|
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. Gujarat 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 in Gujarat. 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 of
Gujarat:
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 of
Gujarat:
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 Gujarati
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 of
Gujarat:
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 Gujarat'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 in
Gujarat: 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 in Gujrat.
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 OF
GUJARAT:
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 12° and 27° C, although
freezing levels have been recorded in the state. In the summer,
temperatures average between 25° and 43° C and have been known to
reach as high as 48° C. Best time to visit Gujrat is October to March.
Population in
Gujarat:
50,596,992 as per the provisional results of the Census of India
2001.
Festivals of
Gujarat:
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 about Gujarat
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.
|
