Alright so my 2016 started off with a trip to Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the coverage of International Kite Festival. I was fascinated with with the beauty that Vibrant Gujarat has and things did not stop there. Just when I thought that I will be visiting this place again I was offered another trip to Gujarat to cover the Vibrant Navratri Festival - 2016.
We were supposed to cover the event which kick started the Vibrant Navratri Festival. Below are the images of the opening event.
October 01st, 2016 was the day when we were supposed to leave our respective destinations. We reached Ahmedabad within 1 hour and 15 minutes and thereafter left for the hotel. The journey for the hotel was a good 45-50 minutes but I must say it was worth it. We checked into Hotel Grand O7. This is a humongous 250 acres property located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, near Bopal 444. My room was located on the 11th Floor and the view from the room was breathtaking. Without much adieu go ahead and check out the images of the hotel and thereafter we will speak about my trip further:
Take a look at the hotel room thru my lens
Well, now that you are mesmerized with the beauty of this hotel let me take you through certain must visit places of Ahmedabad. So after the check in to the hotel we headed towards one of the ancient structures called as Adalaj Step-Well. Located in the village of Adalaj, this step well has been a place to rest for many hundred years. The step well has been catering to a lot of pilgrims. Check out what the experts of this place has to say about it
After a hectic day and time spent in Adalaj we then headed towards Dandi Kutir. This is one such place which every traveler to Gujarat should visit. This place talks about the entire life history of Mahatma Gandhi and the best part is that they have used technology at its best. Dandi Kutir is situated in a 41 meter salt mound. Located 30 kms from Ahmedabad, Dandi Kutir is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi's famous Dandi March. As mentioned the sculpture is dedicated to the life history of Mahatma Gandhi. Check out the brief given by the guide to the journalists
The place is beautifully crafted with every minute detail taken care of. The neatness is impeccable and it feels like a crime to step on those clean floor with shoes on. The place covers every place Mahatma Gandhi has lived and traveled. It even shows his thoughts and famous quotes
The hectic yet enlightening day came to an end and we all headed towards our Hotel Grand O7 to wake up for yet another majestic road trip to Rajkot.
So the second leg of this trip took us to Rajkot and this time to see and experience the traditional garba. We were all excited to reach the place because the hotel that we were staying in was not just another hotel. It was a palace converted into a hotel property. We were staying at the Heritage Khirasara Palace.
After resting for a couple of hours and having our lunch, we then headed towards the city to witness garba. This was my first time and trust me I was spellbound by the enthusiasm of the participants. Check it out:
Well, it was time t call it a day and head towards the sprawling and luxurious hotel of ours.
The final day was dedicated for a little sightseeing and the major attraction was Gondal Palace or Orchard Palace. Now, for the uninitiated this is the same palace which was used in the famous movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. It was the house of Ajay Devgan. This is one of the heritage hotels located in Gondal and in late 19th century it was used to host the guest of the Maharajas. The property has a separate section for vintage cars and boy every single journalist was amazed with the collection. Check out the place:
Gujarat never fails to fascinate me. Be it the Jamalpura Kite Market or Gondal Palace. The richness of this state cannot be measured financially as this is a cultural rich state. Colorful and vibrant as it has always been.
So much for now and if you liked the trip then make sure you connect with me by following me here and on twitter.
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