Introduction

Gujarat is a state in Western India and in the north east it borders Pakistan and Rajasthan. It is surrounded by the Arabian Sea in southwest and in the west. The people of Gujarat mainly depend on small scale industry and on agriculture. The river Chenab cuts its way through this state. The people here are mostly Gujaratis and so they speak Gujarati. Beside these language people also speak Hindi, English, Marwari and Urdu. Gujarat is famous for its furniture. The fine clay is used to make the quality of pots. Gujarat is also the large exporter of rice. Gujarat is also called the "Land of the Legends".

Places of attraction for the tourist

1. Saputara- It is a beautiful hill station in Gujarat and attracts lots of tourist every year for its natural beauty and its greenary. It is located very near to the city of Surat. The climate here is very cool and pleasant and had a good scenic view. Saputara is surrounded by thick forest and there are many small tribal villages around Saputara. It has now become the best hill station of Gujarat where one could get to see museum, hotels, parks, swimming pool, theatres and also can enjoy the boating.

2. Udwada- It is situated in the district of Valsad. It is a place of worship. The Parsi community constructed the first Fire Temple in 1742 in Udwada, Gujarat.

3. Tulsi Shyam- It is situated in the centre of Gir forest and lies in the Junagadh District. It attracts tourist for the Hot spring which is present here. It is a temple of Lord Krishna.

4. Pavagadh- It is a hill top where the temple of goddess Kali is situated. The Hindus visit the temple. The temple is opened early and is closed quite late. Many rest houses are situated around the temple for the pilgrims. One can also enjoy the ride of the ropeway here.

5. Dwarka- It is situated in the district of Jamnagar in Gujarat state. It is also the home of Lord Krishna. It is considered the seven most holy places of Hindus. The Dwarkadeesh Temple is situated here. The temple has two doors. The doors from which the pilgrims enter are called "Swarga Dwar" and the door from where the pilgrims exit is known as "Moksha Dwar". Another temple known as Rukmini Temple is also situated here. One has to reach the temple by boat through Gomati River which passes from Dwarka.

6. Somnath- Here the temple of Lord Shiva is situated. It is one of the Jyortirlinga Temples. Muslim Invaders destroyed the temple many times. The temple is situated on the shore of the sea. The architecture of the temple shows the style of Chalukyas.

7. Other spots for tourist- Gujarat have many tourist spots. Tourist also visit the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi which is at Porbandar, one could get to see many old pictures of Gandhiji and its equipment here. Hriday Kunj the ashram of Gandhiji, Gir Forest, Beaches in Ahmedpur, Architectural Monument. The famous lion sanctuary is situated in Gujrat. In the district of Kachchh one could also visit the Wild Ass Sanctuary.

Climate

Gujarat remains dry almost throughout the year. the winters are mild and pleasant. But the summers are very hot and hot winds blow during summers which become very difficult for the people. Gujarat receives heavy rainfall which sometimes leds to flood to some parts of Gujarat. But the desert areas remain dry.

Transportation

Gujarat is well connected with rail, roadways and the airways. Gujarat has both Domestic and International Airport. The Domestic airports are in Vadodara, Surat, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Kachchh and Bhavnagar. The International Airport is at Ahmedabad and is known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The busiest railway station is Vadodara station. Other important railway stations are Surat, Ahmedabad and Rajkot station. It also has local road transport system which serves to the neighbouring countries and local areas. Autorickshaw is mainly used in Gujarat.

Food and Culture Gujarat

The people of Gujarat are mainly vegetarian. So one can find vegetarian dishes in most restaurants of Gujarat. Gujarati thali is available in most restaurants which include dal, sabzi, rice, pickle, kadi, and sweet. Gujarati dishes are mixing of spices, salt and sweet. Dhokla, fafra, jalebi and buttermilk are the daily food cooked in most houses of Gujarat.

Gujarat is a land of vibrant colors. Here people enjoy the festival with full heart. Gujarati folk music is famous world wide. The place is famous for raas garba which is a folk dance performed during the time of "Navaratri" festival by the people of Gujarat. On this day the women wear "chania choli" and the men wore "kedia". People here also celebrate "Makar Sankranti "and fly kites on this day. A special dish is cooked by the people of Gujarat on this day with all vegetables known as "Undhiyu". People here also celebrate the "Janmashtami" the birthday of Lord Krishna. The temple of Dwarkadeesh is decorated beautifully on this day and lots of people gathered here.

Hotels and accomodation

Many small and luxury hotels are available in Gujarat. Before visiting the place it is necessary for everyone to book the hotel. Many Hotels are situated around the beaches from where you could enjoy the Arabian Sea. Other hotels are situated in almost all parts of Gujarat. The hotels are provided with good facility where you could enjoy the special dishes of Gujarat. Gujarat Tourism is very speciliazed in bookings hotel which could save your money. You can also book hotels online by mentioning the date of your stay and your departure from the hotel.

Handicrafts of Gujarat

Gujarat is rich in handicrafts items. Gujarat zari work is very famous. The jewellery, the saris and thestone embedded work are popular all over the world. A silk sari worn by women called "Patola" is very expensive and hand embroidery is done to do different patterns and design which gives a rich look to the sari. Other handicrafts items are bead work, inlay work, embroidery which is done by the people of Gujarat with the small round pieces of stone fitted in the cloth and a special Gujarati stitch is done to hold the mirror. Bangles with ivory work are very famous.