Gujarat

Of all the Indian states, Gujarat possesses the longest coastline. It is situated on the west coast of India and has a long and varied history. According to legend the temple of Somnath which centres around tales and legends of Lord Krishna was itself actually here to witness the creation of the Universe. Be that as it may, for ages past, this land has been a flourishing gateway and trading centre. The handloom and spinning wheels

More recently and closer to our times it was from Gujarat that Mahatma Gandhi started his crusade against the British Raj. He built his Sabarmati Ashram here and it was in the land of Gujarat itself that he led the famous Dandi March against the hated Salt Tax.

Modern Gujarat is a flourishing state and a major business and tourist destination. Its many attractions include numerous historic temples, some superb specimens of Indo-Saracenic architecture, the Sasan Gir forest which houses the last of the Asiatic lions and some beautiful beach resorts.  

Ahmedabad, Ahmedpurmandvi, Lothal, Baroda, Palitana, Dwarka, Surat, Sasangir, Junagarh, Chorwad, Saputara, Kutch

For further information, please contact: The Director of Tourism, Govt of Gujarat, 1 Dr Jivraj Mehta Bhawan, II floor Gandhinagar 382038 or The Assistant Director, Gujarat Tourist Bureau, Kanishka Hotel Shopping Plaza, 19 Ashok Road, New Delhi 110001.

  Colourful Festivals

Gujarat boasts of a rich and unique cultural heritage. There are said to be about fifteen hundred fairs and about two thousand festivals in a year.

Mostly celebrated by villagers among themselves or in conjunction with other nearby villages, they attract thousands and thousands of people. Though rooted in religion and mythological events, they are known to be truly secular gatherings.

Some of the more prominent and popular festivals are the International kite festival, the Navratri festival, the Kutch Mahotsav, the Dangs darbar, and the Tarnetar fair — to name a few.

The International Kite Festival is celebrated towards the middle of January in Ahmedabad and is marked by great enthusiasm from participants gathered here from all over the world. The sky is dotted with a variety of kites in various shapes, sizes and colours.

Navratri, meaning ‘nine nights’, is a very colourful festival. It honours the Divine Shakti goddess who is believed to support the entire universe. An interesting feature is the garba dance performed by all women.

The Kutch Mahotasv, with its centre at Bhuj, consists of a six-day tour of Kutch, covering the Mata no madh temple, Lakhpat Fort, Narayan Sarovar, Koteshwar, Bhadreshwar, Aryar, Mandvi, Dhola Veera and Dhrang.

Dangs darbar is the name of the annual fair held in Ahawa, a few days before Holi. It is also known as the Jamabandi Darbar and is marked by folk dances, raas, and garba.

The Trinetreshwer Mahadev fair at Tarnetar is believed to be linked with the story of Draupadi’s Swayamvar. An interesting replay is that today’s tribal youth also visit this fair to find a suitable match.

The janmashtami celebrations at the golden city of Dwarka, are splendorous. Thousands of people converge here to worship Lord Krishna in his infant form.

One of the largest fairs of Gujarat is the grand fair at vautha. The pilgrims who visit the fair hail from several communities and include farmers, labourers, etc.

The Bhadra Purnima, held at Ambaji on full moon days, is one of the four most important festival days of the year. Agriculturists go to Ambaji temple in their thousands and in the evening participate in garba performances.

Held after a fortnight of Holi, the Chitra-Vidistra Fair at Gunbhakhari is largely an adivasi (tribal) fair attracting the Bhils and the Garasias. People dress up in colourful costumes, heavy jewellery and there are giant wheels, merrry - go - rounds and stalls of food and drinks.

Shamlaji was once a town of great historical significance. The Kartik Purnima Fair, or the Shamlaji Melo, lasts for about two weeks and nearly 2,00,000 adivasis are believed to visit the fair every year. Visitors usually come in groups singing devotional songs.

The Dance Fastival at the Modhera Sun Temple, features Indian classical dances. The idea is to present classical dance forms in an atmosphere similar to that in which they were originally presented.

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