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Location
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On a quiet stretch of the Sabarmati river is the Gandhi Ashram set up in 1920. During the lifetime of Mahatma Gandhi it was known as Satyagraha Ashram and was the center of India's freedom movement. It was from here, in 1930, that the Mahatma began his famous "Dandi March" to the sea to protest against the Salt Tax imposed by the British. 'Hridaya Kunj', the simple cottage where he lived, is preserved as a National Monument. A Gandhi Memorial Center, a Library and a Sound-and-Light spectacle offer an interesting insight into the Mahatma's life and work.
Ahmedabad has a large number of Mosques. One of the most famous is Sidi Sayed Mosque which is acclaimed for it's splendid Jali screen, framed, in the ten semi-circular windows. A superb and peerless example of delicate carving that transforms stone into filigree.
It is a gallery housing the collaborative effort of artist M. F. Hussain and the architect B. V. Doshi. Here, art and architecture fuse to become a unique experience, both complementing each other magnificently. It is located in the campus of the Center for Environment Planning and Technology, opposite Gujarat University. The Gufa is a configuration of cave-like structures buried under the ground. This marvel of contemporary architecture was constructed using computer aided design and tribal initiative.
The Calico Museum of Textiles, widely regarded as one of the finest textile museums in the world was constructed in 1949. The Museum has no less than five centuries of the finest fabrics spun, woven, printed and painted in different parts of India. It also has a collection of marble, sandstone and bronze icons and busts split in two thematic sections-galleries for religious textiles and historical textiles.
Akshardham is a unique cultural complex built in Gandhinagar in memory of Lord Swaminarayan. Inspired by H. D. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Akshardham is a miracle worked by the service and devotion of thousands of volunteers. It is an intricately carved, majestic monument of 6000 tons of pink sand stone awash with spiritual stillness. The entire monument was built without the use of steel. Besides a 7 feet gold leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan and his holy relics, there are three exhibitions on Indian Culture with light and Sound shows, a multimedia show and an animatronic show. Games, rides and food refreshments are other attractions of
Akshardham.
These wells are amongst the best examples of ancient Indian architecture. These step wells are exquisitely carved, and run several storeys deep. One of the striking features of this ancient architectural marvel was that, in summers, it kept the place cool, and stored water at the same time.
One of the finest mosques in India with 260 pillars supporting 15 domes at different elevations. It was build by Ahmad Shah in 1423 and is located in the center of the old city.
Siddi Bashir Mosque is known for its Shaking Minaret or Jhulta Minar. When one minaret is shaken, the another begins to vibrate. The mosque was obviously built by master craftsmen and the crucial mechanism that causes the vibration is still a mystery.
Built outside Delhi Gate in 1850 by a rich Jain Merchant, this is the best known of Ahmedabad's many ornate Jain Temples. Built of pure white marble and profusely decorated with rich carvings, the Hatheesing Temple is dedicated to Dharamnath, the 15th Jina or Jain apposite.
It is a circular lake constructed in 1451 by Sultan Qutubub-Din. In the center of the lake is an island garden with a summer palace known as Nagina Wadi. The lake is a popular recreation center surrounded by parks, 'Bal Vatika', an aquarium, a boat club, a natural history museum and a zoo.
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Gandhi Ashram
Sidi Sayed Jali
Akshardham
Adalaj Step Wells
Jama Masjid
Hatheesing Temple
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