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Lothal
 Lothal
lies 85 km southwest of Ahmedabad. This place near Ahmedabad is an ancient dock
belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization.
The Indus Valley Civilisation at
Lothal Ahmedabad district was a hub centre
for the Indus valley civilisation when it
moved down from Sindh to the Saurashtra
coast to establish trading zones. Rangpur and Lothal,
both around 75 kms south from Ahmedabad,
were among the first 2 places where the
Indus valley civilisation was discovered in India. The
rulers home is no longer a grand palace, but the foundations show signs of
it having been a 2 or 3 storeyed mansion. The rooms of the upper town were
obviously built for ruling classes, as they had private paved baths, and a
remarkable network of drains and cess pools. An ivory workshop at the
acropolis suggests that elephants may have been domesticated for the purpose.
Modhera
An 11th
century Sun Temple, rivalling Konark in architecture an sculpture, with pillars
depicting traditional erotic sculpture and scenes from the Hindu epics can be
seen here. One of the finest temples of the
11th century period in the country, the Sun temple
of Modhera has spectacular carvings, fine
architecture and traditional erotic sculpture.
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
54 km away and connected the the city, the
sanctuary offers a pleasant trip. The sanctuary mainly comprises a lake and
marshes where you can see flamingos, pelicans, ducks, geese, cranes, storks,
ibises, spoonbills, wading birds, kingfishers, swallows, fishing eagles, osprey,
harriers and falcons in great numbers.
The Rann of Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary
The sanctuary is best known for
its herds of chestnut-brown Asiatic onager (wild ass), last surviving species of
India's wild horses. Also home of the gazelle, blue bull, wolf, desert and
Indian fox, jackal, jungle cat, hare and birds like the houbara bustard,
sandgrouse, courser, francolin, quail, eagle, falcon, harrier, vulture, lark,
warbler. The 11th century sandstone fortress at Patdi, temples around Munsar
Tank at Viramgam and Darbargadh of Dasada can be visited en route.
Mehmedabad
27 km away and on the way to Baroda, is another
interesting day trip. The Stepwell of Mehmedabad and Jumma Masjid mosques are
architectural achievements. From here you can go to Sojali by rickshaw to see
the 1515 A.D. mausoleum or Chandra Suraj Mahal, a ruined garden palace.
Travel Links For Ahmedabad
www.ahmedabad-hotels.net/
www.indiatravelinfo.com/ahmedabad1.htm
News Papers Links For Ahmedabad
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Excursions
