FACTS ABOUT GUJARAT
Facts about Gujarat – Gujarat is a state in Western India, sometimes referred to as the Jewel of Western India. Gujarat is home to the Gujarati-speaking people of India. The state encompasses some sites of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, such as Lothal and Dholavira. Lothal is believed to be one of the world’s first seaports. Historically, the state of Gujarat has been one of the main centres of theIndus Valley Civilization. It contains some ancient metropolitan cities from the Indus Valley such as Lothal, Dholavira, and Gola Dhoro. The ancient city of Lothal was where India’s first port was established.
Government of Gujarat
- Governor – Om Prakash Kohli
- Chief Minister – Vijay Rupani
- High Court – Gujarat High Court, Ahmedabad
- Chief Justice – Justice Jayant Patel
- Capital – Gandhinagar
State Symbols
- Language – Gujarati
- Song – “Jai Jai Garavi Gujarat”
- Animal – Asiatic lion
- Bird – Greater flamingo
- Flower – Marigold
- Fruit – Mango
- Tree – Banyan
- Sport – Kabaddi/Cricket
Seats
- Assembly seats – 182
- Lok Sabha Seats – 26
- Rajya Sabha Seats – 11
Wildlife Sanctuaries
- Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary
- Wild Ass Sanctuary
- Gir Wildlife Sanctuary & National Parks
- Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary
- Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
- Marine Sanctuary
- Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
- Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary
- Purna Wildlife Sanctuary
- Jambuhoda Wildlife Sanctuary
- Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
- Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary
- Pania Wildlife Sanctuary
- Rampara Wildlife Sanctuary
- Thol Wildlife Sanctuary
- Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary
- Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary
- Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary
- Kutch Bustard Sanctuary
- Porbandar Bird Sanctuary
National Parks
- Gir Forest National Park
- Vansda National Park
- Blackbuck National Park
- Marine National Park
Thermal Power Plants
- Ukai Thermal Power Station
- Gandhinagar Thermal Power Station
- Wanakbori Thermal Power Station
- Sikka Thermal Power Station
- Kutch Lignite Thermal Power Station
- Dhuvaran Gas Based CCPP
- Utran Gas Based Power Station
- Ukai Hydro Power Station
- Kadana Hydro Power Station
- Panam Canal Mini Hydro Power Station
UNESCO Heritage Sites
- Rani ki vav
- Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
Famous Temples
- Somnath Temple, Veraval
- Dwarakadheesh Temple, Dwarka
- Hanuman Ji Mandir, Sarangpur
- Jalaram Bapa Mandir, Virpur
- Swaminarayan Akshardam Temple, Gandhinagar
- Bahuchara Mata, Mehsana
Natural Resources
Bauxite, limestone, lignite, china clay, dolomite, marble, granite, oil, natural gas, etc are the major natural resources found in the state.
Ports in Gujarat
Kandla, Mandvi, Mundra, Sikka, Okha, Porbandar, Veraval, Bhavnagar, Salaya, Pipavav, Mahuva, Jafrabad, Hazira.
Festivals
The folk traditions of Gujarat include bhavai and rass-garba. Apart from Navratri and Uttarayana, Diwali, Holi, Tazia and others are also celebrated. The International Kite Festival is very famous in Gujarat. Modhera Dance Festival, Kutch Mahotsava, Bhavnath Mahadev Fair Saptak Music Festival, Bhadra Purnima Fair are very famous festivals.
Dances
Garba Dance, Dandia-Ras, Bhavai, and Tippani Dance.
Major Cash Crops
Groundnut, cotton, Tobacco, isabgul, cumin sugarcane, Jawar, Bajra, Rice, Wheat, Pulses, Tur, Gram
Major Hill Stations
Saputara, Wilson Hills, Pavagadh, Sitavan
Major Airports
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Surat Airport, Vadodara Airport
Tidbits about Gujarat
- Gujarat is one of the most prosperous states of the country.
- The world’s largest ship breaking yard is in Gujarat near Bhavnagar at Alang.
- Gujarat is having the longest sea shore compared to any other Indian state.
- Surat is one of the fastest growing cities in the world.
- Gandhinagar is the Greenest Capital City in whole of Asia.
- Gujarat is the only home of Asiatic Lions
- Surat is one of the major hubs for diamond business in the world.
- The Father of Nation of India as well as Pakistan were born in Gujarat. (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah)
2011 Census
- Population of Gujarat – 60,439,692 (Male – 31,491,260 & Female – 28,948,432)
- Child Sex Ratio – 890
- Sex Ratio – 919
- Literacy – 78.03%
Some Famous Personalities from Gujarat
- Dhirubhai Ambani – Reliance Industries
- Dilip Shanghvi – Sun Pharma
- Gautam Adani – Adani Group
- Sam Pitroda – Father of communication revolution of Modern India
- Uday Kotak – Kotak Mahindra Bank
- Morarji Desai – Former Indian Prime Minister
- Narendra Modi – Indian Prime Minister
- Sardar Vallabhai Patel – Freedom Fighter
- Azim Premji – Chairman of Wipro
- Sunita Williams – Astronaut
- Swami Dayananda Saraswati – Founder of Arya Samaj
Trivia
- When was Gujarat formed? – Answer is 1 May 1960
- Which river flows through Surat? – Answer is Tapi
- Which sea is to the west of Gujarat? – Answer is Arabian Sea
- Who was the first Chief Minister of Gujarat? Answer is Jivraj Narayan Mehta
Additional Info
Gujarat is tagged as “Dry State”. It has a law in force that prohibits the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcohol within the state boundaries. The Bombay Prohibition Act was enforced on demise of Mahatma Gandhi in 1949 in Bombay state (Gujarat+Maharashtra). When Gujarat and Maharashtra was bifurcated in 1960, Bombay Prohibition Act was enforced in both the states. Maharashtra issues licenses for distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages but in Gujarat law is still in effect. That’s why Gujarat is Dry state. Along with Gujarat, Nagaland, Mizoram, parts of Manipur and union territory Lakshadweep are also dry states.
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