Beaches of Gujarat

  

Beaches of Gujarat lie along the western coast of India and stretches through the long and beautiful coastline. Some of the finest beaches of the country are nestled in the state of Gujarat which flaunts their sparkling blue waters, lovely climate and swaying palm trees.

Spending weekend holidays and the long holidays in the tranquility of beaches of Gujarat is immensely refreshing. In addition to sightseeing and relishing the beauties of nature, many other intriguing activities can also be enjoyed here including diverse water sports.

The shore temples, forts and beach resorts are the added attractions of these beaches. The state of Gujarat is endowed with rich natural resources and the beaches of Gujarat serve as absolute paradise for the nature lovers and the weekenders.

Ahmedpur Mandvi Beach, Junagadh District
Ahmedpur Mandvi Beach is one of the exquisite beaches of Gujarat. The white and firm beach is excellent for walks. It is also frequently visited by swimmers. The shallow waters and the beautiful beach invite numerous visitors for a rejuvenating time and the kids building sand castles create a delightful view. There are several water sports can be enjoyed here such as speed boat trips, para sailing, surfing, skiing, water scooters etc.

Chorwad Beach, Junagadh District
Chorwad Beach is another beautiful beach with rocky shores. The boating can be enjoyed here. The beach also forms a base for visiting places like Somnath and Porbandar. The beach houses a palace of Nawab Saheb Mohabbat Khan which has now been converted to a resort.

Dwaraka Beach, Jamnagar District
Dwaraka Beach is not only a popular pilgrimage site but also serves as a preferred destination for beach holiday. The vast expanses of fine sand are mostly crowded with pilgrims; however certain secluded spots can also be located. Numerous birds flock along the coast. It also has a small island where a few temples stand. The beach is also inhabited by sea urchins, star fish, octopus, sea turtles and other aquatic life.

Dumas Beach, Surat
Dumas Beach is an urban beach of Gujarat situated near Surat city. It is renowned for its black sand. Adjacent to the beach is located the Dariya Ganesha temple. The beach also serves as a burning ground of the dead bodies by Hindus.

Gopnath Beach, Bhavnagar district
Gopnath Beach served as the summer home of Maharaja Krishna Kumar Singhji of Bhavnagar. The pretty shoreline has a number of limestone cliffs. The cool and silent sea breeze and vibrant avifauna form one of the most exquisite features of the beach. The firm beach and shallow water makes it a preferred destination for long walks. However the beach is not much safe for swimming due to high tides which makes the water murky.

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Indian Holy Cities

  

Indian Holy Cities are considered as sacred from early era for the historical and mythological significances. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Jainism rose into prominence for socio-political drama.

Ayodhya, Faizabad District, Uttar Pradesh
Ayodhya is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, who was known as greatest king of early history. Ayodhya is a city of many Hindu temples and mosques. The place is also known as "Ram Janmabhoomi".

Mathura, Mathura District, Uttar Pradesh
Mathura is renowned as the birthplace of Lord Krishna and it was developed near Yamuna. The spectacular ghats are located near river bank where devotees take bath. Janmashtami, Holi and Diwali can be witnessed here.

Haridwar, Haridwar District, Uttarakhand
Haridwar is one among the four pilgrimage tourism sites where drops of "Amrita" (elixir) spilled over from the pitcher which was carried away by Garuda, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu.

Varanasi, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh
Varanasi, also known as Kashi is noted for Kashi Vishwanath Temple (where Lord Shiva and Parvati reside). Ghats of Varanasi, Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple and Durga Temple are the popular places here.

Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram District Tamil Nadu
Kanchipuram, is known as "Golden City of Thousand Temples". Here one can find the Pallava architecture and the temples of Chola era. Kailasanathar Temple is the oldest existing temple of Kanchipuram.

Ujjain, Ujjain District, Madhya Pradesh
Ujjain is an ancient city of temples and this region is noted for Kalidasa, King Vikramaditya and Raja Bhoj, who made the city historically significant.

Dwarka, Dwarka District, Gujarat
Dwarka was the dwelling place of Lord Krishna. Here one can also find the monasteries of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

Ajmer, Ajmer District, Rajasthan
Ajmer is noted for the presence of mortal remains of Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti which were buried in the Dargah Sharif. Urs festival is the cynosure of this place.

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Indian Saints

Indian Saints have contributed greatly in the social reformations. They have revived spirituality in the subcontinent through their deep understanding of religion and life. They are believed to be the manifestations of God.

Indian Saints embody the highest ideals and are credited for demonstrating the reality of spiritual awareness. India is known to be the land of Saints and Gods. They help people to attain positive actions, devotion, spiritual practice and mental discipline by providing appropriate conditions and knowledge. It is the legacy of Indian Saints that represents the true identity of Indian ideology. Since time immemorial, India has been the seat of several religions. Numerous Indian saints took up the responsibility of popularising the postulates of various sects.

Indian Saints are considered to be the manifestations of God. They have set themselves as role models for the masses to follow. Whether it was Ramakrishna, Shankaracharya or Khwaja Muinud-din Chishti, all of them have guided their followers to achieve peace of mind through spirituality. Indian saints have adopted simple measures to explain the religious philosophies. Most of them adopted the method of narrating tales to educate the masses. Some of the Indian saints, however, propagated renunciation of the worldly affairs to achieve salvation.

Born in 1486 in Nabadwip, a town in present-day West Bengal, India, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu emerged as a profound spiritual personality with a deep-rooted devotion to Lord Krishna. From an early age, he displayed remarkable intelligence, profound wisdom, and a captivating aura that drew people towards him. His charismatic personality and pure heart earned him admiration and respect from all walks of life.

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Types of Religion in India

Types of Religion in India originated in Indian sub-continent. India is the land of spirituality and philosophy and is considered to be the birthplace of many religions. Indian religion is varied in approach and different in meaning. The major religions of India are Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Baha’i Faith. Religion adds meaning and purpose to the lives of the people. It is actually a practice that enhances direct communication with God. A religion is a belief concerning one or more deities and incorporating rituals, ceremonies, ethical guidelines and life philosophies. Thus, religion has diversified and grown to include major monotheistic religions in the country. A wide assortment of religions exists in the country today.

Hinduism in India
It is more of a philosophy which is a way of living according to the understanding of the principles of Vedas and Upanishads. Hinduism is a colourful religion with a vast gallery of Gods and Goddesses. It originated with Brahmanas the central Lord. 

Jainism in India
Jainism is a self-help religion that relies on the self instead of Gods. The Jain religion is traced to Vardhamana Mahavira. This religion is all about promoting equality between humans, animals and plants those have souls. Jainism chronologically preceded the religion of Buddhism. It is considered as one of the oldest religions of India. Jainism starts with two principles, the living (jiva) and the non-living (ajiva).

Buddhism in India
Lord Buddha was the one who was responsible for propagating the doctrines of Buddhism. Buddhism is a philosophy and a religion that encompasses a wide variety of beliefs based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha.

Sikhism in India
This religion was introduced by Guru Nanak. It stresses on the devotion of God. Service to mankind, hard work and dedication towards family life.

Christianity in India
Christianity came to India with the coming of Portuguese. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion which is cantered on God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. 

Islam in India
Islam is a religion which originated in the country with various invasions. The Muslims are spread about 12 percent of India’s population

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Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra

Mahabaleshwar is known as queen of the hill stations of Maharashtra with its plethora of attractive tourist points, cascading waterfalls, intriguing historical sites and pilgrimage places.
Mahabaleshwar is a spectacular hill station situated in the Western Ghats . Being laundered in the mighty ranges of Sahyadri, it has earned the name of "queen of the hill stations of Maharashtra". It is an integral part of the district of Satara and lies almost one hundred fifteen kilometres to the south west of Pune.

History of Mahabaleshwar 
Mahabaleshwar originated in the early years of 1215. In the year 1828. Interestingly during the British period it was called the Malcolm Peth.

Geography of Mahabaleshwar
Etymologically, the word Mahabaleshwar has been derived from the Lord Shiva, popularly known as Lord Mahabali. A 'self-originated lingam', in the shape of a 'rudraksha' is placed at the temple of Gokarna.









Tourism in Mahabaleshwar 
Mahabaleshwar has a plentiful of magnificent palaces having mesmerizing natural beauty. Lodwick Point rises to a height of near about 1,240 metres. Elphinstone Point got its name from the then Governor of Mumbainamely Sir Elphinstone.


Arthur's Seat is an other significant point of Mahabaleshwar.
 the famous Lingmala Waterfall of Mahabaleshwar. It runs through the Vennavalley.   Panchgani is   another hill resort, which lies at a little distance   from Mahabaleshwar. In the close proximity one finds Lord Hanuman Mandir.

Read more: Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra 

Gopi Talav, Dwarka, Gujarat

Gopi talav is a beautiful lake in Dwarka in Gujarat. It is believed that in this Talab Lord Krishna used to take bath with his gopiyas. To know more click on this link: 
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