Gujarat

(2001 pop. 50.6 million). The state of Gujarat is located on the west coast of India and is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the west, Pakistan in the north, and the states of Rajasthan in the northeast, Madhya Pradesh in the southeast, and Maharashtra in the south. It covers an area of 196,024 square kilometers, and its principal language is Gujarati. Gandhinagar is the capital city. Other important sites are Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh, Bhuj, Cambay, and Surat.

The history of Gujarat goes back to 2000 BCE. It is believed that Lord Krishna left Mathura to settle on the west coast of Saurashtra, which came to be known as Dwarka. Several kingdoms sprang up here at various times. Of these, the Mauryas, Guptas, Pratiharas, and Chalukyas were the most significant. During the medieval period, Gujarat passed under the rule of the Delhi sultans, who were followed by the Mughals, and finally by the British. The present state of Gujarat came into being on 1 May 1960, following the reorganization of the Indian states.

One of the most prosperous states, Gujarat is the main producer of tobacco, cotton, and groundnuts in the country. Other important agricultural products include paddy rice, wheat, and millet. Gujarat is also one of India's leading industrial states and a major center of trade and commerce. It has forty ports, of which Kandla is the most important. Gujarat is famous for industries such as chemicals, petrochemicals, fertilizers, engineering, and electronics. Registered working factories in the state numbered 19,771 at the end of 1999.

Among the annual fairs and festivals of the state is the Tarnetar fair, held at the village of Tarnetar in honor of Lord Siva in the month of Bhadra (mid-August– mid-September). The Madhavrai fair celebrating the marriage of Lord Krishna and Rukmini is held at Madhavpur in Chaitra (mid-March–mid-April). The Ambaji fair, held in the Banaskantha district, is dedicated to the mother goddess Amba. The traditional Hindu festivals of Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna), Makar Sankranti, and Navaratri are popular throughout Gujarat.

Gujarat attracts a large number of tourists. Tourist spots include sacred Hindu sites such as Dwarka, Somnath, Ambaji, Bhadreshwar, Shamlaji, Taranga, and Girnar. Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi's ashram at Sabarmati, and archaeological sites at Lothal and Dhabol also draw visitors, as do the beaches at Ahmadpur-Mandvi, Chorwad, and Tithal; the lion sanctuary at Gir Forest; and the wild ass sanctuary at Kutch.

Sanghvi, Nagindas. (1996) Gujarat: A Political Analysis. Surat, India: Centre for Social Studies.

Ward, Philip. (1998) Gujarat, Daman, Diu: A Travel Guide. New Delhi: Orient Longman.