Ahmedabad is the largest city of Gujarat and an important industrial hub of India. In July 2017, Old Ahmedabad was declared as India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City. I had the privilege to explore Ahmedabad with a Street and Travel Photography Tour and could not get enough of it. The city is so beautiful and historic and I tried to go to as many places as possible. But in this post, I will list down my 15 favourite places in Ahmedabad.
If you are too bored to read ahead, watch my video about Ahmedabad…
If you are keen to read on, here are my 15 favourite places to visit in Ahmedabad.
1. Adalaj Stepwell
The Adalaj Stepwell was built in 1498 in the memory of Rana Veer Singh, by his wife Queen Rudadevi. That is why it is also called The Rudabai Stepwell. It is very intricately carved and is five-stories deep.
2. Ambapur Stepwell
Ambapur Stepwell is another stepwell in Ahmedabad built in the 15th century, although it doesn’t have any inscription. It is also intricately carved and is five stories deep. These stepwells were once an integral source of drinking water for the people of Gujarat.
3. Thol Lake
Thol Lake is an artificial freshwater lake near Thol village. It was constructed as an irrigation tank in 1912. It is home to about 150 species of both native and migratory birds like flamingos, pelicans, geese, ducks, lapwings, etc.
4. Raipur Kite Market
Raipur Kite Market is the best place to go shopping for kites and manjhas in Ahmedabad. The market is flooded with people, especially during the Kite Festival. You will find kites of different shapes, colours, and designs here.
5. Swaminarayan Temple
It is the oldest temple of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. Its architecture is based on Burma Teak Wood and every coloured arch and bracket is of a different shade. The Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad starts from Swaminarayan Temple.
6. Pols
A Pol is a housing cluster of many families of a particular group, religion, caste, or profession. The narrow lanes and timber houses of these Pols form an important part of the urban living space of Ahmedabad. At present, there are around 300 Pols in existence.
7. Manek Chowk
Manek Chowk is a vegetable market in the morning, jewellery market in the afternoon, and street food market in the night. It speaks volumes about the heritage of the city as it is surrounded by historical structures everywhere.
8. Baadshah no Hajiro
Baadshah No Hajiro is where Ahmed Shah I, the founder of Ahmedabad, has been buried. It lies to the West of Manek Chowk. Women are not allowed inside but I managed to click a few snaps from the outside.
9. Rani no Hajiro
Located right opposite to Baadshah no Hajiro, we have the Rani no Hajiro, where female members of the royal family of Ahmed Shah I, were buried. Both men and women are allowed inside the tombs.
10. Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid, also known as Jami or Jumma Masjid, was built by Ahmed Shah I in 1424, but still stands tall and strong. The mosque and arcades are built of beautiful yellow sandstone and carved with the intricate detail.
11. Sidi Saiyyed Mosque
The Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, also known as Sidi Saiyyid ni Jali, was built by Sidi Saiyyed in 1572-73 AD. This mosque is entirely arcuated and famous for its ten intricately carved stone latticework windows called jalis.
12. Dada Harir Vav
Another stepwell in Ahmedabad is the Dada Harir Stepwell, built in 1485 by Dhai Harir, a household lady of Mahmud Begada. Dhai Harir also built a mosque and tomb, where she was buried.
13. Sabarmati Riverfront
Sabarmati Riverfront is a waterfront being developed to turn the area into a valuable urban asset. It hosts several events like Sabarmati Marathon, Flower Show, International Kite Festival, and airshows.
14. Kankaria Lake
Kankaria Lake is the second largest lake in Ahmedabad. This lakefront has many public attractions like a zoo, amusement park, toy train, tethered balloon ride, water rides, food stalls, water park, and many more.
15. International Kite Festival
It is a visual treat to go to Ahmedabad during the Kite Festival, which is celebrated during the week of Makar Sankranti. The place is filled with huge kites of amazing shapes and designs.
I have been truly amazed by the heritage and vibrancy of the city of Ahmedabad. It is a haven full of tasty street food and perfect for street photography. One place that I could not cover on my trip is the Sabaramati Ashram. It was Gandhiji’s home and has now developed into a museum for him called the Gandhi Smarak Sanghralaya. If you are gonna visit Ahmedabad, you should definitely go to the Sabaramati Ashram, although I could not.
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Ahmedabad is an amazing city. I love this city. It is a very informative article. I truly enjoyed reading this. It enriched my knowledge about the beautiful place. Thank you for sharing….
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Thank you so much Chitra. I’m glad you liked my article.
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