ATTRACTIONS IN GUJARAT
Gujarat is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about 1,600 km is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some 196,024 km²; and the ninth-most populous state, with a population of 60.4 million.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue or known as the Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue standing at a height of 182 meters situated in the Indian state of Gujarat. The world’s tallest “Statue of Unity” is a pride of India and a decent honor to the fearless who undivided and integrated India, our precious Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The viewers’ gallery inside the statue is a prime attraction at the site located at the height of 135 meters. There are numerous other tourist attractions around apart from the Statue of Unity including the valley of flowers, natural beauty of the Satpura and Vindhyachal hill ranges
The intricately carved honey-coloured Somnath temple on the western edge of the state is believed to be the place where the first of the twelve holy jyotirlingas emerged in India – a spot where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. The temples lies at the meeting of Kapila, Hiran and Sarasvati rivers and the waves of the Arabian Sea ebb and flow touching the shore on which it is constructed. Colourful dioramas of the Shiva story line the north side of the temple garden, though it’s hard to see them through the hazy glass. A one-hour sound-and-light show in Amitabh Bachchan’s baritone highlights the temple nightly at 7.45pm
Gir National Park is the only place in the world outside Africa where a lion can be seen in its natural habitat. The lions of Gir are a majestic animal, averaging 2.75 metres in length, and with a bigger tail tassle, bushier elbow tufs and prominent belly folds than his African cousin which has larger mane. Gir is a home to 40 species of mammals and 425 species of birds.
The Lakshmi Vilas Palace ( Gujarati : લક્ષ્મી વિલાસ મહેલ)in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, was constructed by the Gaekwad family, a prominent Maratha family, who ruled the Baroda State. Major Charles Mant was credited to be the main architect of the palace. Lakshmi Vilas Palace was styled on the Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture, built by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in 1890 at a cost of £180,000 (₹27,00,000)
The Sun Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the solar deity Surya located at Modhera village of Mehsana district, Gujarat, India. It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima-I of the Chaulukya dynasty. No worship is offered now and is protected monument maintained by Archaeological Survey of India. The temple complex has three components: Gudhamandapa, the shrine hall; Sabhamandapa, the assembly hall and Kunda, the reservoir. The halls have intricately carved exterior and pillars. The reservoir has steps to reach the bottom and numerous small shrines.
Rani-ki-Vav, on the banks of the Saraswati River, stepwells are a distinctive form of subterranean water resource and storage systems, and have been constructed since the 3rd millennium BC. Designed as an inverted temple highlighting sanctity of water, it is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic quality; more than 500 principle sculptures and over a thousand minor ones combine religious, mythological and secular imagery, often referencing literary works. The fourth level is the deepest and leads into a rectangular tank 9.5 m by 9.4 m, at a depth of 23 m
The Great Rann of Kutch, is a large area of salt marshland located in the District of Kutch. The vast expanse is situated in the Thar Desert and is formed of salt marshes. Sunsets at the Great Rann of Kutch are a treat to the eyes after exploring the region. The region is divided into two parts, the Great Rann of Kutch and Little Rann of Kutch and comprises of massive deposits of salt in the desert. These deposits are known for producing a mirage, and many pilgrims have shared stories about witnessing optical illusion that seem as good as real.
The Akshardham temple is one of the biggest temples in India, dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan and was built by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The temple seeks to spread the teachings and philosophies of Lord Swaminarayan and is a centre of devotion, education and unification of the society as a whole. A lively laser water show combines the power of fireballs, fountain animations, multicolour lasers, 80 feet wide and 60 feet high water screen projections and music is an enriching experience which is a must see