Tribal Gems of Gujarat
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Tribal Gems of Gujarat Day – 01 –Ahmedabad Arrive at Ahmedabad Airport / Railway Station. Meet Guide& Driver and proceed to visit Hutheesingh Jain Temple: An affluent Jain trader Sheth Hutheesing Kesarisinh planned to build a sacred Jain Temple.Construction of the famed temple was completed in 1848 AD. Sompura artisans are well known artisans famed for their craftsmanship skills in stone carvings and sculpting and are especially involved in making sculptures in Hindu and Jain temples. Legends state that there is a 170 years old lamp that is still lighting beneath the sanctum sanctorum. Sabarmati Ashram: On a quiet peaceful stretch of the Sabarmati River, Mahatma Gandhi set up a simple retreat in 1915. This was his Satyagrah Ashram and for many years it was the nerve center of India’s freedom movement. It was from here, in 1930, that Mahatma began his famous Dandi March to the sea to protest against the Salt Tax imposed by the British. Hridaya Kunj, the simple cottage where he lived, is now a national monument and preserved as it was during the Mahatma’s life-time. Lunch at local restaurant. Proceed to see Kalamkari Work: The holy cloth used as an offering to the goddess; the community that is making this painting are known as Vaghari. O/N Ahmedabad – House of MG, Lemon Tree Atrium, Cosmopolitan, Four Points by Sheraton, Le Grande Residency Day – 02 –Ahmedabad Today proceed to visit to Calico Museum, (Calico Museum: Reporting time at Calico Museum is 1015 Hrs sharp. Tour starts at 1030 Hrs and ends by 1300 Hrs, it’s a Guided tour): The museum was founded 1949 by the industrialist Gautam Sarabhai and His sister Gita Sarabhai. In Calico Museum you can see remarkable collection of fabrics spanning varied and remote regions of India exemplifies handicrafts textiles across five centuries. (Online booking websitehttps://www.calicomuseum.org/information-for-visitors/tour-booking/) Lunch at local restaurant. Later after lunch proceed to see Sanskar Kendra Museum designed by Le Corbusier. (Open from Tue-Sun, Closed on Mondays and Public Holidays – 1000Hrs to 1200Hrs and 1600Hrs to 1800Hrs)The Sanskar Kendra designed by none other than the renowned architect Le Corbusier in 1954 as a cultural center of Ahmedabad. Located near the Sardar Bridge in the vicinity of the famous Tagore Hall, across the National Institute of Design it is a discerning example of modernist architecture. In afternoon proceed to visit Shodhan Villa which is a private residence of the Shodhan family, this visit will be possible only from outside: Designed by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier, it was built between 1951 and 1956; Building on his previous projects whilst integrating the traditional features of Ahmedabad design. Also visit Amdavad Ni Gufa (Hussain- Doshi Ni Gufa) designed by B.V. Doshi. (Open from Tue-Sun, Closed on Mondays – 1600Hrs to 2000Hrsonly): Amdavad Ni Gufa is an underground art gallery in Ahmedabad, India. Designed by the architect Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, it exhibits works of the Indian artist Maqbool Fida Husain. Breakfast: On your Own Lunch: On Direct Payments Dinner: On Direct Payments O/N Ahmedabad – House of MG, Lemon Tree Atrium, Cosmopolitan, Four Points by Sheraton, Le Grande Residency Day – 03 –Ahmedabad Today proceed for Heritage Walk of Old City of Ahmedabad which is declared India’s only world heritage city: These small neighborhoods are both the backbone and heartbeat of the old city of Ahmedabad. In recent years, families have started moving out to live in more modern houses further from the city center, but many of them still feel a strong attachment to the close- knit communities of the pols that shaped their lives while growing up. Many of them have their own temple at the center of the neighborhood, one or more small shrines for whatever faiths are present. Later visit Siddi Saiyed Jali: Mosque built by, Sidi Sayed, is famous the world over for its exquisite stone window tracery – a superb & peerless example of delicate carving that transforms stone into filigree. Later visit ATMA Building Designed by Le Corbusier, subject to getting permission (Closed on Sat-Sun). (Permission still awaited, shall keep you informed once we get a reply.) http://atmaahd.com/ Lunch at local restaurant. Later visit Sangath designed by B.V. Doshi architecture (Closed on Sat- Sun), for this will need to take prior permission and for that you will need to fill up the form by link (https://www.sangath.org/visit-us/), they do charge some token amount for the visit which will be collected on direct basis. IIM (A) designed by Louis Khan, (Closed on Sat-Sun).https://iima.ac.in/ Visit Sarabai Villa which is designed by Le Corbusier Visit Dada Harir Step Well: Built around 500 years ago by Sultan Bai Harir, this stepwell is like others around Gujarat, with elaborate craftsmanship and construction built underground to provide access to a permanent source of water. For many years’ step wells like this one provided most of the water for the city during the long dry seasons. If time permits visit Gandhi Labour Institute designed by B.V. Doshi O/N Ahmedabad – House of MG, Lemon Tree Atrium, Cosmopolitan, Four Points by Sheraton, Le Grande Residency Day – 04 –Ahmedabad – Siddhpur – Patan – Modhera– Dasada (Approx – 300Kms/6Hrs) Morning drive to Dasada en-route visitAdalaj Stepwell: It was built in 1498 in the memory of Rana Veer Singh, by his wife Queen Rudadevi. It is a fine example of Indian architecture work.The history of the Adalaj step-well is established by an inscription in Sanskrit found on a marble slab positioned in a recess on the first floor, from the eastern entry to the well. VisitBohra Muslims Haveli at Siddhpur: Bohra Muslim’s old Havelis and mansions are over 100 years old. They have made the homes in European flavor. Lunch Later visit Rani Ki Vav, Patola Museum and also see Mushroo weaving at Patan: Patan was an ancient Hindu Capital before it was attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1024. Now a pale shadow of it remains, Patan is also famous for its beautifully designed Patola silk saris. Later visit Sun Temple at Modhera: Sun Temple of Modhera was built by King Bhimdev I (1026-27) and bears some resemblance to the later and far better known, Sun Temple of Konark in the state of Orissa, which it predates by some 200 years. Like that temple, it was designed so that the dawn sun shone on the image of Surya, the sun God, at the time of the equinoxes. Continue drive to Dasada. O/N Dasada – Rann Riders Day – 05 –Dasada Today enjoy jeep safari in Wild Ass Sanctuary: A jeep safari will take you to the Little Rann of Kutch to see the rare species of the ‘Indian Wild Ass’. Little Rann of Kutch (Wild Ass Sanctuary), Little Rann of Kutch, a sanctuary for the endangered Asiatic Wild Ass. The mammals of the Rann other than the wild ass, there are chances of seeing nilgai, chinkara gazelle, white-footed desert and Indian foxes, the wolf, jungle cat (occasionally also desert cat), pale and long-eared hedgehogs and hare. Crested and Sykes larks, Oriental skylark, greater short-toed lark, singing and Indian bush larks, ashy-crowned and black-crowned sparrow-larks, are likely sightings and greater hoopoe lark is possible. Desert and variable wheatears, southern grey, long- tailed, rufous-tailed and bay-back shrike, common wood shrike are also likely sightings and the desert warbler is among the many winter visiting warblers. We will also look for chestnut-bellied and spotted sand grouse, Indian courser (cream- coloured visits occasionally), quails, yellow-legged and barred buttonquails, grey francolin, wryneck, brown-rock chat, pied bush cat, rufous-tailed scrub robin, blue- headed rock thrush, black redstart and buntings in the scrubby areas. At sunset, it is possible to watch marsh, Montagu and pallid harriers, Aquila eagles, falcons and buzzards heading for their roosting sites. After lunch proceed for Village Safari to see communities like Bharwad, Kharapati Rabari, and Mir: Visit the nearby villages to see the local tribes such as Rabari, Koli and Bajania still maintaining their rich heritage of lifestyle clothes, jewelry and dances. Their embroidery is exquisite. O/N Dasada – Rann Riders Day – 06 –Dasada – Dholavira (Approx – 300Kms/6Hrs)Today drive to Dholavira and visit Indus Valley Civilization Site: Dholavira presents a Harappan city par excellence, measures about 600m on the north-south axis and 775m. On the east- west. Inside the general fortification, there are three distinct complexes-An Acropolis, a middle town and a lower town. In addition, the acropolis and the middle town had been further furnished with their own appertinent defense-work, gateways, built-up areas, street-system, wells and large open spaces. The city within the general fortification accounts for 48 hectares. Visit the Site and Museum, Fossil Park, sun set point and the Great Rann of Kutch in a Jeep provided by the hotel. O/N Dholavira – Dholavira Tourism Resort Day – 07 –Dholavira – Ajrakhpur – Bhujodi – Bhuj (Approx –300Kms/6Hrs) Today drive to Bhuj en-route visit Ajrakhpur to see LLDC Museum at Ajrakhpur. Lunch at LLDC Canteen. Ajrakh Block Printing: Ajrakh Block printing by the use of natural Dyes. The Khatri community, whose ancestors have been printing with Ajrakh blocks for centuries, migrated to Dhamadka, Kachchh from Sindh. Later visit Shrujan and Bhujodi village to see Shawl Weaving: It is a major textile center of Kutch, with the vast majority of the 1200 inhabitants involved in textile handicraft production. Continue drive to Bhuj O/N Bhuj – Hotel Comfort Inn Prince, Hotel Ilark, Bhuj House Day – 08 – Bhuj – Banni Villages – Bhuj (Approx –300Kms/5-6Hrs) Morning drive to Banni Villages.Zura village to see Leather Work and Copper Bell Making: See the musical crescendo signals a phoenix like birth of a new bell emerging from mud and fire.