Gujarat is the westernmost state of India and derives its name from Gujjaratta, which means the land of the Gurjars a tribe that migrated to India around 5th century AD from Central Asia. Legend has it that the Yadav tribe led by Lord Krishna, the most beloved and flamboyant of all Hindu deities, arrived in this area some 3500 years ago and ruled for a glorious hundred years. The state has three distinct regions - (1) the mainland area that includes Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and the state capital Gandhinagar; (2) the Gulf of Cambay divides the mainland area from the deserted plains of the Kathiawar peninsula - the region is also known as Saurashtra - and (3) the great salt deserts of the Rann of Kutch separated from the Kathiawar peninsula by the Gulf of Kutch.

Historically this region traces its roots to Lothal (City of the Dead), a city that flourished 4000 years ago, and where archaeologists were astonished to find evidences of remarkable engineering skills. The seaports of Gujarat traded with ancient communities of Egypt and Mesopotamia and it is believed that Sikandar (Alexander the Great) embarked upon his journey home from one of Gujarat's ancient ports in the Rann of Kutch.

Gujarat was carved out the erstwhile Bombay state and was primarily an agricultural economy but now it is the second largest industrialised state in the country. People of Gujarat have long been identified with business and the Patels of Gujarat are a well-known and respected Indian community in other countries, especially UK and USA. Gujarat has a rich panorama of personalities who have contributed to the development of the country - Dr. Verghese Kurien, architect of the Operation Flood, the largest dairy development programme in the world; Vallabhbhai Patel, known as the Bismarck of India, who masterminded the integration of the princely states with Indian Union; and the tallest among them Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who led the freedom struggle against the British in India.

Architecture in Gujarat covers a wide range of styles and manifests itself in the ancient ruins of Lothal, medieval and modern royal palaces, and the Jain and Hindu temples. Muslim invaders introduced Saracenic styles into the region and built many mosques and tombs as evidence of their rule. However, the step wells of Gujarat are typical architectural achievements of the state: the Vav or step well was built to overcome problems of heat and dust and could be several storeys deep.

Ecologically Gujarat is an interesting blend of assorted ecosystems. From the dry deciduous forest of teak, and a variety of acacia besides several other floral species to the marshes and the great salt plains of Kutch each biome is home to myriad species of flora and fauna.

Our foray into this hitherto little known region of India takes us on a voyage of discovery, to three National Parks, (1) Gir - the last stronghold of the Asiatic Lion; (2) Velavadar - the grassland ecosystem of the majestic Blackbuck and (3) the great salt desert (Rann) of Kutch - where you can see the last of the Indian Wild Ass galloping into the sunset.