By Yashasvi Anika Tandon
I recently went on a trip to Gujarat, and I couldn’t resist sharing my adventurous tale with you. It might help you to plan your upcoming trip there.
The five places I visited were:
- Ahmedabad.
- Little Rann of Kutch.
- Gir Forest Reserve
- Somnath
- Diu
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad is a beautiful and vibrant city on the banks of the river Sabarmati. Ahmedabad is famous for textiles and handicrafts and is called the textile hub of India.
Sabarmati Ashram
This is the ashram where Gandhiji spent 12 years of his life -1918 to 1930 – after returning from South Africa.
Adalaj step well
Also known as Rudabai step well, the Adalaj step well is a beautiful monument with many steps leading to a well. The intricate carvings and patterns are simply picturesque!
Calico Museum of Textiles
This museum houses court textiles (carpets, cushion covers, etc, present in courts, in olden days), mainly from the Mughal era. A library containing textile techniques is present too.
Little Rann of Kutch
The Little Rann of Kutch is a vast scrub land. It is the only home of the Indian Wild Ass. A few bird species found there are pelicans, egrets, geese, and painted storks. A lot of salt manufacturing is done here too. If you look closely at the ground, you will see a white layer of salt on it.
3. Gir Forest Reserve
The Gir Forest Reserve is a vast area of forested land spread over 1,410.30 square kilometre. It is home to 674 Asiatic lions and is also its last natural habitat. Besides lions, jackals, leopards, nilgais, crocodiles, deer, owls, eagles, etc. There are 31 species of animals, 41 reptile species, 350 species of birds, and numerous insect species at Gir.
Lion image
4. Somnath
Somnath is one of the 12 jyotirlingas (12 most sacred temples of Lord Shiva) of Lord Shiv. It has a beautiful and intricately designed Shiv Temple. The Somnath Seashore is very clean, offering interesting camel and horse rides. There are numerous pigeons in the Somnath temple complex. Believe me, go visit Somnath once, the place is majestic!
5. Diu
Diu lies on the shore of the blue waters of the Arabian Sea. It is an Indo-Portuguese city with many tourist attractions.
a. INS Khukri – INS Khukri is a war memorial ship in Diu which gives you a full idea of what an Indian naval ship looks like, from inside as well as outside.
b. Diu Fort – The Diu Fort is a Fort built in AD 1535 by the Portuguese.
c. Ghoghla Beach- If you want to relax and blow off steam, Ghoghla Beach is the place! It is extremely clean, and the frothy waves keep caressing the sand gently.
Nagoa Beach
Want to enjoy some water sports? Go to Nagoa Beach! Lots of people cheering, having fun, and making sandcastles there!
Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple
Having 5 shivlings, this temple is believed to be made by the 5 pandavas. These 5 shivlings are totally submerged under water at high tide.
