Dubbed the ‘Jewel of the West, Gujarat is a vast state encompassing 1600 kilometres of coastline and myriad natural habitats, ranging from the undulating hills of Saputara, to the salt plains of Kutch and the forests of Gir National Park, where the last wild population of Asiatic lions still roam free. The birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat is home to a varied array of religious groups: Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians, as well as one of India’s most prominent Jain communities, a devout sect that follows a strict path towards liberation and is responsible for the region’s impressive white marble temples, and delicious vegetarian cuisine (as well as the prohibition laws that have been in place there since 1961).