Gandhinagar Travel Guide - Top Things to do in Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar City [source]

Named after the “Father of the Nation”, Gandhinagar besides Chandigarh is yet another planned city in India.

Located on the banks of Sabarmati River, Gandhinagar is one of the commercial and administrative centres of Gujarat. The city happens to be the only place to be designed by Indian Town planners and is planned in such a way that it has 30 sectors with each sector having their own community centre, health centre, shopping area and schools.

History of Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar is filled with rich history and culture and is a very famous tourist’s destination mainly because of the Mahatma Gandhi spirit living in the city. Although the city of Gandhinagar was established in 1960, the city came into spotlight only after Mumbai was split into two states that is Maharashtra and Gujarat and then Gandhinagar became the capital of Gujarat.  Since the city is based on the concepts and principles of Gandhiji, the city is known as “Gandhian City”.

Tourism in Gandhinagar

Main tourist attraction of Gandhinagar includes the prominent Akshardham temple, Children’s Park, Sarita Udyan and Capital Complex. Considered as one of the greenest cities of India, the extensive planting of trees gives the city a fresh feel, despite it being a very busy city. Akshardham temple is totally made up of pink sand stones. Visually mesmerizing, this complex has a seven feet gold leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan. This is not just a temple of spirituality but also a place of education, enlightenment and entertainment. It is also one of the major tourists attractions in Gujarat state.

Akshardham Temple [source]

A temple of Hanuman is another spiritual attraction for the visitors. Located at a very convenient place in the centre of the city, the Hanuman temple is visited by a lot of devotees. Navratri is one of the biggest festivals of Gujarat and is celebrated with lots of fervour in Gandhinagar. It falls in the month of October, and is a community event in the city.

A visit to the city during the month of Navratri, can give any tourist an experience of a lifetime. If you would like to see a colourful sky, then you should plan a visit to Gandhinagar during the month of mid-January. This is the time of Makar Sankranti which is celebrated with great fanfare by flying colourful kites in the city.

If you are visiting Gandhinagar, then don’t forget to visit the Capitol Complex. It is a very famous and equal to a historical monument and is a blend of modern and historical architecture.

Known as the second home to Gandhiji, Sabarmati Aashram now acts an exhibition home of the father of the Nation. In the ashram, one can find many belongings of Gandhiji in the same way as he used them. If you would like to experience the magic of non-violence, make sure that you include a visit of Sabarmati Aashram in your package travel.

Known as the Craftsmen's Village, this village is a great excursion from Gandhinagar. The village is famous for its “Bandhani saris”. The wooden blocks printed here are world famous. So, if you are a shopaholic, include this Craftsmen's Village, in your travel itinerary.

Facts:

Area: 57 sq kms
Altitude: 81 m (266 ft)
Geographical Location: 23.22°N 72.68°E
Climate: The climate on average is dry through the year except during monsoon season
Rainfall: 803.4 mm (32 inches).
Primary Rainy season: mid-June to mid-September
Temperatures: Summer,36 - 42 0C maximum, 19-27 0C minimum, winter, 29 0C maximum,14 0C minimum
Population: 132,000
Best season: October to March