rokha balconies. The former living quarters of the palace have been converted into a private museum exhibiting textiles, brassware, royal wardrobes, library, silver caskets that carried gifts and messages for Maharaja Bhagwat Sinhji on special occasions like his golden jubilee as ruler of Gondal, the weighing scales on which he was measured against gold on his golden jubilee with proceeds going to charity, trophies won by the Gondal princes at motorsports events, and a collection of toys including 1800s wooden pieces hand-painted with natural colours.
The city of Jungadh is one of the oldest cities of Gujarat and has witnessed many dynasties who left their mark on the cityscape. The Mauryan empire built an impressive fort in 319 BCE known as Uperkot fort. The Chudasama Rajputs built two magnificent wells called Adi Kadi vav and Navghan Kuvo in their own architectural style. The Jami Masjid and Mahabat Makbara are splendid specimens of Indo-Islamic architecture. The marvellous Buddhist caves and Ashokan edicts on dharma, harmony, peace and tolerance indicate the spread of Buddhism in far west of India. Junagadh, a harmonious amalgamation of many different styles of monuments, is a feast for architectural enthusiasts. Close to Junagadh, lies the Gir national park. It is the last safe haven of Asiatic lions. One can take wildlife safari to visit these majestic animals. For culture enthusiasts, the Maldhari pastoralists and Sidi (African Indians) community are a must visit.
Located on the Shatrunjaya hill, the city of Palitana is a very important pilgrimage site for Jains. With over 860 temples spread across the hill in nine clusters, Palitana is the largest temple complex in the world. The Palitana temples were built of the period of 900 years with the earliest temples built under the patronage of king Kumarpal of Solanki dynasty. The Adinath temple dedicated to Rishabh dev is the oldest and the grandest temple there. The temples are built in marble or sandstone with high spires and domes decorated with ornamental animal and human figurines.
A 12 day tour begins with understanding the heritage and religious diversity of UNESCO world heritage city of Ahmedabad. We visit the stepwells, man made lakes, and underground water tanks to understand the water architecture in the semi-arid landscape of Ahmedabad. We visit the winding lanes of old Ahmedabad to talk about the Pol housing system. Then we proceed to Dasada in little Rann of Kutch. We visit the 11th century monuments like Modhera Sun temple, Zinzuwada fort walls and UNESCO world heritage site of Queen’s stepwell. Then, we proceed to Gondal to explore the architecture and city planning of dukedoms. We visit the Naulakha Palace and the museum. Next, we visit the city of Junagadh to see ancient fort from Mauryan empire as well as Buddhist architecture. We then proceed to Lothal, an Indus Valley civilization site to explore the ancient port city built by Harappans. As a final destination, we visit Champaner, a UNESCO world heritage site built in 16th century to see the magnificent monuments of trabeate architecture. Approximate cost of the tour is 2400 USD (1945 GBP) per person inclusive of room on 2 sharing with 3 meals, local transfers by a/c vehicle, expert guide, and entrance fees to the monuments. A mix of heritage properties, homestays and eco-friendly luxury lodges will guarantee an amicable and immersive cultural experience.