Gujarat formed the part of the Indus valley civilization. In the 1950s, the excavations were carried out. The site first explored was rangpur near limdi. The finding resulted in a chain of excavation leading to the discoveries of more then 50 sites belonging to different phases of Indus valley civilization.

Lothal is a perfect place to get an insight of the valley civilization. It is the southern most outposts of the oldest civilization and gives mature period when the civilization had all but disappeared from present-day Pakistan. Originally, this site was of the red ware culture. Until 2400 BC. The civilization survived here even after it disappeared from the Northern provinces in the 1600s and 1500s. The result is the maturity in town planning. The most domination site at lothal is the massive dockyard spanning an aria 37 meters by 22 meters. Perhaps the greatest work of maritime architecture before Christ. Lothal was also famous for its arterial streets, microbes of gold. Ivory and coppersmiths workshop. Potteries and under ground sanitary drainage. Distance from Ahmedabad: 78 kms.

It occupies an area of more then 100 hectares. The site has distinctive harappan features of town planning. Dholavira has to its credit the distinction of yielding an inscription of ten large sized sings of the harappan script. Another important feature is a variety of funerary structures. Distance from Ahmedabad: 445 kms. & From bhuj 140 kms.

Around 2300 BC. The Hrappans came to Surkotda and build a fortified citadel and residential annex. These were made of mud bricks and rubble containing houses with bathrooms and drains. The panted potteries are with Indus alphabet on the pots, chart blades and copper objects. The typical harappan seal has also been found. Bones of the equal from the earliest levels are other important discovery witch confirms the animal was known to the harappan. Some important finds are a typical harappan terra-cotta seal. A heavy copper chisel, a hoard of copper beads besides animal skeletal remains of the horse, camel, elephant and sheep.
Distance: from bhuj to surkotda 85 km. (Approx) approachable from bhuj by road and a regular bus service is available.

After the Indus valley Civilization, for 1200 years there is little historical evidence. However, situation began to change by 4 BC. When the maurya dynasty extended its presence in peninsular Gujarat. Then came the Shakas who build the great artificial lake at the foot of girnar at junagadh. The shaka rule ended with the capture of Ujjain by chandra gupta ll in 388 AD. The gupta rule with ended abruptly with the invasion from central Asia by a tribe known as white Huns. Alongside Huns came the waves of gurjaras, Nomads. The name Gujarat has its origin in the nomadic ancestors.
The Rajput Gujarat dynasty rules from an halved, patan from 8 AD. Worshippers of shiva, they affected a great temple at somnath near veraval. The infamous raid on this temple was by Mohammad of ghazni in 1026 AD. During the reign of the 9th king of solanki Dynasty, mulraj ll, yet another invader from sindh, Muhammad bin sam, attacked anhilwad witch was repulsed by a large Gujarat army only to be avenged nine years latter by qutbuddin aybak, the ruler only to be raid sounded the death knell of the solanki dynasty. In 936 AD. The Zoroastrian fugitives from Persia flee from persecution by Muslim zealots in Persia. These migrants came to be known as Parsis as they hailed from pars in Persia. Their first settlement was of Snajan in south Gujarat letter at navsari (26 kms south of surat) Gujarat came under Muslim rule in 1298 AD. Army of Delhi sultan Aladdin khilji defeated karna vaghela known as karan ghela. In the 14th century Ahmed shah, remembered as crusader of Islam, firmly established Gujarat. Sultanate Muhammad. Popularly known as Muhammad begdo ruled for 54 years, during which Gujarat reach its glorious heights.

The 16th century brought Portuguese from Europe. Gujarat under mughal rule in the 16th and 17th century enjoyed considerable commercial importance with the efforts of Raja Todar mall appointed by Akbar as diwan. During Akbar's reign the dutch and the English challenged the Portuguese. The first English trading vessel anchored at Surat in 1608. The weakening grip of the mughsts gave way to Maratha ascendancy of the Gaekwads. After 1800 AD the peshwas authority in Gujarat weakened. By 1817 AD, Gaekwads handed over Ahmedabad to the British in lieu of dubhoi and savil.

The last quarter of the 19th century witnessed the profound awakening. Political activities received momentum with Gandhiji on the national scene. From them on the history of India's struggle for freedom centered on this frail man - Mahatma.

The sun temple at modhera was built in 1026 AD. In the regin of the solanki kings Bhima Modhera suryamandir marks the peak of revolution in indo - Aryan Hindu temple from Typology. With its grandeur, elegance and clarity it only reveals its contemporaries at konark and khajuraho. Its spiritual setting is near a water kund. Distance : 104 kms from Ahmedabad.

The name evokes visions of old forts and medieval walls. Palaces and tombs. Junagadh is best known for its association with emperor Ashoka who relinquished warfare after witnessing death and destruction during the battle of kalinga and corved inscriptions preaching the Buddhist philosophy of ethical conquest rather than with military. Another famous peacemaker is the religious poet narsinh mehta who dwelt here from from 1414-1480 AD. His shrine can still be seen in the city. Uperkot, the fort is believed to date from the times of the mauryan Empire and feel to the kshtrapas. But the present walls of the fort were build by the Chudasama Rajput who found it derelict in 875 AD and made it there seat of power. Other places worth a visit are: Darbar Hall Museum, Maqbaras, Sonapuri Sakkarbagh Zoological park, Junagadh Museum. Rupayrattan Institute of handicraft, the Ayurvedic college and stud farm.

Once an important part of the harapan civilization, proving that the Harapan culture expended to Gujarat. The excavations are still in progress.