Ahmedabad Heritage Walk
Ahmedabad Heritage Walk
Diverse social fabric
The threads of the social fabric of Ahmedabad are woven together by a multitude of religions thriving
amicably in the city known earlier as ‘The Manchester of the East’ for its thriving textile units. Keeping
the mast of ‘Unity in Diversity’ flying high, the city buzzes alive with life come what may !! The
indomitable spirit of the citizenry is infectious. Major religions followed here are Hinduism, Islam and
Jainism. All these faiths have contributed equally and immensely to the cultural amalgamation of the
diverse strata of the people thereof. We, therefore, have this walk offering that spans across religions,
monuments, places of worship and public spaces of the era gone by.
The route itinerary
True to its name, the walk commences from the Swaminarayan Temple at Kalupur and ends at the Jama
Masjid. En route there are many heritage sites that provide ammunition to the visual senses as well as
satiates the mind. Kala Ramji mandir, Calico Dome, Manek Chowk, Old share exchange, Badshah no
Hajiro, Jain derasar, Pol to name a few.
The brief
Calico Dome is a geodesic dome built on the inspirational designs of Buckminster Fuller designed by
Gautam Sarabhai and his team. It is a witness to the first fashion show in Ahmedabad. A little farther is the
Kala Ramji temple, which houses a sitting idol of Lord Rama in black marble. Cut to the most famous city
square Manek Chowk which functions as a fruit/vegetable market in the mornings, a bullion market
during day time and is abuzz as a street food haven in the evenings. The focus then would shift to the
‘Pols’ of the city or housing clusters that could also double up as an excellent example of community
living and thriving culture with its ‘French’ balconies, open courtyards and a multitude of ‘Chabootaras’
or bird feeders. We then come to the ‘Badshah No Hajiro’ or the tomb of Sultan Ahmed Shah, which is a
medieval tomb of the Sultan and is now a mausoleum next stop is the Jama Masjid or the ‘Friday
Mosque, the largest mosque built in the Indian subcontinent in the 14th century. It showcases a unique
blend of the Indo-Islamic style of architecture.
So there is more to Ahmedabad than meets the eye!!! Fasten your seat belts and get ready for a historic
walk with us. Interesting. Ain’t it?
