Krishna's ancient capital, a Jyotirlinga
& the Asiatic lion's last refuge
Gujarat's Saurashtra coast holds two of Hinduism's most significant pilgrimage sites — Dwarka, the legendary capital of Lord Krishna and one of the four Char Dham, and Somnath, home to the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, its temple rebuilt many times after repeated historical destruction.
Inland, Gir National Park remains the last place on earth where the Asiatic lion survives in the wild — a species found nowhere else outside this one protected forest, now recovering steadily after decades of conservation effort.
Diu, a former Portuguese colony until 1961, offers an entirely different character from the rest of Gujarat — Portuguese-era forts and churches, relaxed beaches, and, notably, no restrictions on alcohol, making it a popular final stop on any Saurashtra circuit.
