PEOPLE CULTURE & TRIBES TOURS OF GUJARAT

Arrival at Ahmedabad in the morning, airport of our local representative and transfer to hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Gandhi Ashram, SidiSaiyed Mosque, AdalajStepwell and Shreyas Folk & Art Museum .Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Ahmedabad was founded in 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah, from whom it took its name. In the sixteenth century was celebrated as one of the most beautiful cities of India. Even today you can visit many palaces and mosques.

Characteristic of the old part of town are the “Pol”, settlements that form a sort of small village has a square, the well areas to care for the animals and are surrounded by the Haveli, the ancient merchants’ houses, lavishly decorated.

Gandhi Ashram : Here Gandhi started his struggle in favor of the Untouchables in 1917, when he founded the Sabarmati Ashram, where he lived for about 15 years. Today we are manufacturing spinning wheels, handmade paper and other craft products, unadorned rooms where Gandhi lived turned into a museum.

SidiSayed Mosque : One part of the wall in the old citadel of the mosque built by Ahmed Shah’s slave, SidiSayed, is celebrated the world over for its exquisite stone window tracery – a superb & peerless example of delicate carving that transforms stone into filigree.

Adalaj Step-well : It is situated 17kms north of Ahmedabad. The step well at the village of Adalaj is another fine example of this magnificent architectural form. AdalajVav is richly carved, every pillar and wall surface covered with leaves and flowers, birds and fishes and friezes of ornamental designs.

Overnight at Ahmedabad

Breakfast, departure to Jambughoda (about 190 km, approx. 4 h). Champaner to stop along the way.

Champaner – This city, located at 47 K in the north-east of Vadodara, was conquered in 1484 by Sultan Mahmud, and he renamed Begara Muhammadabad.

Named World Heritage Site by UNESCO, counts 114 monuments of historical and archaeological interest, among them stand the mosque of Jama Masjid, for its impressive interior courtyard, its porches, beautiful arches and slender minarets.

Worth a visit also Shahr Masjid, with its row of columns, domes and delicate mihrab (niche facing Mecca) and Nagina Masjid with a charming porch.

Later we drive to Jambughoda, hotel accommodations for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at hotel.Full day excursion to the picturesque town of Chotta Udaipur and characteristic villages of the Bhil and Rathwa.

Chotta Udaipur – The essence of the town, however, is that it lies in the heart of a tribal area with rich indigenous history and culture. Every Saturday there is a haat or tribal market. The town is a good base from which to explore the surrounding tribal villages, particularly in the Rathwa communities. The Tribal Museum is also worth a visit, though of course not nearly as important as day-to-day interaction with people alive today.

Overnight at Jambughoda

Breakfast at hotel. Check out and departure for Poshina .
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Days entirely dedicated to the visit of tribal villages around Poshina. You will have the opportunity to discover the customs of ethnic groups and Garacia Bhil and visit the temple of Ambaji, dedicated to the mother goddess Amba.

Garasia – Contrary to other ethnic groups, living in the GarasiaPoshina, at the confluence of the rivers and Aakar Sabarmati, in north Gujarat, bordering Rajasthan. Among Garasia is generally widespread monogamy marriages are contracted between persons of the same clan, but not among members of the same village and among people with family ties. Can be combined or occur as a result of a leak. It ‘s customary for couples to escape for a trial period, in which case the bride’s father is given as compensation a sum of money, if the union fails, the wife comes home with another sum to be delivered to its parent . Garasia I believe in Bhagwan, the figure of the supreme God, which is never personified. Their traditional offerings are small horses in red clay, which are usually placed under trees or near sacred rocks or water sources, elements that are associated with the strength of spirits. Little is known about these sanctuaries, religious observances and rituals related to the terracotta horses are given in case of need and help maintain peace in the life of the village.

Dinner and overnight at Poshina.

After breakfast, depart for Little Rann Of Kutch enroute visiting Patan & Modhera.

PATAN – Rani ki Vav (Step well). It was built by the Queen Udaymati the wife of Bhimdev during 11-12th Century. It is the most magnificent and spectacular step well and the best example of such architecture for water wells. The Vav measuring about 64 mts. The stepwell has long stepped corridor descending down to the underground tank, it is having four pillars. The Pillars which support the roof have squire base decorated with Ghat Pallavas. It was one of the largest and the most sumptuous structure of its type.

Later visit Patan Patola of weaving, patan is Famous for patola weaving, Salvi family is one of them who has continued this traditional art and has preserved it even today. Patola silk is often termed as the queen of all silk. The special technique of the handmade silk patola uses the same special technique for weaving from raw silk to the completion of the patola fabric. The weaver makes the special patola loom and colouring from indigenous natural materials. Patola from the area of patan in the north Gujarat region of western India glorifies this heritage with its unique gem like qualities, gorgeous colours, designing & durability Different colour and pattern matched exactly on horizontal and vertical threads in weaving. The patola was traditionally woven in a sari length of 5 to 9 yards by 45” to 54” width. The range now extends to include tablecloth borders scarves handkerchief.

Modhera Sun Temple, Modhera Sun Temple dates bake to early 11th centuary CE and was built by King Bhimdev I in 1026 CE. The temple at modhera is the most important of all sun temples built in the whole Gujarat. The temple is dedicated to the Sun God. The temple is magnificent and the finest example of the Hindus architecture in Gujarat. One of the most striking features of the Modhera Sun Temple that the first ray of the sun falls on the deity at the time of the equinoxes. In front of the temple is a colossal tank, which was once known as Surya Kund or Rama Kund.The tank has a series of the carved steps leading to the bottom.
Later drive to Little Rann of Kutch

The Little Rann Kutch is a depression that during the rainy season is first invaded by salt water and then the Indian Ocean and fresh water of the rains, becoming a pescosissima area of brackish water. With the end of the rains the waters recede, creating arid areas and wetlands, and the latter are to winter thousands of migratory birds including flamingos and cranes until the arrival of summer. These characteristics make it a unique ecosystem. The Little Rann and ‘the last place where a few surviving specimens (three thousand) dell’onagro, the Indian wild ass (EquushemionusKhur), an ancient animal that the Sumerians used to pull carts. In the Little Rann has focused Agaryas ethnicity, dedicated to the extraction of salt from the desert during the period that goes from the end of the monsoon in early summer, then from October to April. After their take over of the fishermen, that during the rains, tweak their own networks and surf the brackish waters, especially shrimp fishing.
Dinner and overnight in Little Rann Of Kutch.

After breakfast at hotel, excursion to the little Rann of Kutch villages, the Indian province that lies between the deserts of Sind and Thar, near the border with Pakistan. Here, in remote villages in the desert of salt, interesting people live, the Rabari, Banni, the Koli, Harijan and the others, who live in round huts interior whitewashed and inlaid with many mirrors.

Rabari – Myths and legends haunt the history and origins of the Rabari in Gujarat, as mysterious as any other tribe, whose lifestyle has intrigued many researchers. Related to Shiva, which according to legend, descended through their ancestor Sambal, are one of the last nomadic peoples of the world. Even today, ancient routes traverse through the arid plains of the Thar Desert, in northwest India in search of pasture for their flocks. Ethnicity from Afghanistan, is the largest pastoral community of Kutch. The men, tall, thin, often with long mustaches, their heads wrapped in turbans predominantly light in color, wearing white pants tight at the ankles and a jacket, also white, tight and pleated chest. Ear, as a distinctive sign, a gold earring filigree (tolyia).

While men lead their flocks to pasture, the women always treated with great respect within the family, dealing dell’allestimento of huts and children wearing colorful damask coats and baggy trousers. The women, who wear beautiful clothes elaborate, are very skilled in embroidery fabrics and blankets and even leather, while the men inlay work on wood and silver and copper crafts is a very rich, whose techniques were passed down generation to generation, making the famous Kutch. Each village has its specialties: Hodka to the Harijan work the leather in the KoliNerona produce beautiful works of lacquer and dye the fabric with the technique of “roghan”.

Characteristic of Rabari are voluminosissimi turbans and colorful, embellished with embroidered waistcoats, men and women wearing jewels of gold and silver finely crafted, rings, bracelets and earrings of various forms. Often men who are less vain women, than women in the ornaments themselves. These, however, beat them for their beauty and poise delicate and elegant.
Hotel accommodation in Dasada for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Bhuj enroute visiting Ajrakhpur & Bhujodi.

Ajrakhpur to see the block printing by tribe, Dhaneti to observe the embroidery by the Ahir tribe and Bhujodi to view the weavers from the Vankar tribe. These block printing villages are home to the famousAjrakh craftsmen of the region. The latter is far from Bhuj and was largely destroyed by the earthquake, but there are still some great craftsmen and their workshops to visit there. In Ajrakhpur, not so far from KHAMIR, the famous Dr. Ismail Katri (for most of the practitioners are Katris), and his sons are friendly and make incredibly beautiful prints. But walking around and meeting the other craftmen is a must – there is great diversity in the craft.

Later drive to visit Bhujodi 10 km out off Bhuj, artisans weave thick shawls and blankets on pit looms dug into the of crouch mud houses (Bhungas)decorated with garomati. The ancient tradition of weaving shawls and blankets from coarse sheep hair came into existence generations ago essentially as a form of barter between the “rabari” community or the nomadic grazing community and the vankars (weavers) — “the rabaris brought us the sheep hair from which we made blankets and shawls for them after spinning the sheep hair into wool.

Continue drive to Bhuj

Overnight at Bhuj.

Full day excursion to Banni Villages. Amidst the Desert land of infinite dimensions, are suspended, quaint little villages. These are the last villages on the India-Pakistan border. Here you will come across master craft people’ exposing their traditional art, turning our masterpieces every day. Their ornaments, clothes, utensils, everything they use – will make you feel as if you have stepped into lifestyle museum leaving you spellbound.
Return to Bhuj for an overnight stay.

Today after breakfast depart from Bhuj Airport

Tour ENDS