Banaskantha, being a tribal region, offers a rich variety of medicinal herbs close to the Ambaji Temple. Annually, over 80 lakh pilgrims visit the temple. District Collector R J Patel said: “The project is in the pipeline and should take off in the next six months; we have already selected land for this project near the temple. The idea is to give the pilgrims a chance to unwind and rejuvenate at Ambaji by remodelling the pilgrimage town into a modern ayurveda and herbal treatment hub.”

He added: “The areas adjacent to Ambaji have a rich variety of herbs and local knowledge about their usage. Most of the pilgrims who come here are middle-aged, so they would like to stay here and relax. The project is being planned keeping in mind the largely untouched and pollution-free environment of the region. The budget of the project is yet to be decided upon.”