National Bullock Cart Trekking Program in GIR

This is 1st national trek in Gujarat, organized by YHAI.

YHAI its celebrating 100 years of youth hostels internationally & 60 yrs in India.

To promote enviorment conservation it has organized eco-friendly trekking programme.

It would be an amazing experience to be the guest in the only home to the Great Asiatic Lions.

Participants would also experience the culture of rural india & the slow, simple & yet so comfortable life.

Besides Lions, the Gir Sanctuary region is also famous for its vast forest area which is spread over in 1412 sq. kms. 


more information just click the link below :

http://yhaindia.org/files/adv_programs/description/BULLOCKGUJARAT.html

or contact:

on 98254 33144

Gir nominates fourth in 7 wonders of India - Gujarat episode

A national series about rediscovery of wonders from all around India, '7 Wonders of India', is NDTV channel initiative. As name suggests, it gives chance to highlight wonders across the country to not only citizens of India, but also to the millions of tourists who come every year to make their dream-visit to Incredible India!

In this series they started to roam around all the states of India to explore heritage sites to national parks, natural marvels to magnificent architecture, from most famous to quite unknown ones. Bringing all of them together, to the big number of spectators...

Junagadh, proudly made it's place in Gujarat series with two of it's major attractions, which makes literally millions of tourists to visit them every year, namely...

1) The Junagadh Fort...

&

2) The Gir Asiatic Lion Sanctuary...

However, marvels are scattered throughout not only only India, but in Gujarat itself as well, giving each nominee a tough competition. This led to selection of Gir Sanctuary of these nominees. The video below shows final 7 grand tourist attractions of Gujarat, with Gir proudly standing at fourth place!

This blog, it's authors, supports & all Junagadh lovers heartily convey their wishes that Gir to make its place for national final 7 spectacles as well!

Gir Santuary reopens - Tourist Season 2008-09

Gir National park is the only natural ebode left for Asiatic Lions. It is situated in a western-most state of India - Gujarat & is just 65 kms away in south-east of the district headquarters - Junagadh. Gir has achieved first position among National Parks & Sanctuaries all over India this year. It gets most of the tourist flow from foreign countries, being on top priorities on anyone's list who visit India.

Every year Gir National Park gets closed for tourists during four month long monsoon period, being it the breeding period for the very few left of the Asiatic Lions. Thus, this gives optimum time for the wildlife to flourish during monsoon & thus, tourists can savour the beauty of the only habitat of Asiatic Lions all over the world, as its gates are reopened.

This year Gir National Park (incl. Devalia Park for Safari) getting opened as per schedule on 16th October 2008, Thursday. However, the issues with roads affected by heavy showers lately this monsoon season is also been under consideration by authorities. Though, these areas are not on the main routes for Safari or forest trips, but still, authorities assured the issues would be settled before the tourist season for year 2008-09 takes pace. They are also aware of the rise in number of tourists right after the festival of Mount Girnar Parikrama (a sacred trek of 35 kms around the mountain) & thus, taking the event as their deadline.

Similar reading : http://girasiaticlion.blogspot.com/2008/10/gir-reopens-for-tourists.html

For more on Asiatic Lions, pl visit : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_Lions

For more on Gir Sanctuary, pl visit : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gir_Forest_National_Park

For more on these in local language, pl read : http://www.sandesh.com/sandesh_article.aspx?newsid=20261

Preparations started for Girnar Parikrama

To know what it Girnar Parikrama, pl refer :

http://junagadhtourism.blogspot.com/2008/09/girnar-parikrama.html

Preparations have been started at big scale for parikrama this year. It used to have much of tourists attraction and thus traffic, so authorities need to be prepared to serve all at their best. This year it is going to be held during 9-15 November.

The collector had called a meeting to prepare action plan for the parikrama, which aimed to facilities and security as well. The basic facility includes logistics, electricity, water & health. Also, they aimed on regularisation of auto-fare, traffic & about maintaining law & order. Like every year, it was also decided to keep watch on pressure point for the comfort of visitors. Notabely this year, tobacco & plastic pouches of water are totally banned.

Some 7 km (1/5 of the total route) of the parikrama route is more or less damaged due to heavy rains in late monsoon this year. That is also to be repaired by 5th as per decided.

Yesterday, on 13th October 2008, school-students helped authorities to collect plastic waste along the route during a cleanup. They collected more than 1000 kgs of plastic waste leaving the trek better than before. Same excercise used to be held before & after Parikrama every year.

So, Junagadh is getting prepared for one of its exclusive (& big!) celebrations, which is going to increase the population of city (0.5 million) to three-fold, of course for a week of 9-15 November!

Gir prooves itself king of Tourism in Gujarat

The following information is originally an article by the leading newspaper Times of India.

(Article link (courtesy) : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ahmedabad/Gir_is_lion_of_all_sanctuaries/articleshow/3561630.cms)

"...Of four national parks and 22 sanctuaries in Gujarat, Gir in Junagadh and Nal Sarovar in Ahmedabad district top the popularity charts among visitors. The state tourism department seems to have failed to market sanctuaries in other parts.

According to official data, Gir Asiatic lion forest reserve alone has attracted 66 per cent of tourists in Gujarat and over 80 per cent of total foreign tourists visiting the state. Officials said that if the data of Nal Sarovar and Thol bird sanctuaries and Gir are put together, other sanctuaries in the state have just attracted seven per cent of the domestic tourists visiting Gujarat for wildlife tourism.

Forest officials say that the only reason why there are not many visitors at other sanctuaries is lack of infrastructure and not many people are aware that these exist.

Besides, the Devalia interpretation zone for Asiatic Lions and Sasan Gir fall in the pilgrim circuit of Somnath and Diu, for those wishing a boozing break. Officials also say that Sasan Gir is a hot favourite among Amdavadis. "Rest of the sanctuaries are isolated and it is only nature lovers from the state who visit these sanctuaries."

Bharat Pathak, conservator of forests (Junagadh) says, "A detailed analysis is required. But the immediate reasons are the popularity and good infrastructure in Sasan Gir. The other attractions are also the large variety of birds found here."

It is notable that the number of tourists to Gir is increasing every year. Which was stupendous 15% hike last year!

Read more in local language :

http://www.sandesh.com/sandesh_article.aspx?newsid=20841

If curious, here is a nice resource on Asiatic Lions & Gir :

http://girforestguide.blogspot.com/

The Girnar parikrama : Exclusive celebration of Junagadh

The importance of GIRNAR PARIKRAMA from the religious point of view is much more. People from all over INDIA come to undertake this tough route, even without bothering about the harsh cold of forest.

Here are the individual distances of places located on the app. 36 KM. long parikrama route: 'Bhavnath' to 'Zina Bava Ni Madhi' = 12 Kms. 'Zina Bava Ni Madhi' to 'Malvela' = 8 Kms 'Malvela' to 'Bordevi' = 8 Kms. 'Bordevi' to 'Bhavnath' = 8 Kms.

Apart from religious point of view, the parikrama is equally important from social point of view because people of different castes and community come together on this pious occasion. They come to know about the different assets of different community. Here each and every person lives with other people without any differences.

The parikrama is organized every year on KARTAK SUD 11 TO 15 according to the Indian moon calander.

The parikrama starts from DUDHESHWAR TEMPLE at BHAVNATH TALETI. Then people pass through dense forest via the INTWA NI GHODI [ghodi is like pass in mountains - a buldge shape in which one has to first climb the elevation and than climb down the elevation].

After they pass this ghodi, they reach ZINA BAVA NI MADHI located very near to the largest dam of JUNAGADH district-HASNAPUR DAM. Pilgrims do a night halt here. A very beautiful temple named CHANDRA-MAULESHWAR is situated here. The probability of lions sighting here is maximum. This place is also known as RANIYO KUVO. But there is an important notice for the pilgrims that, the entry to this place is banned. You have to have the permission from Dept. of Forests to enter this temple.

Then there are two options for the pilgrims from Zina Bava Ni Madhi.

First option is to directly reach MALVELA and the other option is to reach Malvela via SARKHADIYA HANUMAN.

'Sarkhadiya Hanumaan' is the best Hanumaan temple in Junagadh. It is located amidst dense forest. Lion roars are almost common at this place. Chances of being confronted by deers is also maximum. Pilgrims can also visit Suraj-Kund from Sarkhadiya Hanuman.

Pilgrims reach MADVELA from either of the above mentioned routes. A very beautiful temple is located at MADVELA. As pilgrims start moving from MADVELA, the toughest ghodi is about to welcome them. This toughest ghodi is known as NAL-PANI GHODI OR MADVELA NI GHODI. This ghodi is so inclined that the maximum no. of accidents are reported from this place. Many aged pilgrim finds it difficult to cross this ghodi. Once the pilgrims reach the top of the ghodi, there is a forest hut located which counts the no. of pilgrims undertaking the parikrama. Now the pilgrims have to climb down the steep elevation of nalpani ghodi. After they climb it down, they reach BORDEVI.

BORDEVI is a temple of GODDESS. It is surrounded by Mango trees on three sides of the temple. Places like KAALA-GHUNO AND TATANIYO GHUNO are places which carry water all the year round. TATANIYO GHUNO or KHODIYAR GHUNO gives shelter to Crocodiles. Lucky people are able to see a crocodile with the golden earing. People who had lived in the concrete jungle like very much in this natural jungle. Bordevi is surrounded by unleashed nature on all 4 sides.

Pilgrims now start moving towards BHAVNATH TALETI from Bordevi. This is the end of tiresome, yet fruitful GIRNAR PARIKRAMA.