Gujarat

\"The State of Vibrant contrast\"

CONTENTS 35 LAXMI VILAS PALACE KNOWING THE FOUNDATION VADODARA 03 PAST TO PRESENT The ancient history of Gujarat adorns multiple rulers & invaders leaving their mark on the culture evident till today. 13 CULTURE Know all about the vibrant festivals, fairs & Dance to the tunes of traditional music with Dandiyas. Later, savour the traditional taste of Gujarati Cuisines. 40 ARCHITECTURE DECODING THE RICH HERITAGE 40 20 18 HANDICRAFTS PRINTS GUJARATI THALI Discover the Part of India's cultural FABRICS heritage through the colorful beauty of HANDICRAFTS Gujarati cuisine varies Gujarat's handicraft. COMMUNITIES widely in flavor and heat, depending on a 27 PRINTS & FABRICS family's tastes as well as the region of 02 Gujarat to which they belong NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 01

Porbandar Kutch Gandhinagar Ahmedabad Rajkot Surat Junagarh Somnath Dholavira

The journey to the 21st century... Drawing its name from the Gurjara Simultaneously, the Mahagujarat (supposedly a subtribe of the Movement pressed for a state of Huns) rests on the West Coast of Gujarat for Gujarati-speaking India, having a rich history dating people in the Bombay State.With back to ancient times. The the success of the movement & excavation at Lothal traces back introduction of The State to it being a part of the flourishing Reorganisation Act 1956, the states Indus valley civilization, dating were divided on the basis of back to 3700 BC.It was officially languages after defining formed in the year 1960 after the boundaries. Now, 1st May is Samyukta Maharashtra Movement celebrated as Gujarat & spearheaded the demand for a Maharashtra Day simultaneously.. separate Marathi-speaking state with Bombay as the capital.

SAURASHTRA Comprises of the south western part of modern Gujarat state and includes the following districts:Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Morbi, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, Surendranagar, Dhandhuka talukaThe region also historically encompassed the Diu district of the Daman and Diu (U.T.) Kshatrap Dynasty Maitraka Dynasty (10 A.D. to 400 A.D.) Gupta Empire (470 A.D. to 788 A.D.) (400 A.D. to 470 A.D.) Post Maitraka Samprati Dynasty ( 788 A.D. to 942 A.D.) (294 B.C. to 10 A.D.) Chaulukya Dynasty (942 A.D. to 1244 A.D.) Mauryan Dynasty Vaghela Dynasty (322 B.C. to 294 B.C.) (942 A.D. to 1304 A.D.) Delhi Sultanate (1304 A.D. to 1407 A.D. ) Mughal Empire Gujarat Sultanate (1573 A.D. to 1756 A.D. ) (1407 A.D. to 1572 A.D. ) Maratha Empire (1764 A.D. to 1818 A.D. ) British Rule & Portugese Colinies (1818 A.D. to 1947 A.D. ) Post Independence & Bombay State (1947 A.D. to 1960 A.D. )

Food Gujarat has forever been the land of diverse ethnic people from Turkey, Iraq, Iran and the Middle East having settled in Saurashtra & other parts. There are Afridis from Africa in some pockets of Gujarat and the various invasions by Greeks, Muslims from Persia and elsewhere all have left their influence here. Khandvi It consists of yellowish, tightly rolled bite-sized pieces and is primarily made of gram flour and yogurt. Shrikhand Made of strained dahi this sweet delicacy is much beloved by the people of India. Dhokla Made with a fermented batter derived from rice and split chickpeas. Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish, or as a snack. Methi Thepla It is a soft Flatbread typical of Gujarati cuisine It is typically enjoyed as a breakfast, or can be eaten for snacks with hot tea or can be eaten during lunch Fafda Jalebi This perfect combination of sweet and savory is the much beloved part of Gujarati cuisine.

FolkDance & Dandiya Raas Music Garba Padhar Garbi The folk music of Gujarat is known as Sugam Sangeet and has acclaimed world-wide fame. The range of musical instruments utilized in Gujarati folk music includes turi, manjira, ektaro, jantar, zanz pot drum, prabhati, dhol and ravan hattho.

Gujarat is one of the most vibrant states to visit in India.The state produces a wide range of textiles that depicts its rich cultural history, traces of heritage and traditions that have lasted centuries.



Bandhej Adore your wardrobe with one of the most cherished and adorned textile arts done by the Khatri community of Gujarat. Also known as bandhani, this famous tie-and- dye work is one of the most common and sought after textiles. It is characterized by geometric patterns that appear on vibrant colors. Patterns are achieved by pinching and pushing small portions of the fabric into small points, and knotting and twisting them with the help of thread. The fabric is then dyed in different shades of color, thereby leaving the knotted parts uncoloured.

Patola Patola silk double ikkat saree is one of the most expensive handspun fabrics in the country.It is also the most luxury fabric that you can own. The Salvis, who are a class of Jains, were the very first people to manufacture Patola silk Patola designs take a cue from the natural surroundings. Motifs and patterns inspired from animals and food items can be found painted on a Patola Silk. It takes over six months to a year to make a single patola saree. Patola is a unique work which depicts the richness and finesse of Gujarat’s weaver community.

Ajrakh Take a little bit of kutch with you with this century old art of fine block printing,’Ajrakh’. Evidence shows that early civilizations along the Indus Valley which is renowned as the Sindh civilization were the creators and makers of the Ajrakh block printing technology. The Dhamadka and Ajrakhpur areas of Kutch are famous for their hand block printing technique called Ajrakh. The soft cotton cloth is first dyed in a single colour, after which several hand-carved blocks are used to print beautiful designs on it.

Rogan Paintings Rogan painting, is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat. Rogan paint is produced by boiling castor oil for about two days and then adding vegetable pigments and a binding agent; the resulting paint is thick and shiny. The cloth that is painted or printed on is usually a dark color, which makes the intense colors stand out. In rogan painting, elaborate designs are produced freehand, by trailing thread-like strands of paint off of a stylus. Frequently, half of a design is painted, then the cloth is folded in half, transferring a mirror image to the other half of the fabric. The designs include floral motifs, animals, and local folk art..

Rabari Feast your eyes on this beautiful mirror work embroidery by Rabari tribe of Gujarat. For as long as the Rabaris have been on this earth, the Rabari traditional embroidery has been in existence. The beautiful mirror work, aesthetic designs and the exquisite choice of colors along with the touch of tradition has worked as a source of inspiration for this embroidery culture.

Beadwork Beadwork is another Gujarati specialty from Khambhat and Saurashtra. Motifs and patterns are dictated by the technique of putting two and three beads together. The best beadwork is produced by the kathis tribe. Worked mostly on a white background they use colours that are vibrant with very distinct patterns.

Khadva Pottey Take a part of history with you with this dying art of pottery of gujarat. The art of Khavda Pottery started during the Indus Valley Civilisation. The soft clay is shaped into a pot on a potter’s wheel and left to dry in the shade, then Kumbhar women use red, black, and white clay-based paints to decorate each piece of pottery with distinct community-specific designs. After the vessels are dried they are coated with a thin wash of geru (red color). The pots of Khavda get their red colour from Geru, a type of soil (ocher/umber), and the black-and-white dots and stripes are also made with natural materials.

Bell of Kutch Villages of Kutch have always had a strong relationship with animals, be it for farming or cattle raising. The craft of making bell is believed to be over a thousand years old, originating in Sindh, (currently in pakistan). These bells are used to identify cattles. They are tied around the cattle’s neck so the owner would know of their whereabouts. These bells are made by Lohar caste of Gujarat, these families have been making bells for as far they can trace their ancestry. Bells are made of iron and then coated with powdered copper with the help of mud paste and then heated in a furnace to fix the powered copper on the surface of the bells.

Lippan Art Be ready to be amazed by women of Rabari community as kutch brings you the beautiful traditional mural craft of mud and mirror work, ’Lippan’. Though the work is limited mainly to the interior walls, it can be found on the outer walls as well. These scintillating murals bring life, cheerfulness, and beauty to generally harsh life of people of Kutch.

ARCHITECTURE Indo-Islamic architecture flourished during the rule of the Gujarat Sultanate and Mughal Empire in Gujarat. Buildings were built in European styles, including Gothic and Neoclassical during the British Colonial period. Indo-Saracenic architecture also developed during this period

Rani Ki Vav *Rani ki vav ( queen's of stepwell) *It is located on the bank of saraswati river *Rani ki vav was constructed during the rule of the CHAULUKYA dynasty. *It is classified as a Nanda type stepwell. *Rani ki vav is considered as the finest and one of the largest example of stepwell architecture in Gujarat. It was built at the height of craftsmens’ ability in stepwell construction and the Maru-Gurjara architecture style, reflecting mastery of this complex technique and beauty of detail and proportions

Jama Masjid Located in Ahmedabad, this beautiful masjid is Build with yellow sandstone. One enters the court by three entrances, one at the center of each side. The courtyard is lined with a colonnade on three sides, the prayer hall occupies the fourth (east) side. In the center of the courtyard is a rectangular basin for ablutions. *The prayer room is also rectangular and covered by four domes. *Considered one of the most magnificent and imposing structures when it was built back in 1424, the mosque comprises of a massive open courtyard, soaring arched gateways, and a total of 300 pillars supporting 15 domes. Made with yellow sandstones, the architecture is a blend of Hindu and Muslim styles.

Adalaj Stepwell Built in sandstone in the Solanki architectural style, the Adalaj stepwell is five stories deep Its construction was started by Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty of Dandai Desh. It is octagonal in plan at the top, built on intricately carved large number of pillars. The motifs of flowers and graphics of Islamic architecture blend very well with the symbols of Hindu and Jain gods carved at various levels of the well It was built in 1498. The history of the Adalaj step-well is established by an inscription in Sanskrit found on a marble slab positioned in a recess on the first floor, from the eastern entry to the well. Its construction was started by Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty of Dandai Desh. But he was killed in a war, whereafter the Muslim king Mahmud Begada of a neighbouring state built it in Indo-Islamic architectural style, in 1499.

Jhulta Minara They are constructed in the Gothic Muslim manner with Rajputana influences. The minar is 34 meters long and has three storeys. They include well- balanced balconies made of stone. The sole purpose of these balconies is to border the minaret The earliest settlement can be recorded around the 12th century under Chaulukya dynasty rule. The present city was founded on 26 February 1411 and announced as the capital on 4 March 1411 by Ahmed Shah I of Gujarat Sultanate as a new capital.

Laxi Vilas Palace Situated in Vadodara Lakshmi Vilas Palace was styled on the Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture, built by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in 1890 . Built in 1890 as the private residence of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Laxmi Vilas Palace is indeed At the time of construction, it one of the grandest structures in India. Created in Indo-Saracenic style, it is a magnificent hybrid of boasted the most modern elements from Hindu, Mughal and Gothic architectural forms with the use of domes, minrates and arches. Built amenities such as elevators in 1890, Robert Fellows Chisholm, the designer- architect, took twelve years to build this grand building. and the interior is reminiscent Sprawled over an area of 700 acres, the palace is believed to be nearly four times the size of of a large European country Buckingham Palace. house. It remains the residence of the royal family, who continue to be held in high esteem by the residents of Baroda.

Palitana Temple Located in the Bhavnagar District, the Palitana temples are considered to be the most sacred tirtha (pilgrimage place) by the Jain community. There are hundreds of temples, with estimates ranging between 863 and 1,008. The larger temples have considerable marble halls with columns and towers, and plenty of openings, unlike Hindu temples Ā ādin tha the first of the Jain tirthankaras, is said to have meditated on the Shatrunjaya hill, where the Palitana temples were later constructed.

Gujarat Magazine Block A A-21/13 Near Shadipur Metro Station, Naraina Industrial Area Phase 1, Phase II, New Delhi, Delhi 110028 Published by: Brinda Gupta, Esha Jain, Nitin Gupta