AhmadabadFounded in 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah, the ruler of Medieval Gujarat,

Ahmedabad is famous for its historical monuments, its association with Mahatma Gandhi, Father of Nation and the great freedom fighter of the country and the textiles mills. Known as "Manchester of India", the city is world famous for its Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, which can be seen through the buildings. Located in the State of Gujarat, this prosperous city is situated on the banks of River Sabarmati.

In 1572, Akbar, the great, annexed it and included it in its empire. After that the city gradually became an important business center during the Mughal era. Later the British seized it in the year1818. They too developed it as a commercial center by setting up a number of textile mills.

Ahmadabad Tour of ISBS

We, the ISBS team, beside organizing the tenth ISBS conference at Gujarat Vidyapeeth, trying to give you a glimpse of Ahmadabad from a tourist angle so that you may travel with ease and enjoy your vicinity along with the academic fervor of our conference

List of Tourist Places

• There are numerous places of tourist interest. For the sake of convenience and taste of our ISBS fraternity we have carefully chosen 15 places that may be visited in the city

• Beside these 15 places, there are some famous places of historical and tourist interest. We have grouped them separately since they can’t covered in the city tour.

• Keeping in view of shopping, there are two places of this kind worth visiting includes Teen Darwaja

12 places of tourist Interests

• 1. Sabarmati Ashram Seven km from the centre of town, on the west bank of the Sabarmati River, this was Gandhi's headquarters during the long struggle for Indian independence. His ashram was founded in 1915 and still makes handicrafts, handmade paper and spinning wheels. Gandhi's spartan living quarters are preserved as a small museum and there is a pictorial record of the major events in his life. Followings are some picture taken from internet for your interest.

Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmadabad

Another view of Sabarmati Ashram

2. The Sarkhej Complex • From the archaeological point, the most important group of

buildings are the tombs and Mosque with a place around the tank of sarkhej. Its construction is attributed to Mahmud Begda who excavated the tank, surround it by a flight of stone step, constructed a richly decorated supply sluice and built at its southwest corner the splendid palace and harem. The tomb was built here for shaikh Ahmed Khattu, also known as Ganj Bakhas. He was the revered saint whose blessing was invoked while founding Ahmadabad. The saint died at a ripe age of 111 years.

• Logistic; Around 10 Kilometers from the IIM Campus. Find SG Highway and turn left.

Sarkhej Complex

Sarkhej Complex

The pillars in Sarkhej Complex

3. 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.

• This small mosque, which once formed part of the city wall, is close to the river end of Relief Rd. It was constructed by Sidi Saiyad, a slave of Ahmed Shah, and has beautiful carved stone windows depicting the intricate intertwining of the branches of a tree

Mosque of Sidi Sayid

Jali of Sidi Sayid Mosque

4. Hathee Singh Jain Temple

• Just outside the Delhi Gate, to the north of the old city, this temple, as with so many, Jain temples, is made of white marble. Built in 1848, it is dedicated to Dharamnath, the 15th Jain Tirthankar (teacher)

• 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

Hathee Singh Jain Temple

5. Shaking Minarets

• Just south of the railway station, outside the Sarangpur Gate, the Sidi Bashir Mosque is famed for its shaking minarets, or jhulta minars. When one minaret is shaken, the other rocks in sympathy. This is said to be a protection against earthquake damage. It's a fairly fanciful proposition, and one which you'll be unable to verify, unless of course you happen to be on the spot during an earthquake.The Sidi Bashir Mosque situated outside the Sarangpur Gate, has minarets, one of which when shaken, leads to the vibration in another.

Shaking Minarets

6. 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.

• You can enjoy the ride of toy train here

Picturesque night view of Kankaria lake

7. Bhadra Fort & Teen Darwaja

• Bhadra Fort was built by the city's founder, Ahmed Shah, in 1411 and later named after the goddess Bhadra, an incarnation of Kali. It now houses government offices and is of no particular interest. There is a post office in the former Palace of Azam Khan, within the fort. To the east of the fort stands the triple gateway, or Teen Darwaja, from which sultans used to watch processions from the palace to the Jama Masjid.

Bhadra Fort

Teen DarwajaAttn please

This is also the best shopping area containing Bazar for cloths and hoziary

8. Calico Museum

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

Side view of Calico Museum

9. Jama Masjid

• The Jama Masjid, built in 1423 by Ahmed Shah, is beside Mahatma Gandhi Rd, just to the east of the Teen Darwaja. Although 260 columns support the roof and its 15 cupolas, the two 'shaking' minarets lost half their height in the great earthquake of 1819, and another tremor in l957 completed the demolition Much of this early Ahmedabad mosque was built using items salvaged from the demolished Hindu and jain temples. It is said that a large black slab by the main arch is actually the base of a Jain idol, buried upside down for the Muslim faithful to tread on.

Jama masjid

10. Dada Hari Wav • Stepwells (wavs or baolis) are strange constructions, unique to

northern India, and Dada Hari Wav is one of the best. Built in 1501 by a woman of Sultan Begara's harem, it has a series of steps leading down to lower and lower platforms terminating at a small, octagonal well.

• The depths of the well are cool, even on the hottest day, and it must once have been quite beautiful. Today, it is completely neglected and often bone dry, but it's a fascinatingly eerie place with galleries above the well and a small portico at ground level. The best time to visit and photograph the well is between 10 and 11 am; at other times the sun doesn't penetrate to the various levels. Entry is free. Behind the well is the equally neglected mosque and rauza (tomb) of Dada Hari.

• The mosque has a tree motif like the one on the windows of Sidi Saiyad's Mosque.

Entrance of Dada Hari VAV

11. The Rani Sipri Mosque

• Combination of Hindu and Muslim Architecture, The mosque and tomb of Rani Sipri at astodia surpasses it for its planning, structural arrangement and richly carved minarets popularly known as masjid - Nagina, this mosque is the most exquisite germ of Ahmedabad.

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

13. Shreyas Folk And Art Museum

• Shreyas Folk And Art Museum (Private)It is run by a priavate trust, is a living Repository of folk objects which attempt at documenting on the spot study Of traditional crafts and technology. The communities whose culture had Been studied are kathi, rabari, charan, ahir, bharvad, kanbi, koli, mer, Bhansali, rajputs, brahmins, banias, meghvals, khojas, vohras, memons, Miyanas etc. The exhibits pertain to costumes and handmade articles by These communities.

14. City Museum

Swaminarayan Temple

Other Places in City

• Tomb of Ahmed Shah• Kite Museum• Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum• NC Mehta Gallery• Raj Babri Mosque• Science City• Akshardham Temple, Gandhinagar (20 Km from City)• Amar Dham

Promart Mega Mall +91-79-30073966Rani Super Stores +91-79-26762917

Reliance Mart +91-0-9328207288

Satish Kumar Naraindas +91-79-22125889

Shriji Shopping Centre +91-0-9909086910

Shukan Consumers Stores +91-79-22165357

True Mart +91-79-40039565

V Mart Retail Pvt Ltd +91-79-65412577

V-Mart Retail Pvt Ltd +91-79-26440956

Shopping Malls in Ahmedabad Contact No

10 Acres +91-79-30210049

Baronet Shopping Center +91-79-27503378

Varahi Consumers Stores +91-79-25354951

Vishal Mega Mart +91-79-26853731

Westside Depotmental Store +91-79-65610190

Bazar Kolkata +91-79-26402846

Bigbazar A Div F Pantaloon R I Ltd +91-79-30413800

Can Mart +91-79-26403019

Digjam Mills Retail Showroom +91-79-25432738

Galaxy Super Mall +91-79-25890614

Gallops Mall +91-79-40026664

Gayatri Shopping Centre +91-0-9426555653

Himalaya Entertainment Private Limited +91-79-30125951

Himalaya Mall +91-79-30125951

Iscon Mega Mall +91-79-64500349

Jade Blue Mens Fashion Store +91-79-26468800

Kenzer +91-79-26408792

Maha Chamunda Veer Enterprises +91-0-9227212356

Mini Moll +91-0-9879367672

National Handloom Corporation +91-79-26403474