Ahmedabad

Famously associated with the great leader of India, Mahatma Gandhi, this city has been witness to a series of highs and lows in the Indian history. This historical backdrop of Ahmedabad acts as a principal point of interest among travelers all over the world.

The city of Ahmedabad, set along the banks of the River Sabarmati, is recognized as a place bearing a rich history and culture. One of the most frequented tourist destinations in India, Ahmedabad allows a tourist to look closely into an exclusive style of architecture, showing marked influences of Hindu and Islamic styles (Indo-Saracenic style of architecture). Often called the 'Manchester of the East', it is today globally famous for its flourishing textile industry.

You have a number of tourist attractions in Ahmedabad to explore - monuments, amusement parks, museums, forts, mosques and temples - Ahmedabad is a city of variety mixing the old world charm with contemporariness to a perfect blend. In the city of Ahmedabad, Sarkhej, Adlaj Vav, Lothal, Modhera, Patan, Gandhinagar, Mahudi, Nalsarovar Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the most frequented tourist attractions in India.

History

Delving into the history of the city, will help you know more about Ahmedabad. Discovered by Sultan Ahmed Shah in the year 1411 to serve as the capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat, Ahmedabad gets its name from its founder's. It was seized by Emperor Akbar in 1572, and incorporated into the great Mughal Empire. Ahmedabad became a major business hub during the Mughal period till the expiry of Aurangzeb in 1707. The British took hold of Ahmedabad in 1818 and created several textile mills here. Ahmedabad was then declared the temporary capital of the state of Gujarat from years 1960 to 1970.

Tourist Attractions in Ahmedabad

Steeped in history, Ahmedabad, one of the eminent tourist attractions in India, offers a host of tourist sites that present themselves as some of the most frequented tourist attractions in Ahmedabad. The glorious past of the city bearing various political and cultural facets draw huge crowds every year.

The Walled City: On your tour to Ahmedabad you will at once notice that the walled city is one of the must visits. Leading into the city of Ahmedabad, it allows a glimpse of the affluence of the ancient buildings of the 18th century.

Gandhi Ashram: Another of the tourist attractions in Ahmedabad is the Satyagraha Ashram, set-up in AD 1920 on the lull western banks of the Sabarmati River.

Mosque of Sidi Sayid: The Mosque of Sidi Sayid with its stone tracery and the patterns of the banyan tree on its windows is another of the tourist attractions in Ahmedabad.

Hathee Singh Jain Temple: Built by Sheth Hathee Singh in 1848, the Hathee Singh Temple, located outside the Delhi Gate, is worked in pure white marble. It houses 52 shrines, each with an idol of a Jain Tirthankar.

Sidi Bashir Mosque: The Sidi Bashir Mosque situated outside the Sarangpur Gate, has minarets, one of which when shaken, leads to the vibration in another.

Kankaria Lake: A circular lake constructed in AD 1451 by Sultan Qutub-ud-din, the Kankaria Lake offers tourist places of interest like the island garden known as Nagina Wadi, parks, an aquarium, a boat club, a natural historical museum, and a zoo.

Bhadra Fort and Teen Darwaza: A venue for Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations in Ahmedabad, the Bhadra Fort of Ahmedabad has a temple devoted to the Mother Goddess, Bhadrakal.

Teen Darwaza: Used as a royal entrance to the Royal Square of the Bhadra Fort, the massive Teen Darwaza is another place of interest in Ahmedabad.

Calico Museum: The Calico museum of fabric, yarn and textiles was established in 1949 consequent to the meticulous efforts of Ms Gira Sarabhai.

The other sites worth visiting in Ahmedabad are the Rani Sipri's Mosque, Rani Rupmati's Mosque, Raj Babri Mosque, Shreyas Museum of Folk Art, the Kite Museum, and Utensil Museum.

Excursions

Excursions to places like Sarkhej, Adlaj Vav, Lothal, Modhera, Patan, Gandhinagar, Mahudi and Nalsarovar Wildlife Sanctuary can be entertaining and exciting at the same time.

Events and Festivals

Navratri and Rath Yatra are the main festivals celebrated in Ahmedabad and the city also hosts the contemporary International Kite Festival too.

Fast Facts

Population	5.49 million
Area	204.6 sq Km
Languages	Gujarati,Hindi and English
Best Time to Visit	Winters
STD Code	079

Best Season, Climate and Clothing

Ahmedabad is mostly hot and humid. Winters are cool and pleasant but summers are extremely dry, with the temperature rising up to 46 degrees at times. The monsoons bring sufficient rains, though. The best time to visit Ahmedabad is the winters. 

How to Reach Ahmedabad

Your itinerary of Ahmedabad on your tour to India will be served smoothly as the transportation access in this city is easy. Reaching Ahmedabad will in fact not be a problem owing to the availability of various conveyance options to make your travel hassle free. Following are the various choices for reaching Ahmedabad:

By Air: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport has both national and international flights, connecting various important cities of India and the world, offering several options on how to reach Ahmedabad. It is situated at 10 km north of the city of Ahmedabad. Air India has direct flights to the UK and USA from Ahmedabad. Indian Airlines has daily flights to Mumbai and Delhi from Ahmedabad. Flights for Bangalore, Goa and Chennai are also available from Ahmedabad.

By Rail: Transportation access to Ahmedabad is easy by rail as it is well linked by trains with other Indian cities. There are regular trains to Delhi, Mumbai, Vadodara and Udaipur. The Ahmedabad Railway Station and the Maninagar Railway Station are the two prime railway stations in the city.

By Road: A good roadway system connects the various parts of the city of Ahmedabad. Other cities of the state of Gujarat, namely, Gandhinagar, Vadodara, Rajkot, Palitana and Jamnagar are easily reachable via roadway.