Baroda
Vadodara or Baroda was the capital city
of an erstwhile princely state ruled by Gaekwads. Modern Baroda
is a beautiful city with its spacious parks, palaces, museums,
art galleries, temple, and abroad avenues. Baroda has an excellent
University and its Oriental Institute is quite famous. Baroda
Museum has rich collections of paintings by the old Masters.
Other places of tourist interest are Nazarbagh Palace, Makarpura
Palace, Lalbagh Palace, Lakshmivilas Palace, Maharaja Fatehsingh
Museum, Kirti Mandir and Planetarium.
Baroda has excellent rail, road and air connections with all
the major cities of the country. There are many private good
hotels and a Circuit House for visitor’s stay.
Surat
The port town ofSurat on the banks or river
Tapti, was once a major maritime and mercantile centre of Western
India. Surat is famous for silk, cotton and silver and gold
brocades. The French, the English and Dutch set up here their
trading ports in the 17th century just for these fabulous fabrics.
The name of tobacco ‘Surati’ is given because when
tobacco was first imported in India, it was kept in the godowns
of Surat. Today it very well boasts of a thriving diamond industry.
There are a number of old cemeteries, mosques, Hindu, Jam and
Parasi temples in Surat worth your visit. It is about 263 km.
north of Bombay and about 235 km. south of Ahmedabad and well
connected by road, rail and air with both the cities. Surat
has many good hotels and restaurants both of Western and Indian
styles.
Lothal
About 80 km. south of Ahmedabad towards
Velvadar is Lothal, a site of ancient Harappan Civilization
dating back to 22nd millennium B.C. Lothal is nothing short
of a centre of pilgrimage for those interest in history, archaeology
and ancient civilization. By road Lothal is just 80 km. from
Ahmedabad. Lothal Burkhi is the nearest railhead on the Ahmedabad
Bhavnagar railway line. There is a Gujarat Tourism’s Toran
Tourist Bungalow.
Nalsarovar
This famous bird sanctuary is 60 km. from
Ahmedabad by road. There is a lake called Na! Lake 116 sq.km.
in area. During Nov. and Feb. a wide range of indigenous and
migratory birds including flamingoes, ducks, gees, pelicans,
etc., can be seen. Besides the lakh there are Hinglaj and Burekh
temples worth visiting. The nearest railheads are Ahmedabad
and Viramgam. There is a forest lodge near the lake.
Somnath
One of the 12 most sacred Jyotirlingas
or Shiva temples in India, Somnath is that famous shrine broken
by Mahmud Ghazni during the 11th Century. The present shrine
called Mahamenu Prasad was reconstructed about 35 years ago
on the exact spot on the shores of Arabian Sea, where the original
temples was situated. The museum is said to contain the remains
of the ancient temple.
Nearly is Bhalka Teertha where Lord Krishna was mistaken for
a black buck and wounded by an arrow from a Bhil tribal named
Jara. A temple has been built here. Ahmedabad is 334 km. from
Somnath and 88 km. from Junagadh. This holy place is linked
with all the major places in the area by State Transport Buses.
It has very many Guest Houses, Dharamshalas and hotels for visitor’s
stay.
Junagadh
An ancient princely state steeped in legend
and myth, Jungagadh takes its name from the fort Upkar Fort
which enclosed the old city. The antiquity of Junagadh is evident
from Ashokan Edicts in Pali, dating back to 250 BC. Junagadh
has many palaces having antiques worth a fortune. Junagadh in
315 km. from Ahmedabad and well connected with Bombay by air,
road and rail links. Keshod, the nearest airport is 47 km. away.
Rajkot
This former capital of the princely state
of Rajkot is a charming town. The places of tourist interest
include Jubilee Garden,Watson Museum, Bal Bhawan, Gandhi No
Delo and Ramakrishna Temple. Gandhiji was a student here in
the Alfred High School. About 50 km. from here lays the Royal
Palace of Wankaner, now converted into a hotel and holiday resort.
The palace contains a rare collection of vintage cars. Rajkot
is 253 km. from Ahmedabad by rail via Giramagam on the Western
Railway. By air it is connected with Bombay and Delhi. There
are a number of private hotels and Government Circuit House,
etc. for visitor’s stay.
Dwarka
This town is of mythological importance
as it was the capital of Lord Krishna to where he had migrated
from Mathura region. The original Dwarka and four other succeeding
it, are supposed to have been submerged by the sea. The present
Dwarka is the sixth city on the site. It is a sacred place and
centre of pilgrimage for Hindus because of its association with
Lord Krishna. Here Lord Krishna’s birthday, Janmashthami
is celebrated with great religious fervor and gaiety. The famous
Dwarikadheesh Temple is a five storied massive edifice. This
temple is also known as Jagat Mandir and dates back to 2,500
years. By road Dwarka is 18 km. from Jamnagar, 238 km. from
Rajkot and 511 km. from Ahmedabad. It is also connected by rail
with Jamnagar, Porbandar and Ahmedabad. There are good many
hotels, lodges and dharamshalas.
Jamnagar
This capital of erstwhile state of Navanagar
was founded in 1540 by Jam Raval, a Rajput Chief. This land
has been quite fertile for cricketers. Ranjit Singh and Duleep
Singh were from this royal family. The Rajnit Institute of Poly-Radio
Therapy or the Solarium and the Ayurvedic University are its
chief tourist attractions.
Porbandar
107 km. from Junagadh is this town, famous
for being the birth place of our Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
The ancestral house of Gandhis, not far from the sea, is now
open to the public and nearby is Kirti Mandir which contains
a Gandhian Library. The memorial temple here has a 79 feet high
spire symbolizing Mahatma’ sage at the time of his assassination.
The temple is a fine fusion of Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jam
Christian and Parsi style of architecture in harmony with Gandhiji’s
belief in oneness of all religions. Other places of interest
are Nehru Planetarium and Arya Kanya Gurukul. This city is well
connected by air, rail and road with many big cities of the
region and Bombay, and has good many hotels, lodges, etc., for
visitor’s stay. There are Railway Ratiring Rooms as well.
Bhuj (Kachchh)
The capital of erstwhile state of Kachchh,
Bhuj is the Headquarter of the district and the most important
city of this region. Kachchh is famous the world over for its
sturdy horses, cows and the Bandhini (tie and dye) saris.
The Museums, Palaces, Cenotaphs, Lakes, colorful bazaars and
fascinating handicrafts make Bhuj a real paradise for visitors.
Bhuj is 411 km. from Ahmedabad via Rajkot by road. It is also
linked with Ahmedabad by rail. There is a direct fight to Bhuj
from Bombay. There are many good hotels and a Circuit House
for visitor’s stay.
