Ahmedabad, Gujarat

There are more than 3,000 pictures of Ahmedabad on Flickr. This is the closest one that can represent this important city of 5.2 million people. Gujarati food is one of the best vegetarian foods that India offers. It is not easy to find food like this in the entire United States.

Located on the banks of Sabarmati River, Ahmedabad was the capital of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970, till it was moved to Gandhinagar. It is the largest city in Gujarat and the seventh largest city in India.

Amreli, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by mmtayabali.

Jivaraj Mehta, the first Chief Minister of Gujarat , was from this city. Amreli was part of Baroda state under Gaekwads during the nineteenth century. After independence, the district became part of Bombay State and a separate district in Gujarat State after the bifurcation of Bombay State.

Cambay (Gulf of Khambhat), Anand District, Gujarat

Kite makers, Cambay
Originally uploaded by Dr Vivek M.

The Gulf of Khambhat (formerly known as the Gulf of Cambay) is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat.

The Gulf of Khambhat has been an important center of trade since ancient times; its ports connect central India to the maritime trade routes of the Indian Ocean. Bharuch (Broach), Surat, Khambhat, Bhavnagar, and Daman are historically important seaports. Bharuch has been important since ancient times; Khambhat was the gulf's chief port in the Middle Ages, but after the silting of its harbor, Surat rose to prominence as the most important harbor of the Mughal empire.

Palanpur, Banaskantha District, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by gre8work1.

Palanpur was the seat of a princely state ruled by the Lohani clan of Afghans. While the earlier history of the family is obscure, the family has apparently lived in India since at least the 16th century; a forbear of the family is reputed to have wed the foster-sister of the mughal emperor Akbar and received Palanpur and surrounding areas as dowry. However, the family comes into historical prominence during the period of instability that followed the demise of Aurangzeb in the early 18th century. It was overrun soon afterwords by the Marathas; the Lohanis followed the trend of seeking recourse in the HEIC against them and finally entered the subsidiary-alliance system in 1817, along with all other neighboring states.

Bharuch, Gujarat

Bharuch mandir
Originally uploaded by vish_r.

This small village in southern Gujarat was known as Bhrigu Kaksha in olden days. It was the domain of Bhrigu, an ancient sage. It was here, on the banks of river Narmada, that the celebrated Asura King Mahabali conducted a great sacrifice. In this sacrifice, came a Brahmin boy named Vamana, who interfered with the King's sacrifice and put an end to his reign. A sage named Guru Shukracharya, in the lineage of Bhrigu, was the priest of King Mahabali.

Water is scarce in Gujarat but never in Bharuch because of its location on the Narmada River. Bharuch has always been prosperous because of agriculture and other linked commercial activities.

Godhra, Dahod District, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by Mitesh Vasa.

Godhra and Dahod are the twin cities in the state of Gujarat. Dahod is the birthplace of mughal emperor Aurangzeb and Godhra is the location of the Godhra riots in 2002.

Godhra has about an equal number of Hindus and Muslims and is a "communally sensitive" town.

Gandhinagar, Gujarat

The capital of Gujarat State, Gandhinagar is the second planned city in India after Chandigarh. It is probably the only state capital designed and planned by Indian Town Planners - H. K. Mewada and P. M. Apte.

The new city is spread on the banks of Sabarmati river and is named after Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhinagar is considered the 'greenest' city in India.

Jamnagar, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by NATURE PHOTO.

Nawanagar (new town) was established by the legendary Jam Rawal on the coast of Gulf of Kutch in August 1540 AD. His father Jam Lakhaji ruled Terabanu in Kutch. But for the ongoing feud with his cousins, Jam Rawal decided to leave Kutch and descended on the coast of Kathiawar in 1535 AD.

Nawanagar eventually came to be known as Jamnagar in the memory of Jam Rawal. It is called the "Jewel of Kathiawar". Jamnagar has unspoilt beaches, forests and fascinating bird sanctuaries. Today, the 200 km long coast is known for it's industries. Reliance, Essar and Tata are some of the industrial giants in the region.

Dwarka, Jamnagar District, Gujarat

Located in the Jamnagar district of Gujarat, Dwarka is one of the most ancient cities in India. Lord Krishna is believed to have renounced war in Mathura for the greater good and decided to settle down in Dwarka.

Dwarka was a planned city on the banks of Gomati River. After Krishna left for heavenly abode, Arjuna went to Dvaraka (Dwarka) to bring Krishna's grandsons and the Yadava wives to Hastinapur. After Arjuna left Dwarka, it was submerged in the sea.

The recent underwater studies conducted by the Archeological Survey of India reveals the existence of a city dated back to the 2nd millennium BC.

Junagadh, Gujarat

A former princely state of British India, Junagadh was ruled by Nawab Mahabat Khanji and his Muslim ancestors since the time of Mehmood Ghaznavi. The Nawab decided to join Pakistan after the partition and plunged the region in financial crisis. He was forced to flee to Karachi and the Dewan of Junagadh, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto (father of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto) took charge and invited the Government of India to intervene. A plebiscite was held in which only 91 voters sided with Pakistan. India assumed control over the entire state of Junagadh in February 1948.

Nadiad, Kheda District, Gujarat

jain temple in nadiad, gujarat
Originally uploaded by pamiam.

The land of the 'Iron Man of India', Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Nadiad is a medium-sized city of 300,000 people. Located in Kheda district, the city is famous for Santram Mandir, and for its carvings. Nadiad also boasts the Dharamsinh Desai Institute of Technology, which is famous in Gujarat for its quality education in the fields of engineering and technology. Nadiad is situated on the Banks of Shedhi River.

The city was formerly ruled by the Muslims, and later by the Gaekwad of Baroda. Malhar Rao Gaekwad built the 1st Hindu temple called Narayan Dev Mandir, located in the center of the city.

Kheda, Gujarat

It's a khijda tree a special tree which is now on the verge of extinction. This tree is believed as a multipurpose way useful 'Kalpvruksh' tree which solves variety of needs for people. I came across this tree in interior part of Kheda, Gujarat
Originally uploaded by japan pathak.

Mahatma Gandhi started his first Satyagraha in Keda, Gujarat in 1918. The peasants mostly owned their lands and were economically better-off than their counterparts in other parts of the country.

A famine struck the district and virtually destroyed the agrarian economy. The British government demanded full taxes and a 23 percent increase. Gandhiji proposed Satyagraha (a non-violent, mass civil disobedience), to revolt against gross tyranny.

Bhuj, Kutch District, Gujarat

earthquake ruined palace Bhuj
Originally uploaded by Foreign Devil Correspondent.

The old walled city of Bhuj is the capital of Kutch district in Gujarat. The former native state of Kutch was established by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. In ancient times, the gates of the city were locked at night.

Gujarat Earthquake in 2001 destroyed much of the town including the Bhuj Palace. The epicenter of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake was near the city of Bhuj.

Navsari, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by CrassCadence.

The birth place of Jamshedji Tata, founder of the Tata Corporate Empire in Navsari city is located in the State of Gujarat. The Parsi-Zoroastrian community arrived here in the 12th century and changed the history of Navsari for ever. The district has a population of 1.25 million people.

When movies started talking, Jehangir Talkies was built to mark the occasion. The city of Navsari is renowned for diamond polishing business. The Navsari's port has been written about for the past 2,000 years. The true prosperity for Navsari came during Gaikwad's rule as he laid down the infrastructure of today's modern Navsari.

Patan, Gujarat

Rani Ki Vav In Patan- Most Significant Well
Originally uploaded by Captain Suresh.

Patan is an ancient fortified town, founded in 745 by Vanraj Chavda, the most prominent King of the Chavda Kingdom. He named the city Anhilpur Patan after his close friend and Prime Minister Anhil. Patan enjoyed a privileged status of capital of Gujarat, for about 600 years from 745 to 1304 under Hindu Rulers. The major Rajput clans of Chavdas (746-942), Solankis (942-1244) and Vaghelas (1244-1304) ruled the Hindu Kingdom of Gujarat from Patan.

These Chalukya Rajputs, with Paramaras of Malwa, the Chauhans of Sakambhari and Chandellas of Kalanjar and Mahoba, were serious contestants for supremacy in Northern India. At the zenith of their imperial greatness, the bounds of Gujarat were extended to cover Saurashtra and Kutch in the West, Lata in the South, Malwa in the East and Southern Rajasthan in the North.

Porbandar, Gujarat

Birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Porbandar is a coastal city in the Indian State of Gujarat. It is an important all-weather port on the Arabian sea. Porbandar is a deep sea port built during the last quarter of the 20th century. It is a tourist center because of its association with Mahatma Gandhi. Porbandar is served by train line and an airport.

The Jethwa clan of Rajputs ruled over the princely State of Porbandar during the middle of 16th century. The state was subordinate to the Mughal Governor of Gujarat. The Marathas overthrew the rulers in the later half of the 18th century. First the Gaekwads of Baroda and then the Peshwas took over the control till the British exercised their influence in 1807.

Rajkot, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by thomask.

Rajkot was founded by the Jadeja Clan in 1612. It became the capital of Saurashtra State after independence. When the Indian States were reorganized on linguistic basis, Rajkot was merged into newly formed Gujarat State. Mahatma Gandhi spent his early years in Rajkot while his father was a Diwan to one of the Nawabs of Saurashtra.

The city of Rajkot hosts several small scale manufacturing units. It is well known for forging and casting industry as well as some auto parts. Rajkot is famous for Bandhani Sarees, mirror work and silk embroidery.

Surat, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by jainshashikant.

Surat is called the diamond city and is home to 3.6 million people. Located on the left bank of Tapti River, the city is largely known for its textile and diamond business. Three-quarters of the world's diamonds are cut and polished here.

In 2006, city saw a devastating flood and the water level reached more than 20 feet in some parts of the city. Nearly 80 percent of the entire city was under water.

Surendranagar, Gujarat

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Originally uploaded by s.tymon.

The district of Surendranagar has a population of over 1.5 million people. It is basically an agrarian society with cotton as its main crop. The city is a commercial center for salt production. Surendranagar also has ceramics industry as a major employer in the region.