About Gandhinagar City
History: Gandhinagar is the capital city of the state of Gujarat lies on the western bank of the river Sabarmati. After the separation of Gujarat and Maharashtra, there was a need for the new capital city for the state of Gujarat, which was temporarily managed at the Ahmedabad. The history of Gandhinagar city is dated back to the 13th century when the northern part of Gujarat was ruled by the Emperor Pethasing of Pethapur. The surrounding region of the city was earlier known as the Shertha Town. Also, the region was used as a battleground by the Sultanate of Patan. Then after the establishment of Ahmedabad as a nearby location, the town was ruled by Moghuls.
The new planned city was built close to Ahmedabad and named after Mahatma Gandhi, the hero of the Indian freedom struggle. The city was established in the year 1966 and state government offices started moving to Gandhinagar in 1970. Then the city of Gandhinagar become the administrative capital of Gujarat. Gandhinagar is the second planned city in India after Chandigarh. The was designed and planned by Chief Architect H K Mewada and his assistant Prakash Apte. Both architects had worked under the legendry architect Le Corbusier, the architect of Chandigarh city. Known to be a tree capital of India, Gandhinagar is also the greenest capital in the world. The tree density of the city is more than 400 per 100 people stays in the city. Gandhinagar today is one of the best places to live with some of the best in the country educational institutions, religious places, historical monuments and tourist destinations.
Gandhinagar City Image Gallery
Welcome to Gandhinagar – Greenest Capital City of Asia
Gandhinagar is a beautifully managed and clean city divided into thirty sectors which are again divided into residential plots, commercial shopping centers, government offices, educational institutions, gardens, religious places and more. Gandhinagar city is one of the most citizen-friendly cities with each sector having all its requirements within as well as centrally planned public places, gardens, monuments, parks and hospitals. Some of the sightseeing places in the city include Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, Sarita Udhyan, Adalaj Ni Vav, Indroda Dinosaur & Fossil Park, Sanskruti Kunj, Sarita Udhyan, Deer Park, Mahatma Mandir, Infocity, GIFT City, Gandhinagar Exhibition Centre, Central Vista and Capital Assembly Building.
Things To Do In Gandhinagar City: There is a long list of things to do in Gandhinagar. You can visit one of the finest modern-day architectural monuments of Gandhinagar Akshardham, Mahatma Mandir, Central Vista of Sector 28, Indroda Park and GIFT City. You can also visit to Gandhinagar Sector 21 Shopping Market to buy some local stuff for dressings. The lists of things to see are never-ending if you want to roam in and around Gandhinagar city. Dinosaur Fossil Park at Indroda Park is one of the best attractions for kids in Gandhinagar. Here you can check the verities of dinosaur fossils, bones, eggs, fossils of other mammals, reptiles and birds. Other Gandhinagar attractions in and around Gandhinagar include Mahudi Jain Temple, Adalaj Step Well, Sarita Udhyan and Craftsmen’s Village. There are numerous things to see and do in Gandhinagar particularly for nature lovers. One can also visit Polo Forest and Thol Bird Sanctuary from Gandhinagar.
Gandhinagar Akshardham: The Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar city of Gujarat is one of the finest specimens of modern-day Indian architecture built in the year of 1992. The temple of Akshardham is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan and it is today one of the most visited temples in Gujarat. Not only this, thousands of people every month visit this place from other states as well. Visiting the Akshardham temple is one of the top things to see and do in Gandhinagar and your tour to Gandhinagar could not be finished without it. Apart from temple, there is an exhibition that showcases ancient Hindu culture and narrates its message to visitors, Abhishek Mandapam and Sat Chit Anand Water Show.
Mahatma Mandir: “Best Urban Infrastructure” award-winning monuments of Mahatma Mandir is a unique museum of its kind based on Mahatma Gandhi’s life, the place known as Dandi Kutir. The shape of the building for Mahatma Mandir was to be taken as an inspiration from Gandhiji’s famous Salt March which took place from Ahmedabad to Dandi in Gujarat. The space of the museum is with more than 1 Lakh sq. ft. of the area with interiors, convention hall, seminar halls and administration offices. There is a suspended pedestrian cable bridge with charkha at the top of the structure depict the best of the architectural beauty. The complex is spread across 60,000 sq. meters of area. This iconic infrastructure narrates the life and message of Mahatma Gandhi to its visitors by all means of modern infrastructure and contemporary means.
Indroda Nature Park: Regarded as India’s Jurassic Park, this Indroda National Park in Gandhinagar city is spread across 400 acres of land. Situated on the banks of the Sabarmati River this place is run by Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation. Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Nature Park is the only Dinosaur Museum in the country. The core attraction of Gandhinagar Indroda Nature Park and Zoo is massive skeletons of sea mammals like the blue whale, eggs of dinosaur, botanical garden, camping zone, amphitheater and more. This vast nature park is a home for many species of birds, reptiles, nilgais, langurs, crocodiles, peafowls and more.
Vithalbhai Patel Bhavan: Gujarat Legislative Assembly – Gujarat Vidhan Sabha – The Vithalbhai Patel Bhavan is in Gandhinagar is the house to the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha, the legislature office of the state. It was named after the great freedom fighter Vithalbhai Patel, who also happened to be the elder brother of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Also, it is home to various government offices called Sachivalays. The construction of this building was completed in the year 1982 and presently there are 182 elected members from all parts of the state who governs the legislative assembly.
GIFT City: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City Gandhinagar) is an under-construction business destination near Gandhinagar city. It is one of India’s first operational greenfield smart city which offers all services related to financial service centers. The GIFT city has a walk-to-work concept with all types of office complexes, residential apartments, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure needs within the city only. GIFT City Gandhinagar is nearby proximity to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport also. Also, the corridor to connect it with Metro Rail is under construction.
Gandhinagar is well connected through the rail, road and air infrastructure. Being the capital of the state, Gandhinagar city has by road connectivity from almost all locations within Gujarat. Also the train line from Gandhinagar is well connected through most of national locations. The nearest airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Gandhinagar is nature lover’s paradise. Being the greenest capital in the world, Gandhinagar city has the highest tree density per 100 people, which is around 420. Also there are many natural habitat to explore in and around Gandhinagar like Indroda Dinosaur & Fossil Park, Sarita Udhyan, Sector 28 Garden, Thol Bird Sanctuary & Polo Forest.
Food To Taste In Gandhinagar City
One can find varieties of Gujarati Thali in Gandhinagar with all best of traditional taste and lip-smacking food. Also the local food like fafda, jalebi, dhokla, bhel, samosa is best available at various food joints as street food in the city. Ratri Bazaar street food joint in Sector 16 is one of the famous places to enjoy the local food in Gandhinagar. One of the most famous food items is of Trupti Ice cream Parlour on GH Road, between GH 4 and GH 5. Although there are various upscale and lavish restaurants, visiting street food joints is the best thing to do to experience the local vibe. Most of the places to eat in Gandhinagar is vegetarian friendly.
Educational Institutions
Gandhinagar is a hub of higher education institutions in Gujarat. No other city in the state has such famous and most prestigious institutions as what Gandhinagar city has. Students from all over the country and from another part of the world also come to Gandhinagar to educate into their favorite stream. Some of the institute in Gandhinagar includes Indian Institute of Technology, National Institute of Design (NID), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Children’s University, Raksha Shakti University, Kamdhenu University, Swarnim Gujarat Sports University, Institute of Hotel Management, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI), Gujarat Forensic University, Central University, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University and Gujarat Law University.
Shopping In Gandhinagar
Gandhinagar city in Gujarat is not only famous for its political infrastructure and higher education institutes but is a shoppers paradise as well. This is one of the best places in the state to buy locally made artifacts and textile materials. There are many shopping malls and local shopping markets in each sector that is best for shopping starting from sarees, dress materials, cotton fabric, bandhani materials, Khadi products, Chaniya Choli, Cloth Toys, Wall Hangings and Show Pieces, Patan patola sarees and other local made garments. One can also visit Gandhinagar Ravivari Bazar that operates on every Sunday. Sector 21 is the core shopping center in Gandhinagar which is mostly dedicated to all types and stores. One can find anything and everything at this shopping complex in Gandhinagar. To purchase high-end products and international brands one can visit Infocity shopping complex in Gandhinagar as well.
Life In Gandhinagar
Life in Gandhinagar is great and very peaceful. During the monsoon and winter days, the city can give you vibes of any hill station with all greenery in and around the city. If you are a person who loves calm and peaceful life then Gandhinagar is a best place for you. The city is quite well organised with all amenities required in its 30 sectors. And not to forget if you want to escape for from Gandhinagar and the city of Ahmedabad is just at a stone throw distance. It is a city of circles which is actually a cross roads serves as a landmarks to any address in the city. Also the road names here in Gandhinagar is very easy to remember like “K Road”, “KH Road”, “G Road”, “CH Road”, “GH Road” & “CHH Road”. While all vertical roads have been named as Road 0, Road 1, Road 2, Road 3, Road 4 and so on. The city has one of the best road and water infrastructure in the state and also it has its own electricity plant. With quality of life comes the higher cost of living. And Gandhinagar is not a different in it. This is mainly because of higher infrastructure and real estate cost in the capital of Gujarat. However, one can get very disappointed because virtually there is nothing like a nightlife in Gandhinagar. At the most you can have dinner date and a long drive to Ahmedabad when it comes to night life in Gandhinagar.
Places To Visit Around Gandhinagar
There are many places to visit around Gandhinagar city which can be planned for a day trip. This places are of wide variety like amusement parks, historical monuments, temples, forest, sanctuary and more. Some of the places includes for a day trip from Gandhingar are Adalaj Step Well, Trimandir, Ambaji, Samlaji, Becharaji, Puneet Van, Polo Forest, Nal Sarovar, Aalloa Hill Resort, Rani Roopmati Mosque, Sant Sarovar Dam, Mahudi Jain Temple, Swapna Srushti Water Park, Deer Park and many more.
Festivals In Gandhinagar
Gujaratis love festivals and Gandhinagar city is not a difference into it. People here in the capital city enjoys all celebrations and most cherished festivals are Navratri, Diwali, Makar Sankrati and Janmasthami. Being the capital city, Gandhinagar also hosts some of the Government sponsor festivals like International Kite Festival and Vibrand Navratri. Also there is a place called Sanskruti Kunj which is host to many cultural activities in the city.