21 Facts About Gujarat You Didn’t Know That You Should

Gujarat celebrates its foundation day on May 1. In 1960, the erstwhile state of Bombay was divided on a linguistic basis, and two states, namely, Gujarat and Maharashtra, came into existence. Today, we know Gujarat as the homeland of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhai Patel. It is also the diamond hub of the country, and recently, it has gained fame for the world’s tallest statue – the Statue of Unity. But what if we tell you that Gujarat still has in store some mind-blowing facts and achievements under its belt you aren’t aware of? 

Here, in this article, we will look at some interesting facts about Gujarat. Let’s unravel them together.

21 Interesting Facts About Gujarat 

1. Gujarat has the longest coastline in India. It is 1,596 km long, and no part of this western state of India is more than 160 km from the sea.
2. India’s first port was established in Gujarat’s Lothal, a Harappan Site.
3. Gujarat, with 17 airports, is the state of India with the highest number of operating airports.
4. Some of the major metropolitan cities from the Indus Valley Civilization, such as Lothal, Dholavira, and Gola Dhoro, are part of modern-day Gujarat, making the city one of the major centres of the Indus Valley Civilization. 
5. The world’s first 'vegetarian outlets' of fast food brands Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Subway, were opened in Ahmedabad.
6. Gujarat is the only place in India where Asiatic Lions are found.
7. Gujarat has one of the largest diamond centres in India. Surat, a city in Gujarat, is popular for diamond cutting and polishing. The city refines about 80% of diamonds from across the world, making Surat one of the richest cities in India in terms of per capita income.
8. Gujarat is the largest producer of milk in India. Amul, an Indian dairy cooperative based out of Anand in Gujarat, is one of the largest milk producers worldwide.  
9. Despite the common belief, Gujarat is not the land of vegetarians. Bhatiyar Gali in Ahmedabad is the best proof of it.
10. The Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara is the largest private residence built in India. It is four times bigger than the Buckingham Palace in London.
11. Kutch District of Gujarat is the largest district and salt desert in India. It covers an area of 45674 sq km.
12. India’s first Marine National Park is situated in Gujarat. 
13. Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat is one of the last places on earth where the endangered wild ass sub-species Indian Wild Ass (Khur) can be spotted.
14. The Sardar Sarovar Dam, near which the popular attraction of the Statue of Unity is situated, is the second largest concrete dam in the world in terms of the volume of concrete used to construct the dam after the Grand Coulee Dam across River Columbia, US.
15. At Ahmedabad’s New Lucky Restaurant, diners eat their meals sitting at tables scattered between 12 coffins. Weird but true. 
16. Located near Bhuj, Mandvi is a coastal destination that boasts a 400-year-old shipbuilding tradition.
17. Armabada, a town in the Kutch District of Gujarat, has the world’s first lake where a rare species of ‘upside down jellyfish’ lives. 
18. Gujarat hosts an international kite festival in Ahmedabad every year. Kite enthusiasts from all over the world participate in the week-long festival. 
19. Patang Bazaar, a Kite Market in Ahmedabad, is open 24/7during the International Kite Festival Week (Uttarayan) held annually in January.
20. Gujarat has its own version of Leh’s Magnetic Hill. The hills in Tulsi Shyam near Gujarat’s Amreli district, act against gravity - like Leh’s Magnetic Hill objects and cars appear rolling uphill. 
21. Ahmedabad in Gujarat is now home to the world’s largest cricket stadium. The new stadium can seat 1,10,000 spectators and has parking space for 3,000 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers.

Here’s one last fact to conclude the list. Did you know that Club Mahindra has not one, or two, or three, but five resorts in Gujarat? The latest addition to the list is Club Mahindra Netrang. Located at close proximity to the famous Statue of Unity, this resort is everything you need for a relaxing holiday.