Travel is always on the cards whether it is school vacations or a well earned leave from office. Everybody including elders and children start planning an outing with family just to break away from the hectic life involving monotonous, strenuous daily chores, in order to take a #staycation at a destination of their choice.
And why not? After all, it is generally once in a year that one can move out with the family withing constraints of the budget. Most people prefer to undertake a road trip since, it is more convenient administratively and very satisfying without change in means of transport. One travels at leisure with a tension free mind, in a good mood to take on the challenges of driving.
I was on duty in Dhrangadhra in Gujarat. On getting my transfer orders, I decided to take my family (wife, daughter, son) on a tour of Gujarat. There were many Gujarati friends who were more than willing to help me out and narrate to me their travel experiences through out the state in all types of weather conditions.
Their tips were very useful and guided me in planning my trip methodically, in a logical manner covering important places to be seen en route to my destination. There were many questions and doubts arising in my mind. I was reminded of my favorite quote “A Journey Starts With Questions And Ends With Stories“. And i knew that at the end of the day i will have plenty of stories to tell. Before i get on to details of my travel, let me first highlight some important aspects of the this culturally rich state.
Gujarat
It is called land of charm, charisma, mysticism and vibrant colors.
Rich Culture and traditions.
The entire state if full of heritage buildings since many princely states existed at the time of Independence of Country in 1947.
Lovely beaches on the western coast.
Beautiful, scenic view of countryside along roads.
Ancient temples, Monuments, Forts, Cathedrals, Mosques.
Vast expanses of Rann of Kutch area full of salt pans and bird sanctuaries.
Archaeological splendor since times immemorial. Blend of Indian and European architecture.
Rich heritage of unique handicrafts dating back to Mughal period.
Wild Life sanctuaries.
Folk Jewelry of villages is eye catching.
Famous for Festivities in style with pomp and show. Navratris- worship of Goddess Durga for 9 days.
Garbha dance- Gujratis dance form of Garbha is practiced by everyone irrespective of age.
Best Weather To Visit Gujarat- The weather from October to March is an ideal to travel in Gujarat. No interruptions due to rains.
To Reach Dhrangadhra
Nearest Airports are- Ahmedabad and Rajkot-190 Kms, Bhuj-200 Kms
By Rail- Surindernagar- 55 Kms away, is well connected by train to all parts of the country.
By Road- Well connected to all towns/cities. Buses, taxis, ply freely.
An Ideal Road Trip
There is no yard stick to measure out what constitutes an ideal road trip. It depends on an individual’s liking, composition of group, planning abilities, aspirations and expectations arising out of the journey. But, if the entire family is moving out together, the interests of elders as well as children have to be considered while selecting places to visit. With this in mind, it was very convenient for me to select the destination and route.
The Destination
The destination selected was Dwarka, at the southern tip of the state. That would give us ample opportunities to halt and visit places of interest en route for both elders and children.
Route Selected
I was sanctioned leave for three days so, within the constraints of time, i decided to drive my family in a car to Dwarka and back. The rout selected was :- Dhrangadhra- Morbi- Jamnagar- Dwarka- Porbandar- Somnath- Diu- JunaGarh- Rajkot- Surindernagar – Dhrangadhra.
The reasons for selecting this route through interior of Gujarat were:-
Visit Exceptionally beautiful places in picturesque surroundings of plains. during the drive.
Sight seeing en route at places of interest would be possible.
Will get an opportunity to interact with people to learn about their culture, food habits and religious beliefs, customs and traditions.
Get a feel of driving along sea coast while appreciating the lovely surroundings.
Visit religious places and temples.
Visit the birth place of the Father of the Nation- Mahatma gandhi.
Travel in a ferry.
Have a glimpse of ships in sea.
Planning For Travel
This is an important aspect if the travel is to made comfortable, enjoyable and worth the effort.
Time Plan-The distance of 1o78 Kms from Dhrangadhra to Dwarka and back was to be covered in 3 days. The route was mostly through plain countryside but, demanded skillful driving and mental robustness.
The break down of journey :-
Day 1– 07 Mar- Dharangadhra- Morbi- Jamnagar- Dwarka (Night Halt). Total distance 336kms /5hrs 46 mins
Day 2– 08 Mar- Dwarka- Porbandar- Somnath-Diu (Night Halt). Total distance 318 kms/ 5hrs 40 mins
Day 3– 09 Mar- Diu- Junagarh- Rajkot- Surindernagar- Dhrangadhra. Total distance 424 kms/6hrs 35 mins
Assistance of a few local guides could be taken to brief us on local constructions/ diversions of routes, guide on good locations for halts and confirm important places all along the way.
Preparation Of Check Lists
No travel will be smooth unless and until the entire planning has been done, checklists made and everything is confirmed in advance. Here is a list of actionable points which i acted upon minimum three days before commencement of journey.
Clothing- Personal clothing, Nylon Socks- 3 pairs each, Rain Coats, Plastic Bags for dirty clothes, Caps, Towels (bath and hand), Carry new/ used clothes for distribution to needy people en route.
Bedding– Light Blankets, Pillows, Sheets.
Accommodation– List of Hotels with telephone number where bookings for night stay is confirmed.
Car Servicing and Accessories- Servicing minimum one week in advance. Tyre Puncture kit, Spare Tyre/Tube, Complete Spanners Set, Spare Oil and Lubricants,
Travel Diary– To jot down notes at halts.
Guidance- Route Maps, Route Charts for each day showing halts, time and distance to each place.
Food Items Water– Snacks,Tinned Sardines, Ready to Eat Pulses, Parathas, ,Eggs- 4 Doz, Bisleri Water-Ice Bucket-1, 3 doz, Juices, Tinned Fruits, Plates-6, Other Utensils, Cutlery and Crockery as per requirement, Biscuits, Chicken, Bread, Candies, Chocolates, Pickles, Noodles.
Back Packs-4 with light clothes and personal items.
Music/ Leisure- Mixed CDs (English,Hindi, Gujrati, Religious and so on), iPod, Digital Camera and one Sony Video Camera,
Personal– Credit Cards, ATM Cards, Cheque books, Cash. Binoculars.
First Aid Box- Catering all medicines for adults and children.
Travel Insurance – For self and family.
Activities Planned
The days would be utilized gainfully to provide all of us with pleasant memories for the rest of our lives. A deliberate attempt would be made during halts to get involved in following activities:-
Mix with locals during travel and eat with them.
Learn about culture, types of Gujrati food and handicrafts.
Talk to elderly people and distribute sweets among the children.
Distribute clothes to poor people.
Take photos and videos of people and monuments.
All along listened to folk songs and other melodious Hindi songs.
Day wise Movement plan /places seen in each town are covered in succeeding paras.
Day 1
Dhrangadhra
We started the journey at 0500 hrs on 07 Mar from Dhrangadhra. It is a small town on the edge of Rann of Kutch 100 kms away from Ahmadabad. We had already seen historically important attractions during our stay there. Places visited:-
Wild Ass Sanctuary. The wild ass found here is the only species of it’s kind in the entire world. This expanse of Rann of Kutch is also a World Heritage site. The asses are very shy and run away if anyone gets closer to them. They always move in groups and look very beautiful.
Salt Pans. They are shallow ponds designed to extract salt out of sea water which enters hinterland due to high/low tide phenomenon. The entire process of extracting salt is through natural evaporation.
Crafts Villages. Around town are many villages where the women as well as menfolk indulge in crafts work of various kind.
Morbi
The first halt was Morbi. It was a princely state ruled by Jadeja clan of Rajputs. It produces 70% of India’s gross ceramic products. Not only that, it produces 5% of world’s requirement of ceramic products. It has the distinction of producing 80% of India’s requirement of fluorescent lamps (CFL). Places visited:-
Suspension bridge. It is right on the entrance to the town. The pylons of this bridge sway as one drives over it. It is 165 feet long and 4.5 feet broad.
Mani Mandir. It is inside Wellington Secretariat. It is built out of Jaipur stone with captivating designs. famous for temples of God Shiva, Radha-Krishna and Laxmi Narayan.
Bazaar full of Wall Clock Shops. In India, the largest number of wall clocks are manufactured here. The bazaar is full of small shops displaying numerous brands of clocks.
Jamnagar
The world’s largest Oil refinery in the world is set up here by Reliance- India’s largest private company. Ancient temples of Lord Shiva are an added attraction for tourists.
Darbargadh Palace. The palace of Jam Sahebs- royals of Gujarat. Seeing the huge courtyard of this palace built out of European as well Rajput style of architecture. one is forced yo imagine how the Rajas would have conducted meetings here with public.
Lakhota Fort. It is built on an island in Ranmal lake. One has to go over an arch bridge to see it. Unique view is breath taking.
Wellington Cresent. A huge shopping center with ancient buildings. It is a center of activity and draws crowds during evening hours. My children had a good time here.
Dwarka
We reached Dwarka, one of the four Dhams of Hindu religion around 3.30 pm and checked in at the hotel we had booked earlier. We noticed womenfolk wearing a different kind of silver and embossed jewelry and could not resist buying some necklaces and bracelets for gifting to relatives and friends. We eneded up buying few powder boxes, jewelry boxes and ashtrays.
Hotels for Night halt. Hotel Nand Nandan. It was a quiet, clean, nice hotel with good bathroom and bedroom. Rate was very reasonable- Rs 2600/ -per night for double bed. Online booking can also be done through Clear trip/Booking.com/Make My trip/Go Ibibo. The hotel rentals vary from Rs 750/- to Rs4000/- per night for double bed.
Restaurants. Evergreen and AmrutRas restaurants served good food at reasonable price.
Dwarkadhish Temple.A magnificient temple atop which flutters a 52 yard cloth flag visible from a great distance. Built by Vajranabh, grandson of Lord Krishna 2500 years ago, it is a marvel in itself. It is built of lime stone and has exquisite carvings. The agony is that it was destroyed by Moghuls and rebuilt in 16 century.
Rukmani Devi Temple. In memory of Lord Krishna’s wife, Rukmani Devi. Rich in architecture. Thousands visit this temple daily.
Gomti Sangam. Here, river Gomti merges into sea. Among chanting of prayers and loud sound of ringing bells, the feeling while taking a dip is very satisfying. One has to go down 56 steps to the waterline. last few steps are very slippery.
Beyt Dwarka
Early morning visit to the island was refreshing.It is an island on the mouth of Gulf of Kutch.It is 50 kms from Dwarka. The ferry ride from Okha was a great experience. The swaying ferry, up and down movement due to waves and splashing of sea water on the face was all very exciting, fun filled and scary at times. The climb to the mainland at the end of ferry ride really needed great effort.
Nageshwar Mandir. Dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams.
Sri Krishna Temple. Here only rice is offered as Lord Krishna’fs friend Sudama had presented him with a bowl of rice.
Hanuman Temple. Also has idol of Makardhwaj, son of Hanuman, born after a drop of Hanuman’s sweat fell on a fish which converted into his son.
Day 2
Porbandar
Set off for Porbandar at 8 AM. It was earlier a princely state under British rule. Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the nation was born here. Places Visited:-
Kirti Mandir. The house where Gandhi Ji was born has been named as Kirti Mandir. All throng here to see the Swastik mark on ground in a room where Putlibai, mother of Mahatma Gandhi gave birth to him. We loved moving to each of the rooms in the old house. A monument 79 feet high has been installed in the house. Rare photographs are hung on walls. One has just to salute this great noble man for his simple way of life setting an example for millions.
Somnath
Somnath Temple. It is the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas thus a famous shrine of Lord Shiva. The raging sea water and winds rush one’e mind down the memory lanes in the pages of history books. The fluttering flag atop mandir is a pure delight and a hair raising view. The open cemented area in front of the entrance to temple is always crowded with hawkers selling postcard pictures and souvenirs of all kinds .
We sat outside the temple and enjoyed the view of Arabian sea. Some ships could be seen in the ocean beyond.
Mahmud Gazni heard about richness of temple from Al Biruni, a traveler and raided the temple, looted gold and jewels. The temple was invaded eight times. Aurangzeb was the last one to raid this temple.
Diu
Located on the sea shore, this town steals the heart of all tourists due to it’s culture, food, colorful markets and scenic beauty. It is famous for Fortresses and Portuguese cathedrals.
Hotels for Night halt-Hotel Alishan- Rs 32oo/- and Hotel Ankur Rs 2600/- per night for double bed. Cheaper hotels also available starting Rs 700/-. Online booking possible.
Restaurants– Rivera Restaurant and Bar and Aparna Foodland are very reasonable in and provide good food.
The places Visited:-
Nogoa Beach. About 9 kms out of town. The long, sandy, curved beach gives good view of sea. The children loved running in sand, making castles, houses and playing in sea water. Speed boats moving up and down are a great attraction.
Diu Fort. It is a marvel built in 16th century. Once on top of the fort, the view is mesmerizing. Arabian Sea on three sides makes one feel as if one is sitting over the sea and floating. The cool breeze is very refreshing.
The light house throws a powerful beam which goes up to 32 Kms. The effect of well lit fort at night is just amazing. The cannons and artillery pieces placed on the parapet remind you of the great saga and battles raised from this fort.
Day 3
Junagarh
It is a ancient town full of tales out of history books and draws thousands of tourists from across the world every year. The city boasts of history related to Jainism, Budhism, Hinduism and Islam. Gir national park, a renowned wild life sanctuary is a famous tourist attraction. Asiatic lion is found only in this park and no where else in the world. We were very tired hence, could not go to visit this sanctuary. Places Visited:-
Mount Girnar. Has Hindu and Jain temples. A climb of 10,000 steps is very tiring. On top of the peak is temple of Amba Mata where the newly weds go to seek blessings for a happy married life. In Karthik season, a huge grand fair is held here each year.
Mahabat Maqbara. Built in 19th century, it is known for a mix of Indian, Islamic and European architecture. The stone carvings are worth seeing and remind one of the skills of the workers involved in carving. We were not allowed to go inside and had to be content in watching it from a mosque located near it.
Rajkot
It is the 22nd fastest growing city in the world. The upbeat market was flooded with shops selling colorful handicraft items. We purchased few Patola, Bandhani and Zari work sarees. The carvings on wooden tea pots appeared very artistic so we purchased three sets of tea pots as well. Places Visited:-
Rottary Dolls Museaum
This houses 1400 dolls from all over the world. Very popular destination for the children. My children just would not move from there.
Mohandas Gandhi High School. Mahatma Gandhi studied in this school. It was closed so could not go in.
Jubilee Garden. Famous attraction for children. Has amusement parks.
Surindernagar
We did not halt at Surindernagar and decided to cover it on some other weekend.
Return to Dhrangadhra. We reached home by 1800 hrs on Day 3 and were really very tired. We carried with us good memories out of this fruitful, enjoyable tour.
Our Gains
As a result of the road trip, we gained in many ways. My confidence level got a boost after having driven for long hours. Also, my driving skills were polished after driving through narrow crowded streets. Cultural knowledge about this region was enhanced and we all were better persons after having interacted with the people, priests, and other tourists/travelers. Due to eating Gujarati food for three continuous days, we developed a taste for assorted Gujarati dishes.
This trip was very educative for my children. They learnt the the excitement during travel, camaraderie, inter dependence and co existence in stress and strain. Overall. it was a great learning.
Conclusion
“A Thing of Beauty is a Joy for Ever”. This is an age old saying which holds true even today. This wonderful trip with my family left lasting impression on our minds. How often can a person get a chance to drive around such a beautiful, unique, culturally rich and picturesque area?
Exploring the surroundings is the most adventurous, challenging and interesting thing to do. Done collectively in the company of people/family with enthusiasm and vigor is very encouraging and satisfying.
Do not forget my favorite quote. It is absolutely true. After a hectic three day road travel, we had in our kitty many stories to share with relatives, friends, colleagues. It would all be true right from the Horse’s mouth.
I am sure that this trip undertaken by me and my family will serve as a guide to many others who wish to undertake such a maiden venture to the land of rich customs, traditions and values.
Good Luck. Happy and Safe Traveling to everyone.
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