed through the
Punjab and settled in some parts of western India, which came
to be known as Gujarat. The state of Gujarat is an
industrially advanced state. The state
of Gujarat is not a popular tourist destination among foreign
and Indian tourists, but still holds an important place in
India. This state can also be visited during your trip to
Bombay or Rajasthan. It is situated on the North end of the
west coast of India and covers an area of 196,024 square km. Gandhinagar is the
state capital of Gujarat. The people of Gujarat are
also known to be a successful business community. The state of
Gujarat is known all over the world for its holy temples,
historic capitals, wildlife sanctuaries, beaches, hill
resorts, fascinating handicrafts, mouth watering cuisine and
colourful lifestyle of the people of Gujarat.
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History of
Gujarat |
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The history of
Gujarat that dates back to 3500 years, the Harappa and
Mohenjodaro civilization can be known from the archaeological
findings at Lothal near Dhandauka in Ahmedabad district and
Razdi in Saurashtra. The history of Gujarat flows through the
dynamic kingdoms and principal states of Saurashtra.
According to the legends, the Somnath shore temple was built by Soma, the moon god himself to mark the creation of
the Universe. The Lord Krishna’s kingdom was also built at Dwaraka
in Gujarat. Gujarat was also present
in the exploitation of the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka and his
Rock Edicts can be seen near Junagarh. Later, Gujarat also
suffered invasions from Mahmud of Ghazni who demolished the
Somnath Temple and carried away the gold with him. Gujarat was
also a battlefield at the time of the war between the Mughals
and the Marathas. It was also the earliest contact point with
the West at Surat where the British set up their first
commercial outpost in the 16th century. Daman and Diu, the two
small Portuguese enclaves survived within Gujarat for over 450
years till 1961 when these were liberated by the Indian Army.
During the British Raj, Gujarat was part of the larger Bombay
Presidency and was ruled from Mumbai, and became a separate
state in 1960 when the Indian States were divided on the basis
of language.
More information
on the History of Gujarat |
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Geography of
Gujarat |
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Geographically, the
state of Gujarat is divided into three areas. The mainland
region includes the major cities of Ahmedabad, Surat and
Vadodara (Baroda). The Gulf of Mumbai divides the mainland from
the flat and barren plains of the Kathiawar Peninsula also known
as Saurashtra. Before independence, the Saurashtra region was
ruled by about 200 rulers who continued to rule it as they had
made peace with the British. Later, these tiny states were
merged in the larger state of Bombay Presidency after
independence and later merged in the new state of Gujarat. The
Gulf of Kutch separates the Saurashtra from Kutch. Kutch is
virtually an island cut off from the rest of Gujarat that is
wedged between Pakistan in the east and the low-lying Rann of
Kutch in the north. |
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Climate
of Gujarat |
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The best time
to visit Gujarat is in the mild winter months from
November to March. During the monsoon season, most of the
Gujaratis came back to home on leave. The monsoon period
has its own charm when the air is cool and the sky is
overcasted. The temperature in the Gujarat shows
relatively little contrast, but there are great contrasts
in the rainfall from South to North. In north, the
temperature is about 42 to 43 degree Celsius in summers
while in winters it is about 12 degree Celsius. In further
south, the winter temeprature never fall very far and the
summer temperatures are moderate. The rainfall is also
scattered throughout the state. The Kutch receives minimum
rainfall while Ahmedabad receives moderate rainfall. |
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People
of Gujarat |
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The people of
Gujarat or the Gujaratis are known as a successful business
community. Some of the famous businessmen and industrialists can
be seen operating hotels and motels in California, running
stores in Australia and New Zealand and newspaper kiosks in
England. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of nation also belongs to
Gujarat. He worked for the independence of India through non
violence. One of the biggest billionaires of the world,
Dhirubhai Ambani was also a Gujarati, who built his empire in
three decades. Parsis also belong to this state where they had
landed at a place called Sajjan in 745 AD. Many of the Parsis
still live here, but some of them have now migrated to Bombay.
The Jains are also a very important community in Gujarat. These
families own textile and chemical mills and spend lavishly on
building new temple and on charities like schools and religious
trusts.
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Languages in Gujarat |
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The majority of the
people of Gujarat speak Gujarati which belongs to the Indo-Aryan
family. This language is derived from Sanskrit and other ancient
languages. It was also highly influenced by Apabrahmsa, which
was widely spoken in the north west India from the 10th to 14th
centuries. The maritime contact with Persia, Arabia, Portugal
and England further led to the introduction of many words from
these languages. The great majority of the people are of
Indo-Aryan origin. Nearly 20% of the people are tribal and the
Bhils, Kolis, Dhubla, Naikda and Macchi-Kharwa are some of the
tribes which can be still found in Gujarat.
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Cuisine
of Gujarat |
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The Gujarati food
is mostly vegetarian although non-vegetarian, Chinese
and Continental cuisine are also available in major hotels. The
dishes of Gujarat are not very spicy and sweet than those of
the neighboring states. Some of the popular dishes of Gujarat
are Kadhi, Undhyoo and Paunk. The diet of the Gujarati's
consists of the rice, chapatis, wide variety of beans and
pulses, coconut, pickles and sweetened yoghurt. You can
experience all these constituents of the vegetarian Gujarati
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meal by having a Thali at Vishala,about 5 km. from
Ahmedabad.It
is a restaurant and part of a complex is described as a
Gujarati village with a small museum, local crafts and
performing arts. In the village complex, you can also
see the craftsmen weaving and making earthen pots, the
puppet show, and dances. The food is served on platters
of leaves stitched together that includes various
vegetables, pulses, salads, chutneys, yoghurt, rice and
wide variety of breads made of millet and other flours.
In the end the buttermilk and rich homemade ice-creams
are served. Besides Vishala, there are various other
good restaurants in Ahmedabad which offers the Gujarati
food. |
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Fairs & Festivals of Gujarat |
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Various fairs and
festivals are celebrated in every month in Gujarat. Some of the
main festivals which are celebrated in Gujarat are the Kite
Flying Festival or Makar Sankranti, Navaratri Festival, Sarkhej
Fair and Tarnetar Fair. The Navratri festival is celebrated during
September-October and devoted to the three goddesses of the
Hindu mythology. The Kite Flying Festival
is celebrated on 14th January. On this day, the people of every
age fly kites of various shapes and sizes.
More Information
on the Fairs & Festivals of Gujarat
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Handicrafts of
Gujarat |
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The handicrafts of the Gujarat are also unique like the
Gujarati cuisine. These handicrafts have been given a
fillip by the government and some private individuals. Craftsmen and women who left their villages
to work as stone crushers for the living have been brought back to practise their traditional arts. Their products can be seen and
purchased in Gujarat emporiums in Ahmedabad, Delhi and Mumbai.
Gujarat also has a rich tradition of high quality weaving
and hand-block printing, the most common are the
tie-and-dye fabrics. These fabrics are known all over the
world for their variety and excellent colors.
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Apart from
these fabrics, the hand-painted cloth is also available in
traditional black, red, maroon and ochre colors and is
also inexpensive. Besides these, you can also buy various
items like nut-crackers, silver, wood, brass and other
items. The Patola silk saris are another famous item of
Gujarat that are extremely fine and quite expensive and
made by very small master craftsmen at Patan. The zari or
gold thread embroidery work comes from Surat. Surat is
also a centre for silk saris. Jamnagar in Saurashtra is
known for its woolen shawls, blankets, rugs, wooden chest
and traditional furniture. Gujarat is also known for the
famous and unique Kutch embroidery. |
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Cities
in
Gujarat |
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Some of the famous
cities in Gujarat are Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar,
Gondal, Junagadh, Lothal, Palitana, Saputara, Somnath, Surat,
Dwarka, Porbandar
and Vadodara. In Ahmedabad there are many fine examples of
Muslim architecture. Baroda was the capital of the princely
state of Gaekwad. The first British factory was established in Surat in 1612. Junagadh is known for its fort and temples and also a suitable base for visiting the Gir
national park.
More
Information on Cities in Gujarat
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Wildlife
Sanctuaries in Gujarat |
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There are about
four national parks and twenty one wildlife sanctuaries in
Gujarat. Some of the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are
the Marine National Park, Gir National Park, Indian Wild Ass Wildlife
sanctuary, Velavadar National Park. Nalsarovar, Khijadia Bird
Sanctuary and the Porbandar Bird sanctuary are the other bird
sanctuaries in Gujarat.
More
Information on Wildlife Sanctuaries in Gujarat
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How to reach Gujarat |
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Gujarat is very well
connected with all parts of India. Indian Airlines and other
private airlines link Ahmedabad daily with many cities of India
like Mumbai and Delhi. Ahmedabad is also
located on the main rail network. The roads in Gujarat are in
excellent condition and travel by car can be fun.
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