Somnath Trip – 2 : Tourist places in Somnath

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Dear Friends,

Somnath is a glittering tourist spot and a holy place of pilgrimage in Gujarat on the western coast of India. The glorious Somnath temple of Lord Shiva stands in magnificence facing the Arabian Sea.

Somnath is also known as Prabhas Patan somnath, as the Somnath Temple is situated in the town earlier known as Prabhas or Prabhas Patan. Somnath is only 6  kms from Veraval, a small port city on the coastal area of Saurashtra in Gujarat.

Somnath is an ancient place of pilgrimage which has links with two great Hindu deities – Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna.

Somnath is known for its Lord Shiva (Mahadev) temple with a Jyotirlinga. Friends! Some of you might be knowing that a Jyotirlinga is a swaroop (form) of Bhagawan Shiva with divine radiance. There are only 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Bhagawan Shiva in India. Somnath is the place where Lord Krishna breathed his last and left for his heavenly abode. Thus, Bhagawan Krishna spent the last phase of his Avataar at Somnath.

The main places to visit in Somnath are-

• The Somnath Temple.
• NijDham Prasthan Tirth is a complex also known as Golok Dham or Dehotsarga. The vast complex contains Bhagawan Shri Krishna Charan Paduka, Gita Mandir, Balaram Dauji Sheshanag Cave and Lakshmi Narayan Temple.
• Parshuram Mandir- Jalprabhas Kund- Jaleshwar Mahadev.
• Triveni Sangam Ghat (the confluence of three rivers- Hiranya, Kapila and Saraswati).
• BhalkaTirth.
• ShashiBhushan Mahadev temple – Bhid Bhanjan Ganeshaji temple.
• The Somnath Beach.

Somnath Temple proudly stands facing the Arabian Sea. From the temple premises, you can watch the waves of the Arabian Sea dashing against the high boundary walls of the great Somnath temple.

It’s a beautifully constructed, huge temple and one feels very humble in front of it. If you visit it early morning, while the temple is adored by the morning rays and the enchanting soothing breeze, with the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea and the endless bluish sky adding to the glory, the confluence of the man’s vision and the Creator’s charisma would so charm you that you will simply be spell-bound. May be you are a theist or an atheist, you will be lost!

You have to visit Somnath to believe it! You need to visit Gujarat to enjoy Khushboo Gujarat ki!

We will continue our Somnath trip in the next letter . . .

With all good wishes,

GujTourist11.

Somnath Trip – Part 1 (Saurashtra – Gujarat tour)

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Dear friends,

Some of you have requested information on Saurashtra and western region of Gujarat.

The western region of Gujarat is enriched with many interesting tourist places. There are wide range of ancient and religious tourist places as well as beautiful beaches and other tourist spots.

The main tourist attractions in Saurashtra – Kutch region include Shatrunjay Tirth -  Palitana, Chotila, Junagadh – Girnar hills, Gir forest, Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary, Porbandar, Dwarka, Dhola Vira, Rann of Kutch (Desert of Kutch) and many others.

One, who is a hardy tourist and wants to see everything, may spend a fortnight in this region. If you wish to spend 3 to 5 days of vacation, Saurashtra is a very ideal region. One must remember that ‘five star’ facilities are almost non-existent. But a smart guy may find decent stay and food at affordable rates.

Some tourists cover both Somnath and Dwarka in four days. Fine. You may choose only selective places.

A tourist may choose from a variety of tour plan options. Go towards Junagadh - Somnath region and plan for 5 to 7 days holidays.  Or go to Dwarka side for 2 – 3 days. Or travel to cover Kutch attractions for 2 – 3 days. It all depends upon what you wish to see, and hence where you wish to spend how much  of time. It’s your choice, your preference, your decision.

Somnath can be reached by an overnight journey (about 8 hours) by train from Ahmedabad. Trains from other states also have direct links with Somnath. These trains have AC and Non-AC sleeper coaches. Buses are available from all over the state to reach Somnath.

Somnath is approximately 400 kms – by road- from Ahmedabad. The Ahmedabad – Somnath road route (via Limbdi- Rajkot- Gondal- Virpur - Jetpur- Junagadh) is preferred, thanks to the excellent road conditions (Be aware: Road repairs are going on presently).

The best way to tour Somnath region is to hire your own car or minibus.

Reputed tours and travel operators offer rental four wheelers for hire in Ahmedabad or Rajkot. One can find such tours / travel operators on the NET and cars, minibus and buses can be rented on-line also. We will continue our discussions on Somnath trip . . . .

With best wishes,

GujTourist11

Amazing Facts about Gujarat

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Dear Friends,

How amazingly unique Gujarat is! Read these amazing facts about Gujarat.

• Gujarat state was formed on 1^st May, 1960.
• Gandhinagar, near Ahmedabad, is the capital city of Gujarat. Gandhinagar is adjudged the Greenest Capital city in India.
• Mahatma Gandhi (the Father of the Nation) and Sardar Patel (the Iron Man of India), the great leaders of Indian freedom movement, belonged to Gujarat. Jamshedji Tata, the father of Indian industry, had family roots in Gujarat. The well-known modern industrialist of India, Dhirubhai Ambani, hailed from Gujarat.
• Gujarat lies in the western region of India. Pakistan lies on the west of Gujarat. Thus, Gujarat has a common international border with Pakistan.
• Areawise, Gujarat is the seventh largest state in India. Gujarat is the 10^th among the most populous states in India. Gujarat accounts for 5% of the population of India.
• With an area of nearly 2 lakh square km, Gujarat is double the size of Austria, Hungary or Portugal – the countries of Europe. Gujarat is nearly as big as the state of Nebraska or South Dakota in America (USA).
• With the population of nearly 60 million people, Gujarat is nearly as populated as France or Italy in Europe. The population of Gujarat is about six times that of Georgia, the American president Barack Obama’s home state in the US.
• Gujarat shares common borders with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra; all these three states are the largest states of India.
• When India won its independence in 1947, Gujarat was a part of the state of Bombay (Brihad Mumbai Rajya). Few may know that Saurashtra was a separate, independent state at that time. In 1960, the Bombay state was bifurcated into two states- Maharashtra and Gujarat. Thus, Gujarat state was formed on 1^st of May 1960 and Saurashtra was merged into Gujarat. Ahmedabad was made the capital of Gujarat. Later on, Gandhinagar, the new capital city was developed some 30 km from Ahmedabad city. Around 1970, .Gandhinagar became fully functional as the capital of Gujarat.
• Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot are the largest cities of Gujarat. Ahmedabad and Surat are among the ten most populated cities in India. Surat and Ahmedabad are among the fastest growing cities in India.
• Gujarat is the only state to have twelve functional, operating airports.
• Four out of five richest Indians have family roots in Gujarat. ( in terms of net worth values, as per a Forbes report 2013)
• Gujarat accounts for nearly one-fourth of India’s total banking business.
• Gujarat ranks high among all the states of India in the fields of petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and textiles.
• Gujarat, the last abode of the Asiatic lions, enjoys the lion’s share in the production of milk, salt and soda ash!
• Gujarat has more than 18000 villages. Almost all of them have electricity supply. More than 95% of them have all-season road connectivity.
• Gujarat is the only state in India which boasts of surplus in generation of electricity. Gujarat is a top ranked state in the use of renewable energy resources.
• Gujarat is known for its political stability and social security. Gujarat has one of the lowest crime rates in India. Labour unrest is not heard of in Gujarat.
• Gujarat is a center of attraction for the commerce and industry.
• Gujarat is paradise for the tourists. Gujarat has plenty of picnic spots, excursion centres and places of tourist attractions with historical, religious or geographical importance. Tourism in Gujarat has tremendous potential. Gujarat tourism can contribute significantly to Indian tourism.
• Sixteen sites in India have been selected as the ‘Biosphere Reserves’ as per the UNESCO programme. Kutch from Gujarat is one of them.
• Gir forest ( Gir Lion National Sanctuary or Sasan Gir National Park) near Junagadh in Gujarat is the abode of Asiatic Lions. Lions are found only in Asia and Africa in the world. Now in India, the Gir forest (Gujarat) is the last and only place where Asiatic lions are found.
• Sabarmati, Narmada, Tapi and Mahi are the main rivers of Gujarat.
• Hinduism and Islam are the major religions. Followers of Christianity, Jainism, Sikhism and Zorostrian are also found in large numbers in Gujarat.

Aren’t these facts about Gujarat amazing?

With best wishes,

GujTourist11.

Tourist attractions in Gujarat

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Dear Friends,

You must have thought a lot about Gujarat tourism. You might have pondered over: Why should tourists visit Gujarat? Which are the tourist spots in Gujarat? Which tourist places make Gujarat stand out in India? How tourism can develop in Gujarat?

Gujarat is a land of varied geographical features, ancient history, rich heritage and colourful culture. Hence Gujarat has many places of tourist attractions. Today I mention a few of them.

(1) North Gujarat Region

This region of Gujarat has a number of well-known tourist spots or pilgrimage places. Some of them are mentioned below.

• ·         Ambaji
• ·         Siddhapur
• ·         Patan
• ·         Modhera
• ·         Idar
• ·         Vijaynagar (Polo)
• ·         Shamlaji

 (2) Central Gujarat Region

This region of Gujarat has a number of well-known tourist spots or pilgrimage places. Some of them are mentioned below.

• ·         Ahmedabad
• ·         Mahudi
• ·         Taranga Hills
• ·         Dakor
• ·         Nal Sarovar
• ·         Lothal (Harappa Civilization relics)

 (3) West Gujarat – Saurashtra Region

This region of Gujarat has a number of well-known tourist spots or pilgrimage places. Some of them are mentioned below.

• ·         Chotila
• ·         Junagadh – Mount Girnar
• ·         Sasan – Gir
• ·         Gir Forest
• ·         Gir Sanctuary – Lion national Park
• ·         Somnath
• ·         Shetrunjay – Palitana
• ·         Porbandar
• ·         Dwarka – Bet-Dwarka
• ·         Kutch

 (4) South Gujarat Region

This region of Gujarat has a number of well-known tourist spots or pilgrimage places. Some of them are mentioned below.

• ·         Vadodara
• ·         Pavagadh
• ·         Kayavarohan
• ·         Shukla tirth– Kabir wad
• ·         Surat – Dumas beach
• ·         Tithal
• ·         Saputara

Tourist attractions around Gujarat

Gujarat shares boundaries with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. There are interesting tourist places around Gujarat. They are easily accessible from Ahmedabad.

Diu and Daman are famous tourist spots adjoining the Gujarat border. Both Diu and Daman were under the Portuguese rule when India gained independence. Today they are independent union territories. Diu and Daman are known for their beaches.

Mount Abu, Udaipur and Nathdwara–Shrinathaji are the tourist attractions in Rajasthan.

Indore, Mandu and Panchamadhi in Madhya Pradesh are popular among tourists.

Mumbai, Pune, Lonavla, Mahabaleshwar and Shirdi in Maharashtra attract millions of tourists.

I hope, friends, this information will be useful to you.

All the best!

GujTourist11.

Gujarat Tourism is being redefined

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Dear Friends,

I am happy to learn that you love Gujarat so much. Though you have settled on foreign land, your native place is so close to your heart. I am glad to know that you, being Gujarati, wish to contribute to the growth and development of Gujarat. When Gujarat prospers, our motherland, India, will certainly prosper.

You wish to begin with tourism, right?

You are settled in different countries. But if your group makes well-directed efforts, you can certainly redefine tourism in Gujarat. Though lot of information on Gujarat is available in print and on the Net, I shall be pleased to lend a hand in your efforts. I can keep you informed on recent developments here. I can also keep you briefing on the fresh perspectives of different topics and issues of your interest.

I shall present my views, experiences and the subject information in such a lucid way that you can grasp them easily. Take note of all the points and compile all data. You discuss and decide what to project and when. Present the right matter powerfully to the right audience at the right time.

As you know, friends, Gujarat is a fast developing state in India. Rapid progress of Gujarat is a matter of pride for India, our motherland. Gujarat has gained a respectful position at the international level. Gujarat’s fast pace of development is being noticed by the United Nations (UN),  the United States of America (USA) as well as other organizations and countries globally. Western countries take note of the development in Gujarat.  Countries like UK, France and Germany in Europe and eastern countries like Japan and Korea are viewing progress of Gujarat with great interest. Gujarat has been in limelight now.

All the factors have led to Tourism boom in Gujarat. If Gujarat tourism thrives, Indian tourism will also come to life. Not only Gujarat will be vibrant, the whole India will be vibrant and shining. Friends! Isn’t it a matter of pride for all of us, for all the Indians?

Gujarat tourism industry is gaining momentum. Gujarat tourism is all set to scale new heights in near future. Government of Gujarat, under the stewardship of Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has taken tourism in Gujarat with all seriousness. You might have noticed, friends, aggressive promotion of Gujarat tourism with towering personality of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is a welcome sign. As rightly mentioned by you, the superstar Amitabh Bachchan has done a great job as the brand ambassador of Gujarat tourism. Hope it continues to work. TV campaigns promoting tourist attractions in Gujarat (Somnath, Ambaji, Saputara and Kutch- to name a few) are dazzling. Invitation to travel Gujarat by Amitabh Bachchan is appealing to viewers. All the efforts are yielding results. As such, Gujarati people are known for hospitality. Tourists from all over India and also from several countries of the world are now thronging to Gujarat. This is a good beginning. But still Gujarat tourism has a long way to go. Lot of work needs to be done at all the levels. Bureaucrats, officials, tourism agencies and all concerned with the tour and travel business in Gujarat will have to change mentality and attitudes. They will have to make dedicated and focused efforts. They need to co-ordinate well, synchronize machineries and review the results in all earnestness.

Gujarat has the longest sea coast among all the states of India. What a boosting factor it can be for tourism in Gujarat!

Gujarat has proved its mettle in every field of economy. Commerce and industries in Gujarat are flourishing extraordinarily. Tourism can contribute substantially to the growth of the state. There are plenty of tourist spots in Gujarat. There are innumerable places of tourist interest all over Gujarat. Few of them are known, many others are little known. Most of them are in utter negligence. Time is ripe to redefine Gujarat tourism.

Let us look forward to Gujarat tourism – redefined!

All best wishes! 

GujTourist11.

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