Gujarat Day 4 - Ahmedabad & Gandhi Nagar

Ahmedabad is the 6^th largest city and a commercial hub of the state of Gujarat.  Although, it is not a very well known ‘tourist’ destination, it is certainly worth a visit.  Two friends joined us with their motorbikes and offered to show us around the city.  After having a typical Gujarati breakfast of snacks and chutney, our group of 4 members reached the famous ISKCON temple.  This temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and his consort Radha and is one of the most beautiful temples in the city.  The interiors of the temple were adorned with paintings and sculptures depicting important scenes from mythology. The sanctum sanctorum was very quiet and had marble deities of the Gods.  The temple with its calm and peaceful atmosphere offers the perfect spot to spend some quiet time with oneself. 

After our worship, we proceeded towards Adalaj, a village located close to Gandhi Nagar, the capital of Gujarat.  A stepwell named Adalaj Ka Vav is a unique Hindu water building in the village of Adalaj.  This stepwell was built in 1499 by a Muslim King for his wife.  There is no entrance fee for visiting the stepwell.  We observed scores of school students who had come to visit the well as a part of excursion from school.

Built in sand stone in Indo-Islamic architectural style, the step well is five stories deep.  It is octagonal in plan at the top and built on many intricately carved pillars. Each floor is spacious enough to provide for people to congregate.  It was dug deep to access ground water at that level.  The pillars are carved with women performing daily chores such as churning of buttermilk, adorning themselves, scenes of performance of dancers and musicians etc.

The temperature inside the well has been implied to be five degrees lower than the outside temperature during hot summers.  We spent about an hour capturing photos of the well from various angles and enjoying the intricate sculptures on the interior walls of the well. 

Akshardham is the most popular and one of the largest temples in Gandhi Nagar.  The temple complex is spread over an area of 23 acres and combines devotion, art, architecture, education, exhibitions and research at one place.  The temple was built by the BAPS, an international social, spiritual and charitable NGO affiliated with the United Nations.

There is a high level of security at the temple and one is not allowed to enter the temple with any electronic item.  There are deposit lockers for mobile phones and camera.  Slippers were deposited at a location just to the right of the main shrine.

The monument enshrining the 7-foot high gold leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan is the focal point of the complex.  The majestic stone structure is intricately carved and surrounded by sprawling gardens.  The garden is a unique blend of contemplative garden and children’s park.  Recreation activities of varying kinds were made available for children towards the left side in the main campus.  This included rides and games, a herbal garden, a lake and a waterfall.  On the right side of the main campus, there was a book exhibition center and a restaurant.  Due to lack of time, we could not spend time at the cultural exhibitions and displays depicted at halls around the main temple.  After worship, we had a light lunch and left the temple campus for Sabarmati ashram.

Gandhi ashram, also called Sabarmati ashram, is located near Vadaj and was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1915.  It is today the biggest tourist attraction in Ahmedabad and lies on the tranquil stretch of the Sabarmati River.  It was from here that Mahatma began his famous Dandi March in 1930 to protest against the Salt Tax imposed by the British regime.

The ashram is an exhibition of Mahatma’s life, from his childhood to his death.  The rare portraits and photos transform us to an earlier era and bring us close to the life of the ‘Father of the Nation’.  One can spend time by the banks of the Sabarmati River and also visit the home of the Mahatma, which is located in the same campus.  The house has a separate room for the Mahatma, his wife Kasturba, a room for guests, a kitchen and a courtyard.  We spent about an hour and half at the tranquil calms of the ashram and then left for our final destination of the day – river front of the Sabarmati.

River front is a new addition to the attractions of Ahmedabad.  A concrete pathway by the side of River Sabarmati with seats to sit and enjoy the river is the place of interest for many youngsters and elders alike.  Many people were taking routine walks and exercising to keep themselves fit.  We spent an hour sitting by the river front before we returned back to our accommodation.

Ahmedabad is certainly a must visit for anyone who has Gujarat in his tourist calendar.  The city with almost no power cuts, good water supply, multiple places of interest, a structured Bus Rapid Transit system and umpteen eatery options is surely a development model other cities must vie to acheive.