Tag Archives: Gujarat

Votive Clay Horses of Poshina

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Poshina, a small town situated in Gujarat, India, is home to Adivasi shrines acclaimed for their votive terracotta horses. A growing army of more than 2000 horses surrounds the petite Adivasi shrines. The horses are offered in anticipation of achieving a particular wish or upon fulfillment of a desire, such as childbirth, curing of an illness, sick animals, timely rain, aid in a difficult harvest, and so on.

The term Adivasi means “original inhabitants” and there are a number of Adivasi communities (such as the Garasia, Bhil, Koli, and Rathva) residing in the northern, central and southern part of Gujarat. Most Adivasi communities believe that their gods cannot be represented by images. Instead, they install wooden posts or clay pots as focuses for their prayers.

Poshina Clay Horse Shrine

Clay Horse Shrine in Poshina

Majesty of Darbargadh Poshina

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In Poshina, Gujarat, India is the Darbargadh Poshina, once a palace, and now a welcoming heritage hotel, with huge gateways, a massive dome, numerous pillars and arches, a pleasant courtyard, gardens, lawns and terraces, owned by the descendants of the Chalukyas, whose empire spread through much of Gujarat and Central India in the 12th century.

Majesty of Darbargadh Poshina

Greenery and Clouds at the Palace

Poshina in the Foothills

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About 18 kms from Ambaji, Gujarat, India, Poshina takes one back to the simple beauty of traditional village life. Poshina is home to a tribal shrine where you find the staggering scene of thousands of terracotta horses standing in rows as offerings to the local goddess (images to follow later).

Poshina in the Foothills

Palms Below Aravalli Mountains Poshina

Jami Mosque Khambhat

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Jami Mosque is a mosque in Khambhat, Gujarat, India, built in 1325. It is one of the oldest Islamic monuments in Gujarat. The mosque’s interior has colonnaded open courtyard built with 100 columns. The mosque’s architecture marks the evolution of the Indo-Islamic architecture and it’s features do not display any minarets.

Jami Mosque Khambhat

History in Khambhat, India

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Khambhat, in east-central Gujarat state, west-central India, lies at the head of the Gulf of Khambhat (Cambay) and the mouth of the Mahi River.

The town was mentioned in 1293 by the Venetian traveler Marco Polo, who referred to it as a busy port. It was still a prosperous port in the late 15th century, when Muslims controlled Gujarat. As the gulf silted up, however, the port became insignificant. The town was the capital of the princely state of Cambay, which was incorporated into Kaira (later Kheda) district in 1949.

There are several structures from the past, including this building, that display architecture from that era.

A Building from the Past in Khambhat

Colors of India – Costumes

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Each state in India has different clothing styles conforming to its culture. The common element is that people wear colorful clothes in not only everyday life, but especially for festivals.

A couple of girls from Gujarat are dressed colorfully for a folk dance performance. Flowers in the background complement their color scheme!

Colorful Dancers

International Kite Festival

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In conjunction with the most widely celebrated annual festival in Gujarat, India of Uttrayan or Kite Flying (on January 14-15), an International Kite Festival was held on January 8, 2010 in Vadodara. Professional kite flyers from over 20 countries showed off their unique, colorful kites.

Kites in the Sky

Kite Festival