State of India - Gujarat

Area: 1,96,024 sq km

Population: 4,13,09,582

Capital Of City: Gandhinagar

Languages: Gujrati, Marathi, Hindi

How You Know:

History: The name 'Gujarat' is said to have been derived from the word Gujjar Rashtra - the land of Gujjars - an ancient tribe that entered India with the Huns and settled in western India. But the history of Gujarat goes back to 2000 BC. It is believed that Lord Krishna left Mathura to settle in Dwarka, the gateway, which coincides with the modern gujarat. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation was born in Porbandar, Gujarat. His famous Sabarmati ashram at Ahmedabad is the nation's pride. Gandhinagar, the capital city of modern gujarat is named after the Mahatma. It has been designed as an ideal township with well-laid out roads and colonies. The city is located next to the most famous city of the state, Ahemdabad. The famous Gir Lion Sanctuary is in Sasan, Gujarat. With its 300 + lions, sightings are almost guaranteed in the sanctuary. Gir is also the only sanctuary in the world, which has Asiatic lions and perhaps the only other place in the whole world except Africa, where one can see lions in their natural habitat. Gir also has around 200 leopards besides numerous chital, nilgai, chinkara, crocodiles, antelopes and wildboars. The not so far away temple of Somnath was once India's richest temple. Legend says, it was built by the moon god in gold, Ravana in silver, lord Krishna in wood and Bhimadeva in stone. As the news of the riches of the temple spread around the world, armies of plunderers came in. From Muhammad Ghazni to the Tuglaqs the temple was attacked over and over again but it was always restored to its former glory by devotees who refused to give up on it. The present form of the temple was commissioned by the national leader, Sardar Patel in the 1950s. The Shaking Minarets of Sidi Bashir's Mosque draw a lot of tourists. The two minarets are designed in such a way that if one is shaken, the other trembles as well. The Rabari tribes of the Bhuj district in Gujarat, are famous for their exotic dress and culture. The Madhavrai fair at Madhavpur near Porbandar, which celebrates the elopement and marriage of Lord Krishna and Rukmini, in April is a big event. But the biggest fair of the state falls on Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna Other tourist attractions of the state include - the sacred temples of Dwarka; Palitana, the mountain city of Jain temples; Udwada, the place where the oldest fire temple of the Parses in India is located and the even older site of Lothal with its 5,000 years old archaeological finds.