Gujarat is always welcoming to visitors and its sights and sounds entice one to keep coming back for something new every single time. The vibrant state is full of surprises and boasts of treasures of a glorious past, including some of the popular World Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO. Gujarat is also a paradise for nature lovers. It is not just about heritage sites, white sands or wild life; it is much more than that. The artistic and ingenious beauty at every step makes this exotic state, its monuments and its rich culture equally vibrant. As their tag line goes, Kutch nahi dekha to kuch nahi dekha, one just has to immerse in the khushboo Gujarat ki to really enjoy its beauty at its best.
We landed in Ahmedabad from Bangalore and explored the heritage of this beautiful city. Gujarat Tourism has now started one-day city bus tours where one can get a glimpse of all the top sites in a day, as you plonk yourself on the top of the open to sky bus. We decided to take it slow and took a walking tour of India's first world heritage city. We walked around with our tour guide, as we marveled at the 200 year old buildings, reflecting the Sompura architecture. There's a Ram temple also. There are mosques and temples both co existing side by side.
On the ancient site of Ashaval and Karnavati, Ahmedabad was found on 1411. The City of Ahmedabad has some of the finest India, Islamic monuments and exquisite Hindu and Jain temples. Its carved wooden houses are another unique architectural tradition. Jains nuns and monks live in Upashreys.
A special feature of Ahmedabad is the plan of the old city comprising numerous pols, self-contained neighborhoods, sheltering large numbers of peoples. Some of these virtually small villages, traversed by narrow streets, usually terminating in square with community wells and chabutaras for feeding birds, gates, Cul-de-sacs and secret passages. To experience the glory of Ahmedabad, it is imperative that you walk through an old quarter and truly observe the nature of its architecture, its art, religious places, its culture and traditions, just like we did. With the purpose of unveiling the city to the tourists and the citizens themselves, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has arranged this Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad.
The tour begins from Kalupur Swaminarayan Temple at 7:45 daily and goes around the area, in a.m. between hidden passages and interesting buildings, ending at Jumma Masjid at 10.30 a.m.
The other important heritage structures of Ahmedabad include the Pol, Bhadra Fort, Sidi Sayyed Mosque, Jhula Minar, Dada Hari ni Vav, Calico Dome and Teen Darwaza.
Sabarmati Ashram - The moment you step into the home of Mahatma Gandhi, where he lived from 1917 until 1930 with his wife Kasturba, you're filled with a sense of serenity. The peaceful retreat on the banks of the River Sabarmati away from the bustling city life takes you back in time when the Mahatma's peaceful protest brought an end to the colonial rule in India. He also started the famous Dandi or Salt March from Sabarmati Ashram. There's also a museum here where you can see his books, life size artworks, photographs of the Mahatma with his wife, and actual relics like his writing desk and the spinning wheel.
Vadnagar - We drove to Vadnagar next, a small city which gained prominence in the recent years for being the birthplace of our Prime Minister. We also visited the Railway Station and had a look at the dilapidated tea stall where he sold tea. Our next stop was Kirti Toran. Since the town is famous for its Torans, this structure, a pair of 12th century columns supporting an arch, standing at 40 ft tall in red and yellow sandstone, represents the same. The battle and hunting scenes on its panels suggest that it may have been erected to celebrate victory at war.
Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple
The stunning architecture of this 17th century temple that enshrines Hatkeshwar Mahadev, the family deity of Nagar Brahmins, who were once a prominent community in Vadnagar, will leave you awestruck. The temple walls are handcrafted with figures of the nine planets, musicians, apsaras and scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and a Shivalinga that is said to have selfemerged (Swayambhu) is seated in its inner sanctum.
Patan Patola Heritage Museum
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
Dear Mom: Do Less
What comes to mind when you think about Mother's Day?
Kya Karnataka Aap Ko Apnayega?
After all the nataka in Karnataka, the race for the throne in the state continues
To All Those Moms Who Have Sought Help And Not Found It
To all those moms who have sought help and not found it.
Why Swimming Should Be Added To Your Fitness Regime Through The Year
Why Swimming Should Be Added To Your Fitness Regime Through The Year
The Singing Sensation
BOLLYWOOD ACTOR DIPESSH KASHYAP BECOMES SINGER WITH VINOD BHANUSALI'S NEW MUSIC VIDEO TUMHE...KHOKE
The Rising Rocking Star
SRINIDHI SHETTY WHO PLAYS THE ROLE OF REENA IN HER LATEST HIT FILM SHARES HER JOURNEY FROM ENGINEERING TO WINNING AN INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY PAGEANT CROWN AND THEN GOING ON TO BECOMING A GLOBAL NAME AFTER KGF
The Art of Balancing Work, Fitness and Health
TAKE TIME TO SET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT AND CHOOSE HEALTH OVER EVERYTHING ELSE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
THE AGE OF SUPER HEROES
IT'S THE DAWN OF THE SOUTH INDIA HERO WHO SEEMS TO BE DONNING A CULT STATUS WITH THE MULTILINGUAL BIG BUDGET LARGER-THAN-LIFE FILMS THAT ARE HERE TO STAY
One Sip at a Time
Kiran Hemdev and Roshni Hemdev, a mother daughter duo formed CIRO India after they found a gap in the market for good quality imported beers and wines. Here's their dream journey that's taking shape one sip at a time.
LITTLE THINGS
CHENNAI BASED JANE KATARIA SPEAKS TO MONIKA KRETZDORN ON HOW SHE'S TAKING SMALL STEPS TO HELP OTHERS GO A LONG WAY
Create Happiness Now
This month, DAAJI recommends three happiness habits. He also shares wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita, and from modern writers, to inspire us with confidence and help us on our way toward lasting happiness.
Contentment - THE ART OF REMOVING AND CREATING HABITS
DAAJI continues his series on refining habits, in the light of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga and current scientific and yogic principles and practices. Last month, he explored the first Niyama of purity, shaucha. This month he shares his insights on that pivotal human quality – contentment, which is known in Yoga as santosh.
An Exclusive Interview With Nandakumar Narasimhan
The Little Red Train
Giving More, Taking Less
FRANCOIS BOUDERLIQUE learnt about the basic principle of Nature – to give more than you take – when he left a high-powered banking job in Paris to live and farm in Kutch, India. He realized that his understanding of eco farming was colored by his past and he needed to open his eyes to a new reality.
Service, Simplicity & Songwriting part 1
With an Ivy league education, this MTV rap/hip hop star was living the American dream and working on Wall Street when the events of 9/11 unfolded in front of his eyes. Giving up the corporate world, NIMO PATEL decided to pursue his passion for music in LA, but a chronic health issue led him to seek Ayurvedic treatment in India. He stayed back for 6 months to volunteer at the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, and continues to this day working with the slum children of the city when he’s not working for his own non-profit organization, Empty Hands Music. VANESSA PATEL caught up with him in June to learn more about his mantra “Service, Simplicity & Songwriting.”
Questions On Trainers
The main purpose of learning from a trainer is for them to impart yogic Transmission.
A HOME FOR CHANTING, LIVING, BEING ALONE AND TOGETHER
ON A COMPACT PARCEL OF LAND IN AHMEDABAD, STUDIO SANGATH CARVES OUT A PRISTINE CHOREOGRAPHY OF SPACES THAT CREATE MOMENTS OF BOTH DISCOVERY AND SOLITUDE.
Miller's ballistic knock takes debutant Gujarat Titans to final
David Miller and captain Hardik Pandya guided Gujarat Titans to a sevenwicket win over Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday.
HARDIK PATEL ATTACKS GUJARAT CONGRESS ON RAM MANDIR REMARK
Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel who recently quit the Congress on Tuesday hit out at the party leadership for their derogatory and hateful remarks against "Hindus and Lord Ram".
TOP 5 REASONS BEHIND GT'S SUCCESS IN IPL 2022
The finishing is an area where Gujarat have an enviable edge over the others. Rahul Tewatia has played a couple of incredible knocks to lift the team to victory from near-impossible situations. David Miller played perhaps the knock of the tournament...