The Shatrunjaya Hill of Palitana, Jainism’s most sacred place of worship!
January 27th, 2012 
moiblog
A State noted for its religious tourism, while Udvada is renowned as one of the Parsi community’s most important place of worship, Dwarka and Somnath are considered some of the most revered religious sites amongst Hindu Pilgrims and cities like Ahmedabad, Champaner etc attract their share of Muslim devotees for their many religious shrines and mosques.
Standing out amongst Gujarat’s many religious places is the Shatrunjaya Hill of Palitana which is considered the holiest of all pilgrim places by the Jain community. (Svetambara Jain community).
At an altitude of 591 meters, the Shatrunjaya hill is one of its kind and is home to 863 beautiful Jain temples which have been built over the last 900 years. While many date back to the 16th century, some date back to as early as the 11th century. However many of the earlier temples that were built during the 11th century were destroyed by Muslim invaders. It was under Emperor Akbar’s reign that an edict giving Shatrunjaya, Mt. Abu, Girnar and Chandragiri (all extremely religious sites in Jainism) special status was passed, thus protecting the area, and encouraging Jainism to flourish.
According to legends, this was the site the first Jain Tirthankara –Adinatha (Rishabdeva) achieved nirvana or enlightenment. The first temple was constructed by the son of the first Jain ....Read More →
Touring Rajkot, Gujarat
January 26th, 2012 moiblog
Today as India celebrates its Republic Day, we take you through a town that played a significant role in India’s freedom struggle. Gujarat’s 4thlargest city, Rajkot is renowned as a town where the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi spent a considerable part of his early years.
Once a princely State, in the past it served as the capital of Saurashtra and later went on to become the headquarters during the British rule. This town is home to numerous monuments and intriguing structures that make it a tourist’s delight. Founded in 1607 AD by Vibhaji Ajoji Jadeja, the town has a rich history and has been under the leadership of several dynasties in the past such as the Nawab dynasty, the Sanja Rule and the Korat Rule.
A city noted for its numerous national landmarks, some of the most prominent ones include the Watson Museum and Library, Gandhi's Home, Rashtriya Shala, Mohandas Gandhi Vidyalaya, Rajkumar College, and Lal Pari Lake.
Established in 1888, the Watson Museum is one of the city’s most prominent attractions that houses a rich collection of artifacts, that range from ancient coins to textiles, religious statues, 13th century carvings, natural historic exhibits and more; a memorial dedicated to Colonel James Watson, some of the artifacts even date back to the Indus ....Read More →
Enjoying Gujarat’s Cultural Capital : Vadodara
January 25th, 2012 moiblog
Today we take you to Gujarat’s cultural capital, a town rich not just in heritage and culture but also history, with some of its archeological remains dating back to the 9th century. Known as Baroda… Sanskari Nagari (city of culture) and Sayaji Nagari in the past, Vadodara makes an interesting visit for its glorious history and natural scenic beauty.
Being one of Gujarat’s oldest cities its attractions vary from palaces to religious places of worship, museums, gardens and more.
Positioned on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, its earliest history dates back to 812 AD; while its earliest rulers were the Gupta Empire, over years, the many dynasties that ruled over the land included the Chalukya Dynasty, Solanki Rajputs, Delhi Sultans, Maratha Gaekwads, remaining a princely state only to join the Dominion of India in 1947.
A former princely state, it is home to several palaces, such as the Laxmi Vilas Palace, Pratap Vilas Palace, Nazarbaug Palace, and the Makarpura Palace.
While today the Nazarbaug Palace once known for its solid gold and silver guns and other treasures is in a dilapidated condition, the Pratap Vilas Palace is being used as the Railway Staff Colleges and the Makarpura Palace used as a training school by the Indian Air Force.
Located at the centre of the city, the ....Read More →
Amazing in many a way! Ahmedabad!
January 24th, 2012 moiblog
Call it the `Manchester of the East' for its many textiles industries…or the political hub of Gujarat, while many might not think of Ahmedabad as a likely tourist destination, here’s a city that has its share of interest and attractions for travelers passing through or even for those here on business!
Known as Karnavati in the past, it was founded by King Karandev 1 and remained under the Hindu rule until the early 15th century, only to be renamed Ahmedabad after Sultan Ahmed Shah who conquered Karnavati in 1411.
A city seeped with a rich history, today the city however is most famous for its Sabarmati Ashram, which is often described as the cradle of India’s non violent movement during India’s struggle for freedom. Other attractions comprise of forts, palaces and the several mosques and temples here that are a beautiful blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture.
Also known as Gandhi Ashram, Satyagrahya Ashram or Harijan Ashram, the Sabarmati Ashram served as Gandhi’s residence from 1918 – 1930. It is from here Gandhi launched his famous Dandi March, leaving with a promise only to return after India achieved its independence.
Today it houses a museum featuring life size paintings of Gandhi, a library containing nearly 35,000 books, thousands of manuscripts, photostats, archives, etc dealing with Gandhi’s life and teachings, ....Read More →
Joys of camping at Champaner!
January 23rd, 2012 moiblog
Nestled comfortably at the foot of the Pavagadh hills, lies one of Gujarat most unique and intriguing cities, Champaner a tourist’s dream destination. Founded in the 8th century by the prominent Chavda Dynasty, it is famous for its Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site and for its Pavagadh Fort.
Dominating not just the city’s skyline but also tourist’s itineraries is the Pavagadh Fort that has several attractions. While the fort is home to several Hindu and Jain temples that date back to the 10th century and are known for their Nagara style of architecture, also of importance are its several 13th century gateways such as the Atak gate, Budhiya Gate, Moti Gate, Gulan- Bulan Gate, Buland Darwaja, Makai Gate and Tarapore Gate.
While Pavagadh fort refers to the upper half of the fort, the lower fortification is referred to as the Champaner fort while the area connecting the upper and lower parts of the fortification is referred to as Machi.
Other historical attractions here include the smart looking 16th century well called the Helical Step-well, Saat Kaman or seven arches that is positioned on the edge of the hill (today however only six of these arches remain), Vada Talav- a manmade lake created to help conservation of rainwater, has arteries leading towards all the major gates of ....Read More →
Gujarat – A tourist’s delight!
January 22nd, 2012 moiblog
One of India’s most intriguing States, Gujarat is a tourist’s delight offering all from natural scenic beauty to architectural wonders. A picturesque State delighting all its visitors, it is known for its picture perfect hill stations, golden beaches, enchanting temples, exotic wildlife, many sacred shrines and places of worship. The State also stands out for its rich heritage, history, vibrant culture and scrumptious cuisines!! In our next few blogs, we take you through the some of the State's most renowned tourist’s destinations each wonderful in their own way!
While Ahmedabad and Rajkot, the former capital of the princely State of Saurashtra are famous for their brilliant architecture and monuments which are noted for their rich Islamic and Hindu architectural styles, these places are also famous for their association with Father of the Nation.
Gondol is also a great place to enjoy the State’s former grandeur.Once ruled by the Jadeja Rajput clan it is home to breathtaking palaces such as the 17th century Navlakha palace located on the banks of a river. Other attractions here include the Sangramsinhji High School constructed in Gothic style, Bhavaneshwari Temple, Swami Narayan Temple, farm of Kathiawadi horses and others.
Founded by Bhavsinhji Gohil, Bhavnagar located near the Gulf of Khambhat, is the gateway to several important tourist attractions. A major port, while the old town used to ....Read More →
A great place to go WILD! Maharashtra’s wonderful wildlife!
January 21st, 2012 moiblog
In our previous few blogs, we took you through Maharashtra fascinating forts, mysterious caves, stunning beaches and sacred shrines, today as we end our series on Maharashtra; we take you through its must visit wildlife sanctuaries and national parks where tourists can enjoy Maharashtra’s rare and exotic wildlife!
Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve: One of Maharashtra’s most famous national parks, this park situated in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra is one of its oldest parks covering an area of 623 sq km. A lush forested area it comprises of two parks Tadoba National park (formed in 1935) and the Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary (founded in 1986). Merged in 1995 to form the current day tiger reserve it is named after the God "Tadoba" or "Taru" that is worshipped by the tribals living it its dense forests.
Maharashtra’s biggest national park while the Tadoba Reserve spreads over Chimur Hills, the Moharli and Kolsa ranges are covered under the Andhari sanctuary. While the tiger is its prime attraction, also found here are other exotic species such as leopards, jungle cats, sloth bears, sambhars, cheetal, barking deer, Chausingha, blue bull, hyenas, wild dogs, etc. The Tadoba Lake besides being home to the Marsh Crocodile is also a perfect place to spot a wide variety of aquatic birds.
Apart from its ....Read More →
When its time to pray! Maharashtra’s sacred shrines.
January 20th, 2012 moiblog
Amongst some of the many attractions and interests Maharashtra has to offer its tourists, standing out are its several religious sites that attracts hordes of pilgrims every year. A state that is known to house several important pilgrim sites, some important ones include:
Nasik: One of the holiest sites for Hindus, according to Hindu Mythology, Nasik is the place Lord Rama made his home, spending 14 years here after his exile. It is also said to be the place Lord Laxman, the younger brother of Lord Rama cut of the nose of Surpanakha, thus explaining the city’s name (Nasik being derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nasika').
Home to hundreds of temples and shrines, some of the important temples here include the Kalaram Temple, Naroshankar Temple and Sundernarayan Temple. A town bustling with life and energy, it comes alive every 12 years, when it attracts several pilgrims from across the country for its Kumbhmela.
Other attractions here include the 1st -3rd century rock cut Pandavleni caves, approx. 10 km from the city, which are known for its carvings, chaityas and viharas.
Approx. 8 km from the city is Chanbharleni that is famous for its Jain caves, while the Trimbakeshwar Temple that is situated approx. 30 km from here is of importance too.
Today Nasik has also earned the nickname ....Read More →
Fun in the Sun : Maharashtra’s Beautiful Beaches!
January 19th, 2012 moiblog
While Mumbai’s Juhu Beach and Chowpatty need no introduction and are famous across the country for its chaats and action packed adventure sports; today we bring you some of Maharashtra’s other stunning beaches that make perfect getaways for those looking to catch up on some fun in the sun!
Boasting of a coastline that sprawls over 300 miles, Maharashtra is home to some of the country’s finest beaches known for their golden sands, lush coconut palms, and alluring waters.
Ganpatipule: A great destination for any beach lover, Ganpatipule is known for its silvery sands and its lush coconut and casuarinas that add to its beauty. At a distance of 375 km from Mumbai, this beautiful beach destination is also an important pilgrim site for its 400 year old temple of Swayambhu Ganpati.
An ideal destination to laze, with tents pitched on its beach, there are plenty of attractions to keep its visitors occupied for a day or two. While Malgund is famous as the hometown of the famous Marathi poet, Kavi Keshavsoot, Ratnagiri needs no introduction and is famous across India for its luscious mangoes! Ratnagiri is also said to be the place the Pandavas lived after their 13 year pilgrimage. Other attractions here include the Thibaw Palace, Patit Pawan Mandir and the former ....Read More →
Full of mystery and charm : Maharashtra’s caves
January 18th, 2012 moiblog
They lie hidden from public view, yet they have proudly put Maharashtra on the world map! Today we take you through Maharashtra’s hidden wonders, nestled comfortably amidst its lush hills, which are famous worldwide as some of the most thrilling examples of ancient arts and crafts.
Once the abode of Buddhist, Jain and Hindu monks, the caves of Maharashtra are known to fascinate one and all visiting it by their stunning works of art. World Heritage sites by UNESCO, these caves some even dating back to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th BC are famous for their detailed carvings and exquisite frescoes.
Ajanta Caves: Dating back to the 2nd century BC, the 29 caves of Ajanta are famous worldwide for their fascinating frescoes and lie in the U shaped gorge approx 4 km away from the Ajanta Village. Consisting of Viharas (monasteries) and Chaitya Grihas (monumental halls), they were used by monks as dwelling quarters, as well as for meditation and worship. While the size of the caves vary from 35 ft to 110 ft in height, so do its paintings and sculptures, with some walls depicting scenes of the Jataka Tales i.e. stories of the Buddha's former existences as Bodhisattva, other images seen within the caves include the life of Gautam Buddha, paintings of kings, their ....Read More →
