Anand means happiness, and as destiny would have it, this place has made a complete transformation to the lives of the local people with AMUL. Today it is referred to as the Milk capital of the country due to what is known as the White Revolution. Dr. Verghese kurian leading man of GCMMF (Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation) was the pioneer of the White Revolution.
Anand is located in the Gulf of Cambay (Khambhat). It is surrounded by tobacco and white fields. Anand is the true face of rural development in India. A person travelling to Anand would appreciate and experience the power and beauty of rural and urban India. The vast number of best places of education, developing industrial townships and massive presence of agricultural and dairy businesses make the perfect combination for a traveller to witness the boundary where rural and urban sides meet.
For a food lover Anand is the king of dairy products and one would find many ice cream joints. This is the place where the concept of bottled flavoured milk started and the best is available. The local specialities include the sweet dishes sutarapheni and halvasan, and salty snacks.
Places Of Interest in Anand:-
* Dakor
Dakor is located at a distance of 94 kilometers from cities like Vadodara and Ahmedabad both. It is a nice temple town and sacred to Lord Shri Krishna. It is also beleived that the image of Krishna is original from Dwarka and it was brought by devotee and installed in the temple of Ranchodrai.
* Bharuch
Bharuch is the place loacted at a adistance of 70 kilometers from Vadodara city. It is an ancient town and a history of nearly 2000 year. There is a fort on the hilltop and it overlooks the river Narmada. At the base of the hill there is a Jama Masjid. There is a temple of Bhrigu Rishi loacted on the river bank and on the east of the city. From her the name of the city is taken as Bhrigukachba, later shortened as Bharuch.
* Dhumkal
Dhumkal is having a Sloth Bear sanctuary, and it also shared by leopards and veriety of tigers.
* Udan Khatola
Udan Khatola is the added attraction at the Pavgadh Hill and it is the ropeway or a cable-car system between Machi village and the final climb. It spans 700 meter or 300 meter of altitude, the baggage of only 5 kgs is allowed in the cable-car.
The timing is from 9 am to 12.30 pm and 1.30 to 6 pm. There are 3 S.T. buses regularely available from Ahmedabad and Vadodara to Pavgadh. One can also get return taxis from Vadodara.
* Champaner
Champaner is the site of extremely beutiful mosques and there is a Jama Masjid, built in similar style to the Ahmedabad’s Jama Masjid and it is the main attraction of visitors from all over. It was built in the year 1513 and imposing courtyard surrounded by galleries. It has slim pure white stone and lovely archways with a very nice and gracious gateway.
It is a beautiful arcade and has four columns within and each side of a square there is a central dome beneath it. Sultan Mahmud Begara took this town in 1484 and it is loacted at a distance of 47 kilometers on the northeast of Vadodara and then he renamed this place as Muhammadabad.
Local Festivals in Anand:-
Navratri is the main and a very colourful festival celebrated weth local Garba, Dandia Raas performances and pilgrims head for Pawagadh. Ganesh Chaturthi is also celebrated by huge nuber of Maharashtrian population in thsi region.
Places to eat in Anand:-
* Chinese – Oriental spice, Tilak Road, Chung Fa, RC Dutt Road, Sayajiganj.
* Continental – Havmour, Yash Kamal Building, Sayajiganj; Copper Coin, World Trade Centre; Pizza King, Alkapuri, justly popular.
* Fast Food – Generation 1000 has famous snacks and its also a soft drink bar, Dairy Den has excellent quality of Ice-creams.
* Indian – Gokul, Kothi Char-rasta, Alka, opp Express have good Indian food.