I am someone who has recently started my blog which includes videos and writeups and content is mainly about the different cultures in India and my travel experiences. My next trip I am hoping to make would be in Gujarat, and I would like to know about the Gujarati culture before I go to the state. I would like to know about the food they eat, the parts which are modern and the traditional parts of the state. The festivals celebrated etc. I think the more information I get about the Gujarati culture, the better it would be for me.
Gujarat is a state where you would find a mix of people, mostly Hindus and a fair number of Muslims, Jains, and Buddhists. The main language spoken in Gujarat is Gujarati after which Hindu is spoken. Ahmedabad is one city which has recently been very modernized especially the Vadoroa train station and is a very popular place people visit from India. Other modern parts of Gujarat are Surat, Gandhinagar, Vadodara. These places have been developed a lot and it is where you will see the modern part of Gujarat. The traditional parts of Gujarat would be the villages which you should visit are Dandi, Unai, Ahwa and Halvad. Here you would be able to see the traditional way of living and what you would notice is the calm atmosphere and the serenity here. The popular festivals of Gujarat are Diwali and Navratri. During Navratri people of Gujarat go out for the whole nine night to do Ras Garba and play Dandiya in their traditional dresses. The traditional food of Gujarat is Dhokla, Khandvi, Ganthia, Thepla, and Undhiyu. To get the real taste of Gujarati food you should have a thali which consists of dal, vegetable sabji, rice, and chaas.
I had once visited Gujrat for 2 days to attend a family friends wedding, and I would recommend you go in the wedding season and try to see a wedding there, as that's where you would be able to learn about the traditions and culture from a different perspective. Gujrat is a large state, so whichever city you visit to see the modern life in Gujarat you will also be able to visit a nearby village where you would be able to see the traditional way of living. You can ask any local guide or taxi person of where the nearest village is, but do stay safe either take someone you know with you or book a taxi from the hotel contacts or a company like Uber and travel during the daylight hours.
