Ahmedabad

Known as the Manchester of the East because of textile mills located in the city, Ahmedabad is the biggest city in the state of Gujarat and the seventh largest metropolitan city in India. It has become a popular tourist destination with many places of interest in and around the city.

Ahmedabad is the most thriving city in west India after Mumbai. Ahmedabad, also known as Karnavati or Amdavad, is located on the banks of the Sabarmati River, about 30 km south of Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat. The city is an excellent balance between the old and the new. There are many world class educational institutions, industries and a refreshing take on art and culture in the city.

The exquisite architecture based on Hindu and Islamic styles, is a major attraction in Ahmedabad. In recent years, the city has become a hotspot for medical tourism with medical facilities available at low cost.

Gandhi Ashram is probably the most important social and cultural place in Ahmedabad. A place of pilgrimage for Gandhians and pacifists, the Ashram was set up by Gandhiji in 1917. It was the headquarters of Indian freedom struggle.

The Bhadra Fort is probably the most popular attraction in Ahmedabad. The royal fort was built in 1411 by Sultan Ahmad Shah. The tricolour is hoisted during Republic Day and Independence Day atop the fort.

There are many religious places of worship in Ahmedabad like the Swaminarayan Temple in Dariapur along with many mosques like the Ahmed Shah Mosque and the Jama Masjid.

There are some popular gardens in Ahmedabad which are worth a visit like the Law Garden, Bal Vatika and Victoria Garden. The Kamla Nehru Zoological Park is a good place for a day trip.

There are a few lakes in Ahmedabad like the man-made Kankaria Lake located in Maninagar, the biggest lake in Ahmedabad. The lake is lit up beautifully during the annual week-long Kankaria Carnival.

Ahmedabad is a paradise for vegetarian food lovers. Most of the restaurants serve vegetarian fare as Gujaratis are mostly vegetarians. Gujarati ‘thalis’ cooked in authentic Gujarati style offer a mouthwatering variety of rice, rotli, vegetable curry called ‘shaak’. There is an assortment of Indian bread in the form of rotli, thepla, puri, bhakri and puran-pohli. Gujarati is also a street-food paradise. Snacks like dhokla, khaman, fafda and undiyu are worth trying.

Surat

The third cleanest city in India, Surat is the fastest growing city in the country and the second largest city in Gujarat. It is known by many names like the diamond capital of India, textile capital of India, Manchester of India and Embroidery capital of India.

A prominent town since medieval times, Surat stands on the bank of Tapi River. According to a study, Surat is among the three cities that will soon become global cities.

Over 90 per cent of the world’s diamonds are cut and polished in Surat. It is also a flourishing textile centre. The business town is home to some of the largest textile mills in India and it is known for producing good quality cotton, silks and muslin.

It was the primary port of India during the Mughal rule but lost that distinction to Bombay in the 17th century as the East India Company gained control over the port.

The strategic position of Surat on the west coast of India and its prosperity made it a pawn in the game of one-up man ship between the various colonial powers in India.

The ancient Chintanmani Temple in the city has great religious importance for people in Gujarat. The temple is popular for its exquisite carvings on wood and drawings done with vegetable dyes.

The most popular attraction of the city of Surat is the fort built by Sultan Mahmud III in the 16th century.

Palitana Temples

Counted among the important sacred pilgrimages for Jains, the Palitana temples are dedicated to Jain Thirthankars. Located at Palitana in Gujarat the temples numbering around 900 were built over a period of 900 years.

The main temple is dedicated to Lord Rishabdev, the first Tirthankar. The temples were built in two phases. The first phase dates back to the 11th and 12th century AD.

Mystery surrounds as to who built the stunning temples. It is said a wealthy businessmen built these temples. It is also believed that 23 Jain Tirthankars consecrated the temples by their visit.

The temples are divided into nine separate wings; each wing houses a central temple and with minor temples surrounding it. They are grouped in systematic groupings with variation in height and space.

The temples have four doors so that the idols are visible from all sides.

The larger temples have marble halls with towers and plenty of openings. They are surrounded with high fortified walls. One can also get to see many small temples of about three square feet with Jain emblem. The interiors of the temple have carved ceilings with geometrical lace designs.

Majority of the temples are located on the Shatrunjaya hills. Pilgrims climb over 3000 stairs to pay a visit to 853 temples situated at a height of 603 meters. The hills are believed to have the largest concentration of temples anywhere in the world.

Adinath temple, Vimal Shah temple, Saraswatidevi temple, Narsinh  Kesharji temple and the Samavasaran temple are the temples known for their architectural splendours.

The ‘Chha Gau Teerth Yatra’ is an auspicious festival which falls during February-March. On the festival day, devotees circumambulate the Shatrunjaya hills covering a distance of 216 km.

Somnath Temple

The most sacred among the 12 jyotirlings in India, Somnath Temple is located in Veraval region of Junagadh district. Somnath means ‘Lord of Moon’ and the town gets its name from the Somnath Temple

According to legend, Som, the Moon God built the Somnath Temple from gold, Ravan made it from silver, Lord Krishna made the temple from wood and King Bhimdev of Anhilwad made the temple from stone.

Som constructed the temple out of respect after Lord Shiva cured his illness that was caused by Som’s father-in-law Daksha Prajapati’s curse. Daksha Prajapati had cursed Som as he was infatuated with Rohini and was not paying adequate attention to his other 26 wives who were all daughters of Prajapti. It is believed that Lord Brahma advised Som to build the temple to honor Lord Shiva.

The Somnath Temple is the seventh temple built to commemorate Lord Somnath, who was also known as Bhairaveshwar, Shravanikehswar and Shrilingeshwar, in Sat Yug, Treta Yug and Dwapar Yug respectively.

Earlier known as ‘Prabhas Patan’, the town remains a quintessential pilgrim town. The temple has been built at the tip of the landmass in Gujarat and no land exists between the temple and the South Pole. The temple is also believed to be the place where the holy river Saraswati meets the sea.

The temple is built in Solanki style. The sabha mandap (assembly hall), sanctum sanctorum (innermost shrine) and the shikhar (top) was built in the first phase followed by the nritya mandap (dancing hall). The apex of the temple reaches a height of 155 ft and the kalash (pot) on top weighs 10 tons. The temple was razed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025 AD.

Somnath is mentioned in the Puranas and the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. Lord Krishna is believed to have been shot in the foot with an arrow in the region. The Yadav community, the descendents of Lord Krishna, is said to have fought among them and caused the downfall of the entire community in this region.

After the integration of Junagadh with the Union of India, the then Deputy PM of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited Junagadh in November 1947 and ordered the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple.

The ruins of the Somnath Temple were pulled down in October 1950 and the mosque was shifted a few miles away. The temple was built in 1951. A statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stands in front of the temple as a mark of honour for his contribution to the building of the temple.

The Somnath Temple is visited by millions of devotees every year. It is not just the temple, but other tourist attractions like Somnath Museum, Somnath beach and Junagadh Gate also attract visitors. The Sound and Light Show held in the temple is another attraction.

Rameswaram

A major Hindu pilgrimage Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu is home to one of the 12 jyotirlings. Situated on the Pamban Island, Rameshwaram is famous for its history and temples.

Rameswaram is situated on a small island in the Gulf of Mannar. It is connected to the mainland by road and railway bridges. Rameswaram comes from the word Rameswar, literally the god of Ram.

A renowned pilgrimage centre, it is visited by lakhs of pilgrims every year. Second only to Kashi Vishwanath temple, it is said that worshipping the Ramanathswamy temple at Rameshwaram guarantees salvation.

Rameswaram finds mention in India’s greatest epic, the Ramayan. Lord Ram built the bridge to Sri Lanka from Rameswaram. Ravan was slain in battle here and Lord Ram atoned for slaying Ravan by praying to Shiva here. Pilgrims often pray for the salvation of their ancestors here.

The town houses one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, believed to have been built by Sita. Sri Ramanathswamy temple is the main attraction of the town. Rameswaram, along with Dwarka  and Badrinath form the four Char Dhams and it was mandatory for Hindus to perform the pilgrimage atleast once.

Rameswaram was an important ferry port between India and Sri Lanka. However, the service ceased after the Tamil uprising and the downturn in relations between the two countries. Thousands of Tamils fleeing Lanka, landed on the Rameswaram coast at the height of civil war in the island nation.

Beaches located near Rameswaram are ideal to unwind. Dhanushkodi, where Bay of Bengal meets the Indian Ocean, offers magnificent seascapes. Locals call Bay of Bengal as Penn Kadal or the female sea and the Indian Ocean as the Aaan Kadal or the male sea. Jeeps and four-wheel drives operated by locals are the only option to visit the land’s end. If interested, jump on a boat to view the splendid corals. But do check out the condition of the boats.

India’s 11th president and eminent scientist Dr A P J Abdul Kalam was born in Rameswaram and had his early education here.

Rameswaram is an important fishing centre of Tamil Nadu. The town is famous for its dry fish.

Along with handicrafts, one can buy showpieces made up of seashells, beads and palm leafs etc.

Chidambaram

Chidambaram temple dedicated to Nataraja, the cosmic dancer considered the lord of dancers, is situated in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. Considered one of the ancient Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, Chidambaram is among the five Panchbhooytha Sthala or Shiva representing five elements which constitutes human beings.

The other temples which represent the natural elements are Kanchi Ekambareswara (earth), Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara (water), Kalahasti Nathar (wind) and Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswara (fire).

Also known as ‘Thillai’ as the place was originally the forest of Thillai. It is believed that the forest had a lotus pond on the banks of which sages including Patanjali are believed to have meditated.

The most prominent attraction of the city is the Nataraja temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is venerated as the cosmic dancer Nataraja. Unlike other Shiva temples, Chidambaram doesn’t have a Shiv lingam, instead it has Shiva as the dancer.

Besides the Nataraja temple, two other temples in the city are known for their religious and archaeological importance. The temples are Thillai Kali Amman temple and Ayyapan temple.

Chidambaram is also known for the Annamalai University, one of the Asia’s largest public residential universities. It is famous for its research in Tamil studies, Tamil music, mass literacy programmes and vocational training.

Tourist visits to the temple increases during March when then Natyanjali Dance Festival is held. Held inside the temple complex, the festival is a tribute to Lord Shiva, the lord of the dancers. Eminent dancers from across the world participate in the festival.

Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

Situated in Nizamuddin area of Delhi, the tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya is among the popular Sufi mausoleums in the country. Second in popularity only to that of Hazrat Moinuddin Chisti, the mausoleum complex also houses tombs of poet Amir Khusro and Shah Jahan’s daughter and princess consort Jehan Ara Begum.

Hazrat Nizamuddin was a famous saint of the Sufi Chishti Order which has a large following in the Indian subcontinent. He was a spiritual successor of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. His full name was Hazrat Shaikh Khwaja Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya and was honoured with titles like Sultan-ul-Mashaikh, Mehboob-e-Ilahi. Considered fifth amongst the big five of the Chisti order in India, the Auliya was born in 1238 and breathed his last on April 3, 1325.

The mausoleum of revered Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya is visited by thousands of devotees not only by Muslims but also of other faiths. The saint’s followers included prince and the paupers. Many of Delhi’s sultans including Muhammad Tughlaq and Ala-ud-din Khilji were devotees of the Sufi saint.

The structure consists of a square chamber surrounded by verandahs, which are pierced by arched openings. The dome on top of the tomb is decorated by vertical stripes of black marble and is crowned by a lotus-cresting.

Faith in Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya can be gauged from the fact that many prominent personalities lie buried close to the saint. Amir Khusro lies in eternal sleep at the foot of his master. Shah Jahan’s daughter and Emperor Aurangzeb’s elder sister also lies buried inside the tomb complex.

Some of the other structures inside the mausoleum complex are the Jama’at- Khana Masjid, Chini Ka Burj, Mirza Ghalib’s Tomb, Kalan-Masjid, Khan-I-Jahan Tilangani’s Tomb, Ataga Khan’s Tomb, Chaunsath Khamba, Lal-Mahal, Khan-I-Khanan’s Tomb and Barapula.

Qawwali recitals are held every Thursday after the evening prayers. Twice every year, the festival of 'Urs' is celebrated to commemorate the death anniversaries of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro.