Gujarat has been reclaimed in the tourism map of India since the day they chose Amitabh Bachhan as their brand ambassador. I had nurtured the idea of a visit to this state for quite some time, however, for some reason or the other, the plan was not materializing. Hence, when my friend Rajani proposed a trip in December as a part of GHAC Travel & Leisure itinerary, I jumped at the opportunity.
Our trip began on Dec 19 when Rajani and me boarded the 17018 Rajkot Express from Secunderabad station at 3 pm. The train reached Ahmedabad next day at 2.15 pm (only 15 min delay). We took an auto to our ‘Hotel Aaram Orchard’. On the way, we crossed the famous Sabarmati river. Post lunch and freshening up, we started for our sightseeing. First stop was “Adalaj ni vav” or Adalaj Stepwell which is a stunning example of Indo-Islam fusion architecture work. It was built by the Hindu queen Rani Roopba with help from neighbouring Muslim ruler King Mehmud Begada. The structure is five stories deep, octagonal in plan, built on intricately carved pillars. It was a great place for architectural photography.
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| Some water still at the base |
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| Intricate carvings |
After that we went to Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram near Sabarmati river. In a peaceful, shady grounds on the Sabarmati River’s west bank, this ashram was Gandhi’s headquarters from 1917 to 1930 during the long struggle for Indian independence. It’s said he chose this site because it lay between a jail and a cemetery, and any satyagrahi (nonviolent resister) was bound to end up in one or the other. Gandhi’s poignant, spartan living quarters are preserved, and there’s a museum that presents a moving and informative record of his life and teachings. We saw Gandhi’s house, his famous charka and purchased some memorabilia.
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| Gandhi's statue inside the ashram |
Next we went to the Kankaria Lake which is about 19 km from the place. It was a sprawling area with hi amusement parks, toy trains, food court and balloon ride. This is actually very similar to our Necklace road with an added attraction of Hot Air Baloon Ride. Unfortunately due to lack of time, we couldn't take a ride.
Next morning, we left our hotel around 8.30 for Lothal Harappan excavation. Lothal was one of the most prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization. First we went to the Lothal Museum which has in display fragments of this well-ordered civilization, such as intricate seals, weights and measures, games and jewellery. statues were all very exciting as many of these I have seen as pictures in my school history book. We watched a short documentary on the Harappan civilization. Then we shopped some earrings and a fortune tree made by stone beads hand polished by local artisans. Post that we went to the excavation site - acropolis, dockyard, well, granary, 6 toilets and 4 baths.
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| Signboard at the entry of the excavation site |
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| Archaeological remains |
Then we started for Velveder National Park. On the way we stopped at Honest restaurant for Kathiawadi lunch - bajra roti and gujarati vegetable curry. We reached the sanctuary around 4 pm. This beautiful, off-the-beaten-track, 34-sq-km park, 65 km north of Bhavnagar, encompasses large areas of pale, custard-coloured grassland stretching between two seasonal rivers. It’s famous for its black bucks, beautiful, fast creatures, with around 3500 in and around the park, which sport elegant spiraling horns – as long as 65 cm in mature males. Our vehicle was allowed in the park with a kid guide. The park have 5000+ deer though it is famous for the endangered species of black buck. We saw herd of deer, including few black bucks and nilgai.
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| A blackbuck stag at the grasslands of the national park |
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| Herds of deer and blackbuck amidst the grasslands |
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| Co-existence of Nilgai and Blackbuck |
Then we took a short tour of the museum before starting for Gir. We stopped for roadside chai, coffee and then dinner at Amreli. We reached our resort at Sasan Gir finally at 12.30 am tired and ready for bed. Temperature outside was 12 C.
Next morning, after breakfast we headed off with a local guide to Jambur village which is the village of Siddi tribes consisting of 800 people. These people are originally from Nigeria and currently it is the 4th generation who are staying in the Cenchur area called Sirwan. They were brought 300 years ago from Africa, by the Portuguese for the Nawab of Junagadh. Today, they follow very few of their original customs, with a few exceptions like the traditional Dhamal dance. These people are Muslim, and their language and food is Gujarati. The children studies only till 10th or 12th standard, both boys and girls. With the help of Siddiqui and Akram (tribe members), we took a guided tour of the village. Then we distributed sweets and chocolates to the kids in school. Coincidentally the District School Inspector came and joined us.
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| Siddhi children in their village |
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| Sirvan Village - Home of the Siddi Tribe |
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| Mother and child |
Post lunch, we started for our first safari at the Gir National Park (home of the Asiatic Lions) with Jagdish guide in Route 7. That afternoon we spent about 3 hours in the Gir Forest in search of Lions. The forest was dry and brown. The drive in the open Jeep was dusty. I soon got used to seeing several tourist vehicles in search of the lions. No sighting yet! I saw plenty of “Spotted Deer”, “Sambar Deer” and “Wild Boars”. Post the usual sighting of spotted deer, we finally saw a lion sleeping at a distance with it's tail wagging. It was definitely better than nothing. I was delighted at this first, lucky sighting.
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| My first sighting |
Other tourists were envious and it was a spotlight moment from us. Soon it was time to head back to the resort. As I savored this exciting first sighting, the best is yet to come, I thought. In the evening, the resort organized for the the Goma music and dance form, which is sometimes called Dhamaal by the Siddi Tribes. They sing in the African Swahili language. A unique aspect of their Dhamal dance is the action of throwing a coconut high up in the air and cracking it on their head without fail. Another action is when they walk on live coals with bare feet in an acrobatic dance with fierce facial expressions. Their movements displays a supple neck and waist, dancing to a faster beat as the tempo of the drums picks up. This outstanding dancing style has been retained for generations by the Siddis.
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| Dhamaal dance performed by Siddi Tribe |
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| Dhamaal dance performed by Siddi Tribe |
Next morning, we started our safari around 6.30 in route 5. Picture this - > You enter a protected area in search of the King of Beasts. Your eyes are keenly searching for any movement or sounds that would indicate the presence of this mighty beast. Various scenes you had seen on television keep popping up in your mind as your eyes scan the dry landscape. Suddenly, you come across a large group of “deer” grazing calmly. Not too far away, you can hear the alarm call of a Spotted Deer heralding the presence a predator! However, the morning safaris were an anti-climax as we did not get to spot any of the wild beasts. I went to different parts of this jungle. Whether it be dry scrub land, yellow grass land or the green terrain near Kamleshwar dam, Gir is extremely rich in wildlife and is a birdwatcher’s paradise– We saw a green chameleon on the branch of a tree, an owlet, male and female nilgai, spotted deer, black ibis and kingfisher.
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| Spotted deer crossing the road |
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| Herd of deer leisurely strolling |
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| Chameleon on the branch of a tree |
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| Owlet on the branch of a tree |
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| Nilgai |
Sometimes I consider myself unlucky when it comes to spotting wildcats. Had not been able to see one in Bandipur, Kanha and Corbett. Love them so much, but don't get to see them. The only time I had been lucky was Tadoba. Anyway, I bought a lion jacket from a souvenir shop and then went back to the resort for lunch.
While I continue describing my Gujarat trip, for more photos, please visit Flickr Gujarat
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