Gujarat
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.
It has a fertile plain land in the south cut by several rivers, low hills in
the west, and broad mudflats in the north that adjoin the Thar (Great Indian)
Desert. A varied climate characterised by a dry northwest, scorching summers, a
cold winter have made this state a land of unexplainable contrasts.

Ahmedabad is the first place to stop. Some of its sights include some
outstanding mosques, including the Jami Masjid, Siddi Bashir's Shaking Minarets
and Sabarmati Ashram. Gujarat's loveliest beach - and the state is well endowed
with them - is Ahmedpur Mandvi whose chief attraction is the ethnic beach
resort.
Situated on the Gujarat Coast, Dwarka is one of the holiest centres of Hindus.

Capital: Gandhinagar the capital of Gujarat, is in west-central India. It lies
on the banks of the Sabarmati River, north of the former capital of Ahmedabad.
Laid out in 30 residential sectors, in an ordered style influenced by the work
of Le Corbusier, who designed Chandigarh, its near-symmetrical numbered streets
are wide and strangely quiet, lined with a total of 16 lakh trees. An
expressway connects Gandhinagar with Ahmedabad.


History: 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. With the independence of India in 1947, Gujarat became part of
the state of Bombay. In 1960, Bombay state was split and Gujarat was formed
from the northern and western portions, which were predominantly
Gujarati-speaking areas. The remainder of Bombay state became Maharashtra
state.

The People: Gujarat's population is overwhelmingly Hindu, with Muslim and Jain
minorities. The diverse ethnic groups may be broadly categorized as Indic
(i.e., northern-derived) or Dravidian (southern-derived). The former include
the Nagar Brahman, Bhatia, Bhadela, Rabari, and Mina castes (the Parsis,
originally from Persia, represent a much later northern influx); among the
people of southern origin are the Bhangi, Koli, Dubla, Naikda, and
Macchi-Kharwa tribes. The rest of the population, including the aboriginal Bhil
tribe, exhibits mixed characteristics. Members of the scheduled castes and of
the aboriginal tribes form nearly one-fifth of the state's population. Gujarati
and Hindi are the state's official languages.

Culture: The folklore and folk culture of Gujarat can be traced to the
mythology of Krishna, an incarnation of the god Vishnu. Dances in honour of
Krishna have survived in the form of the popular folk dance, the 'garba'. A
folk drama, the 'bhavai', also has survived. Gujarat is also famous for its art
and craft products. Among the most durable and effective of the state's
cultural institutions are the trade and craft guilds known as 'mahajans', which
often solves disputes, acted as channels of philanthropy, and encouraged the
arts.

Occupation: Gujarat has an agricultural economy; the total crop area amounts to
more than one-half of the total land area. Dairy farming, primarily concerned
with milk production, is also a job sector. The state's textiles, petroleum,
cement, vegetable oil, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries are also highly
important. New industries include the production of fertilizers and
petrochemicals.


CLIMATE: The northwestern part of the state is dry, with less than 500 mm rain
a year. In the southern part of Gujarat, rainfall averages 2000 mm a year. In
winter, temperature average between 120 and 270 C, although freezing levels
have been recorded in the state. In the summer, temperatures average between
250 and 430 C and have been known to reach as high as 480 C. Best time to visit
is October to March.

Population: 50,596,992 as per the provisional results of the Census of India
2001.

Festivals: Kite Festival in January; Modhera Dance Festival in January; Rann
Festival in February/March; Bhavanath Fair at Junagadh in February-March;
Chitra Vichitra Fair in March; Dang Durbar in March; Janmashthami in August at
Dwarka; Bhadra Purnima at Ambaji in September; the three-day Tarnetar Fair in
September; Navratri festival in September; Shamlaji Fair in November; Vautha
Nomelo fair in November, near Ahmedabad; Somnath Fair in November/December.



Important Information
A devastating earthquake hit parts of Gujarat on January 26, 2001 and has
caused considerable loss of life and property. A few of the cities have been
been reduced to rubble, especially in the Kachchh region. Quite a few monuments
have also suffered damage. It is, therefore, advisable to find relevant
information before you set out to explore them.


Tourist Information Offices:
Gujarat Tourism Office: located in Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Surat

Gujarat Tourism, off Ashram Road, Ahmedabad
Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd., Airlines House, Lal Darwaja.

Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Bunder, Mumbai-
400 039

Toran Tourist Dormitory, Near Govt. Guest House, Dwarka.