Gujarat - The Vibrant state of India on its Establishment day

1st May, 1960 was the day when Gujarat was officially declared as an independent state in the map of India and today, on the 53rd year of the official birthday of our State, I proud to say that I am Gujarati. Every child has immense love towards the mother and hence, I also would like to explore some Vibrant parts of my first mother land - Gujarat, to the world.

Gujarat is one of the wealthiest states of India. So many times, I also feel that Gujarat is the one of the dearest child of India and nature too. As it is surrounded one side by the great Arabian Sea, one side by the Great Runn (desert) of Kutch and in one side by the Mountain range of Arravali. Several sanctuaries are here including the world famous - Sasan Gir where Asiatic lions are livinig happily and Nalsarovar - where the birds and bird watchers come from all over the world. Not only these sanctuaries are the beauty of Gujarat but you can also find the living dense forests in Daang district and Gir. Not stopping here, Gujarat has a hill station too. It is Saputara. So many colors of nature you can find here in Gujarat.

So as the mother so as the children too.

These Vibrant nature doesn't stop in geography only, it runs through the veins in the blood of every Gujarati. I have seen several states of India but the uniqueness of Gujarati is something incomparable. In most of the movies and in other TV shows, Gujaratis are shown as a joke. They have been given an identity - Gujju. Now I don't understand what this name means but certainly I know one thing is that Gujaratis are not at all a matter of joke. Many people find an excuse to laugh seeing that in this 21st century, many Gujaratis don't know how to speak English. But in their surprise, these Gujaratis, each of whom may not be able to speak fluent and in correct "Pronunciation", are doing Great in the "English-Speaking" countries. Yes, they're running Hotels, Motels, Food restaurants, Jewellery shops and currently one Gujarati has bought the "East India company" in UK, which ruled in India! Yes, he is Mr. Mehta and you can find plenty of information of him from the net. My intention of writing this is not to make any non Gujarati inferior but to make everyone aware that Gujarat is the land where courage beats, where the business grows, where the peace is not at the cost of tablets, where training may be nothing but skill is everything. You can find the Gujarati very simple but beware, yet he may be simple, he is not a coward. He will come over all the problems and will command the victory and you can ask this to any foreign countrymen, specially from US, UK, Canada and Australia!

These Gujaratis are fond of life. They earn lots of money, they spend them a lot, they eat a lot and they travel a lot. It would not be wrong to say that the tourism board of India has heavier contribution from Gujaratis. While working they work like a mad man and once they are at home, they are of home. Food industry in Gujarat is a shock to the Economists. In the recession period, this recession proof industry kept on going. The restaurants, the food streets are always full irrespective of the time. Same is to the traveling too. I have not seen a Gujarati who doesn't do traveling even once in a year. The peace loving Gujaratis are far from the fights and that is why Gujarat is becoming a mini India. As here everyone can see the peace and safety. It is the one and only state where liquor is banned.

The courageous Gujaratis have done sun shining job so many times and due to their work, they're respected all over the world. Who doesn't know the Gujarat connection with business tycoons Dhirubhai Ambani, Ratan Tata and Azim premji? The diamond industry of Surat (Gujarat) is world known and it has great contribution to the diamond industry world wide. Many ships come in Gujarat in Alang (Bhavnagar) to have their final destination. Hazira is like a valley of gold for the petrochemical industry which is here in Gujarat. Who is unaware that Mahatma Gandhi was Gujarati? Who doesn't know that it was Sardar Patel - the real Iron man of India, who discovered India under one government? And today in the year 2013, who doesn't know about the Visionary CM of Gujarat - Shree Narendrabhai Modi, who is acclaimed to be next PM of India? 

Not in the field of politics and business, but in the field of entertainment too, Gujarat is making deep impacts. Paresh Raval, the versatile actor of Gujarat is the heart throb of movies. You may watch any movie, but this person makes it alive and when the topic of music comes, none can neglect Himesh Reshamiya who is also a Gujarati. The TV serial, which has now become a platform for many movie promotions, "Tarak Mehta ka ooltah chasmah" is completely a Gujarati package. You can cling to this saga, if you wish to desire anything of Gujarati family. 

Where everything is at the top, how can it be forgotten to ignore the core of Gujaratis- Food and Traveling? You can find plenty of restaurants offering the Gujarati Thali in all over Gujarat and not only in Gujarat, due to the nature of Traveling of Gujaratis, other states and some countries too are forced to offer Gujarati Thali. You can of course find the Gujarati thali in any state of India and even in UK, US, Ausralia, Canada and the countries where Gujaratis live, you can find the Gujarati thali. The beauty of Gujarati thali is - as per illustrated in Ayurveda - a balanced dish, which should be in your Lunch and dinner. Today foreign scientists agree to believe that curd and butter milk have to be there in your meals and the originating point of them is Gujarati thali. 

Apart from Gujarati thali, several items of Gujarat are too famous in the world. Ghaari of Surat and Kesar Mangoes are the best example. Not only for food, Gujarat is also a beautiful traveling place and Amitabh Bachchan agrees with that.

Two Jyotirlingas (from 12 Jyotirlingas in India) namely, Somnaath and Nageshwar are in Gujarat. Two big Shaktipiths of India - Pavagadh and Ambaji are in Gujarat. Without taking blessings from where, the journey of "Chaar Dhaam" is considered futile, is in Gujarat known as "Dwarka" where Shri Krishna lived. You can visit these places to have the blessings of the eternal. 

Gujarat is also a heaven for Archeologists. The Dwarka is believed to be made of Gold under the governance of Shri Krishna, and sank in the water of Great Arabian sea is now FOUND from the underwater. History channel has officially confirmed that Dwarka was there and the evidences of the oldest civilization found are 12,000 years old as per their scientific research. The city of Lothal also is the place for the archeology.

When every part is rich then what about the literature? Well, Gujarati literature is one of its kind and I am proud to say that Gujarati literature has much richness. Gujaratis play tribute to Zaverchand Meghani, Umashankar joshi, Dhumketu, Mareez, Kajal oza vaidya, Gunvant shah and to so many authors and poets for their immense contribution in Gujarati literature. They pay respect to the one who wrote famous "Jay Garvi Gujarat" - Kavi Narmad.

My love will not end for my mother land and will not be able to explain this land completely. But one thing is for sure, 

મહેમાનગતિ તો ગુજરાતની. ‘અતિથિ તુમ કબ જાઓગે’ની માનસિકતા ગુજરાતીઓની નથી. વેપાર-ઉદ્યોગ ગુજરાતીના લોહીમાં છે. અમદાવાદીઓના જલસા,સુરતી લાલાઓની મસ્તી,કાઠિયાવાડી મહેમાનગતિ તો અહીંના છોગા છે. એક તરફથી દરિયો દોડે છે તો બીજી તરફ રણ બેઠું છે. દ્વારકાધીશના દેશમાં રે આવો વ્હાલા મારા ગુજરાતમાં....

Explore Gujarat more at;
http://www.gujarattourism.com/