My Gujarat travel with my parents

If your parents are like my parents who like to visit religious and historical sites then this blog could be for you. Even if you don't want to travel with your family and looking for culturally rich travel experience Gujarat is one of those places. I travelled to Gujarat with my family and visited some beautiful places. While visiting Gujarat it's important to take into account when are you visiting. I visited Gujarat in the month of March which is not the best time to visit as it is hot but it's still a good time. I would recommend visiting during colder months.

Our first destination was Ahmadabad. I took flight from Pune to Ahmadabad and my Family joined me from Jabalpur (MP). For local sightseeing, we booked a cab for 2 days. It approximately costs Rs. 1500- 2000 per day depending upon how big cab you take. The hotel we booked was for 2 nights and after using Make My Trip discounts it costs us around Rs 2500 per night.

We decide to leave around 11 am and our first stop was Srakhej Roza. Sarkhej Roza is a mosque and tomb complex, which has the amalgamation of Hindu, Jain and Islamic styles of architecture. Craved pillars, latticework and courtyards are some of the noticeable elements you will find in this place. There is no entry fee here.

After Sarkhej Roz we headed towards Adalaj stepwell. Adalaj ni vav is another beautiful piece of architecture. This five-storey, Indo-Islamic style of architecture has detailed carvings on the walls. Islamic structure blended with Hindu symbols is worth noticing. As you progress downwards you can significantly feel the temperature dropping.

After having a good Gujarati thali for lunch we headed towards Sabarmati Ashram. Located on the banks of Sabarmati River, Ashram is one of the must-visit places in Gujarat. Being centre to many freedom movements this place is good to revisit the history of Independence. This place is simple, peaceful and rich in history. There are a library and book shop from where you can buy some interesting books about Mahatma Gandhi and history of Independence. Do drop by Sabarmati Riverfront as it is close to Ashram.

Our next stop for the day was Hutheesing Jain temple. Jainism as a religion has a significant impact on Gujarat. It is said that this temple is inspired from Dilwara Jain temple of Rajasthan. Stone carvings, pillared halls, white marble and stone images make the incredible architecture of this temple.

In the late evening, we visited Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar and enjoyed the Light show there. If you enjoy architecture grandeur this is one of the places you should visit. Swami Narayan sect has significant influence in Gujarat's culture. This temple is devoted to Lord Swami Narayan. It is said there is no steel used in the construction of the temple.

Our second day in Ahmadabad started by visiting the Vintage car museum. This is the first time I have visited such a place. If you are a car enthusiast this place is definitely for you. It has a large collection of Vintage Cars of Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mercedes, Cadillac etc.

The next place we visited was the Kankariya lakefront which was not a good idea. Maybe because we visited it at the wrong time and also it was too crowded. If you want to visit make sure you visit it in the evening. Though it is recommended everywhere I will not recommend it as a must-visit site.

Post lunch we headed towards Manek Chowk to do some shopping. This is a great place for a shopping spree. After finishing shopping we headed back to our hotel to freshen up and pack our bags as we had Train to Dwarka. Unfortunately, our train kept delaying and we left Ahmadabad late at night.

Because of our train kept delaying we arrived Dwarka quite late than expected time next day. By the time we reached it was almost noon. We checked in to the hotel and had rest post-lunch.

Dwarka is one of the Char Dham and a sacred pilgrimage site for Hindus. We decided to visit Jagat Mandir and Gomti Ghat in the evening. Jagat Mandir or Dwarkadheesh temple is devoted to Lord Krishna. Temple campus also have Balram mandir and Radha mandir. You will also find some stone images of Krishna's sons and grandsons. There are two gates to temple North gate which is "Moksha Dwar" or Door to Salvation and south gate which is "Swarg Dwar" or Gate to Heaven. There is a staircase near the doorway which leads to Gomti River. There is a small market around the temple, roam around it you may find some local sweet shops usually people buy it for Prasad offering, I like it otherwise as well. If you like to gain knowledge about Hindu religion then visit the Math Ashram and get insights about Adi Shankaracharya and Sanathan Dharam.

I spent sometime in the evening around Gomti ghat and after dinner, in the Ashram, we left for our hotel. We booked cab for next two days till out last destination to Rajkot . It cost us around Rs 8000. To visit Beyt Dwarka you can also use local transport like buses and shared taxis .

Nageshvara is located between Dwarka and Beyt Dwarka. It is a famous shrine dedicated to Shiva. It is one of the 12 jyotirlingas mentioned in the Shiv Purana. There is a huge Lord Shiva idol in Temple campus.

After offering prayers in Nageshvara we headed towards the Beyt Dwarka. To reach Beyt Dwarka you need to take the ferry from Okha port. There are a lot of ferry services which are scheduled in every half an hour. After 15 -20 mins of the ride you land on the Beyt Dwarka island. The ferry services charge Rs 10-20 per person. There is approximately 2 km walk towards the main temple from the port. Beyt Dwarka is mentioned in Skanda Puran and Mahabharat as Lord Krishna's residential place. There are two main temples of Krishna here. Dwarkadheesh Temple is one of them.

Next day morning we left to pay a visit to Somnath Temple. Somnath temple is also one of the 12 jyotirlingas. It is a famous pilgrimage site. It is one of the well-maintained campuses of any religious site. The beautiful architecture and seashore along is the sight to behold. Try to spend an evening on the beach and chowpati close to the temple.

We left Somnath post-lunch. Between Somnath and Rajkot, there is a beautiful beach at Chorvad. I would highly recommend this place. It is one of the beautiful beaches. The sea waves are huge and beautiful. It looks scary but the sight of the high waves is stunning.