Sunday, 24 May 2015

10 Top Attractions and Tourist Places in Gujarat

10 Top Attractions and Tourist Places in Gujarat

Located on the western coast of India, until recent years, Gujarat hardly featured on the tourist map. A very successful series of ad campaigns featuring Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan has changed that though. There are actually some amazing tourist places in Gujarat, with diverse attractions such as handicrafts, architecture, temples, and wildlife.
Want to visit Gujarat on a tour? Travel Another India runs tours to Hodka handicrafts village. G Adventures also includes Gujarat in its Wonders of North India tour.
Traveling to Gujarat independently? Plan your trip with this very informative Gujarat guide book.
 - Sharell Cook.
Bhuj, Gujarat. Sharell Cook.

1.  Bhuj

If you love Indian handicrafts, don't miss spending some time in and around Bhuj, the capital of the Kutch region. It offers an eclectic combination of bazaars and historic buildings with atmospheric architecture dating back to the 17th century. Sadly, an earthquake caused widespread destruction in Bhuj in 2001 though. You'll find textile dealers lining Shroff Bazaar, just east of the Darbargadh. Also take side trips to Bhujodi (a village of weavers, seven kilometers from Bhuj) and Ajrakhpur (a village of block printers, 15 kilometers from Bhuj) to meet artisans, see demonstrations, and buy handicrafts.
  • Where: Northwest Gujarat, 340 kilometers from Ahmedabad.
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Great Rann of Kutch Salt Desert. RABOUAN Jean-Baptiste / hemis.fr/ Getty Images.

2.  Great Rann of Kutch

The remarkable Great Rann of Kutch is the world's largest salt desert, measuring over 16,000 square kilometers. What makes it even more amazing is that it's underwater during the main monsoon season in India. For the remaining eight months of the year, it's an enormous stretch of packed white salt. Full moon nights are the best time to see it, and cultural programs are usually held at Dhordo then. A moonlight Rann camel safari is magical. The tourist season runs until March.
  • Where: Far northwest Gujarat. It's best approached from Dhordo, approximately 86 kilometers from Bhuj, which is being developed by the Gujarat government as the Gateway to the Rann of Kutch. Dhordo is on the edge of the Rann of Kutch.
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107923638.jpg - Baani Photography/Getty Images
Lions at Gir National Park. Baani Photography/Getty Images

3.  Gir National Park

Gir National Park, one of the Top 5 Parks to See Wildlife in India, is the only place in the world where the Asiatic lion can now be found. Thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers have been increasing. Gir is considered to be the largest dry deciduous forest in western India. There's plenty of other wildlife there, including around 300 types of birds. You'll have the best chance of spotting a lion if you go during March until May, although to most comfortable time to visit the park is from December until March. Safaris run daily.
  • Where: Southwest Gujarat, 360 kilometers from Ahmedabad, 65 kilometers from Junagadh, and 40 kilometers from Veraval. It's inland from the beaches of Diu.
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Wild Ass at Little Rann of Kutch. Anup Shah/Getty Images.

4.  Wild Ass Sanctuary

The Wild Ass Sanctuary, home to the last of the Indian wild ass, is the largest wildlife sanctuary in India. It's spread over almost 5,000 square kilometers. One of the best times to visit is just after the monsoon, in October to November, when the grasslands are tender for grazing and foals can often be seen out playing. It's possible to go on organized jeep and minibus safaris, and you can also camp out at the Little Rann of Kutch.
  • Where: Northern Gujarat, in the area known as the Little Rann of Kutch. It's located 130 kilometers from Ahmedabad, 45 kilometers from Viramgam, 175 kilometers from Rajkot, and 265 kilometers from Bhuj.
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Somnath Temple, Gujarat. CLICKED IMAGEZ BY CHETAN RANA /Getty Images.

5.  Somnath

An important pilgrimage destination, Somnath is one of the 12 jyotirlinga(shrines of Lord Shiva, where he's worshiped as a linga of light) in India. Its seaside location is powerful, the intricate carvings on its sandstone architecture are superb, and its history is fascinating. The temple was ransacked by Islamic invaders and rebuilt numerous times, with the final reconstruction taking place after India achieved Independence. Mahashivratri is celebrated in a big way there. A colorful religious fair is also held every year on Kartik Purnima (full moon night, usually in November), complete with small children dressed up as Lord Shiva and plenty of bhaang.
  • Where: Southwest Gujarat, around 400 kilometers from Ahmedabad and 10 kilometers from Veraval.
  • Don't miss the evocative evening Sound and Light Show at Somnath.
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Dwarka, Gujarat, temple. Exotica.im/Getty Images.

6.  Dwarka

One of the four most sacred char dhamHindu pilgrimage sites and seven most ancient sapta puri religious cities in India, Dwarka is considered to be the ancient kingdom of Lord Krishna and the first capital of Gujarat.  The Krishna Janmashtami festival is a major event there. Of special importance are Dwarakadheesh Temple, built around 200 BC, and Jagat Mandir. Head down to Gomti Ghat, at the holy water's edge, for a spectacle of decorated camels, tea stalls, and seashell jewelery sellers.
  • Where: Western Gujarat, at the mouth of the Gomti River on the Arabian Sea, 130 kilometers west of Jamnagar and 300 kilometers west of Ahmedabad.
170585283.jpg - Amit Basu Photography/ Getty Images
Sun Temple, Modhera, Gujarat. Amit Basu Photography/ Getty Images

7.  Modhera

The peaceful village of Modhera is home to one of the most significant sun temples in India. Built in the 11th century by Solanki dynasty rulers, it's dedicated to Surya the Sun God. The temple is a substantial  structure, consisting of a carved stepped tank, assembly hall, and main shrine. It's covered in intricate stone sculptures. The sanctum is positioned in a way that it receives the first rays of the morning sun at the equinox.
  • Where: Northern Gujarat, 2 kilometers west of town towards the Pushpavati River, 25 kilometers from Mehsana and 102 kilometers from Ahmedabad.
175099838.jpg - Marji Lang/Getty Images
Palitana, Gujarat. Marji Lang/Getty Images

8.  Palitana

Palitana, a principal pilgrim center for Jains, has accumulated nearly 900 temples and more are being constructed. Climb in excess of 3,000 steps to the top of the hill and you'll find an astonishing Jain temple complex with sensational views. Do note that the hill is considered to be sacred. You cannot wear or carry any leather items and must dress conservatively.
  • Where: Southern Gujarat, 55 kilometers south of Bhavnagar and around 200 kilometers south of Ahmedabad, near the Gulf of Khambhat.
_DSC0700.JPG - Sharell Cook.
Ship building at Mandvi, Gujarat. Sharell Cook.

9.  Mandvi

The port town of Mandvi is worth visiting to see its fascinating 400 year old shipbuilding yard. Mandvi wasn't hit by the 2001 earthquake as badly as Bhuj, so many of its atmospheric old buildings are still intact. With a bit of imagination you'll be transported back to the bygone era when Mandvi was the summer retreat of the King of Kutch. There's also an evocative Jain temple nearby.
  • Where: On the west coast of the Kutch district in northern Gujarat, around an hour from Bhuj.
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Gandhi statue. pee vee/ Flickr/CC BY NC ND 2.0

10.  Gandhi's Ashram

Here's a novel new concept in spiritual tourism in India. For 1,000 rupees a night, you can now "Live Like Gandhi for a While". Kochrab Ashram, which was thefirst ashram set up by Gandhi in Gujarat in 1915, became open for visitors who wish to stay there and experience Gandhi's way of life on October 2, 2013. 
  • Wh

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