Gujarat is usually referred to as the Land of the Lions and Legends. It lies in the western part of India touching the Arabian Sea. It is well known for its vibrant art and culture along with the ever adorable Gujarati people. Besides being the home state of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, Gujarat has many other aspects worth knowing. Here are some interesting facts about Gujarat:
Image: f0.pepst.com
1. The Lost City
Dwarka, a coastal city that existed around 12,000 years ago in Western Gujarat, is said to be the place where Lord Krishna spent most of his life. The culture, traditions, and ambiance of Gujarat echo the footprints of Lord Krishna. The city is also termed as the lost city by many historians. The city’s existence has been established after many excavations and underwater explorations.
Source: ancient-code.com, Image: Wikimedia
2. Land of Mahatma Gandhi
Gujarat’s soil is blessed with the great legend Mahatma Gandhi, India’s Father of the Nation. Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad still shows the glimpses of the lifestyle of this great saint of nonviolence.
Source: gandhiashramsabarmati.org, Image: Wikimedia
3. A Vegan State
India is the leading vegan country in the world, and among its 29 states, Gujarat has the most number of vegans.
Source: ingujarat.in
4. Longest Coastline
Among the coastal states of India, Gujarat has the longest coastline of around 1215 km.
Source: iomenvis.nic.in, Image: gujarattourism.com
5. Rich Diaspora
Gujaratis are known for their business skills and are spread the world over, especially in North America. In fact, one in every five Indian-American is a Gujarati.
Source: nri.gujarat.gov.in
6. India’s Largest Salt Marsh
With a total area of about 7,505.22 square kilometers, the Great Rann of Kutch is considered one of the largest salt deserts in the world and the largest salt marsh in India. This seasonal salt marsh is spread in the Kutch District of India and the Sindh Province of Punjab. The Great Rann transforms from marshland in the summer to arid desert in winter.
Source: CNN, Video: Rajya Sabha TV (YouTube)
7. Largest District in India
With a total area of 45,674 square km, Kutch is the largest district in India.
Source: BBC, Image: Wikimedia
8. Asia’s Greenest Capital City is Here
Located around 23 km from Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar is considered to be the greenest capital city in Asia with around 1/2 of its area covered with greenery.
Source: msn.com, Image: holidayiq.com
9. International Kite Festival
Gujarat is known world-over for hosting the Internationa Kite Festival in the city of Ahmedabad, every year. Kite enthusiasts from across India and also foreign countries participate in the week-long festival.
Source: The Hindu, GIF: tv9gujarati.in
10. A Business-Friendly State
Gujarat has always been considered as the best place for investment in India because of its trade policies, economic resources, and co-operative mindset, and in 2015, World Bank ranked Gujarat at first position on Ease of Doing Business in India list. An area (in between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar) is being developed as the GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) to promote businesses in Gujarat.
Source: thehindu.com, Image: assetsmaker.in
11. The World-Famous Somnath Temple
On the western coast of Veraval in Saurashtra, the magnificent Somnath Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva, is the first among the 12 Jyotirlingas in India.
Source: gujarattourism.com, Image: Wikimedia
12. The Pivot of Petrochemical Production
Gujarat is the petrochemical hub of India and contributes more than 60% petrochemical production in India.
Source: globalgujarat.com, Image: cleanindiajournal.com
13. Largest WAN Network in Asia!
Gujarat possesses the largest P-based ICT WAN network in Asia and the second-best in the world.
Source: ingujarat.in
14. Asia’s Pioneer Management Institute
Not only in India but also out of all management institutes in Asia, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is considered one of the best management institutes in Asia.
Source: topmba.com, Image: iima.ac.in
15. A Place of Riches
Thanks to its rich commercial heritage, almost 2/5 of the richest people in India are proud Gujarati’s, including the top richest persons in India like Mukesh Ambani (Reliance Industries), Dilip Shanghvi (Sun Pharma), Gautam Adani (Adani Enterprises), Azim Premji (Wipro Ltd.), and Pallonji Mistry (Shapoorji Pallonji Group).
Source: PIB
16. One of the World’s Most Spoken Native Languages
Gujarati’s are a big community and well spread throughout the world. Out of around 6500 languages, the Gujarati Language stands 27th in the world with around 66 million speakers.
Source: britannica.com
17. The Longest Optical Fiber Network
With a vast area covering around 50,000 km, Gujarat has the longest optical fiber network, which is expensive but provides great bandwidth and low power loss.
Source: timeofindia.com
18. The Richest City in India
Based on the annual income, Gujarat’s Surat City is considered the richest city in India.
Source: timesofindia.com
19. Asia’s Largest Dairy is Here
Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (KDCMPUL), popularly known as Amul Dairy, is considered the largest dairy in Asia.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com, Image: amuldairy.com
20. World’s First Pure Vegetarian Subway is Here!
Subway opened its first pure vegetarian outlet in the Ahmedabad District of Gujarat.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com, Image: aludecor.com
21. A Sweet State
Gujarati’s are well known for their surrender for sugar. Actually, the Gujarati recipes have such composition that they revolve around sugar to make it a complete dish.
Source: business-standard.com
22. The Biggest Oil Refinery on The Planet!
Owned by Reliance Industries, the Jamnagar Refinery in Gujarat is considered the biggest oil refinery on the planet with the output of around 1.2 million barrels every day.
Source: ril.com, Image: i0.wp.com
23. Want to See Asiatic Lions? Visit Gujarat
With an area of about 1412 sq km, Gir Forest National Park is known worldwide for Asiatic lions. Recent surveys show that more than 500 Asiatic lions are present in Gir.
Source: girnationalpark.in, Image: greatcatsoftheworld.files.wordpress.com
23. World’s Biggest Ship-Breaking Yard Town is Here!
Located in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar, Alang is considered the biggest ship breaking yard town in the world. The world’s most colossal ships are broken here.
Source: ndtv.com, Image: Wikimedia
24. Home to India’s First Port City
Gujarat is considered one of the main centers of Indus Valley Civilization and has ancient cities of Dholavira, Lothal and Gola Dhoro. Lothal is considered India’s first port city by the historians.
Source: gujarattourism.com, Image: messagetoeagle.com
25. A Cotton Hub
Cotton is a very popular source of clothing in India, and around 1/3 of India’s cotton is cultivated in Gujarat.
Source: businessworld.in
26. Majority of World’s Diamonds are Refined in Gujarat
Gujarat’s Surat City is an important center for diamond refining and is considered as the world’s major diamond refining center.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
27. A Record Number of Jain Temples
Palitana in Bhavnagar district holds the record for 900 Jain temples.
Source: gujarattourism.com, Image: 3.bp.blogspot.com
28. Sorry to Booze Lovers
Gujarat is the first state in India to impose a complete ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Source: theweek.in, Image: indiaopines.com
29. World’s Tallest Statue is Here
With the height of 182 meters (597 ft), the “Statue of Unity” is an iconic statue of India’s first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a visionary leader and statesman; hailed as the “Iron Man of India.” Facing the Narmada Dam, the statue is considered the world’s tallest statue.
Source: statueofunity.in, Image: businessworld.in
30. Home to an Ancient Civilization
Rising out of the Great Run of Kutch, there is an island that is home to a 5,000-year-old Indus Valley civilization site known as Dholavira.
Source: CNN; Video: Gujarat Tourism (YouTube)
31. A Dance to Mark a Girl’s First Menstrual Cycle
Gujarat is very popular for a folk dance called “Garba.” This joyful style of dance is commonly performed at festivals and on other special occasions. Garba dances celebrate fertility and honor womanhood. In Gujarat, the dances customarily mark a girl’s first menstrual cycle.
Source: britannica.com, GIF: giphy.com
