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Temple University In India |
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Temple University In India |
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| ABOUT GUJARAT IN WESTERN INDIA Gujarat, the western most state of the Indian Republic, has its own 2000-year history and language and has the longest coastline of any province. With its unique geography and fauna and flora, Gujarat provides the only home for the Asiatic lion, the Indian onager and the great Indian bustard.As a maritime province, it has historical links with the cultures of East Africa, the Persian Gulf and the Red sea, as well as those of the colonial powers the Portuguese and the British. These influences have contributed to the immigration of peoples to this region and added to the rich diversity of cultural expression in Gujarat, augmented by the land-based traditions to its east and north. It is possibly the most diverse of Indian provinces, hosting more religions and ethnic groups than others, and is the land of Mahatma Gandhi, whose doctrine of non-violent protest comes out of earlier indigenous forms of social action.
Several types of yoga are taught in the town as is classical and folk music. More Indians living in the United States come from the province of Gujarat than from any other region of India. |
| DHRANGADHRA Is a medieval town of 100,000 persons that has a Hindu, Muslim, Parsi and Jain population subdivided into more that 50 caste groups. The affluent are traders in the local cotton and salt trade that has existed for over 300 years, while the majority are farmers and shopkeepers. The town was until 1947 the capital of the local kingdom of Halvad- Dhrangadhra, and has both sacred and secular architecture influenced by local history. Temples, stepwells, palaces and mosques from various historical periods provide ample opportunity for study. There are more than 100 places of worship, and ancient art and craft traditions such as stone sculpture, jewelry making, tie and dye fabrics and embroidery prosper. The Rabari and Bharvad pastoral groups that raise cattle, sheep, goat and camels live in villages surrounding the town. During each summer, the outskirts of the town houses a camp of snake charmers that congregate each year to conduct marital alliances. The provincial town boasts several hospitals, schools and a college and is connected to the state capital of Ahmedabad by road and rail. There is email facilities in the town as well as telephone and postal service. There are three wheel scooter taxis for travel within the town. Several cinemas house show Gujarati and Bombay films and there are indigenous videographers and photographers who provide the population with video and photographic documents of various rites of passage. |
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The sunken garden at Halvad palace built in the 16th century: The mardana courtyard of the 19th century Ajitnivas palace, and the enterance of the modern Jain temple in Dhrangadhra.
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