SOCIAL SCIENCE PROJECT WORK

INFORMATION OF GUJARAT AND MAURITIUS

Presented By

Utkarsh Verma

VIII ‘C’

INFORMATION OF MAURITIUS

Area: 2040 sq km (788 sq miles).

Population: 1,159,729 (1998).

Population Density: 589.0 per sq km.

Capital: Port Louis. Population: 147,131 (1998).

Geography: Mauritius, a volcanic and mountainous island in the Indian Ocean, lies 2000km (1240 miles) off the southeastern coast of Africa, due east of Madagascar. The island-state stands on what was once a land bridge between Asia and Africa called the Mascarene Archipelago. From the coast, the land rises to form a broad fertile plain on which sugar cane flourishes. Some 500km (310 miles) east is Rodrigues Island, while northeast are the Cargados Carajos Shoals and 900km (560 miles) to the north is Agalega.

Government: Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1968. Head of State: President Cassam Uteem since 1992. Head of Government: Prime Minister Aneerood Jugnauth since 2000.

Language: English is the official language. The most widely spoken languages are French, Creole, Hindi and Bhojpuri. Urdu and Chinese are also among the languages spoken.

Religion: 51 per cent Hindu, 31 per cent Christian, 17 per cent Muslim.

Time: GMT + 4.

Telephone:. Country code: 230. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 00. There are a limited number of public telephone booths, mainly at the airport and in major hotels.

Internet/E-mail: There are a number of ISPs in Mauritius; they include Telecom Plus, Mauritius Network (MNS), MauriNet and Mauritius Telecom (http://mt.intnet.mu). There are cyber cafés in Phoenix, Vaoas and other main towns. Most hotels offer internet facilties.

Telegram: Messages can be sent from the Mauritius Telecommunications Service offices in Cassis and Port Louis. There are also facilities at Overseas Telecoms Services Ltd, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis.

Postal: Post office hours: Generally Mon-Fri 0815-1115 and 1200-1600; Sat 0800-1145.

TRAVEL

AIR: The national airline of Mauritius is Air Mauritius (MK). Air Austral, Air Europe, Air France, Air Madagascar, Air Seychelles, Air Tanzania, Air Zimbabwe, British Airways, Condor, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways and Swissair also fly to Mauritius.

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Mauritius (MRU) (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam) is 48km (30 miles) southeast of Port Louis. Taxis are available to the city (travel time - 45 minutes to 2 hours). Airport facilities include duty-free shops, banks/bureaux de change, snack bar, post office, shops and car hire (Avis, Europcar and Hertz). A new terminal has recently been built.

SEA: Port Louis is the main port. It is primarily commercial but there is a limited passenger service to Réunion and Rodrigues Island.

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of entry required by all. Passports issued by the government of Taiwan are not recognised. The holders of such documents can apply for an entry permit to the Passport and Immigration Officer (address below).

INFORMATION ABOUT GUJARAT

Gujarat State Information

Capital : Gandhinagar

Districts :25

Languages: Gujarati, Hindi, English

Introduction to Gujarat

Gujarat has seen a succession of races, settlers as well as conquerors, and amalgamated their cultures into its own. The result has been a wonderful fusion of new ideas and old world traditions. Rich in crafts, history and natural beauty, this home state of Mahatma Gandhi continues to attract artists, scholars, intellectuals and businessmen from the world over.

Geography of Gujarat

Gujarat is situated on the western coast of the Indian Peninsula. The state is bound by the Arabian Sea on the west, Pakistan and Rajasthan in the north and northeast, Madhya Pradesh in the southeast and Maharashtra in the south. Based on physiology and culture, Gujarat can be divided into several regions like Kutch, Saurashtra, Kathiawad, and Northeast Gujarat.

In the north is Rann of Kutch, a salt marsh and in the south is Little Rann of Kutch. Between Saurashtra and Khambhat is Kathiawad with a maximum altitude of 180 meters and it is flanked by sandstones in the north. The Central Kutch region extends to Northeast Gujarat and the region has low hills and small plains. Southeast Gujarat is an extension of the Western Ghats and receives the highest rain in the state. The forest cover in Gujarat is relatively little with 9.61% area covered with forest, it still supports more than 40 species of animals including the rare Asiatic Lion, wild ass and blackbuck. An assortment of birds and reptiles completes the tally of wildlife this state supports.

Brief History of Gujarat

The name of the Gujarat state is derived from Gujjaratta, which means the land of the Gujjars. It is believed that a tribe of Gujjars migrated to India around the 5th century AD. Many Indus Valley and Harappan centers have been discovered in the state like Lothal, Dholavira, Rangpur, Lakhabaval, Amri, and Rozdi and established the earliest known history of Gujarat to around 3000 BC to 2200 BC. At that point of time, Lothal was the main port of this civilization. With the advent of the Yadava tribe led by Lord Krishna, some 3,500 years ago, came the glorious days for Gujarat. It was followed by 100 years of Lord Krishna's rule. It is believed that Ashoka, the Mauryan king extended his kingdom to Gujarat. The fall of the Maurya Empire led the small kingdoms to establish their power in this state from time to time.

The state achieved a high level of prosperity during the time of Solankis from the 9th century. In the 12th century AD, Allauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi defeated

the Waghela king of Gujarat and a long era of Muslim rule over Gujarat started. The Marathas ended the Muslim rule in the 18th century only to be handed over to the British in the early 19th century. Surat was the center of the first factory of the East India Company in India and after the First War of Independence in 1857, the region came under the British monarchy along with the rest of the country.

Districts of Gujarat

Gujrat has 25 districts: Ahmedabad, Amelia, Banskantha, Bharuch, Narmada, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Kuchchh, Kheda, Anand, Mehsana, Patan, Panchmahal, Dahod, Rajkot, Sabarkantha, Surat, Surendranagar, Valsad, Navsari, Vadodara and Dang  

Economy of Gujarat

Gujarat is the most industrialized states in India. It attracts the cream of domestic and multinational investment in the leading sectors of the economy. The important minerals produced into the state are agate, bauxite, dolomite, fireclay, fluorite, fuller's earth, kaolin, lignite, limestone, chalk, calcareous sea sand, perlite, petroleum and natural gas, and silica sand.

The state is the main producer of tobacco, cotton, and groundnut in the country. Gujarat also contributes inputs to industries like textiles, oil and soap. Agriculture in Gujarat forms a vital sector of the state's economy. It has to provide the required food grains for the state's population and raw materials for most of the agro-based industries. The state produces a large variety of crops and its cropping pattern reflects the spatial variations in climate and topography.

Rivers of Gujarat

The major rivers flowing through the state include Narmada, Sabarmati, and Mahi in central and northern Gujarat; Mithi, Khari, Bhadar, Shetrunji and Bhogavo in Saurashtra and Tapi, Purna, Ambika, Auranga and Damanganga in the southern part of the state.

Education in Gujarat

Gujarat had an overall literacy rate of 69.97% as per census 2001. The male literacy rate is 80.50% while the female literacy rate is 58.60%. Gujarat government is very serious about improving the education level in the state and has started several programs to achieve full literacy such as universalisation of elementary education,

The status of higher education in the state is very good. Gujrat is home to many premier educational institutes such as Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Nirma Institue of Technology and Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology. The total number of universities in the state including the deemed universities and institutes of national importance is 15. The premier

research institutes in the state include Institute for Plasma Research, Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).

Food of Gujarat

Gujarati food is a vegetarian gourmand's dream come true. It is a vegetarian wonder with complete nutrition derived from leafy vegetables prepared in innumerable variations and subtly flavored with spices. Simple, practical, down-to-earth and wholesome, Gujarati food truly reflects the heart of the state. Gujarati food is primarily vegetarian, the main reason for which is the Jain and Buddhist influences. However, the goodness of millet, yogurt, buttermilk, coconut, groundnut, sesame seeds and jaggery makes sure that this non-meat food is not lacking in proteins.

Arts & Culture of Gujarat

There are four groups of people who came to inhabit this land at different points of time and now form the majority here. Jats came from a place in Iran called Half (to be known latter as Jat) and they were herders by occupation. Around five hundred years ago they came to Kutch and Sind in search of new grazing pastures and settled there. Those who joined agriculture called themselves Garasia Jats and those who continued their ancestral occupation were known as Dhanetah Jats, and those who chose to study the Koran became Fakirani Jats.

Crafts in Gujarat are a way of life, a process that transforms even the most mundane object of daily use into a thing of beauty. The skill of the Gujarati craftsperson-be it a weaver or a metalworker, a woman who embroiders for herself or a potter who creates pieces of art out of clay-is bound to leave one spellbound.

Wood carving is another important craft in Gujarat, evident in the many elaborately carved temples, havelis (mansions) and palaces as well as objects of daily and ritual use. Utensils are another area where the craftspersons of Gujarat have excelled.

Gujarat is also famous for its terracotta work, especially votive terra-cotta figurines which one can find by the hundreds at small shrines built in forests, along roads, outside villages, on lonely hill-tops and under large trees, especially in south Gujarat.

Jewelry is yet another fascinating craft in Gujarat

Dance & Music of Gujarat

Gujarat has a rich tradition of song, dance and drama. Ras, Garba, and Bhavai that are popular Gujarati folk dance forms, have their origin to the ancient period of Lord Krishna. The Ras dance is actually a form of Ras Leela in which different childhood antics of Krishna at Gokul and Vrindavan are enacted. Dandia Ras is performed during the Navratri Festival and men and women both join in a dance circle with

small sticks known as dandia. Usha, the granddaughter of Lord Krishna, is considered as the first dancer of the form called Lasya or Garba. 

Festivals of Gujarat

Navratri is celebrated for the 10 days preceding the festival of Dussehra usually in October. The most eagerly awaited festival of the year, which celebrates harvest time, Navratri is an occasion when both rural and urban Gujarat worship the nine incarnations of the Mother Goddess, Shakti, denoting cosmic energy.

Other festivals of Gujarat include the Bhavnath fair, Dang Darbar, Saputara Summer Festival, Madhavrai fair, and Desert Festival.