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About Gandhinagar
Although Ahmedabad was entitled to
be the capital of Gujarat state when the old state of Bombay was
split into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960, a new capital was
planned 32 km north-east on the West Bank of the Sabarmati River.
Named Gandhinagar after Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in Gujarat, it
is India's second planned city after Chandigarh and, like that city,
is laid out in numbered sectors and preplanned areas. Construction
of the city commenced in 1965 and the secretariat was moved there in
1970.
Gandhinagar has seen rapid
growth and development in eighties. The administrative centre is
slowly turning into a trade centre and the efforts of establishing
Electronic industries near Gandhinagar will soon change the face of
the town. Private buildings, hotels and co-operative societies have
come up. It has enlarged its limits to a considerable extent in
recent years. Private institutions, service organisation, religious
centres and educational institutions have also come up during the
last two decades.
Places of Interest
Akshardham
Akshardham is a unique cultural complex built in Gandhinagar in
memory of Lord Swaminarayan. Inspired by H. D. Pramukh Swami Maharaj,
Akshardham is a miracle worked by the service and devotion of
thousands of volunteers. It is an intricately carved, majestic
monument of 6000 tons of pink sand stone. The entire monument was
built without the use of steel. Besides a 7 feet gold leafed idol of
Lord Swaminarayan and his holy relics, there are three exhibitions
on Indian Culture with light and sound shows, a multimedia show and
an animatronic show. The wisdom of the Vedas, the epics, the Puranas
is depicted on a crowded canvas by the exhibition. The visitor comes
face to face with personages who have made this land what it is. It
is a perfect mix of modernity and ancient values. Apart from Lord
Ram going in search of his kidnapped wife, the visitor can see
Shravan, the dutiful son, the Pandavas losing the game of dice in
the Hastinapur palace, etc. Besides the visitors can see Sabari's
long wait for Ram and Draupadi's humiliation in the Kauravasabha.
The Hall of Harmony projects world religious side by side. The
monument is ringed by aparikrama containing 365 stone pillars.
Nearest airport is located at Ahmedabad. Nearest railway stations
are at Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. State transport buses and private
luxury coaches connect various centres of Gujarat. Games, rides and
food refreshments are other attractions of Akshardham.
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