#Gujarat is a state on the western coast of #India with the longest coastline, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula/ Its capital city is #Gandhinagar, while its largest city is #Ahmedabad. Gujarat is derived from the Sanskrit term Gurjaradesa, meaning “The Land of the Gujarat (also called Gujjars)”, who ruled Gujarat in the 8th and 9th centuries CE.[. The people are indigenous to the state, and the #Gujarati language is the state’s official. The early history of Gujarat reflects the imperial grandeur of Chandragupta Maurya who conquered a number of earlier states in what is now Gujarat.
Pushyagupta, a Vaishya, was appointed the governor of Saurashtra by the Mauryan regime. He ruled Girinagar (modern-day Junagadh) (322 BCE to 294 BCE) and built a dam on the Sudarshan lake. Emperor Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, not only ordered engraving of his edicts on the rock at Junagadh but asked Governor Tusherpha to cut canals from the lake where an earlier Mauryan governor had built a dam. Between the decline of Mauryan power and Saurashtra coming under the sway of the Samprati Mauryas of Ujjain, there was an Indo-Greek defeat in Gujarat of Demetrius.
In 16th century manuscripts, there is an apocryphal story of a merchant of King Gondaphares landing in Gujarat with Apostle Thomas. The incident of the cup-bearer torn apart by a lion might indicate that the port city described is in Gujarat Zoroastrians from Greater Iran migrated to the western borders of South Asia (Gujarat and Sindh) during the 8th or 10th century,[32] to avoid persecution by Muslim invaders who were in the process of conquering Iran. The descendants of those Zoroastrian refugees came to be known as the Parsi and are some of the most educated and prosperous communities in India.
Gujarat was one of the twelve original subahs (imperial top-level provinces) established by Mughal padshah (emperor) Akbar, with a seat at Ahmedabad. Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal Emperor who was better known by his imperial title Alamgir was born at Dahod, Gujarat. The Maratha Peshwa and their chieftains also ruled over the state. Gujarat is famous for its traditional clothing, food, and natural landscape. Asiatic lions, Rann of Kutch (White Desert), colorful handicrafts, festival and culture. One of India’s most prosperous states with per capita income is 40 percent higher than the national average.
Gujarat is a mineral-rich state with large reserves of oil and gas and produces the highest amount of crude oil in India. Historically, the north was known as Anarta, the Kathiawar peninsula, “Saurashtra”, and the south as “Lata”. Gujarat was also known as Pratichya and Varuna. # Tourists visiting Gujarat can enjoy the unique folk dances and some lip-smacking dishes of the state well-known all over the world. One of the much-loved Gujarati snacks is khandvi also known as Patuli or Dahivadi. Besides this other popular dishes are Gujarati Samosa, Aam Shrikhand, Gujarati Kadhi, Dhokla, Bardoli ki Khichdi, Methi ka Thepla, Dal Dhokli, and others.
Tourism in Gujarat is mostly attracted towards #Kutch famous for its handicrafts, hills, white deserts, beautiful virgin sea beaches, various forts, and above all Dholaveera, one of the five largest Harappan sites and among the most prominent archaeological sites in India belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization. Here are numerous places worth visiting in the state besides the popular ones these include numerous palaces, temples, and forts. Somnath temple and Dwarka temple are most famous though there are many Sufi shrines also. Though arid the state does have greenery that is home to a large variety of #flora and #fauna.
The state is the last citadel of Asiatic #lions in and around #gir forest. A prominent education and business bub it is well connected by rail, road, sea, and air with all major cities of India and the world. Tourism peaks in the state around the #festival of #Navratri when fairs and meals are organized across the state. The state is home to Father of the Nation #MahatmaGandhi, and there are numerous places worth visiting that are associated with him including Sabarmati ashram and Dandi. Gujarat is home to the world’s largest cooperative movement of #Amul which was started in Anand by Varghese Kurian. The state is a major industrial hub known for Diamonds in Surat and Petroleum in Jamnagar.
