Glimpses of Gujarat

Arrival At Ahmadabad, Meet To Greet And Continue Drive To Dwarka, En-Route Visit
Jamnagar Bala Hanuman Temple - Bala Hanuman Temple Is A Pilgrim Place
Venerated By The Devotees Of Lord Ram. It Is A World Famous Temple, Known For
The Continuous Chanting Of Jai Ram, Shri Ram. The Chanting Is Going On Since 1964
And Has Found A Place For It In The Guinness Book Of World Records. People Chant
The Name Of The Lord In Shifts, 24 Hours A Day.
Later Proceed To Dwarka, Visit Lords Dwarkadhish Temple. Attend Evening Aarti
Darshan At Dwarkadhish Temple – Temple Of Lord Krishna. O/N Stay At Dwarka.

Attend Early Morning Aarti At Dwarkadhish Temple, Have Breakfast & Thereafter
Visit Bet Dwarka, Nageshwar Jyotirling & Rukmani Temple.
Bet Dwarka – Also Known As Bet Shankhoddar, Bet Dwarka Is Only 5 Kms From
Okha Junction In Sea And Okha Is 30 Kms From Dwarka. It Is Said To Be The Place
Where Lord Krishna Lived With His Family When The Ruled At Dwarka. It Is Also The
Place Where Vishnu Slew The Demon Shankhasura. Visitors Make It A Point To Visit
The Krishna Temple At This Site Which Holds Much Of Interest To Be Seen And
Experienced. Nageswar Mahadev – The Puranas Mention 12 Jyotirlingas Or
Columns Of Light Representing Lord Shiva, Who Manifested Himself In That Form
In Different Parts Of India. This Shiva Shrine Neardwarka Is One Of These And Is
There- Fore Accorded Great Respect. Rukmani Temple – Temple Of Lord Krihsna’s
Wife. O/N Stay At Dwarka.

Morning Proceed To Porabandar, Visit Kirti Temple, Sudam Known As House &
Born Place Of Mahatma Gandhi. In Back Side House Of Kasturba Wife Of Gandhi.
Also Visit Of Gandhi Museum, Study Room Of Mahatma Gandhi In The Kirti
Temple.Later Visit Of Sudama Temple & Continue Proceed To Somnath, Evening
Aarti Darshan At Somnath Temple - A Lord Shiva Temple Known As Jyotirling Built
By Moon God. Enjoy Lighting And Sounding Show Overnight Stay At Somnath.

Morning After Breakfast Visit Bhalika Tirth & Triveni Ghat. Later Drive To Diu,
Visit Diu: A Beautiful Blend Of Sun, Sand And Sea, Diu Is A God's Gift To Those In
Quest Of A Blessed Land Where The Weary Weight Of This Unintelligible World Can,
For A While, Be Lightened And The Waking Soul Can Hear The Music Of The Nature.
This Tiny Island Of Breeze, Beauty And Serenity Situated Off The Southern Tip Of
The Saurashtra (Kathiawad) Peninsula Of Gujarat, Lapped By The Arabian Sea, Is A
Picture Of Calmness With Superb Beaches And A Fascinating History. Diu Was Ruled
By Many Well-Known Kings And Dynasties During The Prehistoric, Ancient And
Medieval Times. It Was A Portuguese Colony Until 1961. It Is Now A Union Territory,
Separated From Goa In 1987.It Was An Important Trading Post And Naval Base From
Where The Rulers Controlled The Shipping Routes In The Northern Part Of The
Arabian Sea Between The 14-16th Centuries In The Late Afternoon You Will Proceed
To Visit The St. Paul’s Church, Diu Fort & Markets. St.Paul's Church - St. Paul's
Church Is Dedicated To Our Lady Of Immaculate Conception. The Construction Of
The Church Was Started In 1601 And Was Completed In The Year 1610. The Main
Facade Of The Church Is Perhaps The Most Elaborate Of All Portuguese Churches In

India. The Façade Has Been Illuminated By Flood Lights. The Church Adorned With
Curiously Treated Volutes And Shell - Like Motifs And The Magnificent Wood
Carving Is Considered To Be The Most Elaborate Of All The Portuguese Churches In
India. St. Paul Church, Built In 1691 Is Consecrated To Our Lady Of Immaculate
Conception. In Architectural Style It Resembles Bom Jesus Church At Goa. The
Dominant Features Are, No Doubt, Gothic. The Wood - Paneling Of The Church Is
Rated One Of The Best In Church Craftsmanship Diu Fort: It Is An Expansive And
Imposing Structure, Situated On The Coast Of The Island. The Fort Commands A
Magnificent View Of Sea. It Was Constructed Between 1535 And 1541 Ad. The Fort
Is Skirted By The Sea On The Three Sides. On The Fort Stands A Giant Light House.
Several Canons Still Stare Menacingly From Top. The Main Front Wall Is Having Five
Huge Windows With Stone Galleries. The Fort Has Been Creatively Lit, Which
Creates A Breath Taking Views At Night. Rugged Yet Gentle, Fierce Yet Loving. The
Majestic Structure Stands On The Coast Of Diu As A Sentinel. Once Inside, You Are
Overwhelmed By The Gaunt Majesty Of The Ancient Stone Work Which Transports
You To A Bygone Era Of Gallant Soldiers Where Time Stands Still. Later Drive To Gir.
Dinner And Overnight Stay.

Morning After Breakfast Drive To Ahmedabad En-Route Visit Lothal. Lothal,
Literally “Mound Of The Dead”, Is The Most Extensively Excavated Site Of Harappan
Culture In India, And Therefore Allows The Most Insight Into The Story Of The Indus
Valley Civilization, Its Exuberant Flight, And Its Tragic Decay. ( Museum Remains
Closed On Friday). Continue Drive To Ahmedabad. O/N Stay At Ahmedabad.

Morning After Breakfast Visit Akshardham Temple (Monday Closed) Akshardham
Is Situated In The Capital City Of Gandhinagar, Which Lies Near Ahmadabad. The
Magnificent Temple Is Dedicated To Lord Swaminarayan. It Was Constructed On The
Directions Of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, The Spiritual Leader Of Baps Sanstha. The
Complex Of This Temple Is The Largest In Gujarat. Akshardham Temple Was
Inaugurated In The Year 1992 And Has Become A Major Tourist Attraction In India,
During The Last Decade. It Has A Sprawling 23 Acre Area And Is Chiseled Out In Pink
Sandstone. Sidi Sayed Mosque, Built In 1573, Is One Of The Most Famous Mosques
Of Ahmadabad. The Mosque Is Entirely Arcuated. The Mosque Has Ten Screen
Windows (Jails) On The Side And Rear Arches The Swetambara Temple Hatheesing
Temple Was Built Outside Delhi Gate In 1850 By A Rich Jain Merchant Sheth
Hatheesing. This Is The Best Known Of Ahmadabad’s Many Ornate Jain Temples. It
Is Dedicated To Dharamnath, The Fifteenth Tirthankar Whose Status Stand In The
Main Sanctuary Built By Pure Marble Profusely Decorated With Rich
Carving, Gandhi Ashram The Beautiful Ashram Complex Of Ahmadabad, With
Shady Trees Populated By Thousand Of Parakeets, Beaters, Sunbirds, Squirrels,
Offers A Refuge From The Loud Streets Of The City And Is One Of The Foremost
Tourist Attraction Of Ahmadabad. This Ashram Was Gandhi’s Head Quarters During
The Long Struggle For Indian Independence. His Ashram Was Founded In 1915 And
Still Makes Handicrafts, Handmade Paper And Spinning Wheels. This Ashram Is
Open From 8.30 Am To 6.30 Pm. Later Drive To Adalaj, Visit Step Well Is An
Architectural Wonder Built By Queen Rudabai And Is Certainly One Of The Finest
Monuments Of Gujarat. It Is A Seven-Storied Structure In The Form Of A Well With
Chambers One Behind The Other. The ‘Vav’ Or Stepped Wells Of Gujarat Were Used
As Meeting And Resting-Places During Summer Since Their Cool Interiors Offered
Unbelievable Respite From The Scorching Sun Outside.
In The Summer People Warmed Themselves On The Spacious Sunny Corridors
While Wide Verandahs Offered Shelter During The Rains. Adalaj Is A Village To The
North Of Ahmadabad.