A Scrapbook Of Photos From Ahmedabad!

Here are some pictures from my recent visit to Ahmedabad. They say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will let the pictures do most of the talking. However, I am adding a few words to each picture to give it some context, and to make it relevant and more meaningful.

Atal Bridge runs across the Sabarmati River, occupying a pride of place along the Sabarmati Riverfront. Meant only for pedestrians, this is 300 metres long. Inaugurated in 2022, its design is inspired by kites underlining the importance of Uttarayan, or Kite Festival celebrated in Ahmedabad every year in January. I enjoyed crisscrossing the bridge on foot. I visited it in the early evening. Missed out on the illuminations that make it look like a sparkling necklace once it gets dark.

This store was more like a warehouse! Crammed with food products from floor to ceiling, it offered a variety of dry sweets and savouries--farsan in Gujarati--, that Gujarat is famous for. I ended up picking up more than I had planned for.

These little charkhas look neat, don't they? And surely they could not have been on display in a better location! Their vendor has laid them out for customers just outside the Sabarmati Ashram. 

Historic Bhadra Fort built in 1411 by Sultan Ahmad Shah in the walled city of Ahmedabad. The much revered Bhadrakali Temple is situated in this complex. The fort functioned as a royal court and a British prison.

Bhadrakali Temple in the early morning sun with the turrets of the fort in the background. I happened to visit it on a Tuesday, a special day for worshipping the Goddess. A group of people was busy singing bhajans to the accompaniment of musical instruments. The atmosphere was festive as the temple was getting ready to celebrate the 615th foundation day of the city of Ahmedabad. 

A stall inside the temple selling flowers, coconuts and red chunaris that visitors buy as an offering to the Goddess. 

The imposing Bhadra Fort. It was not possible to capture both the turrets in the picture.

This amazing gateway stands tall in the walled city. A relic from the past connecting the present with yesteryear.

This is Tankshal-ni-Haveli situated in a narrow and busy lane. This area housed the coin mint in olden days. The haveli was probably built in the 1800s. It features stunning woodcarvings. It was converted into a girls' school in 1925, but has been in disuse for a long time now. Passersby and residents are unaware of the importance of this structure and it is a pity to see it stand amidst the chaotic environment of its surroundings.

The fine carving on the upper floor of the haveli!

Mannequins in the cramped lanes of Ratan Pol. This is a bustling market selling fabrics and garments. 

Photos by Lata

I chanced upon this group of women dressed in their finery inside the Adalaj stepwell. Their bright attire provided an interesting contrast to the light coloured backdrop. At the same time the reds and pinks in the foreground accentuated the beauty of the exquisite setting.