GUJARAT (INDIA)

The west coast state of Gujarat is one of the India's busiest tourist destinations. It is quite easy to slot Gujarat in between Bombay and the cities of Rajasthan. Gujarat has a long varied history and a great number of interesting places to visit. Along the south coast are the sites where many of the great events in Lord Krishna's life took place. Bright textiles, handicrafts and folk festivals add splashes of colour to the little known semi-desert scenery of Gujarat, Gandhi’s home state. Gujarat had close ties with the life of the father of modern India, Mahatma Gandhi. Some of the most important sites in Gujarat are Jain Temples at Palitana, and at Girnar Hill, near Junagarh. Gujarat is one of the India's wealthier states with a number of important industries, particularly textiles and electronics and has the dubious distinction of having the largest petrochemical complex in the country. Apart from its Jain Temples Gujarat's major attraction include the city last Asian lions, in the Gir Forest and the fascinating Indo-Saracenic architecture of Ahmedabad. The last Asiatic lions are here, and the pleasant beaches are just perfect for plonking down with a scoop of wonderful Gujarati ice cream.