Exploring Gujarat #4 Poshina area; terracotta horse army, remote villages & the Rabari Shepherds.

In 2019 we travelled to Gujarat, India. For the time being our last big trip because of the Corona crisis, I fear. I hope everything will return to normal.

But how we enjoyed our trip. Gujarat is one of the most interesting federal states of India but still , but is still one of the least known regions of India in Western India, between Mumbai and Rajasthan. Gujarat has impressive jain temples on hilltops, deserts, vast salt flats with a wide variety of birds, villages with colorful minority groups such as the Rabari, Harijians, Ghats, Ahirs, Dhaneta jat, Banni, Ravari, Meghwal and Rathwa and many itinerant nomads with their sheep, goats and camels.

Gujarat is still little visited. So for those who do not want to meet other tourists on a trip and want to experience daily life in the countryside, like us, Gujarat is an Eldorado. Besides, Gujarat is also known as the residence of the last Asiatic lions.

In this issue of our travelogue we travel around the POSHINA area. With the Darbagadh Poshina Royal Palace as a base we visit together with our host Kr. Harendrapal Sinh, different villages of the Adivasi and Garasia tribe. We will visit the places where the famous terracotta army of horses is. In difficult times the Adivasi make, after consultation with a badvo (village priest) and on his instructions an offering here according certain rituals. The thousands of votive horses of Poshina bear witness to the many prayers fulfilled by the Adivasi people. In the villages we meet friendly laughing people and we see the for Djevali painted lifestock.
We visit markets and witness the many wanderings of pilgrims and the itinerant shepherds with their families and their livestock.