Tale Of Four Cities

The state of Gujarat has been highly inventive when it comes to promoting itself in the field of tourism, often bringing forward new, exciting experiences for the discerning traveller. Though my stay in Gujarat was brief, I made the most of it, starting from the epicentre of culture, Ahmedabad, to the historical city of Champaner. I went on to explore some great cities, revealing a Gujarat I had not experienced before. The land of the Mahatma, this time, was wrapped in the colours of Navaratri and a vibe of celebrations was evident everywhere.

- Anish Arjunan

Ahmedabad—The Heritage City

Located on the river front of the Sabarmati, the Sabarmati Ashram still carries the scent of the era when the Mahatma used to reside here. It was from here that he marched to Dandi to protest against the salt tax. The ashram comprises of a museum, a room full of charkhas (spinning wheels), including the one used by Gandhiji himself. At Hridaya Kunj, Gandhiji’s home in the ashram, I met Pratima Ben, who happily took me around and gave me an insight into the life of the Father of the Nation and his ideology behind the “Wheel of Life” based on Satyagraha. I also happened to meet Mariam, a Polish national who has been mastering her skills on the charkha for the past three years and has developed her own philosophy while practising it. An enlightening experience for sure, which made me think of how a foreign national could connect to the teachings and values of Gandhiji, even decades after his demise.

Later on the tour, as we got down from the bus, the visitors rushed to the grill on the boundary of this striking monument to click pictures, for which our guide, Anand Bhai, announced, “This is Siddi Saiyyed Mosque that is famous for the Tree of Life.” This landmark is known for its unique window patterns, the Siddi Saiyyid ni jali, the latticework on windows depicting the ‘Tree of Life’, which inspired the logo of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. It was like a window into the glorious past of the Gujarat Sultanate. While I was still gazing at those intricate windows with the wonder of a child, Anand Bhai began narrating the story of how the mosque was built by Siddi Saiyyed, an Abyssinian in the army of the last Sultan of the Gujarat Sultanate, before the Mughal invasion. The magnificent structure is still in use and is well preserved.