Mara amdavadma swagat che
An impromptu trip became one of the most memorable for me. That’s the magic of Amdavad!
The largest state of Gujrat, Ahmedabad, spells its magic with its vibrant culture. It is also one of the most rapidly growing metropolises of Gujarat. At first sight, the city can appear a bit overwhelming owing to busy and noisy streets, but very soon you get charmed by its rich cultural heritage, architecture and food.
We reserved ourselves to stay in, The House of MG. It is in old Ahmedabad, which means one is surrounded by centuries-old mansions, mosques and temples. For a retrophiliac like me, this was the perfect place to be. The smiling gentleman at the reception soon briefed me about the history of this 20th-centurymansion. It was actually the residence Shri Mangaldas Ghirdhardas, who was one the most prominent cloth merchant of that time. It is well-curated haveli, now converted into 38 room boutique hotel. The hotel was a visual treat. An architectural marvel, replete with verandas and exotic jharokas, the entire premise is like one big museum. All the walls and corridors are adorned with artefacts, photographs and paintings from the family’s personal collection. I was also told that all the furniture and fixtures used for its new avatar were sourced only from the local artisans.
The House of MG has two in-house restaurants – Agashiye and the Green House. Agashiye is apparently one of the most acclaimed Gujrati Thali restaurants in Ahmedabad. Indeed, prime minister, Mr Narendra Modi had taken Japanese PM Mr Abe for official lunch, during his visit to India. A four-course meal is served here in silver and kansa thalis. Needless to say, this was my choice of restaurant for lunch soon after the check-in. And the best part of this meal was an unlimited supply of chaas, I actually don’t remember the number of glass we had.
The hotel conducts two heritage walks twice in the day. I, of course, attended both. There were almost 600 havelis in the neighbourhood with a common courtyard, which was totally worth the long walk of 6 kms. It seemed as if every bylane and corner had a story to share… a song to sing.
The same evening, we headed out to one of the most suggested tourist spot of the city.
Kankaria Lake
A complete package for a family outing, Kankaria Lake is Amdavad’s second largest lake. Originally constructed in 1451, the lake was restored in 2008. To my surprise, the lakefront had many interesting activities like – a Zoo, toy train, tethered balloon ride, stone mural park, food stalls, boating and a flea market. Since it was a weekend, the promenade was bustling with beaming faces and cheerful sounds.
The Kankaria Zoo deserves a special mention. Unlike the Mumbai zoo, animals were much healthier and cleaner. Even wild animals tiger, lion, and elephants were roaming in their full majesty. The other animals at the zoo included rhesus monkey, spotted deer, chinkara, emu, jungle babbler, bush-quail and common palm civet. The second big excitement was the toy train, which takes about 20 minutes to complete one round, was a sheer joy with loud chugging sound.
On the way back to the hotel, I was attracted to a colourful street. This was the local bazaar, at Law Garden, which is popular for its street food and shopping. I bargained my way to delicately designed choli and a flowy bandhini skirt. The shop owner recommended snacks from the adjacent shop. And I dug in some delicious dhokla and khakra.
Adlaj vav:
Next on our bucket list was this step well, called Adlaj ni Vav. A five-floor deep well, it was built by Queen Rudabai in 1498. This is a unique combination of Hindu and Mughal architecture. So, one can see the motifs of flowers and elephants depicting its Mughal influence and the Hindu gods carved on the walls and pillars. However, this architecture marvel needs some pampering. The cleanliness and upkeep around this stepwell can do wonders to travelers like me.
Sabarmati Ashram:
As we were headed to Sabarmati Ashram, there was a strange sense of pride. Indeed, the dutiful dad, and I, a pushy mom, wanted to give a crash course to our elder one about the great freedom battle of India and the role Mahatma Gandhi played in it. All excited we reached the Sabarmati Ashram, And Voila! A what a huge disappointment. Yes! A land of such historical significance looked like an orphan idea to my eight-year-old. His first question was, what do we do here? Most of the show-windows, where Mahatma Gandhi’s old letters and photographs were displayed were dirty. The headphones installed with pre-recorded information were not functional. To add to this, there was a dog squad on a visit, to capture stray dogs. The only attraction was the house where Mahatma Gandhi lived. And I am glad my son observed that one can survive in that level of simplicity also.
I often wonder, why is there such excitement about international travel amongst us Indians. I realised, after visiting the Sabarmati Ashram, that we have left our rich history to die its own death. Whereas, at international destinations like Prague or Paris, history is curated with extreme passion. The that it leaves an impression on the visitor.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Exhibition:
Next morning, we headed straight away to Vikram Sarabhai Space Exhibition, the taxi drivers address it as ‘chota ISRO’. Very well made, and maintained. There were volunteers at each station to explain the installations at the display. All the models are machine operated, which explains the process of how satellites are planned and launched. A films is shown in the 3D auditorium which is a must watch. My elder one was kicked enough to explore a career in space studies.
Vishala & Vechaar:
Our last spot of this two-day trip was most endearing in many ways. A traditional Gujarati food restaurant, done in rustic village-like setting, Vishala, was a unique experience. The staff here pampers you like family. The guests are made to sit on the floor, and fed with motherly love. The aroma of food tells you about the fresh ingredients and home-style cooking. I actually had a full thali, which had 11 bowls including, salad, pulses, sabji and achar and I didn’t feel lazy or full. My soul was satiated, and taste buds were happy. The culinary experience was even enhanced as their was beautiful acrobatic dance performance by a local artist.
Just a perfect way to wrap up my two-day sojourn to this beautiful city.