Manek Chowk is open square near the centre of the city that functions as a vegetable market in the morning and a jewellery market in the afternoon. However, it is better known for its food stalls in the evening, which sell various local street food. It is named after the Hindu saint Baba Maneknath.
Many Gujarati intellectuals migrated to Ahmedabad due to its prosperity. Three main literary institutions were established in Ahmedabad for the promotion of Gujarati literature: Gujarat Vidhya Sabha, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad and Gujarat Sahitya Sabha. Saptak School of Music festival is held in the first week of the new year. This event was inaugurated by Pandit Ravi Shankar.
Map of Ahmedabad, depicted in a miniature style painting on a cloth, circa 19th century
National Highway 8, linking Delhi to Mumbai, passes though Ahmedabad and connects it with Gandhinagar, Delhi and Mumbai. The National Highway 8C also links Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar. It is connected to Vadodara through National Expressway 1, a 94 km (58 mi) long expressway with only two exits. This expressway is part of the Golden Quadrilateral project.
Nehru Bridge is one of the nine bridges on the river Sabarmati that connect the two physically separated eastern and western regions.
Newspapers in Ahmedabad include Hindi dailies as Herald Young Leader, Metro Herald, and English dailies such as The Times of India, Indian Express, DNA, The Economic Times and The Financial Express, AM. Newspapers in other languages include Divya Bhaskar, Gujarat Samachar, Sandesh,Sukan Samachar, Rajasthan Patrika, Sambhaav, Aankhodekhi and Metro. The city is home to the historic Navajivan Publishing House, which was founded in 1919 by Mahatma Gandhi.
On 26 July 2008 a series of seventeen bomb blasts rocked the city, killing and injuring several people. Islamic militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami claimed responsibility for the attacks.
One of the most popular forms of meal in Ahmedabad is a typical Gujarati thali, consisting of roti, dal, rice and shaak (cooked vegetables, sometimes with curry), with accompaniments of pickles and roasted papads. Beverages include buttermilk and tea; sweet dishes include laddoo, mango, and vedhmi. There are many restaurants, which serve a wide array of Indian and international cuisines. Most of the food outlets in the city serve only vegetarian food, as a strong tradition of vegetarianism is maintained by the city’s Jain and Hindu communities because of their religious beliefs. The first all-vegetarian Pizza Hut in the world opened in Ahmedabad. KFC has a separate staff uniform for serving vegetarian items and prepares vegetarian food in a separate kitchen, as does McDonald’s. Ahmedabad has a quite a few restaurants serving typical Mughlai non-vegetarian food in older areas like Bhatiyar Gali(Chain of Restaurants and Sweet Shops), Kalupur and Jamalpur. The old city has few bakeries known for making very good Naan(Indian Bread) and Nankhataies(Indian cookies).
Other educational institutions in Ahmedabad include the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (ranked as the top business school in India according to the Business Today), the Gujarat National Law University, the Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management, the National Institute of Design, the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, the Mudra Institute of Communications, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, B.J. Medical College, NHL Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad Management Association, the Ahmedabad Management Association, the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology and the L.D. College of Engineering, Vishwakarma Government Engineering College, Many national academic and scientific institutions, such as the Physical Research Laboratory and the Indian Space Research Organisation were established in the 1960s, largely through the efforts of astrophysicist and industrialist Vikram Sarabhai.
Other popular sports are field hockey, badminton, tennis, squash and golf. Ahmedabad currently has three golf courses. Mithakhali Multi Sports Complex is being developed by the AMC to promote various indoor sports. Recently Ahmedabad hosted national level games for roller skating and table tennis. Kart racing is gaining popularity in the city, with the introduction of a 380 meter long track based on Formula One concepts.
Parthiv Patel, a cricketer who has been a member of the Indian cricket team a number of times and currently plays for the SunRisers Hyderabad.
Parts of Ahmedabad are known for their folk art. The artisans of Rangeela pol make tie-dyed bandhinis, while the cobbler shops of Madhupura sell traditional mojdi (also known as; mojri) footwear. Idols of Ganesha and other religious icons are made in huge numbers in the Gulbai Tekra area. The shops at the Law Garden are famous for their mirror work handicraft.
Sabarmati Marathon is organised every year in December–January which have different categories like full and half marathon, 7 km dream run, 5 km run for visually challenged and 5 km wheelchair run. In 2011, more than 8000 persons including 73 foreigners took part in marathon. In 2007, Ahmedabad hosted the 51st national level shooting games. Ahmedabad Racquet Academy is a professional tennis academy that provides world-class training.
Sardar Patel Stadium, a cricket stadium with 54,000 capacity, in Motera, Ahmedabad
Schools in Ahmedabad are run either by the municipal corporation, or privately by entities, trusts and corporations. The majority of schools are affiliated with the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, although some are affiliated with the Central Board for Secondary Education, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, International Baccalaureate and National Institute of Open School. A large number of colleges in the city are affiliated with Gujarat University; other deemed universities in Ahmedabad include the Nirma University of Science & Technology and the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University. The Gujarat Vidyapith was established in 1920 by Mahatma Gandhi without a charter from the British Raj and became a deemed university in 1963.
Shreyas Foundation have four different museums on same campus. Shreyas Folk Museum(Lokayatan Museum) have art forms and artefacts from various communities of Gujarat. Kalpana Mangaldas Children’s Museum have collection of toys, puppets, dance and drama costumes, coins and a repository of recorded music from traditional shows from all over the world. Kahani houses photographs of different fairs and festivals of Gujarat. Sangeeta Vadyakhand is a gallary of musical instruments from India and other Countries.
Slightly less than half of all real estate in Ahmedabad is owned by “community organisations” (i.e. cooperatives), and according to Prof. Vrajlal Sapovadia of the B.K. School of Business Management, “the spatial growth of the city is to extent contribution of these organisations”. Ahmedabad Cantonment also provides residential zones for Indian Army officials.
Some of the most popular and visited gardens in the city are Law Garden, Victoria Garden and Bal Vatika. Victoria Garden is located at the southern edge of the Bhadra Fort and contains a statue of Queen Victoria. Bal Vatika is a children’s park situated on the grounds of Kankaria Lake and also houses an amusement park and a water park. Law Garden was named after the College of Law situated close to it. Other main gardens in the city are Parimal Garden, Usmanpura Garden, Prahlad Nagar Garden and Lal Darwaja Garden. Ahmedabad’s Kamla Nehru Zoological Park houses a number of endangered species including flamingoes, caracals, Asiatic wolves and chinkara.
The Ahmedabad Stock Exchange located in the Ambavadi area of the city is India’s second oldest stock exchange. Two of the biggest pharmaceutical companies of India—Zydus Cadila and Torrent Pharmaceuticals — are based in the city. The Nirma group of industries, which runs a large number of detergent and chemical industrial units, has its corporate headquarters in the city. The city also houses the corporate headquarters of the Adani Group, a multinational trading and infrastructure development company.
The architecture of Ahmedabad ranges from the ancient to the very modern. Early in the city’s history, under Ahmed Shah, builders fused Hindu craftsmanship with Persian architecture, giving rise to the Indo-Saracenic style. Many mosques in the city were built in this fashion. Sidi Saiyyed Mosque is one of the most famous mosques in Gujarat. The mosque was built in the last year of the Sultanate of Gujarat. It is entirely arcuated and it has ten stone latticework windows (jalis) on the side and rear arches. Private mansions (Haveli) from this era have unique carvings and can be seen in the ancient pol (narrow streets) of Ahmedabad.
The automobile industry is also important to the city; after Tata’s Nano project, Ford and Suzuki are planning to establish plants near Ahmedabad while the groundbreaking ceremony for Peugeot has already been performed.
The city has large populations of Hindus, Muslims and Jains, and these cultures are preeminent in the city, with their religious festivals and cuisine dominating the city’s culture. Cricket is a popular sport in Ahmedabad, and the Sardar Patel Stadium is situated within the city. In 2012, The Times of India chose Ahmedabad as the best city to live in India.
The city is divided into 5 zones constituting 64 wards. Ahmedabad District is divided into a number of talukas (administrative divisions) including Ahmedabad taluka Barwala, Dholka, Dhandhuka, Detroj, Sanand, Bavla, Ranpur, Mandal, Viramgam and Daskroi.
The city is the administrative headquarter of Ahmedabad district and is the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court is located here. With a population of more than 5.8 million and an extended population of 6.3 million, it is the fifth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area of India. Ahmedabad is located on the banks of the River Sabarmati, 32 km (20 mi) from the state capital Gandhinagar.
The city’s suburban areas are administered by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA). The city is represented by two elected members of parliament in the Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian Parliament) and 19 members of the Legislative Assembly at the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha. In the 2010 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections, the BJP won 148 seats, 38 seats went to the Congress, and 3 seats went to an independent candidate.
The effects of liberalisation of the Indian economy has energised the city’s economy towards tertiary sector activities like commerce, communication and construction activities. Ahmedabad’s population is growing, which has resulted in an increase in the construction and housing industries.
The Fedara International Airport is also a proposed international airport near Fedara. This airport will be the largest airport in India with a total area of 7,500 hectares.
The Government of Gujarat and Ahmedabad Mahanagar Sevasadan have initiated a feasibility study into the possibility of a mass-transit metro system for the cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The state government will set up a 2 billion company for the execution of the project. The company is likely to be named the Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA).
The gross domestic product of Ahmedabad was estimated at $59 billion in 2010. The RBI ranked Ahmedabad as the eighth largest deposit centre and seventh largest credit centre nationwide as of June 2012.
The Gujarat High Court is housed in a magnificent structure located at Sola Road, Ahmedabad.
The Gujarat High Court is located in the Ahmedabad, making the city the judicial capital of Gujarat. Law enforcement and public safety is maintained by the Ahmedabad City Police, headed by the Police Commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. Health services are primarily provided at Ahmedabad civil hospital, the largest civil hospital in Asia. Electricity in the city is generated and distributed by Torrent Power Limited, owned and operated by the Ahmedabad Electricity Company, which was previously a state-run corporation. Ahmedabad is one of the few cities in India, where the power sector is privatised.
The Indian independence movement developed roots in the city when Mahatma Gandhi established two ashrams — the Kochrab Ashram near Paldi in 1915 and the Satyagraha Ashram (now Sabarmati Ashram) on the banks of the Sabarmati in 1917 — which would become centres of nationalist activities. During the mass protests against the Rowlatt Act in 1919, textile workers burned down 51 government buildings across the city in protest at a British attempt to extend wartime regulations after the First World War. In the 1920s, textile workers and teachers went on strike, demanding civil rights and better pay and working conditions. In 1930, Gandhi initiated the Salt Satyagraha from Ahmedabad by embarking from his ashram on the Dandi Salt March. The city’s administration and economic institutions were rendered inoperative in the early 1930s by the large numbers of people who took to the streets in peaceful protests, and again in 1942 during the Quit India movement. Following independence and the partition of India in 1947, the city was scarred by the intense communal violence that broke out between Hindus and Muslims.
The man-made Lake Kankaria, built in 1451 AD, is one of the biggest lakes in Ahmedabad. In earlier days, it used to be known by the name Qutub Hoj or Hauj-e-Kutub. It has an approximate circumference of 1.4 miles (2.3 km) and 34 sides, and is located in the southern part of the city in Maninagar. Vastrapur Lake is in western part of Ahmedabad.
The Sabarmati frequently dries up in the summer, leaving only a small stream of water, and the city is located in a sandy and dry area. The steady expansion of the Rann of Kutch threatens to increase desertification around the city area and much of the state. Except for the small hills of Thaltej-Jodhpur Tekra, the city is almost flat. Two lakes are within the city’s limits—Kankaria Lake and Vastrapur Lake. Kankaria lake, in the neighbourhood of Maninagar, is an artificial lake developed by the Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak, in 1451. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, the town falls under seismic zone-III, in a scale of I to V (in order of increasing vulnerability to earthquakes) Ahmedabad is divided by the Sabarmati into two physically distinct eastern and western regions. The eastern bank of the river houses the old city, which includes the central town of Bhadra. This part of Ahmedabad is characterised by packed bazaars, the pol system of close clustered buildings, and numerous places of worship. It houses the main railway station, the General Post Office, and few buildings of the Muzaffarid and British eras. The colonial period saw the expansion of the city to the western side of Sabarmati, facilitated by the construction of Ellis Bridge in 1875 and later the relatively modern Nehru Bridge. The western part of the city houses educational institutions, modern buildings, residential areas, shopping malls, multiplexes and new business districts centred around roads such as Ashram Road, C. G. Road & Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway.
The Sanskar Kendra, one of the many buildings in Ahmedabad designed by Le Corbusier, is a city museum depicting the history, art, culture and architecture of Ahmedabad. The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial have permanent displays of photographs, documents and other articles relating to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. The Calico Museum of Textiles has a large collection of Indian and international fabrics, garments and textiles. The Hazrat Pir Mohammad Shah Library has a collection of rare original manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Sindhi and Turkish. There is Vechaar Utensils Museum which have utensils of stainless steel, glass, brass, copper, bronze, zinc and German silver.
The Sardar Sarovar Project of dams and canals has improved the supply of potable water and electricity for the city. In recent years, the Gujarat government has increased investment in the modernisation of the city’s infrastructure, providing for the construction of larger roads and improvements to water supply, electricity and communications. The information technology industry has developed significantly in Ahmedabad, with companies such as Tata Consultancy Services opening offices in the city. A NASSCOM survey in 2002 on the “Super Nine Indian Destinations” for IT-enabled services ranked Ahmedabad fifth among the top nine most competitive cities in the country. The city’s educational and industrial institutions have attracted students and young skilled workers from the rest of India.
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is located 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city centre. It serves both domestic and international flights to and from Ahmedabad and the neighbouring cities of Surendranagar, Mehsana, and Nadiad. The airport connects the city with destinations across India. The airport is located 8 km (5.0 mi) from the Ahmedabad Railway Station. It is named after statesman and former Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The airport is spread over an area of 928.59 acres (3.7579 km2) with the runway measuring 11,500 ft (3,505 m). It is the busiest airport in Gujarat, and the eighth busiest in India with an average of 250 aircraft movements a day. In 2008 the airport served 5,372,259 passengers. It is expected to handle six million passengers in 2010 and nine million in 2012, including both domestic and international passengers. Nearly all domestic airlines serve Ahmedabad, as do several international ones. A new international terminal costing of 2,910 million was built in 2010 to handle increased international air traffic.
The state-owned All India Radio Ahmedabad is broadcast both on the medium wave and FM bands (96.7 MHz) in the city. It competes with five private local FM stations: Radio City (91.1 MHz), Red FM (93.5 MHz), My fm (94.3 MHz), Radio One (95.0 MHz), Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz). Gyan Vani (104.5 MHz) is an educational FM radio station run under media co-operation model. In March 2012 Gujarat University started campus radio service on 90.8 MHz which was first kind of it in state and fifth in India.
The state-owned television broadcaster Doordarshan provides free terrestrial channels, while two multi system operators—InCablenet and Siti Cable—provide a mix of Gujarati, Hindi, English, and other regional channels via cable. Telephone services are provided by landline and mobile operators such as BSNL, Reliance CDMA & Reliance GSM, Airtel, Uninor, Docomo, Videocon, Aircel, Vodafone, Idea, MTS India and Tata Indicom.
Though incorporated into the Bombay Presidency during British rule, Ahmedabad remained one of the most important cities in the Gujarat region. The city established itself as the home of a developing textile industry, which earned it the nickname Manchester of the East. The city was at the forefront of the Indian independence movement in the first half of the 20th century and the centre of many campaigns of civil disobedience to promote farmers’ and workers’ rights, and civil rights apart from political independence.
Upcoming GIDC of Sanand, Ahmedabad is shaping into potentially the biggest GIDC of Gujarat.
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