Lion’s Share of History

Some stories from Gujarat

/ read / November 8, 2023 / Spotlight

As all eyes turn to Ahmedabad this month for the World Cup 2023 finale, we’re taking this excuse to immerse ourselves in the history and art of Gujarat for the 38^th issue of Spotlight. We’ll be talking cities, food, textiles, dance, modern art and so much more, so bookmark this page and keep checking in over the next few weeks.

Gujarat, land of surprises

Like the beloved Gujarati breakfast of jalebi-fafda, the contrasting flavours of this region give its cultures an irresistible piquancy. Here are some surprising facts to pique your curiosity about Gujarat

Quiz: Arts of Gujarat

The arts and architecture of Gujarat reflect its vantage point as an ancient gateway for trade, migration, faith and more

A Proud Past: The Siddis of Gujarat

Let’s meet the modern-day Siddis, defined by centuries of history in Gujarat, Sufi spiritualism, and ancestral memories of Africa

Rare Fabric: Gujarat’s lesser-known textile traditions

Shilpa Shah of the TAPI Collection shares generous insights—and stunning objects—that tell us a vivid story of Gujarat's cultural tapestry

Quiz: Gujarat’s lions, India’s pride

Take our quiz to learn something new about the real Sher Khan

Essentially Ahmedabad – An auto-ride through a painted city

Let’s hail an auto and follow a journalist and two artists through a Mata-ni-Pachedi painting that takes us into the heart of Ahmedabad

This Gujarat royal is the ‘father of Indian cricket’

The Ranji Trophy, India’s first-class cricket series, is named for Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II, the charismatic ruler of the princely state of Nawanagar

Surat nu jamaan – Gujarat’s food capital

If you’ve eaten in Surat, you’ve tasted salvation. And it’s all thanks to centuries of migration, trade and a happy collision of world cultures

River of Faith

Through the veins of a centuries-old textile art tradition flow the waters of a once-mighty river. Follow the journey of a Mata-ni-Pachedi painting as it takes birth on the banks of the Sabarmati

Mahavir in marble – Stunning 19th-Century Photographs of the Jain Temples of Palitana

Every March-April, pilgrims make their way to Palitana to observe Mahavir Jayanti. It’s a solemn festival observed in the most ornately decorated temple town you will ever see

Brick by Brick: The Built Legacies of the Gujarat Sultanate

The Sultans of Gujarat built a lasting cultural legacy that lives on through the incredible mosques, tombs, palaces and shrines they left behind in Ahmedabad, Cambay, Patan and Champaner. Let's go on a tour of the Sultanate through rare photographs from the Sarmaya collection

Maps of devotion – The Jain art of Shatrunjaya pata

Painted on cotton and imbued with piety, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat