Gujarat’s Archaeological Marvels

in association with foreword & contents

On the Tourist’s Trail: The Lost Civilisation: 4 Champaner-Pavagadh 16 View Finder: 18 Uparkot Fort

Palatial Splendour: Lakhota Palace and 20 All is Well: Adalaj Vav 6 Museum of Victory: 8 Toran Enduring Images: Lothal10

Gateway to Glory: Polo Monuments, 22 Vijaynagar On the Way: Heritage Walks, Down Under: 12 24 Temple Tour: Modhera Think Tank: Sun Temple 14 26 Roza

Photographs Tourism, Darshan Tripathi l Words Runa Jog Dhadphale

PHOTOGRAPHS USED FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY ALL DETAILS CORRECT AT PRESS TIME LONELY PLANET MAGAZINE CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY CHANGES On the Tourist’s Trail The citadel: Remains of of Champaner. Today, the the that Mahmud easier alternative of a cable- Begda had envisioned and car ride to the top is available. put into place can still be There are also other Hindu seen — the large, rectangular and Jain temples (13th to 15th- entrance gates, especially Halol century AD) in the area. and Godhra, as well as portions Mosques: Champaner is a of the great wall, once rising fascinating study of mosques. nearly 10m high, and forming There’s Jami Masjid with its the first line of defence (Sadan carved entrance and imposing Shah Gate, cut through solid courtyard. More carvings rock, is especially impressive); and great views from the top stone frames for the catapult await you at Kevada Masjid; stands and stone balls found Lila Gumbai Ki Masjid flaunts in the area speak volumes a hanging kalash in the about his readiness, once, prayer hall, while Nagina to fight enemy intrusion. Masjid enchants with a Hindu and Jain temples: Here cenotaph bearing impressive you will find the earliest-known carvings on columns and niches. Hindu temples of Lakulisa (10th to 11th-century AD) and Kalika Mata (also of the same period). It isn’t easy to please the latter deity; you have to humour her GUESS first by undertaking the two- to three-hour, five-kilometre What... trek along a jungle footpath, Champaner was declared something pilgrims have been a UNESCO World Heritage doing for ages irrespective of Site in 2004. the changing fortunes

CHAMPANER-PAVAGADH

T isn’t surprising for a AD. It then passed into the fort’s ownership to change hands of Gujarat sultan Go Now hands several times in the Mahmud Begda, known Where: course of history. Each to have spent nearly 23 Champaner is 45km from Itime, its character takes years renovating and . It is accessible by on newer shades so that improving the fortifications bus or private vehicle. Hire decades later, when you visit of Champaner, now renamed a car if you want to combine as a tourist, you are struck by Muhammadabad. To little your journey here with other the intermingling of different avail, for the fort was soon sites like Jambughoda. elements, faiths and symbols. annexed by the Mughals in Entrance: Champaner, which is spread 1535. For long Champaner Indian/ foreigner ` 5/ 100 on and around the hill of had flirted with glory, but no Time: Pavagadh, started out as more! It went into a steady 10am-6pm part of the Chavda Kingdom decline soon after and was Accommodation: in the eighth century and overrun by wilderness until Hotel Champaner is basic later became the Chauhan a rediscovery of sorts was but provides good views Rajput capital around 1300 made by the British. from its balconies.

4 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 5 ADALAJ VAV All Is Well T its most prosaic, just like the water it holds? The five-storey a well is for drawing The Adalaj Vav, built in 1499 underground structure water from. It is by Queen Rudabai, is one has three entrances that a meeting point such brilliant specimen. meet on the first floor Afor men and women from landing. The octagonal the village to discuss their Go Now roof has openings to homes and current affairs as Where: allow air and some light they go about stocking water The city of Ahmedabad is to pass through. It is on for their needs. Sometimes, about 18km away. the stone walls here that it also doubles as a resting Entrance: Free art finds expression, as place for pilgrims and Time: 9am-6pm deities inspiring devotion, passing caravans. It is in Accommodation: kings sitting on stools Gujarat though that it takes Isher International Hotel is and common men going on the feel of a museum; conveniently located close about their business — for what else do you call to Adalaj Vav from churning buttermilk a structure that oozes poetry (Tel: 00-91-079-23600060). to making love. The style combines Islamic patterns with Jain and Hindu symbolism. Look for Ami Khumbor — a pot containing the water of life and Kalp Vriksha — the tree of life, both carved out of a single stone. For divine protection from evil spirits, there’s the representation of the — the nine planets — along the edge of the well. The intricate carvings are all but vanishing in a number of spots here, but where they remain, they are indicative of the extreme skill and talent possessed by the artisans of days gone by. Remember to look closely, for the beauty is in the detail, and you may just miss it. GUESS what... Neither the flight of steps nor the landings in the well receive sunlight except fleetingly at noon, making the Adalaj Vav nearly six degrees cooler than the outside. Talk about natural air-conditioning!

6 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 7 Arch of Victory VADNAGAR TORAN

HE little town of Vadnagar is a mosaic of different surviving fragments from Thistory; one such piece is the toran left behind by the Solankis. The name denotes a pair of 12th-century AD columns supporting a graceful arch that rises 40 feet high. Built in red and yellow sandstone and edging Lake Sharmistha, the toran is one of the few surviving entrance gates that were so typical of the Solanki period. The battle and hunting scenes inscribed on the panels suggest that it was erected to celebrate victory at war, but exactly what it was an entrance to remains a mystery. Go Now Where: The nearest railway station is Siddhapur, 42km, on the Ahmedabad-New Delhi railway line. By road, is 47km away. Non-metered auto rickshaws make for local transport. Accommodation: The Gemini Guest House is a cheap option, but you will find better places in Ahmedabad (83km). Guess What... In a sense, Vadnagar Toran is a gateway that leads nowhere. It may have served as an entrance to a large temple complex but no such remains have been found here.

Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 9 Enduring Images OOKING at the Egypt and Persia. The scattered ruins, it is crumbling remains of private The Archaeological hard to imagine that residences, with neatly Museum (Entrance: ` 2; 4,500 years ago, this built kitchens and brick- Time: 10am-5pm, Sat-Thu) Lmust have been one of paved baths, meticulous preserves relics of the lost the more bustling ports drainage systems and street civilisation and throws in the sub-continent. The layouts further hint at the more light on its history, if name — Lothal, or Mound sophistication of the people you are interested. There of the Dead — certainly and align the settlement is an artist’s visualisation does nothing to inspire such with the once-flourishing just to give you an idea confidence, though evidence Indus Valley Civilisation. of what Lothal may have discovered from 1955-62 looked like in its prime. states otherwise. A glimpse Go Now It will help put things in of the dockyard alone Where: perspective when you go reveals just how scientifically Lothal is 78km from Ahmedabad. about exploring the ruins. advanced its people must It’s a three-hour journey from The following exhibits too have been. At the time, it the capital city by bus. may hold your attention: must have been capable Entrance: Beads: Bead-making of holding 30 ships of 60 Free was a flourishing industry tonnes or 60 ships of 30 Time: then and micro-beads tonnes, a capacity matched Dawn to dusk under 0.25mm have by the modern port of Accommodation: been discovered; a telling Vishakhapatnam. Seals have Slightly pricy, Palace Utelia just example of their expertise been found that indicate oozes atmosphere and is only in the field. the port’s possible trading 7km from the site Weights and measures: ties with Mesopotamia, (Tel: 00-91-79-26445770). These are surprisingly precise and seem to have been standardised across the empire. Earthenware: Large ceramic jars, games and toys as well as human and animal figurines are on display here. Tools: They are handy yet beautifully crafted with human and animal figurines.

Guess what... Evidence found at the archaeological site of Lothal links it to the magnificent Indus Valley Civilisation of Mohenjo Daro and now both in .

Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 11 Down Under Begin your journey at ground level; several steps and pillared pavilions later, you find yourself at the well. More than 800 sculptures featuring the Dasavataras, or 10 incarnations of Lord , greet you in this underground gallery. These are accompanied by the usual retinue of sages, brahmins and . It is at the water level that Lord Vishnu manifests himself as Sheshashayi, the lord reclining on a thousand- hooded serpent.

RANI KI VAV HE grandeur of Rani specimens in the state today. Go Now Ki Vav takes you by It was commissioned by Rani Where: surprise. Nothing Udayamati in memory of her The nearest town is Mehsana, about the unassuming husband King Bhimdev I of about an hour’s ride by the Ttown of Patan, home to the Solanki dynasty. Saved intercity bus. You can also opt the step-well, prepares from Ghazni but not from for shared jeeps. guess you for it. Located 130km the flood, the step-well went Entrance: northwest of Ahmedabad, under River later. Indian/ foreigner ` 5/ 100 what... Patan was once an ancient Only this time, centuries of Time: It is to reaffirm the sanctity Hindu capital before master worked to preserve the 8am-6pm of water that step-wells pillager Mahmud of Ghazni carvings in pristine condition. Accommodation: feature deities carved in came and ransacked it. In the 1980s, it underwent Luxurious and centrally located, stone. Rani Ki Vav, in that Fortunately, the well was a friendly restoration by the the Fortune Park Landmark is sense, isn’t just a step-well; built later in 1063, making Archaeological Survey of close to Rani ki Vav and is easy it is an underground temple it one of the oldest, finest India, thus bringing it to light to find in the city that pays homage to water. and most well-preserved once more. (Tel: 00-91-079-39884444).

12 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 13 MODHERA SUN TEMPLE Temple Tour The majestic exterior of the temple is alive with demons and deities, as are the 52 pillars that escort you to the inner hall, recreating popular stories from the Ramayana and on their intricately-carved panels. Everything from costumes and jewellery to medicinal plants, performing arts and love-making find expression in stone here. The hall, or sabha mandap, gives itself up entirely to the Sun God, the 12 sculpted Adityas tracing his journey through the 12 months in as many niches. The sanctum sanctorum, or garbhagruha, no longer features the Sun God; it must have exuded light and life, once. Leading up to all this is the step-well of Ramakund at the front with its many shrines. The more notable ones of Lords Ganesh, Vishnu and have been arranged along three sides so they face the Sun Temple on the fourth. It’s a worthy first impression! If you visit in January, do catch the three-day classical dance festival that is held here.

NCE, at equinox, Temple is nothing short of Go Now the sun must have breathtaking. Its pedigree Where: risen at dawn, is astonishing, having been The railway station of guess the still-gentle built as far back as 1027 Mehsana is just 35km away. Orays striking ithe temple AD by King Bhimdev I of the Entrance: what... before erupting into radiant Solankis. Even the ravages Indian/ foreigner ` 5/ 100 Modhera Sun Temple light. It must have made of time and Mahmud of Accommodation: predates the more popular a marvellous sight. Even Ghazni have not managed Mata Modheshwari Konark Temple in Orissa otherwise, the Modhera Sun to dull its shine. Temple by more than 200 years.

14 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 15 The Lost Civilisation pottery, beads, seals, tools, animal figurines and gold and copper jewellery — these are just some of the remnants of a lost civilisation to be seen at Dholavira. Notable among them are what could be the world’s earliest signboards — 10 large stone inscriptions in the Indus Valley script that continues to elude us to this day. The town itself shows evidence of sound planning: well- laid-out lanes connect the citadel in the centre to the middle and lower towns, and the underground drainage system shows a healthy regard for sanitation. Dholavira has the world’s earliest water conservation systems that enabled it to flourish in an arid land. And then there were none… the ruins also trace the civilisation’s gradual downfall and annihilation, but not Go Now before newer settlers Where: had had a go at a return Dholavira is 250km from to a simpler, more rural and is reached via way of life. and Rapar. How: If you intend to make this an overnighter, take the guess DHOLAVIRA bus from Bhuj at 2pm and arrive at 8.30pm. Leave what... HY would you is the story of the rise and what precious artefacts lie there is no accommodation at 5am the next morning Dholavira is one of the travel hard and fall of a civilisation. If Lothal waiting to be unearthed! except for a guest house. and return to Bhuj by two largest Harappan sites long to see a was the trailer, this is the But you will need more than It has its rewards though, 11.30. Or rent a vehicle. in India and fifth largest hundred hectares big picture. In fact, some just imagination to get to for the terrain takes you Accommodation: on the subcontinent. Like Wof semi-arid land stretching ongoing excavations make Dholavira, considering the through the desert plains The TCGL Toran Hotel is a Lothal, it passed through endlessly before your eyes? you want to be Indiana Jones remoteness of the location; of the Great Rann, home comfortable and convenient all the stages of Harappan Because hidden in the folds embarking on an exciting the journey takes nearly to chinkara and nilgai and stay option (Tel: 00-91- culture from circa 2900 BC of this parched landscape new adventure. Imagine six-and-a-half hours and flamingos and other birds. 2837-277395). to 1500 BC.

16 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 17 Uparkot Fort VIEW FINDER Once inside pay your with a covered courtyard respects to the Lords Ganesh, — quite unusual for Indian Hanuman and Shakti and mosques — looks like a fort examine the insignia of those and was actually the palace who reigned over Uparkot. of Ranakdevi. Sultan Mahmud Two medieval cannons — Begda had it converted when Neelam and Manek — forged he conquered the princes of in Cairo and brought over . by the Turks, are among the Buddhist caves: They battle souvenirs on display. are really rooms for monks Also worth a visit are: carved out of stone and date Adi-Kadi Vav: Two stories back nearly 2,000 years. The claim to explain why this oldest of them go by the step-well, built in the 15th- name of Khapara Kodia and century AD, is named so. One comprise a rectangular wing tells the tale of a king who and an L-shaped wing that ordered the step-well to be was used for shelter during built. But when no water was the rains. They were built found, the priest proposed around the time of Emperor that two unmarried girls be Ashoka but were later sacrificed at the altar. The two abandoned after girls were Adi and Kadi and cracks in the roof caused their sacrifice ensured that water to seep into the the water was struck soon living quarters. Khapara after. The other tale is more Kodia faced damage due to probable, that the two girls subsequent quarrying and were actually royal servant only the highest storey now girls who fetched water from remains. Across Uparkot from the well every day. No matter Khapara Kodia are the more- what story they believe in, intact Baba Pyara caves. people pay their respects by They comprise a group of hanging up pieces of cloth caves to the north and south. and bangles. Unlike the other The southern ones include O journey to were the only options. step-wells in Gujarat, which a spacious court and chaitya is Such fortifications are were dug out of layers of soil hall with beautifully-carved complete without what allowed the town to and rock and later given a pillars and door jambs. There a visit to Uparkot withstand a 12-year siege. structure by erecting stone are 13 rooms spanning three NFort. Its architecture is columns, floors, stairs and storeys and adorned full of intrigue and was walls, Adi-Kadi Vav was with Buddhist symbols. designed to stop the enemy Go Now carved entirely of hard rock The most recent of the in its track. Imposing walls, Where: and goes down 120 steps. caves are to be found next as high as 20m in some It is 102km from and Navghan Kuwo: This step- to the Adi-Kadi Vav places, must have made easily accessible by ST bus well is much older and was (Entrance: Indians/ foreigners climbing up an impossible from most cities in Gujarat. built in 1026 AD or even ` 5/ 100). task and if someone did Entrance: earlier. It is partly constructed manage to scale them, ` 2 (` 10 for vehicle) like the other wells, partly a moat plunging nearly Time: 7am-7pm carved out of soft rock and 300ft deep and infested Accommodation: plunges down 170ft. The guess with crocodiles lay in Harmony Hotel has basic stairs take you down round wait inside the walls. Stay rooms and is located clse the well shaft itself. The water what... above and risk exposure to the fort; a good option if from Navghan Kuwo is what The upper citadel of to an attack or dive into convenience is of utmost enabled Uparkot to survive Uparkot is nearly the mouths of the hungry importance (Tel: 00-91- the long sieges. 2,300 years old. reptiles below… these 285-2634254). Jama Masjid: This mosque

18 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 19 Palatial Splendour testimony to its battle- readiness at the time. Today this palace/ tower houses the Lakhota Museum boasting artefacts from the 9th to the 18th-century AD including pottery from nearby villages and the skeleton of a whale. Scenes of battles fought by the Jadeja Rajputs adorn its walls. The fort, connected to the banks by causeways, is accessible only from the north. The lake itself is one lively chowpatty with chai, kulfi and chaat stalls for foodies and boating facilities for those wishing to take a paddle. Bird watchers will be delighted by the nearly 75 species, including pelicans, flamingos, spoonbills, ducks, terns, and gulls, that flock to this area. Go Now Where: , home to this tourist site, is 92km from Rajkot and connected by both state transport and private luxury buses to Gujarat’s main cities. The domestic airport is at a distance of 10km, an inexpensive rickshaw or taxi ride away. Entrance: Indian/ foreigner ` 2/ 50 Time: 10.30am-2pm, 2.30-5.30pm Accommodation: The Hotel President is an affordable and comfortable option (Tel: 00-91-98242-27786).

LAKHOTA PALACE AND MUSEUM guess

URROUNDED by Ranmalji after the monsoon it to fend off enemy attack what... the placid waters played truant in 1834, 1839 and the lake itself doubled Lakhota Palace was of Lakhota Lake is and 1846. Designed as a fort, as a moat. The guardroom, originally built as a fort to the Lakhota Tower, it could be well-defended; armed with muskets, swords help wihstand droughts. Sordered to be built by Jam soldiers were posted around and powder flasks, is further

20 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 21 Gateway to Glory POLO MONUMENTS, VIJAYNAGAR

O relation to the makes it a point to visit here Go Now sport, Polo is derived (and more of them certainly Where: from the Marwari are, thanks to the efforts Vijaynagar, the nearest town, pol, or gate, and of a few who are trying to is 120km from Udaipur and Nrefers to an ancient city promote its beauty), the 160km from Ahmedabad. built around River Harnav area yields a wild harvest It is accessible by NH8. in the 10th-century AD by — nearly 450 medicinal Public transport is available the Parihar kings of Idar. Its plants, around 275 bird but not very reliable. strategic location meant it species, 30 mammals and Accommodation: was a gateway between 32 reptiles. To name a few, It is possible to stay with Gujarat and Rajasthan. there are bears, panthers, guides at a campsite after In the tug of war that so leopards, hyenas, water fowl, obtaining permission from often happens in history, raptors, passerines and flying forest officials. ownership passed on to the squirrels. If you visit in the Rathod Rajputs of Marwar in rains, the 400sqkm dry, mixed the 15th-century AD. From deciduous forest takes on a there on, how it came to lushness that attracts wetland Guess be abandoned is anybody’s birds. In winter, they make guess. Fragments of the way for migratory species. what... city’s fortifications and a As long as you respect that Sandwiched between the temple complex are the this is nature’s territory, not peaks of Kalaliyo in the only reminders. Covered meant to be disturbed in any east and Mamrehchi in the in delicate carvings, the way other than by taking west, the ancient city of structure merits a closer in its beauty through your Polo did not receive any look, simply for the intricacy eyes, the area can throw up sunlight. That probably of the art displayed on its a wonderful, off-the-beaten- explains why it was walls. To the tourist who track experience! mysteriously abandoned.

Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 23 On The Way the old city, these small he did, the shah sealed it and neighbourhoods bustling had it buried. Swaminarayan Temple: with people going about Jama Masjid: Built in 1423 A daub of colour in an their trade from the comfort AD during the reign of otherwise grey city, this of their homes. Marking Ahmed Shah I, Ahmedabad’s one is carved in Burmese these areas are chabutros, founder, this mosque teak. In the tradition of most or bird feeders, tall poles features a prayer hall with Swaminarayan temples, erected to resemble trees 260 columns supporting a every architectural detail that have been cut down, roof with 15 domes. The is painted in bright hues. and crevices to enable birds building itself is of beautiful The temple, the first of the to make their nests. yellow sandstone while the sect to be built, features Manek Chowk: It changes courtyard uses marble in its character like the earth its flooring. The detailing is changes its seasons. In the morning, this town square is a vegetable market bursting with fresh produce. Come afternoon and it takes on the glint of a jewellery bazaar, only the second biggest in India. And at night when the day’s work is done, out come the food stalls. The chowk is said to be named after 15th-century AD saint Baba Maneknath, famous for Ahmedabad putting a spoke in the wheel HERITAGE WALKS, of Ahmed Shah who wanted There are two guided heritage walks around the old to build a new capital. Every city of Ahmedabad day he would weave a mat several idols installed by while the walls were being HE old city hums with municipal corporation and a Swaminarayan himself and built and every night he life. People sitting recorded guided tour offered displays some of his personal would unravel it and bring Tout on doorsteps by the House of MG. Take items and sculptures. It is the walls down. His efforts swapping stories as they go your pick. located near Kalupur in the came to an unceremonious about their daily chores... eastern part of the old city end when the shah dared Bazaars bustling with sellers Go Now (Time: 6am-7pm). him to use his magic to fit demanding a high price and The municipal corporation- Pols: They are typical of himself into a jar; as soon as intricate and borrows motifs buyers bargaining hard for a led heritage walk starts at like the lotus flower (Jain) low one... Street-food carts Swaminarayan Temple at 8am and the bell hanging on a making naught of your best and concludes at Jama Masjid at chain (Hindu) in a fusion of dieting intentions. And along 10.30am. different faiths. with everything else, gods Indian/ foreigner ` 30/ 50 Note: Maintain decorum; offering divine blessings Tel: 00-91-79-25391811/ keep your head covered as if to reaffirm that all is 00-91-9824032866. during prayer. No women are right in this world at least. If The other recorded guide allowed in the main hall. you want a taste of all this, tour starts at the House of you must ditch motorised MG and ends at Jama Masjid transport and set out on (80 minutes; ` 200 for audio guess foot, for the walled city with equipment). its narrow lanes is no friend Accommodation: The of the motor car. There are Comfort Inn President what... two ways to appreciate in Ahmedabad is a There are two guided this rich heritage: a guided comfortable stay option heritage walks around the heritage walk offered by the (Tel: 00-91-79-26467575). old city of Ahmedabad.

24 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 25 Think Tank

SARKHEJ ROZA ATHERED around a great stepped Guess Gtank constructed by Sultan Mahmud Shah I, what... like men huddled for some The group of buildings that rest and idle chit-chat, makes up the are a collection of Islamic is certainly Islamic but buildings. There’s the tomb features no ; instead of Ahmed Khattu Ganj Baksh pierced stone trellises are (1445 AD), the mosque, the evident throughout. tombs of Mahmud Shah Begada and his queen and the palace and pavilions. Go Now Where: Sarkhej Roza is eight kilometres from Ahmedabad. You can hire a return rickshaw to Sarkhej Roza and back from the capital. Entrance: Free Time: 6am-10pm Accommodation: Hotel Neelkanth Bliss is an affordable and convenient stay option (Tel: 00-91-79-26600816).

26 Archaeological Sites of Gujarat Archaeological Sites of Gujarat 27 Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, Udyog Bhavan, Block No. 16, 4th Floor, Sector-11, - 382 011 Tel: +91 79 239 77 200 Fax: +91 79 239 77 201 E-Mail: [email protected], [email protected] Toll Free No. 1800 200 5080