SOME MORE OF AHMEDABAD

Ahmedabad grows on you - it is a city of paradoxes - it is modern in terms of infrastructure - good roads; electricity 24 x 7 - we do not remember any power stoppage for more than 30 seconds in our over 10 months of stay here; water - thanks to the Narmada project; the malls are some of the finest in the country; the city is going to be the 7th metro of India; aspiring for world heritage city status AND yet it is very traditional - joint families are still the norm - every one goes to 'native place' to celebrate all festivals, and there are plenty of them - navratri is the most colourful and famous when the city wakes up at night; 'kite festival' is another event when the sky, the trees, the electric wires are full of kites; it is still a Gujarati 'kem chho' city, where other's are not unwelcome - most settle down here once they get here; people are friendly; street food is the in thing; gujjus love to eat out; women are safe here - one can see single ladies on scooters late at night too. 

Stray bird and animal population is the largest in this city - birds - pigeons, crows, peacocks, sparrows, doves, etc. are in abundance; cows, dogs - every animal is over fed by some one or the other - religion.

Heritage sites are worth visiting. This 'jaali' of the Sidi Saiyad mosque is a treat - the carvings in this single rock must have taken some patience, tools and expertise - this jaali is the inspiration for the IIM-A logo. This is the view from the rear outside of the mosque - the previous post had the front inside view.

 Chaotic Ahmedabad with the Bhadra fort area in the backdrop - Ahmedabad's traffic sense is very very dismal - we can have a traffic jam here with just four vehicles going in four different directions.

 Beam support wood work with exquisite carvings in the 'Kala (Black) Ram Mandir - a private residence with a temple open to public.

 The pillars in the Jama Masjid mosque built in the 15th century - a mosque where women were permitted during prayers on an elevated platform with a one way view through a stone jaali

 The view of the Swami Narayan temple - the first temple of the sect built in Kalupur, Ahmedabad.