FACTS & FIGURES
Population : 5.49 million
Area : 204.6 sq Km
Languages : Gujarati and Hindi
Best time to visit : Winters
STD Code : 079
CITY
OF THE MAHATMA
Ahmedabad, the city of Ahmed Shah (Medieval ruler
of Gujarat), is known for its rich past and its association
with the Mahatma (Great Soul), also known as Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi. The city offers the traveler a
unique style of architecture, which is a blend of
Hindu and Islamic styles (Indo-Saracenic style of
architecture). The monuments of Ahmedabad mainly date
back to the 15th century. Ahmedabad has been known
for its industry since medieval times. Presently it
is famous for its textile mills and is often referred
to as the 'Manchester of the East'.
LOCATION
Ahmedabad city is located in the state of Gujarat,
in the western part of India. It lies along the Sabarmati
River. Ahmedabad is 440 km north of Mumbai. The climate
of Ahmedabad is hot and moist. Winters are cool and
pleasant (November-February) but summers (April-June)
are extremely dry, hot and the temperature can be
as high as 46°C at times. The city experiences
good rainfall during the monsoon season (July-September).
VISITING TIME
As the city of Ahmedabad experiences a harsh summer
season, and is lashed by the southwestern monsoons,
the best time to visit Ahmedabad is during winters.
THE PAST
Ahmedabad has a chequered history. It has experienced
a number of high points, followed by declines. It
was founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah, the erstwhile ruler
of Medieval Gujarat, in AD 1411. The city declined
within a century of its being established. In 1572,
Emperor Akbar seized it and assimilated it within
the great Mughal Empire. Ahmedabad became an important
business center during the Mughal period until the
death of Aurangzeb in 1707, after which the city again
began to decline. The British seized it in 1818 and
set up a number of textile mills here. It became the
temporary capital of the state of Gujarat from 1960
to 1970.
TOURIST SPOTS
Ahmedabad is world famous because of Mahatma Gandhi's
Ashram. It has a number of tourist points, both within
the walled city and beyond it. The tombs of Ahmed
Shah and his queens, Ahmed Shah's Mosque, Jama Masjid,
Mosque of Sidi Sayid, Teen Darwaza or Triple Gateway
are major monuments. Other important monuments include
Rani Rupmati's Mosque, Rani Sipri's Mosque, Raj Rabri
Mosque, Hathee Singh Jain Temple and Siddi Bashir
Mosque. Kankaria Lake, Kutbi Mazar, Bhadra Fort, Dada-hari-di-Vav
(an architectural step well), Victoria Gardens, N
C Mehta Museum of Miniatures and Calico Textile Museum
are also important places to visit. The walled city
boasts of a number of 'pols' or traditional colonies,
which date back to the 18th century.
SITES NEARBY
There are many tourist spots near Ahmedabad. Sarkhej,
a spot 8 km southwest of the city, has important historical
monuments. Nineteen km north of the city is Adlaj
Vav, an intricately built step well. Lothal, an ancient
dock belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization, lies
85 km southwest of Ahmedabad. The town of Modhera
is 102 km northwest of the city and boasts of an ancient
sun temple. Patan lies 130 km northwest of Ahmedabad
and has about 100 Jain temples.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
Ahmedabad is famous for its Makar Sankranti, which
is celebrated in the month of January with kite flying,
folk music and dance.
SHOPPING
Ahmedabad, being an important center for textile
industry, offers a range of textile products. One
can buy traditional Patola silk saris as well as block-printed
items here. On Ashram Road near the tourist office
one can get handicraft items from the Gujarat State
Craft Emporium or 'Gurjari'.
HOW TO REACH
Ahmedabad airport is located 10 km north of the city
center. Indian Airlines & other private airlines
have daily flights to Mumbai and Delhi from Ahmedabad
airport. The city is also connected to Bangalore,
Goa and Chennai by regular flights. Ahmedabad also
has a good road network with good network of National
and State Highways. Ahmedabad is well connected by
trains with Delhi, Mumbai, Vadodra and Udaipur. The
traffic in the city remains chaotic, particularly
in the morning and evening. The main mode of transport
is through auto-rickshaws and GSTC buses.
PLACES TO EAT
Ahmedabad is the right place to savor the traditional
Gujarati cuisine. One can also taste Muslim non-vegetarian
food and snacks for a small price at stalls across
the city and near Teen Darwaza in particular. Travelers
can find traditional Gujarati restaurants across the
city. Gujarati food is basically vegetarian. The traditional
Gujarati food is served on a plate or thali and has
a number of mouthwatering preparations, some of which
can be sweet to the newcomer. The main constituent
of the traditional thali is kadhi, a mouthwatering
curry made of curd. Undhyoo, a winter specialty, is
made up of vegetables roasted in an earthen vessel,
which is buried upside down, with a fire built on
top to cook the vegetables. Gujarati dishes are often
sweetened with jaggery or sugar and have a large helping
of clarified butter or ghee. Shrikhand, a sweetened
form of yogurt, is very popular here.
