Modern Indian state
on the Arabian Sea, near the Pakistani border.
Gujarat is one of the so-called linguistic republics that
arose after India's independence to bring together government officials via a
shared language and culture (in this case, Gujarati).
It was created in 1960 when Bombay was divided into the
current states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Gujarat's proximity to the sea has given the region a long
history as a commercial hub, dating back to the Indus Valley civilization's
port of Lothal, one of the oldest and most complex urban societies.
Gujaratis account for the majority of Indians who have moved
to Kenya, Uganda, and other regions of East Africa; Gujaratis have also
traveled in large numbers to the United Kingdom and the United States,
particularly New York City.
The state of Gujarat is also known for being the birthplace
of Mohandas Gandhi.
During most of the war for independence, he lived at the
Sabarmati Ashram near Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
Gujarat is also known for several prominent holy places,
including Dwaraka, the mythical capital of Krishna and the site of the
Dashanami Sanyasis religious community's Sharada math; Somnath, one of the
twelve sites where Shiva, in his first manifestation as the jyotirlinga, came
to earth; and Girnar, a popular ascetic retreat.
Christine Nivin et al., India. 8th ed., Lonely Planet, 1998, is an accessible resource for general information on Gujarat and all of India's provinces.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
