Dwarkadhish Temple

About The Place: The main draw for tourists coming to Dwarka, the Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), is believed to have been established more than 2500 years ago by Lord Krishna’s great grandson, Vajranabh. The ancient temple has been renovated several times, especially leaving imprints of 16th and 19th centuries. The temple stands on a small hill accessed by 50 plus steps, with heavily sculptured walls that cocoon the sanctum with the main Krishna idol. Around the complex lie other smaller shrines. The walls have intricately carved mythical characters and legends. The impressive 43 m high spire is topped with a flag made from 52 yards of cloth that flutters in the soft breeze from the Arabian Sea behind the temple. There are two doors (swarg and moksh) for the entry and exit of the temple. A bridge called Sudama Setu (7am–1pm, 4–7.30pm) at the base of the temple takes one across the Gomti creek towards the beach.

Brief History: Dwarka on the western tip of the Kathiawar Peninsula is clubbed with the holiest sites in India – the Char Dhams that include Badrinath, Puri and Rameshwaram. It is believed that Lord Krishna arrived here from Braj in Uttar Pradesh to build the city. The temple was established by his grandson. It is at the cusp of the Gomti River and the Arabian Sea, providing a scenic backdrop to the spiritual site. It is said that Dwarka was submerged under the sea six times and what we see now is its seventh avatar. The temple itself has a fascinating legend. The original structure was destroyed by Mahmud Begada in 1472, and subsequently rebuilt in the 15th-16th century. It was also feted by Adi Shankaracharya, the 8th century Hindu theologian and philosopher.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit is between November and February, and during Janmashtami which is celebrated grandly here.

Visiting Hours

7am–12.30pm and 5–9pm

Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple

About Place: The intricately carved honey-coloured Somnath temple on the western edge of the state is believed to be the place where the first of the twelve holy jyotirlingas emerged in India – a spot where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. The temples lies at the meeting of Kapila, Hiran and Sarasvati rivers and the waves of the Arabian Sea ebb and flow touching the shore on which it is constructed. The ancient temple’s timeline can be traced from 649 BC but is believed to be older than that. The present form was reconstructed in 1951. Colourful dioramas of the Shiva story line the north side of the temple garden, though it’s hard to see them through the hazy glass. A one-hour sound-and-light show in Amitabh Bachchan’s baritone highlights the temple nightly at 7.45pm.

Brief History: It’s said that Somraj (the moon god) first built a temple in Somnath, made of gold; this was rebuilt by Ravana in silver, by Krishna in wood and by Bhimdev in stone. The current serene, symmetrical structure was built to traditional designs on the original coastal site: it’s painted a creamy colour and boasts a little fine sculpture. The large, black Shiva lingam at its heart is one of the 12 most sacred Shiva shrines, known as jyotirlinga.

A description of the temple by Al-Biruni, an Arab traveller, was so glowing that it prompted a visit in 1024 by a most unwelcome tourist – the legendary looter Mahmud of Ghazni from Afghanistan. At that time, the temple was so wealthy that it had 300 musicians, 500 dancing girls and even 300 barbers. Mahmud of Ghazni took the town and temple after a two-day battle in which it’s said 70,000 defenders died. Having stripped the temple of its fabulous wealth, Mahmud destroyed it. So began a pattern of destruction and rebuilding that continued forcenturies. The temple was again razed in 1297, 1394 and finally in 1706 by Aurangzeb, the Mughal ruler. After that, the temple wasn’t rebuilt until 1950.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Somnath Temple is in the cooler months of October to February, though the site is open all through the year. Shivratri (usually in February or March) and Kartik Purnima (close to Diwali) are celebrated with great enthusiasm here.

Gir National Park

About place: Gir National Park is the only place in the world outside Africa where a lion can be seen in its natural habitat. The lions of Gir are a majestic animal, averaging 2.75 metres in length, and with a bigger tail tassel, bushier elbow tufs and prominent belly folds than his African cousin which has larger mane. Gir is a home to 40 species of mammals and 425 species of birds.

This forested, hilly, 1412-sq-km sanctuary about halfway between Veraval and Junagadh is the last refuge of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). Taking a safari through the thick, undisturbed forests is a joy – even without the added excitement of spotting lions, other wildlife and myriad bird species. Access to the sanctuary is by safari permit only, bookable in advance online.

If you miss out on a permit, your other option for lion encounters is at the Devalia Safari Park, a fenced-off part of the sanctuary where sightings are guaranteed but more stage-managed. The sanctuary’s 37 other mammal species, most of which have also increased in numbers, include dainty chital (spotted deer), sambar (large deer), nilgais (blue bull / large antelopes), chousinghas (four-horned antelopes), chinkaras (gazelles), crocodiles and rarely seen leopards. The park is a great destination for birders too, with more than 300 bird species, most of the residents. While the wildlife has been lucky, more than half the sanctuary’s human community of distinctively dressed maldhari (herders) have been resettled elsewhere, ostensibly because their cattle and buffalo were competing for food resources with the antelopes, deer, and gazelles, while also being preyed upon by the lions and leopards. About 1000 people still live in the park, however their livestock accounts for about a quarter of the lions diet.

Twelve kilometers west of Sasan Gir village at Devalia, within the sanctuary precincts, is the Gir Interpretation Zone, better known as simply Devalia. The 4.12-sq-km fenced-off compound is home to a cross-section of Gir wildlife. Chances of seeing lions and leopards here are guaranteed, with 45-minute bus tours departing along the trails hourly. You may also see foxes, mongoose, and blackbuck – the latter being lion fodder.

Brief History: The sanctuary was set up in 1965, and a 259-sq-km core area was declared as a national park in 1975. Since the late 1960s, lion numbers have increased from less than 200 to 674 (Census 2020).

Best time to visit:  in winter from November to March.

Note: Gir Jungle Safari is closed from 16th June to 15th October every year.

DIU Island

Diu is island situated slightly off the coast of Kathiawad near the Port of Veraval in Gujarat with a coastal length of 21 kms. and is at a distance of about 768 kms. from Daman, the Capital of the newly formed Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.

It is the  coastal town at the eastern end of Diu Island, India. A bridge connects the island to the state of Gujarat. Overlooking the Arabian Sea, Diu Fort, a 16th-century Portuguese citadel, features a lighthouse and cannons. Inland, centuries-old St. Paul’s Church was built in an elaborate baroque style. Nearby, whitewashed St. Thomas Church is now home to the Diu Museum, with wooden carvings and religious artifacts.

Tourist places at DIU

        Bird Sanctuary                        INS Khukri Vessel

    Chakratirth Beach                              Nagoa Beach

            Diu Fort                                      Gangeshwar Temple

Best time to visit Diu: Diu is home to serene beaches. You will love exploring the beaches and water sports. Enjoy a blissful break at serene Diu.

Here are a few quick facts to make your travel safe and easy to Diu. Diu is a Beach destination. The best time to visit Diu is October, November, December, January and February. Since this is the peak season expect a little crowd during this time. March, April and May period experiences moderate weather. So, you can easily avoid facing a large gathering.

In peak season the weather is warm afternoons and pleasantly cold evenings, whereas in off-season the weather is humid along with unexpected showers.

If your travel seems incomplete without getting into some fun activities then you will love to get indulged in exploring the beaches and water sports. In moderate season you will love to get indulged in the thrilling water sports and amazing deals on hotels.

Statue of Unity

Brief History: The statue has been built as an ode to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of independent India. He was responsible for uniting all 562 princely states of the country to build the Republic of India.

About Place: October 31st, 2018, marked the inauguration of the world’s tallest statue – the Statue of Unity, against the backdrop of the dramatic Satpura and Vindhyachal hills in Kevadia, Gujarat. The 182-metre (600 feet aprox.) statue is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the architect of independent India. The colossal monument towers over River Narmada, a tribute to India ‘from the people of Gujarat’ to the leader who placed people’s welfare first. The Statue of Unity overlooks the vast surrounds and the river basin of the Narmada River and the sprawling Sardar Sarovar dam. It stands on the Sadhu Bet hillock, connected by a 300-meter bridge, which offers access from the mainland to the statue.

As a part of an outreach programme for the project, the state government had asked Indian farmers to donate their used farming equipment to collect iron needed for the statue of Sardar Patel. Eventually, about 5000 tonnes of iron is believed to be collected. Details of the construction and history of the leader can be seen in an in-house museum, inside the statue.

Laser Light and Sound Show: A Light and Sound show using laser technology projected on the Statue of Unity takes place every evening except Monday. The colorful laser lighting system is accompanied by an excellent narration of the history and life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to the Independence Movement and the unification of India as one nation.

Tour of Valley of Flowers: The Valley of Flowers (also known as Bharat Van), is spread across 24 acres of land and is a haven for colorful flowering plants along the bank of river Narmada. The Valley of Flower began with 48,000 plants in 2016 and has now reached up to 22,00,000 plants. Besides the parks, several photo booths and selfie points have been developed to take back fond memories of the visit. The spot resembles a rainbow of flowers setup on earth.

More than 300 types of flowers are grown in this garden. A right blend of ornamental flowers, trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers and creepers are planted along with various shades of foliage, which forms the green cover in this area

Tour of Sardar Sarovar Dam: The Sardar Sarovar Dam is the third highest concrete dam (163 meters) in India after Bhakra (226 meters) in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar (192 meters) in Uttar Pradesh. In terms of volume of concrete involved for gravity dams, this dam is ranked as the second largest in the world with an aggregate volume of 6.82 million cubic meter; only after Grand Coulee Dam in the USA with a total volume of 8.0 million cubic meter being the largest.

Nauka Vihar: Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation Ltd. (GSFDC) has initiated a Boat ride in Dyke-3 known as Panchmukhi Lake in Kevadia as a part of ecotourism activity. Boating facility has been developed with the help of an external professional entity. Tourists coming to Kevadia are also enjoying the pristine nature with this boat ride. Total duration of each ride is for 45 minutes and in a day eight rides are operationalized by the operator. This ride takes you to the waters of dyke-4 as well as the entire water body is surrounded by lush green forests. Ecosystem around the lake is very rich in flora and fauna. This Boating facility has become a popular spot for the tourists. Panchmuli Lake is definitely a worthwhile visit with your family or friends. What sets this apart is its location -set in middle of a forest grove. So have fun and enjoy your time on the water at beautiful Panchmuli Lake!.

Cactus Garden: The Cactus Garden is a unique botanical garden at the Statue of Unity site, created to exhibit a huge variety of Cacti and succulents, the true miracles of adaptation. The thought behind the development of the cactus garden is to provide an experience of the desert ecosystem in the midst of a landmass well entrenched in an aquatic surrounding. There are 6 lakh plants of 450 species spread across 25 acres of open land and inside the dome having an area of 836 square meters.

Ekta Nursery: Ekta Nursery is being developed in the vicinity of the Statue of Unity, in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision that visitors, when they return, should take back with them seedlings as a plant of unity. Out of the one million plants targeted, 0.3 million plants are in ‘ready to sell’ stage and the other 0.7 million are likely to be ready soon

Children Nutrition Park: Children Nutrition Park is a Unique Theme Park envisioned and inspired by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, which has been developed as a part of Kevadia Integrated Development. It provides a high quality entertainment and vital knowledge to the children on healthy eating habits and nutritional values based on the theme of “SAHI POSHAN DESH ROSHAN.” Entire park is designed and implemented for the benefit of the children and extensive use of state of the art technology is being made, which gives a fascinating experience to the children visiting the park.

Dino Trail: Recent excavations in the Narmada valley, have revealed that Rajasaurus Narmadensis, an endemic species of dinosaur, was existing in the Narmada valley during the Cretaceous period [also known as the ‘K-period’]. The K-period spanned between the Jurassic period (145 million years ago) and Paleogene Period (66 million years ago).

A replica of the endemic dinosaur with the distinctive horn is created and exhibited for the visitors. The replica is about three times the estimated–original size; it measures 75 feet in length and 25 feet in height. This offers the visitors a glimpse into the evolution of the planet and mankind and is an attempt to create public awareness regarding the wealth of ancient flora and fauna of this area.

Jungle Safari: A state-of-art zoological park with unique collection of indigenous and exotic animals and birds from the various biogeographic regions of the world, is located at the picturesque hills near the tallest statue of the world “The Statue of Unity” and “The Sardar Sarovar Dam” at Kevadia. This zoo will take you through an adventurous and exciting trip of watching wildlife, enjoying scenic beauty of the hills and entertaining experiences of a lifetime.

Viswa Van:  Vishwa Van is a Global Forest and offers a natural aesthetic beauty. Vishwa Van (a Global Forest) is home to herbs, shrubs and trees native to all 7 continents signifying the underlying theme of ‘Unity in Bio-diversity’ in global context as well. Vishwa Van symbolizes the life sustaining potion of forests in the context of all life forms in the planet. Vishwa Van has a diverse assemblage of flora representing every continent of the world. The vegetation is arranged in a way to resemble the natural forest of a particular zone.

Best time to visit:  The best time to visit the Statue of Unity is in the cooler months of October to February, though the site is open all through the year. The Statue of Unity opens at 8:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM from Tuesday to Sunday. The Laser Light and Sound Show can be viewed from 7:30 PM onwards daily, except on Mondays.The Statue of Unity is closed on Mondays for maintenance work.