Kachchh Bhadreshwar temple

here are a number of temples built by Jain followers in Kutch. The Bhadreshwar temple, one of the most ancient temples situated in Bhadrawati, considered a very holy place is one such. Bhadrawati was ruled by King Sidhsen in 449 B.C (according to the Hindu calendar) who renovated the place. Later it was ruled by The Solankies who were Jains, and they changed the name to Bhadreshwar. Then in 1315, a great famine struck Kutch, after which the place was renovated by Jagadusha.  Near the village of Jalvana, at Koday Bohter Jinalaya is Jain pilgrim's holy place. There are 72 statues of Jain Gods. The main God here is Prabhu Aadeswarji. The divine statue is 73 inches tall. Not only Jains but also people of all religions from all over India and abroad come and visit this temple.

Narayan Sarovar

Narayan Sarovar Temple in Kutch City      Narayan Sarovar means the Lake of Narayan, a name for Vishnu. There are actually five sacred lakes here. A temple complex is located on one of these. Narayan Sarovar is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for orthodox Hindus. The architecture is ancient and awe-inspiring. Narayan Sarovar in Kutch is the most ancient and pious place for Hindus. It is one of the five holy ponds in India. In this place there are temples of Shri Trikamraiji, Laxminarayan, Govardhannathji, Dwarkanath, Adinarayan, Ranchodraiji and Laxmiji. Maharaj Shri Deshalji's Queen had built these temples. Devotee from all over India come to worship the lords here. ...

Kotda Roha

Mundra History

We were incorporated as Gujarat Adani Port Limited

 on May 26, 1998, and commenced phased operations

 at Mundra Port in October 1998 with commercial

 operations beginning in October 2001. We were initially

 promoted by Adani Port Limited and Gujarat Port

 Infrastructure Development Company Limited, an

 undertaking of the Government of Gujarat. We entered into a Concession Agreement with

 the GMB and the Government of Gujarat on

 February 17, 2001 pursuant to which we have been

 granted the right to develop and operate Mundra

 Port located at the Navinal Island in the Kutch

 region for a period of 30 years Pursuant to an order of the High Court of Gujarat,

 Adani Port Limited merged with us with effect from

 April 1, 2003. Further, MSEZ and ACL were merged

 with us with effect from April 1, 2006.

 We received approval as a developer of a multi-product

 SEZ at Mundra and the surrounding areas from the

 Government of India on April 12, 2006. We have

 already received notification from the Government of

 India with respect to land covering 2,406.8 hectares

 3, 2007, we received a subsequent notification with

 respect to an additional 251.4 hectares of land,

 resulting in a total of 2,658.2 hectares (approximately

 6,568 acres). Such notification is granted only once

 land is in the possession of a developer, and as we

 further acquire land in and around Mundra, we will

 look to receive additional notifications in relation to

 In order to reflect the significance of the SEZ status

 and the changing nature of our business, we changed

 our name from Gujarat Adani Port Limited to Mundra

 Port and Special Economic Zone Limited with effect

 from July 7, 2006 Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd has informed that the

 Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on May 20,

 2009, inter alia, has appointed Dr. Malay Mahadevia as an Additional

 Director and Whole Time Director on the Board of the Company with

 immediate effect.

Bhachau

Bhachau is a city and a municipality in Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. Bhachau was one of many devastated towns in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat, during the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake.

Gandhidham History

The year was 1957.  It was a motley group of about 20 Christians consisting of men, women & children who used to gather for worship.  The leader of this group was Mr. E.D. Sinthamani, a Time Keeper with the Kandla Port Trust.  It was during one of their cottage meetings Mr. Stephens, who had recently joined the erstwhile Burmah Shell (now known as Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd.), came into contact with this group.  Stirred by the Holy Spirit, Mr. Stephens gave a short testimony in this meeting, which impressed the gathering and thus started a Ministry, which, now half a century later, is one of the largest gathering of Pentecostal Christians in the State of Gujarat.
It later on emerged that two of the sisters viz. Sis. Arumaiammal, Mother-in-Law of Mr. E.D. Sinthamani and Sis. Grace Thayammal, wife of Mr. E.D. Sinthamani were praying for a revival in Gandhidham and as a result of their prayers, God worked in the heart of Mr. Stephens, who landed up in Gandhidham in search of a secular job.  So the foundation of the Ministry was prayer and God’s great plan.  God established the Ministry.
Over the years, numerous people were used in this Ministry.  To name a few, Bro.K.M. Johnny, Bro. K.V. Abraham were some of the people whom God used in various ways for the furtherance of the Lord’s Kingdom.
How true is the word of God which says in (Zec 4: 10 [NIV]) “Who despises the day of small things? ……”(These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range throughout the earth.)”
In the year 1973 there was a prophesy and God gave the word, Isaiah 58:12  which says “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;  you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
Accordingly, the Almighty God, was true to his promise and made this Ministry to build  worship places, where for two thousand years, they had been no Christian worship, at different places scattered over Gujarat and Rajasthan, which were lying defunct, and repair the broken works and restore worship at few places.  This Ministry could fulfil God’s plan at many of the locations in the state of Gujarat &

Anjar History

Located in the Central Beka'a valley, about sixty kilometers east of Beirut, 'Anjar - as the inhabitants of the region call it, or Haouch Moussa - as it is officially designated, is a relatively recent settlement of Armenian refugees.

'Anjar is near the Beirut-Damascus international highway and the frontier-post of Masna'a, on the foothills of the eastern Lebanese mountains, near Ain Ghazayel - one of the sources of the Litani river. The total area of its territory is about twenty square kilometers . Its altitude varies be-tween 875 and 951 meters above sea level. The area of the settlement itself is divided into the following zones: the residential district near the foothills of the mountain-chain at the highest altitude of the area; the agricultural zone; and the industrial zone.
Made famous by Franz Werfel in his semi-historical novel Die Vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh (1934) , the inhabitants of 'Anjar were originally inhabitants of six villages located on the foothills of Mount Moussa (1000m above sea level) (between Mount Moussa to the West of Antioch, and the Orontes river - 'Assi, near the ruins of the Selucian port-city on the eastern Mediterranean), in the Sanjak of Alexandretta - Iskandaroun . (Prior to 1939, the Sanjak of Is-kandaroun was a province of Syria, and until 1918 Syria was under Ottoman domination. In the summer of 1915 the total population of the six villages of Mount Moussa amounted to 6811 inhabitants. During the Turkish deportations of the Ar-menian population, 2580 people obeying the orders left, and 4231 stayed to fight the Turkish troops. Those who stayed and fought were rescued by the French navy and taken to Port-Sa'yid in Egypt. After the first World War, they were returned to their homeland, only to be deported after twenty years, with the outbreak of the second World War, as a result of the annexation of the Sanjak of Alexandretta to Turkey, by France - who then had mandatory power over greater Syria and Lebanon, to safeguard the neutrality of Turkey.
In 1939 the French brought to the Beka'a valley 1068 families of the villages of Mount Moussa and settled them on land purchased from the feudal lord Rushdi beg.
The forced evacuation and the relocation of the inhabitants is described well by a native writer, Yetvart Boyadjian in Domar Darakri - (Book of Exile). The reader gets to feel the stress, the feelings of being at a loss...and the hardship of a hostile physical environment....the mosquitoes, the contaminated swamps...of the new location...
Artin (Haroutyoun) Sherbetjian (1922-2003), the mayor of 'Anjar during the time of my fieldwork, gave details too on several occasions of the hardship faced by the inhabitants of Mount Moussa. Long after my fieldwork inn an interview I had with him on June 22, 2001 at Glendale, California he again narrated the story of the up-rooting - of how in spite the 1938 referendum that expressed a consensus of all the Sanjak of Iskandaroun to be part of Syria, the French mandatory authorities gave the region to Turkey to insure its neutrality in the up-coming World War....
The result was the forced up-rooting of the Armenian population of the region. As has been narrated by the inhabitants in 1939 - via ship, the inhabitant of Mount Mousa were sent to Basit (Syria). There, they made temporary homes by bushes & tree foliage. Their domesticated animals were with them too. There was no sanitary system. There was lots of rainfall. The people got infected with diarrhea causing "dysentery" bacteria.
When moved to 'Anjar by military trucks, the people brought with them their digestive system infections. In 'Anjar the Armenian General Benevolent Union distributed tents. Make-shift toilets were made by wood. But the infectious "dysentery" along with the new malaria caused ravages. The houses were built by the participation of all adult males & a contractor. A French army medical doctor was brought in to help deal with the diseased population. A medical volunteer team made up of Anjarians helped distribute medical supplies. Quinine was forced on all. Later the /near East Foundation introduced a programme to fight the mosquitoes & swamps. The hygiene police taught the population to keep the premises clean & to paint the dwellings in white paint (chalk/calcium/ "gir").
The Karaguesian clinic for newborns till 13 year olds was established one year after the houses were built. In 1963 the Armenian Relief Society clinic started its operation.
The inhabitants felt like human lab. animals. All the inhabitants regardless of age or sex were forced medication without their consent. Many ended up suffering side effects of experimental drugs.

Mandvi History

    * The establishment of the town dates back to the late 16th century (1581 AD) and is attributed to the first Jadeja ruler of Kachchh, Rao Khengarji.

    * In 18th century, the Mandvi merchants collectively owned a fleet of 400 vessels trading with East Africa, Malabar coast and the Persian Gulf. In the early 19th century, it was a major port of entry for the inland trade with Malwa, Marwar and Sindh.

    * Mandvi was at the junction of two famous trade routes the maritime spice trade-route and the desert camel caravan route, acting as an important trade centre.

    * Mandvi was originally a fortified town having a fort wall of about 8 m high and 1.2 m wide stone masonry. The fort had several gateways and 25 bastions; but at present, most of the wall has disappeared. The bastion on the southwest is largest and acts as a lighthouse.

    * In the heyday of maritime trade, before the arrival of steamboats, Mandvi was a rich and prosperous town, earning four times more revenue from export than import. It was a profit-making centre of the Kutch state, surpassing the capital city of Bhuj in terms of wealth. Dr.Manubhai Pandhi, a local social leader, recorded ship-building art and collected old documents which is treasured now in Prince of Wales Museum (www.bombaymuseum.org ) in Mumbai.

    * As most of the top ports of India were controlled by Europeans, especially the Portuguese, even the Mughals held the Maharaos of Kachchh in high esteem, as they needed the port of Mandvi for exports, imports and also for pilgrimages to Mecca.

Ahmedabad & Gandhinagar

Ahmedabad, Mar 2 (PTI) Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad will be developed as world-class twin cities in line with New York and New Jersey in the US, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said today.

He also expressed his resolve to transform the state capital Gandhinagar into a solar city. The CM was speaking after dedicating new buildings and development work to the public in Gandhinagar.

"Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad will soon be developed as twin cities and will be given a recognition which would be parallel to what is enjoyed by New York New Jersey."
He said Gandhinagar will soon get a global recognition due to various international activities planned there. Any ordinary family in the state capital would be able to produce electricity through solar energy on their terraces and also sell it to the state government, Modi said.

The CM also laid the foundation for a project for renovating the water supply pipelines in Gandhinagar.

Modi flagged of a `march for nature'' organised by the Gandhinagar unit of BJP. He called upon the people to make the state capital a ''green city''

Read more: http://gujaratisno1.blogspot.com/#ixzz1GIMcfIcL
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Junagadh Panchayat

For, a mega medical camp has been organized by a team of Praveen Sinha, inspector general of police (IGP), Junagadh Range, in association with Junagadh District Panchayat, Civil hospital, Indian Medical Association (Junagadh chapter), Trimurti Hospital and local charitable institutions at the fair for the first time. The five-day annual event at Girnar Mountain in Junagadh City town will start from February 26 and end on March 2.

The medical services will be available round the clock. There will be physicians, orthopedics, cardiologist, paediatrics, psychiatrics, dentists, eye specialists, ENT surgeon, gynaecologists, skin specialists, pathologists and others.

As per Latest Praveen Sinha Interviews, he said that, "Religious preacher Morari Bapu has kindly consented to inaugurate the camp on Saturday morning. We have established a temporary hospital at Bhavnath Mandir gate in Junagadh. There will be all kinds of disciplines available free of cost."

"We have tied up with private hospitals in order to get all kinds of medical facility for patients. Super-specialist doctors will be available at camp. We are expecting at least 5,000 patients to be treated everyday during the five-day camp. The camp is limited not only to pilgrims, but for all. Anybody can come here."

"The idea is to serve people, mostly poor who come to Bhavnath fair from different parts of the state. Every year, more than seven lakh people visit the fair. Also, we have arranged for surgical operations. If doctors find during check-ups that a patient needs surgery, they will recommend him or her to a hospital where that person will be provided free operation."

Bhavnath fair is held every year at the Bhavnath Shiv Mahadev Temple near Damodar Kund at Girnar Mountain in Junagadh District. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and a lot of revelry goes on at the Shiva temple.

Naga Sadhus also visit the temple and their procession to the temple on the evening of Mahashivratri is a major attraction. Grand puja of Lord Shiva is conducted in the midnight of Mahashivratri.

Kachchh History

Kutch is a fascinating land and no visit to Gujarat is complete without a sojourn to this peninsular district. Its remoteness has kept it a place apart for centuries. The people are very sturdy, business minded and seafaring. Kandla a major seaport of the country with its single point-mooring facilities happens to be the only free trade zone of India. Kutch produces some of Gujarat's most exquisite crafts like embroidery, tie die fabrics, enameled silverware and other handicrafts.

The great and little Rann of Kutch are the breeding ground of Flamingo, Pelican & Avocet and the home of the rare Indian wild ass which is now a protected species. When it comes to speed and stamina few acn match the wild ass. It is a marathon runner. If lucky you could see this sturdy beast gallop untiringly for hours, reaching a top speed of 70 km/h over short distances.

Kutch is also the largest district in Gujarat. The Great Rann of Kutch lies to the north and the Little Rann of Kutch to the south. In the west its shores are lapped by the Arabian sea and tidal marshes and creeks here from part of the Indus delta.

Bhuj the capital of the former native state of Kutch is now the head quarter of the Kutch district. Bhuj was chosen by Rao Khengarji I as his capital in 1549. The great earthquake in 1819 destroyed nearly 7000 houses and killed 1140 people. The city wall, thirty five feet high and 4 feet thick with towers at irregular intervals was formerly armed with fifty one guns. Gandhinagar, named after the father of the Nation is the new capital city, It is the second planned city in India after Chandigarh and presents a spacious, well-organized look of an architecturally integrated city. The famous Swaminarayan temple of is built here. There was, however, tremendous political pressure to make Gandhinagar a purely Indian enterprise, partly because the state of Gujarat was the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Kalia illumines Kahn's early influence in the city and his replacement by Doshi and then by American-trained H. K. Mewada, who had apprenticed with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh. Kalia shows that, unlike the other two cities, Gandhinagar would become emblematic of Gandhian ideals of swadeshi (indigenous) goods and swaraj (self-rule).

Surat City History

Surat, the capital of South Gujarat, was one of western India's major ports and trading towns in the 17th and 18th centuries and the first European settlement in India. Situated on the banks of Tapti river, Surat is renowned for its silk weaves like the Tanchoi and Gajee sarees and Kinkhab brocades sometimes woven with gold and silver threads. It is famous for its jewellery market and diamond cutting as well as ivory and wood inlay work.

Bhavnagar City History

Situated about 250 km away from Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar is an important trading centre for cotton goods manufactured in Gujarat. Bhavnagar lies in the southeast corner of the peninsular region of Gujarat known as Kathiawad or Saurashtra. Once the capital of a princely state, Bhavnagar is home to several lakes and temples.

Gandhinagar City History

In 1960, when the old Mumbai State was bifurcated into the present States of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Mumbai city fell to the share of Maharastra. It was then decided to build and entirely new capital for Gujarat.

Gandhinagar, Gujarat's new capital city, rises on the west bank of the Sabarmati river, about 32 kms. north east of Ahmedabad, the commercial and cultural heart of Gujarat. Gandhinagar presents the spacious, well-organized look of an architecturally integrated city.

Around the Central Government compels, stretch 30 sectors into which the city has been divided. Each sector has its own shopping and community center, primary school, health center, Government and private housing. Apart from which there is a generous provision for wide open green parks, extensive planting and a large recreational area along the river giving the city a lush green garden-city atmosphere.

Gandhinagar, named after the father of the Nation is the new capital city, It is the second planned city in India after Chandigarh and presents a spacious, well-organized look of an architecturally integrated city.

The famous Swaminarayan temple of is built here. There was, however, tremendous political pressure to make Gandhinagar a purely Indian enterprise, partly because the state of Gujarat was the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Kalia illumines Kahn's early influence in the city and his replacement by Doshi and then by American-trained H. K. Mewada, who had apprenticed with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh. Kalia shows that, unlike the other two cities, Gandhinagar would become emblematic of Gandhian ideals of swadeshi (indigenous) goods and swaraj (self-rule).

Ahmedabad City History

Ahmedabad, the largest city of Gujarat, was its former capital. The city founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in 1411 AD, lies on the left bank of the Sabarmati river. Ahmedabad is known for its beautiful monuments of historical and archaeological importance. The elegant architecture of its mosques and mausoleums is a unique blend of Muslim and Hindu Styles. The city has grown into a great textile and commercial centre.

Ahmedabad has experienced a number of high points, followed by declines. Sultan Ahmed Shah, the erstwhile ruler of Medieval Gujarat, founded Ahmedabad in AD 1411. Ahmedabad city declined within a century of its being established. In 1572, EmperorAkbar seized Ahmedabad and assimilated it within the great Mughal Empire. Ahmedabad became an important business center during the Mughal period until the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, after which the Ahmedabad city again began to decline. The British seized Ahmedabad in 1818 and set up a number of textile mills here. Ahmedabad became the temporary capital of the state of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970.

Gujarat's principal city is Ahmedabad (also known as Amdavad) and is one of the major industrial cities in India. Although it retains little evidence of the Raj, it has been called the `Manchester of the East' due to its many textile industries and its smokestacks.

Vadodara (Baroda) History

Baroda was the capital of one of the most powerful princely state prior to independence. Baroda now called Vadodara is a pleasant, medium sized city with some interesting museums and art galleries and a fine park etc.

Situated on the south of city of Ahmedabad lies the city of Vadodara. Vadodara is a graceful city of palaces, parks, temples and museums. It is also known as Baroda and rises from the banks of River Vishwamitri. Vadodara is the industrial and cultural capital of Gujarat. Vadodara, originally 'Vadapadraka' means a village amidst the banyan trees. Baroda is known as the garden city of Gujarat. In the centre of Vadodara town is a huge lake

Mandvi Beach

Mandvi Beach is one of the finest deluxe camps situated along the 1666km long Gujarat coastline.One of India’s best-kept secrets, the deluxe camp at Mandvi Beach is part of the private beach estate of the Maharaos (rulers of Kutch) which is completely safe, secured from outside visitors and privately-owned.

While the sun-kissed sands and warm tropical waters make Mandvi Beach a great holiday destination, Mandvi’s Palace is one of the grandest in Gujarat state and has a museum of princely heirlooms. The palace estate has been the location for filming many Bollywood Blockbusters.

Here, we offer you the opportunity to enjoy the beach, the palaces of Mandvi, the handicrafts and monuments of the rest of Kutch district, and birdwatching along the northern coast of the Gulf of Kutch including the flamingo-rich Mandvi creek while staying in the air-conditioned comfort of the royal-style tented deluxe camp with an old-world ambience and contemporary facilities.
   

Dholavira

At the height of our civilization, our technological development, our social and material complexity, all signs point to progress, we often think. And yet, all is not as it seems and once in a while it occurs to us to look into the past to discover our future.

Dholavira is the larger of the two most remarkable excavations of the Indus Valley Civilization or Harappan culture, dating back to 4500 years ago. While the other site, Lothal, is more exhaustively educated and easier to reach, a visit to Lothal only complements, rather than replaces, a visit to Dholavira. What this site offers you, in the intense environment that comes with being surrounded by the Great Rann of Kutch, is a unique insight into the pioneering Harappan mind, with one of the world’s earliest and best planned water conservation systems and what might be the world’s first signboards, written in ancient Indus script.

The excavation also tells the story of the 7 stages of the civilization, from development to maturity to decay, the last of which hints at a strange piece of history, with more questions than answers. After the peak of the civilization Dholavira was temporarily abandoned, after which it seems that the settlers returned with a markedly de-urbanized culture. There are hints that they willingly chose to simplify their lives, rather than try to ride the collapse of their once glorified civilization. Here, on the ruins, you will have a chance to contemplate what progress and civilization mean and what, if anything, is truly permanent.