When I reached Ahmadabad on 20th December 2013, I had many doubts about Gujarati, their food, their culture..their language (kemcho, suche) & so many things…
Coming from Delhi, famed for its cosmopolitan food platter right from ‘Paratha’ and ‘Butter Naan’ for breakfast to ‘paneer tikka’, ‘Kadhi Chawal’, ‘Rajma Chawal’ and ‘butter chicken’ for lunch; wholesome ‘poha’ for an evening snack to a nice plate of Pulao or Paratha and Mutton or chicken for dinner. Naturally as a first visitor, my mind occupied by their food & their gesture.
The purpose has Visited to my friend’s house but in my inner though seemed to more curious about “karnavati” the old name of Ahmadabad. The city was founded by King Karandev 1 in the 11th century and originally called “Karnavati”. The Hindu kingdom of Karnavati retained its importance until 1411 when Sultan Ahmed Shah conquered Gujarat and the city was renamed Ahmadabad after him. The city of Ahmedabad went on expanding in every direction by the addition of new areas on the sides of the river, with well laid out beautiful buildings, lakes, temples and mosques.
The station was neat & clean. All the way home my mind captured the picture of the place with hungry eyes. The old city & new city is connected by a bridge on the Sabarmati River. Both the city is very clean & there is not too much traffic as compared to Delhi.
I tried to depict Ahmadabad with the following points:-
Food :- Ahmadabad is a gastronomic paradise. You will find at least one restaurant in every nook and corner, anywhere in Ahmadabad. Gujarati people are fond of eating and the food generally tends to be on the sweeter side. Gujarati’s are mostly vegetarians hence most local fare consists of vegetarian fare.
We had lots of Gujarati specialities include Dhokla, Khandvi, , Fapda, Gathia, Bhajiya, PuramPuli, Panipoori… & the taste was amazing, with sweet added in every food. Ahmedabad is a foodie city alright – Gujaratis love their farsaan, dhokla, theplas and thalis.
Fapda with Chaatni…A delicious breakfast.Every person atleast on weekend started their breakfast with Fapda.
Some of the notable restaurants in the city are:
This is a very unique experience in terms of not only taste and quality but also the way the items are served.
Otherwise, its fun to eat at one of the roadside stalls, especially at the Khau Galli in the Law Garden area. Various stalls start operating in both these places
For western palates, a good way to find new restaurants is to ask a local, especially someone young who would certainly know about such places. International chains such as Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Subway are present throughout the city.
Shopping Place:- Though I am very shopaholic so shopping is my all-time favourite & wherever I go I buy lots of staffs… Shopping in Ahmedabad can charm all tourists. Though you’ll get all the big famous brands here, there’s an old-world charm about the market place. Get ready to load your bags with some astonishing bandhej sarees, pottery, handicrafts, silk patola sarees and antique jewellery. If nothing other than the best and the most exclusive is what you are looking for. There is many shopping malls are in Ahmedabad, but few are running good because of the savings mentality of the people.
Tourist Spot: We did not have much time to visit all the place. Still, within two days, we tried to visit as much place as possible.
Adalaj, Step-well: On the next day morning we went to Step Well. It was located at Adalaj, a village 18km to the north of Ahmedabad. The Vav (step-well) at Adalaj derives its name from the lady patron, Ruda, wife of the Vaghela chief, Virsinh; who built it in the 15th or 16th century A.D. The Vav, laid out in the north-south direction, the well in the north and in the south, has a total length of 75.3 metres. The five-storied, step-well located in the sleepy village of Adlaj is a marvel of architecture. This unique water work is an excellent blend of Hindu and Islamic styles. Built entirely of sandstone, one can enter into this step-well from three sides, which consist of octagonal landings with huge carved colonnades and intricately carved niches. The architecture of this well also shows the influence of the earlier Solanki rulers of Gujarat.
Adalaj Vav is counted amongst the finest architectural structures of Gujarat. The unique feature of Adalaj Vav is that apart from conserving water for drinking purposes, it also serves as a cooling chamber in the hot summer months. The steps of the well were used by the travellers and caravans passing from the area, on the due course of their trade routes. With time, the well has become a memorial of the love of the queen for her husband. One can still see water in the well which is a living example of the spirit of the queen.
Vaishnodevi Temple:-On the way, we found A popular temple of the goddess Vaishno Devi located on Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway. It is modelled based on the Vaishno Devi temple situated in Jammu & Kashmir. It can be seen crowded every day, and on weekends devotees from all over India visits this temple.
Principle deity being Vaishno Devi the temple is considered to be a true replica of the famous temple in Jammu & Kashmir for what devotees of Goddess Vaishno Devi flock here round the year. The only difference between the two is that one at Ahmedabad can be visited within a couple of hours. The Vaishno Devi temple of Ahmedabad also remains flooded with followers during Navaratri and is decorated beautifully when the devotee offers coconut, clothes, fruits, rice etc.
Sabarmati Ashram – Gandhi Ashram, Shubhas Bridge :-
A very peaceful On a quiet stretch of the Sabarmati river is the Gandhi Ashram set up in 1917. During the lifetime of Mahatma Gandhi, it was known as Satyagraha Ashram and was the centre of India’s freedom movement. It was from here, in 1930, that the Mahatma began his famous “Dandi March” to the sea to protest against the Salt Tax imposed by the British. ‘Hridaya Kunj’, the simple cottage where he lived, is preserved as a National Monument. A Gandhi Memorial Center, a Library and a Sound-and-Light spectacle offer an interesting display of the Mahatma’s life and work.
We bought pens, Stand many things at a reasonable price. For people interested in knowing about the freedom struggle of India, this is just the perfect place. In fact, it is a storehouse of useful piece of information.
The two days remarkable Ahmadabad trip was awesome…. The culture, food, people, language all are perfectly depicted in my mind, my heart & I enjoyed a lot the place. Side by side I will hope to visit all over the world & nourish myself with the fragrance of different culture & cultivate my journey….
You write so well. Your description made me feel as if i am seeing the places through your eyes. Remarkable it is!! Cheers!!
Thank you so much for your appreciation 🙂
Very nice. Looked at it just before lunch time, and I must say, it made my mouth water. Was really very hungry after reading. Thats how realistic the blog looks, with the pictures. Keep it up!
thanks :)…I will do that…
Nice Post Pamela! But i think you miss manekchowk khani pini bazaar. it’s open at 10:00pm to 2:00 pm.
Yeah, I missed it. Next time surely visit the market. Thanks for the information 🙂
Very good, I must say you have capabilities to play with words. Great
Thank you 🙂
Good to know you liked my hometown 😀
Err, as in, my parents live there for 8 years now… Food is one thing I can blindly vouch for. Also, did you try the gol gappas??
Hahaha..yeah liked the city as well as the Kulfi..Nope I did not try the gol gaapa there :(..I missed it
O damn! You get one of the best and the biggest there!! Next time… 🙂
Yup..its a promise of a golgappa lover that surely will try so many golgappa there 😀
Ahmedabad is not just a travelers paradise but a spot for culinary delights too.
Very well summed up.
Beautiful post, thank you for bringing back my beautiful Ahmedabad trip memories.
It was great to read about Ahmedabad from you. I had once visited the place just for a day long back. I surely missed a lot. Next time I am going to follow your guide!
I have never visited Ahmedabad & would like to go.
The post brings out the best of city. Great post👍🏻
Wow this is a great post! I have never been to Ahmedabad, but will bookmark your post for when I go.
Wow.. Bookmarking it for my Ahmedabad trip in coming February
Ahmedabad has got a lot to offer. Your blog truly shows it all.
Looks like you had a great time in the city of Ahmedabad .. lovely pictures btw 😊
I been to Ahmedabad and that’s really a nice place to visit and food z kinda awesome 😘
woow so beautiful city never goone there , there food are so famous even in Delhi- Dhokla,fafda,khandvi.
Ahmedabad is known not just for its tourist destination but is also very popular for its culinary delights and late night eat-outs.
Very well explained post.
The blog looks quite detailing and definitely Sabarmati Ashram is a must to visit when here. Made me remember my trip here and walk down the memory lane
Have driven through Ahmedabad so many times but never had time to explore the city…it sad that i missed out on so many awesome experiences!
Pamela I liked the detailing you have done in the post. Also, sharing all those historiacal details. I was unaware of the fact that Ahmedabad has so much to offer. I will add this city on my Travel Bucket List. Well written article.
Reading this post brought back pleasant memories of Ahmedabad. Both of us have lived in Ahmedabad, and have so many lovely memories. We were there after late last year after a considerable gap, and found the city changed, but the welcoming warmth and hospitality of the people, the flavours and aromas of the street food, all remain intact.
Always had a wish to visit Sabarmati Ashram, but haven’t got a chance to visit this place yet. The section on shopping really looked nice, at least I am excited to go and grab those amazing pieces of accessories. Really well put down.
I am definitely adding Ahmedabad to my bucket list whenever we can travel again!! So much wanderlust from reading this post!
I love Ahemdabad city! Its so pristine. Your blog post introduced me to so many places that I can visit during my next trip to this fab city. Thanks!
I love Ahemdabad city! Its so pristine. Your blog post introduced me to so many places that I can visit during my next trip to this fab city. Thanks! Great post!
I have been to Ahmedabad on a work travel and it was a good one. Learnt about new culture. I really enjoyed the night shopping at Law Garden.
Well I didn’t know about King Karandev so thank you for the history lesson. Also, Ahmadbad is indeed a place for foodies and hence all those options just made me crave for such food.
My bestie and I had backpacked in Gujarat for 15 days a few years ago. And as you said Gujarat is absolutely amazing for food. I loved the food and farsans and I had put on so much weight in those 15 days :D. Oh I miss Gujarat and yes we did go to Ahmedabad as well and I loved every place in Gujarat.
Some trips and memories are evergreen and no time gap can not fade them away. Though I have not been to Ahmedabad ,I have heard a lot about the Ahmedabad – its people and food are amazing. I have lived in Mumbai and have visited family in Surat so am familiar with the Gujarati cuisine and love the slight sweetness they add to the food. But my favourite till date is cuttng chai which they serve in a saucer. that’s my all-time favourite experience. And Ahmedabad too has a similar cutting chai concept… Did you experience that?
Lovely article. It reminded me of my trip to Ahmedabad. I had some work in NID and had decided to explore the city for 2 days. Shopping in Law Garden was fun, specially those mirror work kurtis. You’ve described the places really well…
Aah! Sabarmati ashram, vaishnodevi temple,… and the local bazaar and food your creative content actually made me have a virtual quick tour today hah! I have visited few places of Gujarat it’s still fresh in my mind now. Your descriptive writing helped more to recall.
It was refreshing to read about a trip that took place so many years ago! Your detailed, personal style of narration was reading very well jn this one. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Ahmedabad is truly a great place to experience different foods!