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Heritage Ahmedabad

Heritage Walk Ahmedabad

History of Heritage Walk

The history of Ahmedabad ways back to 1411 when the city was formally formed on 26th February 1411 and established by Ahmad Shah 1 and soon after the establishmed of the city on 4th March 1411 it was declared as the capital city of Gujarat Sultanate. Before 1411 the city was made capital by Karna of Chaulukya Dynasty who was the ruler of Patan who had established two temples and also at that time the city was referred as Karnavati Nagri after tha Vaghela dynasty came into rule in Gujarat in 1243 however there rule didn’t lasted long which ended in 1299 but the period is considered as a period of stable rule in the region.

The city was conquered by Allauddin Khilji in the year 1297 after which his troops destroyed various temples and domes in the town. The Gujarat sultanate rule which was established in 1411 lasted till 1572. The rule was later taken by the Mughals in 1572 which had its presence till 1707 when the Marathas established there rule which ended with the rise of British Rule in the whole of India through East India Company in 1817. The British Crown rule was formally established in the year 1857 and it ended in 1947 with the independence of India.

The city consisted of some Indian-Islamic monuments and Temples apart from that it have many wooded homes which are covered in the walled city i.e. old city. In July 2017 Ahmedabad was declared a India’s first world heritage city by UNESCO after considering the various points. This was proved to be a great achievement by the city which stood for more than 600 years and had honor to hold personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel during their fight for independence.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation had started a heritage walk mainly to cover the monuments and important places of the city by which one can know about the History and importance of the city. The walk covers places strating from Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur, Kavi Dalpatram Chowk, Calico Dome, Kala Ramji Mandir, Haja Patel in Pol, Shantinathji Mandir, Zaveri Vad, Astapadji Mandir, Fernandez Bridge, Rani No Haziro, Manekbaba’s Mandir aka Manek Chowk and it ends at Jumma Masjid. The walk consists of around 2 Kilometers with a duration of around 3 hours.

The History of Ahmedabad shows us about the rich heritage which it possesses and how the city had stood against the various phases which had ultimately made it strong day by day.

The city of Ahmedabad is enhanced with  architectural heritage that is very important to the local identity  of the place. One of the main reason of Ahmedabad being one of the most famous cities in the world is its heritage and the heritage walk. The supreme heritage assets are the Indo-Islamic monuments of the 15th to 17th centuries: the Jama Masjid, the Teen Darwaza, the Bhadra Gate and Tower and the Tombs of Queen and King located in the famous core, the remaining sections of the original fort wall, 12 original gates and a number of other monuments . other than these monuments, there are heritage that exist in the form of the Pols, the traditional residential bunch of the medieval period, which increases the beauty and history of Ahmedabad . A large territory of the Maratha period and many efficient examples of colonial era architecture also thrive in the Walled city.

a special identity of ahmedabad city exist in its structure and the plan of the old city which comprises of numerous pols, wherein a large number of families belonging to different caste,jobs and religion live very happily. These pols can be considered as virtual small villages, traversed by narrow lanes, usually eliminating in square with community wells and chabutras for feeding birds.

walking through these heritage sites will help a person understand the rich glory of ahmedabad city and get a feel of the different cultures which co exist in the city

Important destinations of the heritage walk

Swami Narayan Temple, Kalupur

This the first temple of the Swami Narayan Sampraday, built in the year 1822. It has been constructed by using Burma teak wood with magnificent carvings. With modernization it now has an AC boarding house as well as a clinic within its compound. This is a starting point of the heritage walk providing tourists with a glimpse about the rich history of Ahmedabad city.

Kavi Dalpatram Chowk, Lambeshwar Ni Pol

this place is the residence where used to live the 19^th century renowned Gujarati poet, Dalpatram. The chowk has a bust of Kavi Dalpatram. Behind the bust, situates the ancient house where kavi Dalpatram used to reside.

Calico Dome

This is a geodetic dome which has been structured from the designs of Buckminster Fuller. It used to be a shared outlet shop for Calico mills and was incorporated in the year 1962. The dome extends over 12 meters used to provide shade for the shop and showroom.

Kala Ramji Mandir at Haja Patel ni Pol

This iconic temple has a dark idol of Lord Rama which is present in a sitting pose. The idol has been said to be concealed by the priest of the temple with an attempt to safeguard it during the Mughal period. It has been said that the idol re-emerged by itself after numerous years. Its said to provide a rich and a divine experience for all those visiting it.

Shantinath Ji Mandir

It is a housing bunch which encompasses numerous families of a specific group connected by caste, job or religious conviction.

Kuvavala Khancha, Doshiwadani Pol

This structure has 4 different houses tangled but constructed in diverse styles. One house is made by using bricks displaying the British architectural style. The second house has been made with the use of wood showing the Mughal style of architecture. The third house has been constructed in Maratha style and the fourth one has been designed in the Persian style which can be recognized with the help of the woody brackets.

Jagvallabh Mandir at Nisha Pol

The idol established here is of Jain Tirthankar Jagvallabh Sahastrafana Parshwanath. This idol stands at 6 ft tall and it states the highest achievable success Janis achieved in the form of sculpture and artistry.

Zaveri Wad

This place helps one to personify the rich legacy of Jain conviction and dedication. It has been named after the seth Shantidas Zaveri who has been said to being mistreated by Mughal king Aurangzeb’s hostility.

Sambhavnath ni Khadki

This place is known for its inimitable architectural design of Sambhavnath Derasar which is said to be the oldest Derasar in the city of Ahmedabad. A glimpse of the lord is possible only through a window placed in the dome.

Chaumukhji ni Pol

One among the oldest Jain temples in the country, the Ajithnath Derasar is located here. The temple is famous for its idols which date back to 500-700 years old. One can capture the traditional Gujarati culture at its very best here.

Doshiwada Ni Pol

Originally inhabited by local goldsmiths, Doshiwada Pol is a hub for small thriving jewellery shop. However the Indian name suggests, Doshiwada Pol’s architecture has a colonial influence on Chabutra, located at the end of Pol.

Ashtapadji Mandir

End of Doshiwada Pol, alongside is situated a Jain temple of Ashtapadji. Build in 1850’s by Seth Maganlal Karamchand. Temple has idols of Adishwar Bhagvan and Mahavir Swami. The sculptures have an Indian highlights on dancing figures and musical instruments.

Harkunvar Sethani Ni Haveli

Harkunvar Baa’s Haveli made in 1830’s supports 60 rooms which open into wide wooden carved balcony. Haveli hosts largest wooden bracket in Ahmedabad.

Fernandez Bridge

Fernandez was made to extend Gandhi road in 1884 A.D. The bridge supports oldest book market in Ahmedabad.

Chandla Pol

The biggest market of Puja materials in Ahmedabad is Chandla Ol. It has been oldest establishments to provide Puja Samagri in Festivals months.

Muharat Pol

Muharat Pol is the earliest settlement of Ahmedabad city founded by Mehmud Begda in 1400’s. Jain’s settled in Muharat Pol around early 15^th century. Muharat Pol has been ornamental hub of city for several years.

Baba Maneknath Mandir and Manek Chawk

The construction of Ahmedabad city by Sultan Ahmed Shah started 600 years ago at Manek Chawk. According to a book Ahmedabad Nu Itihas by Madanlal Vakhatchand in 1851, Ahmedabad city’s construction during the day would be demolished at night. Ahmed Shah’s enquiry found Baba responsible. Baba Maneknath would weave a blanket during day and in unweaving it at night would lead to demolishment of constructions. Ahmed Shah summoned Baba Maneknath, asked him to enter a tea kettle. After Baba entered he closed it and asked why he demolished constructions. Baba told Ahmed Shah to build something in his remembrance, so that people can remember him. Thus, the crossroad was named after Baba Maneknath.

Badshah-No-Haziro

Badshah-No-Haziro is resting place of male royal members of Ahmed Shah regime. Constructed during Muhhammed Shah regime in 1446, it houses tombs of Ahmed Shah I, Muhammed Shah II and Ahmed Shah II.

Rani-No-Haziro

The memorial is resting place of royal ladies of Ahmed Shah regime. Dissimilar from most resting memorials which are in chamber, the tombs are in unroofed area covered with beautifully carved cloths.

Jama Masjid

It was constructed in 1423 during reign of Ahmed Shah I. Jama Masjid having beautiful Arabic calligraphy on walls is also a multi-religion showcase. It has lotus shaped domes similar to Jain temples and Om symbol displayed on interior window. Major prayer hall have 260 columns, which supports 15 dome.

Traveling through the city

There are various means of transport in Ahmedabad, so getting around in the city is very easy. the typical mumbai black and yellow cabs are rare in Ahmedabad. In Ahmedabad, you can hire the private taxis, The taxis can be hired for the full day for sightseeing purpose. apart from the taxis you can also travel by the medium of Autos, or Brts bus services.

For short distances, people should prefer rickshaws,.these rickshaw drivers have a fare chart which helps in estimating the price form a certain distance and also ensures that tourist are not cheated. After reaching your destination, have a look at the fare chart and pay accordingly. One of the best experience of Heritage Walk Ahmedabad managed by The Akshar Travels Pvt. Ltd. & Supported by AMC. The walk starts at the Kalupur Swaminarayan temple, right in the middle of the city and comes to and end in juma masjid. The tours operate between 8 am to 1 pm from 2pm to 6pm and from 7pm to 10pm with the usual fare being at the rate of Rs 50 for students, Rs 60 for indian citizens and Rs 120 for international citizens

Towards the end, the walk goes through bazaars. There are interesting stories here too but I would rather leave them unsaid for you to enjoy when you are there. Throughout the walk, we were encouraged to observe the wooden brackets for they have clues to many stories. Like the carvings tell you the influences from across the world that are carved into them and the size is often a mark of the status.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation conducts an Ahmedabad Heritage Walk every day in the old parts of the city. And since they have been doing it for many years now

Particulars And Important Facts

The Calico dome is a geodesic dome covering around 130sq.ft. in area. It is interesting how after collapse of the original dome in disrepair the Municipal Corporation of the city [AMC] has almost completed the restoration work with a cost of almost Rs.12 Million - Rs.15 Million. As part of the walk this entire journey will be presented. Buckminster Fuller's design was popular back in the '60s. The first fashion show in Ahmedabad, then popular actress Parveen Bhabhi took part in it.

Fernandez Bridge as part of the walk is majorly known and popularly recognized by the locals for a market of books. This started as a book stall many years back and slowly evolved to become the city’s largest informal book markets. Presently, all kinds’ second-hand books are available here with many students coming here annually to purchase books. It is also colloquially known as the ‘Chopda Bazar’. Until back in the 1800’s [British constructed the bridge in 1884] this was the river route for the River Maitrai, this river eventually dried up. The shops around here date back to these times and are hence more than a century old. The system of management here is unique and has today provided as a Case Study for many Management Schools in the city. Every single store even today strictly follow the traditional methods for accounting and stock man management. The method has proved so effective leaving shoppers amazed, such that naming any book will have the shopkeeper hand over the same within 30 seconds, out of the thousands of books present. The market is so large it supports other markets nearby such as book binding, scrap industry etc.

Manek Chowk dates back to 1411, it is unique for its changing atmosphere. Starting in the morning as a vegetable market it changes to a bullion [jewelery] market by lunch time and is the country’s second largest informal market. By 09:30 P.M the entire market has shifted to functioning as a Food Stall/Street Snacks market, and is locally popular for the same.

Rani Ni Hajiro is 6 Centuries old, being built in 1445 it is a geographically raised structure. The enclosure encompasses around 36.58 square meters of open area. All of the tombs are entirely made out of a specific kind of marble, generally white although the colour black has been used for specific tombs representing the political relations of the kingdom dating to the pages of history. The fabric designs used during in time happened to be recognized nationally and exported globally during the British Rule; these designs stand out being carved on the tombs in rich brocade. The architecture is a direct depiction of influences from the Hinduism, Jainism and Islam and is adorned with such intricate histories.

During the period Jama Marjid was built it was the largest in the country. The mosque is what extends of Teen Darwaza, another incredible piece of heritage. Inaugurated in 1424, it was meant for the use of the Royals and by the last century parts of it had been destroyed in earthquakes.