I believe that there is a lot to see or learn from one single place as every place has a story of its own. This year we decided to visit western India, as this was yet another unique part of our incredible country. With the usual excitement, we started for our first destination – Ahmedabad, the largest city and the former capital of Gujarat, with a lot of history to explore. Ahmedabad is closely associated with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the father of our nation; the city is popular as the Manchester of the East, as it is known for its textile mills.
In the heart of Ahmedabad, pols are the narrow lanes that make up old Ahmedabad. Each pol is a world in itself, awash with stories that go down generations. Our hotel was near the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, Lal Darwaja in Old Ahmedabad, so I got to experience the contrast between the old city and its modern counterpart.
There is a lot to explore in Ahmedabad, from the narrow lanes to the huge science city, Ahmedabad has it all. We enjoyed our Gujarati thali, consisting of dal, papad, rice, roti, two lentil curries, etc. Interestingly, the dal is sweet, but the other curries are very spicy. I saw some people eat with both hands, which is quite uncommon.
We visited the Bhadra Fort, which is believed to have taken its name after a temple of Bhadra Kali, a form of Goddess Lakshmi, which was established during the Maratha rule. The city gets its name from Sultan Ahmad Shah, who built a walled capital and named it after himself, the fort is just beside the local market.
Next, we went to the Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar. It is a spiritual place and it opens up the horizons of faith. Ahmedabad’s Science City is a great place to know all about science and the universe; it is well-run and is a great place of learning for school students. Then there is the beautiful Kankariya Lake, a round water body and toy trains are available for going around the lake. And since the Sabarmati River passes through the city, the riverfront is a nice place to spend your mornings and evenings.
After two days in Ahmedabad, we started our journey to the Gir National Park, the last surviving habitat of the Asiatic Lion. We went for a jungle safari and spotted deer, jackals, vultures, a leopard and above all, we saw three lionesses, along with a lion and his cub. Peacocks and peahens are quite common in the area of Sasan Gir. After the Gir visit was over, we stopped by to visit the Somnath Temple. Somnath has both mythological and historical significance. It is said that the celestial deity moon had prayed to Lord Shiva to restore its light. And on mythological basis, many kings of India had built the Somnath Temple and it became a grand centre of learning, culture and living. When Mahmud of Ghazni heard of its riches, he came to Somnath and plundered most of its wealth. The Somnath that stands today has been built after Independence, keeping the original design and style of architecture. There is a light and sound show on the shores of the sea, by the temple, and the whole story of Somnath is narrated here.
It’s a beautiful place, the gentle sea and its beaches perfect for morning or evening frolicking and the weather is never too hot. One actually needs to cover themselves up with woollens at night, as it’s very windy.
We, thus, ended our trip, planning to leave the rest for another time!
