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Historical Places
Lothal
A full-fledged Harappan settlement was discovered at Lothal and similar
Harappan centres at Rangpur, Rozdi and other places in Saurashtra and Kutch.
Lothal is the name given to a mound near Saragwala, a village in Ahmedabad
district. The name is derived from the Gujarati word "Loth" which
means "the dead body". Lothal and other finds are now the oldest sites
in India which have their links with pre-history.
The excavations at the site have brought to light a well-planned city with
rows of houses. All the discoveries prove that the city must have been a
commercial centre and a part carrying on commerce with the hinterland as well as
foreign countries. Harappans might have come of this part of India and proceeded
farther inland. While the Harappan civilization came to an end in Punjab, it
continued for about 500 years more in Gujarat.
Sun Temple at Modhera
The sun temple at Modhera in Mehsana
districts, in north Gujarat, built
during the reign of the Solanki king Bhimdev I near a village of the same name,
represents one of the most magnificent monuments of Gujarat. The temple, though
in ruins, is still in its extant form an imposing structure and is counted among
the best specimens of Indian art and architecture. The niches in the inner sides
of the surroundings wall contain twelve images of the Sun-god, fashioned in the
Iranian style, characterised by their lofty boots reaching up to the knees. The
shrine faces due east to allow the rays of the rising sun at equinoxes to the
seat of the deity.
The temple complex consists of a
Prasad, a Sabha Mandap and a Kund. The image
of the presiding deity is missing. The underground cell in the sanctum is
supposed to have contained an additional image.
Gandhian Places
Hriday Kunj
The small house in the Harijan
Ashram in Ahmedabad where Mahatma Gandhi carried on his
experiments non-violent struggle for the freedom of the country is
very aptly called the Hriday Kunj. The ashram was founded by the
Mahatma when he left his first Ashram at Kocharb. From 1918 to 1930, when he left the Ashram to launch his famous Salt Satyagraha, the Hriday Kunj
was the source of inspiration during the freedom movement. The Ashram has
a museum and a prayer ground.
Kirti Mandir
Porbandar which is a seaside town in Saurashtra
was the birth place of the Father of Nation . It has also a mythological
association . Lord Krishna's classmate, Sudana hailed from this
place . The town was formerly known as Sudanapuri . The house where Mahatma
Gandhi was born has been turned into a national monument
Kirti Mandir . The memorial contains within it a library of books
on Gandhism, a spinning hall, a children's nursery and a
prayer hall where prayers of all faith are held regularly.
Kaba Gandhi no Delo
Kaba Gandhi no Delo in Gujarati means 'the residence
of Kaba Gandhi'. This is Mahatma Gandhi's ancestral house in Rajkot
where he spent his childhood. Click
here for more details
Mahatma Gandhi High School
Gandhiji spent his earlier years in Rajkot and did his schooling here. The
school earlier known as Alfred High School was renamed after its most
luminary student.
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