The students of classes 8th, 9th and 10th went to rediscover the richness and quintessence of the Indian culture and heritage by treading towards Diu, Junagadh, Gir, Somnath and Gondal. On the 2nd of October, we departed from our school in the evening and the cheers of ‘Hip hip hooray’ marked the beginning of this tour. The 16 hours journey to Diu was made lively by dancing and singing along the way. The next morning, we reached Diu and the Kohinoor Resort rendered their luxurious services to us. After savouring a scrumptious breakfast, we went back in time when Diu was in the reign of the Portuguese empire and visiting the Diu fort we were astonished by the strategic planning and the architecture of that marvellous place.

After lunch we visited the INS Khukri Memorial and paid our homage to the Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the sovereignty of our nation. The Naida Caves were an eye-popping sight with a picturesque network of caves and caverns featuring unique rock formations and photogenic canyons.

Then we went to enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature by plunging into the briny waters of Nagoa Beach. As we witnessed the ups and downs of the waves taking us to and fro, we remembered the Almighty and prayed “to help us safely sail across the भवसागर (Bhavsagar), the ocean of life”. And so, our prayers took us to the Somnath Temple where we offered our gratitude to Lord Shiv. The gentle breeze from Somnath guided us all the way to the doors of the residence of the King of the Jungle: Gir. We looked at the mighty and furious queens (lioness) in awe as they sat beneath the shade of a tree. The tall grass swayed to and fro like the waves of water. From the dense forest we journeyed towards the historic city of Junagadh where we visited the Temple made by Gunatitanand Swamiji. This magnificent edifice is a testimony of the devotion and hard work of Gunatitanand Swamiji and His disciples. Thereafter, we went to Gondal Mandir where our dearest Param Pujya HariprasadSwamiji did His seva and was given diksha by His Guru, Param Pujya Yogiji Maharaj. This visit increased the intensity of the pious vibes in our minds and hearts.

All in all, this tour was one which will be reminisced for a long time with nostalgia.

Reported by: Manav V. Patel, Taarak M. Trivedi and Gaurav H. Kawedia (Class 10)