One of the most liveliest cities in India. A visit to Ahmedabad is a great way to discover Gujarat.

Ahmedabad was built by Sultan Ahmed Shah to serve as his capital in 1411 A .D. While returning from one of his campaigns the young Sultan Ahmed Shah impressed with the scenic surroundings and climate of the town of Ashawal undertook the building of his new capital with a fort and twelve gates and named it Ahmedabad. While you can only see the ramparts of the 600 year old Bhadra fort, almost all the twelve gates with the exception of one have withstood the ravages of time and man.

If you have been to Ahmedabad before you will want to come again. If you are coming soon, Welcome. Ahmedabad has something for everyone. You will be glad you made it.

Ahmedabad is well connected by air, rail and road to major Indian cities.

• By Air-International and Domestic airlines connect Ahmedabad to Bombay, Delhi and major cities of India. The city is also linked to Muscat, London and Newyork.

• By Rail-Ahmedabad is linked to Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai and other major cities in India by rail.

• Road-Ahmedabad is connected by National and State Highways to major cities in India.

Jewels of Ahmedabad

Under a veneer of modernity hides 600 years of eventful history. History immortalised by the magnificient architecture of Ahmedabad’s monuments ranging from the grand Havelis to the majestic mosques. The HAVELIS ( wooden Mansions ) of Ahmedabad are a window  to the lofty life styles of the rich of early 19^th century Ahmedabad. Exquisitely worked wooden facaded Havelis jostle for space in the narrow Pols of walled Ahmedabad. But no sooner do you cross the columned verandahs the Havelis open into the Otlo (courtyards), the divankhanu (formal drawing room), the service areas and other rooms. In the mosques and mausolea of Ahmedabad you will discover the contribution Gujarat made to Islamic architecture in India. They embody a fusion of the austere Islamic principles of design with the traditional Hindu art of sculpted ornamentation. See fusion architecture at its best in the stone tracery on the windows of SIDDI SAYED MOSQUE (1571) and the elegant JUMMA MASJID (1424). The delicate tracery, the ornamented minarets and rich detail of SARKHEJ ROJA (1445-51), is yet another example of this splendid style. So are the RANI ROOPMATI MOSQUE (1430-40) and RANI SIPRI MOSQUE (1514). SHAH ALAM ROZA built by Empress Noorjehan’s brother also reflects the same elegance in its carved marble architecture.

The SHAKING MINARETS of Sidi Bashir’s Mosque remain a mystery till today. Shake one minaret and the other resonates in harmony while the interconnecting terrace stands still. The Jain temples of Ahmedabad present yet another distinctly different style of architecture of which the HATHEESING JAIN TEMPLE is most representative. A grandiose structure built in marble that cost a whopping Rs. 10 lakhs way back in 1848. Next is the 300 year old   DUTCH CEMETERY near Kankaria lake. These tombs dating back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries were in memory of the Dutch and English pioneers who established their factories in Surat and Ahmedabad. Now on to the museums and art galleries of Ahmedabad. The CALICO TEXTILE MUSEUM one of the finest textile museums in the world displays an impressive collection of rare textiles and costumes that date back to the early 17^th century. At the UTENSILS MUSEUM more than 2000 varieties of traditional Indian utensils in curious shapes and sizes are on display. SHREYAS FOLK ART MUSEUM with its collection of folk culture from Gujarat as well as the L . D. MUSEUM and INSTITUTE OF INDOLOGY are unique. AMDAVAD NI GUFA designed by the renowned architect Balkrishna Doshi houses a collection of M . F. Hussain’s paintings and adjoining this is the Herwitz art gallery. And finally the crown jewel, SABARMATI ASHRAM . Mahatma Gandhi’s home from 1918-1930, the Ashram is tucked away in a quiet corner by the river Sabarmati. It served as Mahatma Gandhi’s base for his Dandi Satyagraha, that triggered the nonviolent agitation against the British. 

Shreyas Folk Museum - (Close on every Monday, All Public Holidays & during Diwali)

Exhibiting the finest arts and crafts of Gujarat, Shreyas Folk Museum is situated 2.5km west of Sabarmati. Set in suburbs of Ambavadi in Ahmedabad, the museum has a huge display of textiles and clothing in Gujarat. One of the major attraction of the museum is a complete skeleton of an elephant with a height of about 3.19m. Old coins, weapons, toys, costumes, masks, puppets, musical fountains and animal caparisons also lure foreign tourists.

The museum remains open daily from 10:30am-05:30pm except Mondays and public holidays.
It remains close during lunch hours .i.e. 01:30pm to 02:00pm.

JAMMA MASJID – BUILT IN 1423 BY THE FOUNDER OF AHMEDABAD.THIS MOSQUE IS BUILT IN YELLOW SAND STONES AND IT STANDSON THE 260 PILLARS WHICH SUPPORT 15 DOMES A STAGGERED ELEVATONS.

SIDDI SAIYAD MOSQUE - ENCLOSED BY THE PLESENT GARDEN IN THE CENTRE OF THE CITY THIS SMALL MOSQUE IS KNOW FOR ITS DELICATE AND EXQUISITE TRELLISES AND STONE WINDOW TRACERY.WOODEN MODELS OF THESE ARE EXHIBITED IN NEWYORK AND KENSINGTON MUSEUM.

DADA HARI NI VAV - BUILT IN 1501 THIS STEPWELL CONSISTS OF A DOMED ENTRANCE WHICH IS A SERIES OF THE STEPS AND PILLARED STONES PLATFORM LEAD DOWN TO THE RESERVOIR.THE WALLS AND PILLARS ARE RICHLY CARVED IN STONE.

HATE SINGH TEMPLE - BUILT IN 1848 THIS JAIN TEMPLE IS THE BEST KNOW OF THE CITY’S MANY ORNATE JAIN TEMPLE.BUILT IN WHITE MARBLE WITH RICH ORNAMENTATION BY A JAIN MARCHANTTHIS TEMPLE IS DEIDCATED TO DHARMANATH,THE 15^TH JAIN TIRTHANKAR.

SABARMATI ASHRAM- THIS QUITE AND PEACEFUL RETREAT WAS SETUP BY GANDHIJI IN 1915. AS A SATYAGRAHA ASHRAM ON THE BANK THE RIVER OF SABARMATI.HIRDAY KUNJ THE SIMPLE COTTAGE WHERE HE LIVED IN NOW A NATIONAL MONUMENT AND PERSERVED AS IT USED TO BE IN HIS LIFE TIME.A STUDY CENTRE ,LIBRARY AND SON-ET-LUMIERE OFFER INTERESTING ELEMENTS IN HIS ASHRAM.

CALICO MUSEUM - (Close on Every Wednesday & All Public Holidays)

ONE OF THE BEST MUSEUM ON TEXTILES IN THE WORLD  WITH RERE COLLECTION OF TEXTILES FROM THE 17^TH CENTURY ONWARDS. OLD WEAVING MACHINES, EXQNISITE FABRICS, BROCADES AND EMBROIDERY ARE OM DISPLAY.

NOTE : THIS MUSEUM HAS THE POLICY OF FIRST COME FIRST IN. AT 10:00 TO 10:15 AM ENTRY IS STARTED. ONLY 30 PAX IS ALLOWED A DAY.