Ahmedabad One of the major industrial centres in India, has often
been called the' Manchester of the East'. The city is the major
entry point to the west coast state of Gujarat, famous for its
Asiatic lions in the Gir forest; the Temple of Somnath; Lothal,
the site of a Harappan or Indus Valley civilisation; Jain temples
at Palitana; and a distinct regional cuisine. The state offers
many fairs and festivals in its numerous temple towns and is a
major centre for hand-crafted textiles in the country. Excursions
include the Sun temple of Modhera, built in the 11th century;
Nalsarovar, a 116sq. km. lake and home for vast flocks of indigenous
and migratory birds. The city is an interesting place to wander
around, with narrow bazaar streets, crowded and colourful, and
houses having ornately carved wooden fronts. The Calico Museum
of Textiles has a display of modern and antique textiles, including
rare tapestries, wall hangings, costumes and old weaving machines.
Sabarmati Ashram, about 6km. from the city, was Mahatma Gandhi's
headquarters during the long struggle of Indian independence.
Ahmedabad
was built by Sultan Ahmed Shah to serve as his capital in 1411
A .D. While returning from one of his campaigns the young Sultan
Ahmed Shah impressed with the scenic surroundings and climate
of the town of Ashawal undertook the building of his new capital
with a fort and twelve gates and named it Ahmedabad. While you
can only see the ramparts of the 600 year old Bhadra fort, almost
all the twelve gates with the exception of one have withstood
the ravages of time and man.
