Trivia: Stamped Moments

Festivals are integral part of a culture, and a way of coming together as a society and celebrating life in general. India celebrates festivals through out the year; some of the festivals are common all over India, and some festivals are unique to particular places. I lived in Gujarat for more than a decade and loved its unique way of celebrating some of the festivals. Though there are many important festivals, the two quintessential festivals that define Gujarat are Uttarayan and Navratri. The authentic Gujarati traditions come to life during these times. Uttarayan: Makar Sankranti (winter solstice) is celebrated across India on 14 th January, and is called differently in different parts of India- Makar Sankranti in most parts, Bihu in Assam, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Maghi in Punjab, and Uttarayan in Gujarat. It’s perhaps celebrated the most enthusiastically in Gujarat. Kite flying is the most important part of the celebrations in Gujarat. When I was in Ahmedabad, just before my fir

The region of south Gujarat can be explored in 4 to 5 days; I am suggesting a five-day trip. Vadodara is the gateway to south Gujarat, and is well connected with rest of the country via airways and railways.  Day-1: Vadodara If you reach in Vadodara in the morning, start exploring the city in the afternoon. The major attraction in the city is the Laxmi vilas palace.  Built in the 1890 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad of the Maratha empire, the palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in India. Major Charles Mant designed it in Indo-Saracenic revival architectural style. With a campus of more than 500 acres and floor space four times larger than the Buckingham palace, it's huge. It will take good part of the afternoon to explore. Have a ride around the MSW University (lovely medieval buildings) and Kamati baug before it is dark.  Vadodara is famous for the traditional Garba during Navratri; so, it's always advisable to plan your trip during Navratri. There are quite a number of

Along with Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana and Patan a little north to Ahmedabad form an extraordinary travel circuit. To help travelers planning to visit this part of India, I put together a plan for 3 days.  Best time to visit: December to February. Day-1: Bird sanctuary | Ahmedabad Reach Ahmedabad in the evening of day-0. Have authentic Gujarati dinner at Pakwan restaurant or Gordhan Thal or Rajwado or Sasumaa (you can explore the next day as well). Nal sarovar bird sanctuary: It's a good way to start the trip with a visit to the nearby (60 kms) Nalsarovar bird sanctuary. The best time to visit a bird sanctuary is early in the morning, before sunrise. More than 200 species of birds- both local and migratory birds flock at the Nalsarovar lake and marshy land surrounding it during winter- spring season.    Sabarmati/ Gandhi Ashram: Late in the afternoon,   start again; y our next stop will be Sabarmati/ Gandhi Ashram. Gandhiji established this ashram in 1917 to carryout his Satyag

Western Gujarat, also know as Saurashtra has in store an amazing array of treasure trove to be explored by enthusiastic travelers. Starting with Dwarka, a principal Hindu pilgrimage site, to Somnath, Gir national park (lions), Diu and Palitana, the sheer variety of destinations is mind boggling. Though the places are too far away from from each other to be called a circuit, I have a great plan for travelers with energy to cover the whole region in 5 days. Though Ahmedabad is the gateway to western Gujarat, I have not included Ahmedabad in this as it's strictly not in western Gujarat. If you have time, have another day to explore Ahmedabad; please see next post in this blog for details of Ahmedabad. Day-1: Dwarka Dwarka is considered one of the four major pilgrimages (called Dhamas ) for the Hindus. Adi Sankaracharya had established four sacred mathas in the four corners of India; it's one of them. Dwarkadhish temple was built 2500 years ago (partially destroyed by Mahmud Begada

With a unique landscape, diverse cultures, great history and heritage, rich crafts, the largest district of India is a little enigmatic. In this article, I intend to share with you a list of five must-do things in Kutch, drawing from my long time experience in Kutch.  5 must-do things while in Kutch:  1. Watch the sunset over the salt-flats near Dhardo village: At about 80 kms from the district HQ of Bhuj, the village Dhordo is base for the great salt flats, where the annual Rann Utsav (Desert festival) is organized. Every year (Nov-Feb) during the festival, a temporary township is established by the government offering best of Gujarat's art, music, food and cultural vibes.   2. Have a little fun at the Mandvi beach: Mandvi, a small town in south Kutch, 60 kms from Bhuj, offers a pristine beach; good to visit both in the morning and in the evening. I would suggest staying here at least for a day. 3.  Marvel at the architecture of Vijay Vilas Palace: Built in the early 1920s by the