Culture Of Gujarat


Gujarat is a flourishing state with cultural diversity. It is vibrant with its true colors of rich heritage and cultural traditions. Dating back to history with the Harappan civilization, the state becomes a confluence of many religions – Hinduism, Islam, Jainism and Buddhism.

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The culture of Gujarat is both ancient, new, and modern.Marriage is a highly auspicious occasion in Indian culture. According to the Vedas, the Hindu scriptures, marriage is a sacred lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. It is considered to be the strongest of all social bonds and is the initiation into a lifetime of togetherness. The Vedic wedding ceremony consists of prayers, invocations, and vows recited in Sanskrit, the most ancient surviving language. The Vedic wedding ceremony dates back to over five thousand years and is performed under a decorated canopy, the mandap. The four pillars that surround the mandap represent the parents of the bride and groom. This signifies the important part they have played in raising their children to become the responsible adults they are today. The ceremony is performed before a sacred fire, or agniaa, which is the eternal witness of the marriage, and all vows are taken. The bride and the groom face each other, and the priest ties their garments (the bride's saree to the groom's shirt) in a knot, symbolizing the sacred union—the bride and the groom garland each other and exchange the rings. Next, the nuptial fire, symbolizing the divine witness, and the sanctifier of the sacrament, is installed and worshipped. Both the bride and the groom grasp their hands together and pray to God for His blessings. Samagree, consisting of crushed sandalwood, herbs, sugar, rice, ghee (clarified butter), and twigs, is offered into the sacred fire to seek God's blessings for the couple. Dandiya Raas is a romantic, very energetic, colourful, and playful dance originating in the state of Gujarat. Its roots lay from the days of Lord Krishna, who played raas on the shores of Yamuna river on a moonlit night with his beloved Gopis. Men and women dressed in colorful clothes dance in two concentric circles - one moving clockwise, one moving counter-clockwise. Men and women carry two bamboo sticks called dandiyas in their hands. In addition to footwork, one of the most enjoyable parts of this dance is the creative use of dandiyas. The song sung on occasion is essentially an amorous one. Raas is a very playful dance providing the opportunity for acting and exchanging messages through eye contact. It is no wonder that many romances bloom during Navratri and hence the popularity of the dance among the younger generation.

Pilgrimage Places

Somnath Temple
Dwarkadhish Temple
Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple
Bala Hanuman Mandir
Rukmini Holy Place
 
            • The Somnath temple, also called Somanātha temple or Deo Patan, is located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval
            in Gujarat, India. One of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for the Hindus, they believe it to be the first
            among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.
            • The Dwarkadhish temple, also known as the Jagat Mandir and occasionally spelled Dwarakadheesh, is a
            Hindu temple dedicated to the god Krishna, who is worshiped here by the name Dwarkadhish, or 'King of
            Dwarka'.
            • Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India is a large Hindu temple complex inspired by
            Yogiji Maharaj (1892-1971) the fourth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, and created by Pramukh Swami
            Maharaj (1921-2016), the fifth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan according to the BAPS denomination of
            Swaminarayan Hinduism.
            • Bala Hanuman temple of Jamnagar is located on the southeast corner of Lakhota lake or Ranmal Lake and
            famous across the world for its continuous chanting of the Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram, day and night
            since August 1st, 1964.
            • The Rukmini Mata Temple commemorates Lord Krishna's queen. The temple is said to be more than 2500
            years old but it may have been reconstructed over time.