Literature Review Of Tourism In Gujarat
Gujarat is a state of India, geographically situated in the western tip of India and surrounded by Arabian Sea coastline. This is the only state that has longest coastline. Pakistan to the north-west borders, Arabian Sea to the southwest, Rajasthan state to the northeast and Madhya Pradesh state to the East. People of the state and the local language are known as Gujarati. The state has some of largest businesses of the India such as diamond, cement, denim cloth manufacturing, grassroots oil refining, agriculture etc. World’s largest ship braking yard at Alang existed in the Gujarat near Bhavnagar district. Major cities of the state Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda (Vadodara), Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar are playing main roles to grow the economy rates and increasing name and fame for the various businesses in the world. Gujarat state has various factors to attract foreigner as well as national and local tourists. History tourism, Medical tourism, Business tourism, Culture tourism, Adventure tourism and many more are most attractions.
Gujarat state has different mode of transportations such as buses, railway, auto and taxies, aeroplane, boat, ship. Above all transportations is easy, cheaper and faster in compare to other states of India.
About the political view Gujarat is governed by Legislative Assembly of 182 members, Legislative Assembly member’s terms is for five years and the administrations of the state is led by the honourable Chief Minister.
Main Body
Gujarat have different festivals and they play an important role to call foreign tourists, major of the festivals are Diwali, Navratri, Raksha Bandhn, Janmastmi, Holi, Kite Festival and many more. Diwali is the festival of light, on that day lot of sweets are cooked and at the evening people enjoy with fireworks. Navratri is the longest festival of the India and the world as well. It is a nine nights dancing festival, it is called Dandia or Garba. On the festival of Rakshabandhan, sister tie a band on the right hand of her brother, that is a holy band, belief is like the band will defence of the brother. Janmastmi is one of the holiest festivals, because it is the birth day of lord Krishna, the most worshiped god of India. Holi is called a festival of colours, on that day people spoil one to another with different colours. Every 14th of the January is celebrated as a Kite festival, international kite flying contests is also organised in the Gujarat. Most of the contestants are foreigners. These all festivals are big attractions for foreign tourist.
Food, festivals and lifestyle are famous of Gujarat state. Local people are used to eat spicy but very tasty food. Simply thinking and high living is the basic life slogan of them; they are enthusiastic, active, and adventurous. Gujarat is having different communities, such as Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, etc. Different religions have different food, belief and lifestyle, tradition and god.
Gujarat state is famous for various kind tourisms, such as
A) Medical Tourism
B) History and Heritage Tourism
C) Cultural Tourism
D) Business Tourism
E) Recreational Tourism
F) Spiritual Tourism
In detail explanation
A) Medical Tourism
Medical tourism is a new force of the tourists, who visit abroad for their medication or medical treatment. For an example, dental treatment or surgeries are costly in the United Kingdome but it is very cheap in the India (also in Gujarat) so patient from UK travel to India for their dental medication or surgery is called medical tourism. In Gujarat there are number of hospitals with high tech equipment and numbers of medicines. There are two types of tourists – leisure tourists, who travel abroad for their minor treatment that is part of their vacation and tourists travelling especially for their medical treatments. In compare to medical treatment in UK/USA/CANADA/New Zealand, cheaper medical treatment plus airfare, tourist can save excluding the visit cost and accommodation in Gujarat.
B) History and Heritage Tourism
Gujarat has world-class history and heritage, in previous time, Gujarat was ruled by many kings, they left something as memorable which is known as golden heritage. This historical heritage attracts not only to the national tourists but also tourists from different countries as well. Some of them are world famous tourist’s places such as Lothal – an ancient port city of old age, existed near the river Sabarmati (Ahmedabad city). Dholavira – Kutch is a small village, an archaeological site, situated in Kutch district of Gujarat which is surrounded by dessert of Kutch. This is a massive site, belongs to about 5000 years old Mohenjo-Daro Harappan Civilization. Another place is Champaner (The UNESCO -listed world heritage site) this is the one of the most remarkable archaeological site of the Gujarat with Hindu temples and step wells, existed nearby Pavagadh (about 70kms from Vadodara – a metropolitan city). Rani-Ki-Vav (step well) was built in the 11th century, It was built by Queen Udyamati as a memory of her husband King Bhimdev. It has seven galleries which are laid out in east-west direction. Steps corridors and wall-borders are carved with divine glory and deep understanding. That is established near Patan Taluka – Mahesana district of Gujarat. These all sites are just examples of old age time and now they are under preservation because of famous historical tourist’s places.
D) Business Tourism
Gujarat earned name and fame in the world for its business sector. Many of them are in world’s top ten business, for example, diamond industries in the Surat city is the biggest diamond production hub of the world even though there is no any diamond mine found. Gujarat state has world’s 2nd largest grassroots refinery. Biggest cement productions plants, biggest denim production plants that is why Gujarat is known as the Manchester of the East and Denim city. One of the states of India produce and export cotton in largest amount, Gujarat is world’s 3rd largest denim producer. This state has fastest growth of economy, especially in the chemical sector; it has a complete portfolio of chemical products that includes petrochemical and downstream products, dyes and intermediates. Gujarat has also big name for the producing pharmaceuticals, this is the most developed and the same type competitive sector with about 3245 manufacturing license and 42% pharmaceutical turnover of the India and 22% of India’s export.
Not only industries are increasing the economy of the Gujarat but the agriculture is supporting same type. Cotton, sugarcane, banana, onion, potatoes, groundnuts (peanuts), grains and beans are the main corps of Gujarat. There is a long queue of foreign investors to invest in the state, by that way Gujarat has been earning business tourism income, and expanding economy growth.
C) Recreational Tourism
Festival is the synonym of recreation, when Gujarat has numbers of festival. Fairs are organised during some festivals, and those fairs are most attraction of tourists. Many if fairs are famous in tourist list, namely Bhavnath Fair, Kavant Fair, the grant fair -Vautha, Shamlaji Fair, and Tarnetar Fair. During those fair there are various activities and competitions are organised. People get together at a place of fair and enjoy different food, shopping, rides and colours. Fairs are most famous among national and local tourists rather than foreigners.
Except the fairs Gujarat state has wildlife and adventurous forests. Gujarat is 7.46% covered by forest, Gir (Junagadh District) is the most famous forest and the only home of Asiatic Lions, outside Africa this forest in Gujarat is only natural habitat of lions and hot spot of foreigner as well as national tourists.
D) Spiritual Tourism
Gujarat has several of devotional places which attract tourism. Most of them are Hindus holy places; they visit at least once in their lifetime. Their religious belief and devotional interest influence to the foreigners and mostly western people. It makes them to visit those holy places too. Dwarkashish temple at Dwarka, Dakor temple, Somnath, Gopnath, Ambaji, Girnar those are holy places for spiritual tourism.
Conclusion
Gujarat is the state of India, I can say, has numbers of tourists visit in a year. Except of the tourists places mostly the state is well known for the food, festivals, people & their life style. Mainly foreign tourists influence by the state because of geographical location and having suitable atmosphere. Simple life style but high quality food influences them more to visit it often. Honesty, enthusiasm, calm and humbleness are the natural in the temperament of Gujarati people. Various type of tourism is involved in a same place that is the awesome thing in the Gujarat. This state has been changing to the infrastructure. Latest technologies and equipment keep the state update all the time. Most admiral thing is Gujarat state remain safe while facing many natural disasters. Even there is none any major damages or harm in the history of the state.
Tourism is a very big developing sector of the Gujarat state. Longest coastline attracts to the foreigners, moreover cosmopolitan cities, long river banks, colourful festivals, food with novelty but unchanged culture, speedy-easy but cheapest transportation system those are all main sources for to has success and vibrant tourism spot. That is why Gujarat is called VIBRANT GUJARAT.
