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Ahmedabad,
the largest city and former capital of
Gujarat, nurtures
a striking blend of the glorious past and a
vibrant present. Named after a Sultan who
founded it in 1411, the city is associated
with Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation,
whose simple ashram on the banks of river
Sabarmati is now a site of national
pilgrimage. Ahmedabad is a great textile and
commercial centre and known as the
"Manchester of India".
What
To See
Gandhi
Ashram - On a quiet stretch of the
Sabarmati river lies the
Gandhi Ashram, established in 1920. During
the lifetime of Mahatma Gandhi it was known
as Satyagraha Ashram and was the centre of
the struggle for Independence. It was from
here, in 1930, that the Mahatma started on
his famous "Dandi March" to the
sea to protest against the Salt Tax imposed
by the British.
Hussain-Doshi's Gufa - It is a
gallery housing the collaborative efforts of
artist M. F. Hussain and the architect B. V.
Doshi. Here, art and architecture fuse to
become a unique experience, both
complementing each other
magnificently.
Calico Museum - The Calico Museum of
Textiles, widely regarded as one of the
finest textile museums in the world was
constructed in 1949.
Jama Masjid - Built by Ahmad Shah in
1423, Jama Masjid is the principal mosque of
the Islamic era, situated at the heart of
the city. The mosque was built in the Indo-
Saracenic architectural era and is said to
be the most beautiful mosque in the East.
The mosque has 260 pillars supporting 15
domes arranged symmetrically. A special
feature of the mosque is the Muluk-Khana, or
the Royal Gallery, which is a platform
standing on pillars and enclosed upto the
roof with beautiful stone work.
Rani Rupmati's Mosque - Named after
the Hindu wife of Sultan Mohammed Beghara,
this mosque was built between 1430 to 1440
A. D. It has three domes supported by
pillars with the central dome slightly
elevated so as to allow natural light into
the mosque. The mosque has richly carved
minarets, balcony windows and perforated
stone lattices. Its three domes are linked
together by a flat roof. However, the mosque
and tomb of Rani Sipri at Astodia surpasses
it for its planning and structural
arrangement. Popularly known as
Masjid-e-Nagina, this mosque is the most
exquisite gem of Ahmedabad.
Hatheesing Jain Temples - Built
outside Delhi Gate in 1850 by Sheth
Hatheesing, a rich Jain Merchant, this is
the best known of Ahmedabad's many ornate
Jain Temples. Built of pure white marble, it
has a paved courtyard surrounded by an
imposing row of cloisters containing 52
shrines, each with an image of a tirthankara,
profusely decorated with rich carvings, one
containing the marble image of the 15th
tirthankar. The temple is a two storied
structure with elaborate porches on three
sides and front porch crowned by a large
dome. It was designed by Premchand Salat and
is dedicated to Dharmanath, the fifteenth
Jina or Jain apostle.
Kankaria Lake - A circular lake
constructed in 1451 by Sultan Qutubub-Din.
At the centre of the lake is an island
garden with a summer palace, known as Nagina
Wadi. The lake is a popular recreation
centre surrounded by parks, 'Bal Vatika', an
aquarium, a boat club, a natural history
museum and a zoo.
Around
Ahmedabad
Gandhinagar 
Gandhinagar, named after the Father of the
Nation, is the capital city of Gujarat.
Built on the river Sabarmati it is just 32
kms away from Ahmedabad. The famous temple
of Swaminarayan is also built in Gandhinagar.
Akshardham
Akshardham is a unique cultural complex
built in Gandhinagar in memory of Lord
Swaminarayan. Inspired by H. D. Pramukh
Swami Maharaj, Akshardham is a miracle
worked by the service and devotion of
thousands of volunteers. It is an
intricately carved, majestic monument of
6000 tons of pink sand stone. The entire
monument was built without the use of steel.
Besides a 7 feet gold leafed idol of Lord
Swaminarayan and his holy relics, there are
three exhibitions on Indian Culture with
light and sound shows, a multimedia show and
an animatronic show. Games, rides and food
refreshments are other attractions of
Akshardham.
Baroda
Baroda is known as the garden city of
Gujarat. Once the capital of the princely
Gaekwad Family, Vadodara is a graceful city
of palaces, parks, temples, and museums.
Places to visit are : Nazarbaug Palace -
Built in old classical style, the palace was
used on ceremonial occasions by the Gaekwads.
Surat
Situated on the banks of river Tapi, Surat
was a great port city during the Mughal era.
Today, it is a major industrial center with
many textile mills. It is also famous for
its zari and brocades and is also an
important diamond cutting centre.
Rajkot
Rajkot was once the capital of the princely
state of Saurashtra. It was also the
headquarters of the British Government.
Rajkot is famous for its jewellery market.
Mahatma Gandhi did his schooling from Alfred
High School, now known as Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi High School.
Porbander
Porbander is Saurashtra's end - a
picturesque sea port 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
birth place of Mahatma Gandhi. Porbander has
a pleasant beach with beach villas.
Jamnagar
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 encircles the medieval town. Founded
in 1540, it was the capital of Jamthe Jadeja,
the Rajput ruler of Nawanagar.
Gujarat's
picturesque hill station is perched on a
plateau in the Dang forest area of the
Sahyadri Range. It has a cool bracing
climate, the highest temperature even in the
summer months not exceeding 28 Degree
celcius. The abode of serpents, at a height
of 1000 metres, Saputara is a cool, pleasant
hill resort. Saputara is in south eastern
part of the state, and is surrounded by the
Adivasi villages. .
Kachchh
The second largest district in India and
sparsely populated, Kachchh is a dry belt
with Great Rann to the north and Little Rann
to the east. Kachchh produces exquisite
handicrafts like embroidery, tie-dye
fabrics, enameled silverware and other
handicrafts.
Gir Forest & Sanctuary
380 kms south-west of Ahmedabad and 50 kms
from Junagadh is the Gir Forest, sprawling
on 1412 sq kms. It has dry deciduous forest
and a luxuriantly rich eco system endowed
with fauna aplenty. Gir is the last home of
the Asiatic lion.
Somnath
The temple of Somnath is one of the twelve
sacred Shiva shrines in India. According to
legend, Somnath was built by Some, the moon
God. Constantly washed by the Arabian sea,
the temples of Somnath were destroyed seven
times but were rebuilt each time.
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