I finally did it. After months of deliberation and thinking and all the possible excuses I can think of, I finally put down to words about the place I love the most in this world – Ahmedabad. Its the place where I grew up, where I had so many happy memories. This isn’t going to be a review of my personal memories of Ahmedabad, but its just some thoughts which I wanted to write on this beautiful city.
Literally speaking, Ahmedabad is NOT a tourist destination at all. No it has not got any famous tourist spots to really think of. There are not even some world class hotels which Bangalore has, nor it has half the number of gardens Bangalore has! But still, there is an aura of this city which remains on everyone’s mind. Ahmedabad from far looks like a sleepy little city, but to really enjoy Ahmedabad, one needs to stay at least ONE year to see what life has to offer there. Yeah, I mean it; you need One year to enjoy Ahmedabad!
General Life
The first thing which is immediately noticeable is the helpful nature of the people here. No where…and I mean it, no where on this earth will you find more helpful people. The social life in Ahmedabad is amazing. Friendship is a very important thing for people here. Friendships between people take high priorities here, and because of this, you may find people doing more favors than any where else! Ahmedabad can be simply stated as the safest city in India. Even 2.00 clock in the night seems like 9.00 sometimes. Its one of those places where women can walk all alone at night, and yet be safe. Business being a prominent thing here, you will find many people in business only. One of the best things I like about Gujarat is that it’s a dry state, and though beer flows like water, it still makes a difference.
Festivals
This is where Gujarat simply scores above other places in India. Every festival is celebrated grandly here, and there are no two ways about it. The festivities begin with Uttrayan ( Makar Sankranti), where people fly kites for two whole days, and enjoy Undhiyo and Jalebis ( a delicacy made specially on those days). Kite flying is something to be seen here, with the amount of passion the festival is celebrated. This is also my favorite festival. Come January, and I always miss Ahmedabad for not being there! Holi too is celebrated in a grand way, and so is Diwali. Infact, Gujarati new year is the next day of Diwali, and it causes more celebration amongst people. The festive atmosphere at that time is simply superb! But the festival that takes the cake is Navaratri!. The festival is celebrated for 9 nights in full grandeur and opulence. The whole of Ahmedabad comes to life for the 9 nights of Garba, and Raas-Dandiya ( folk dances of Ahmedabad). Its one festival to been seen and enjoyed. ( Readers might now get a idea as to why I say that one should stay in Ahmedabad for a year to actually enjoy it!!!).
Youth life, Education
Ahmedabad houses two of the finest schools in India, that is IIM-A and the NIFT. IIMA is simply spectacular. The roads along the IIM-A is also one of the most happening places. There are lots of stalls here which get crowded as the night progresses. There are couple of good schools, and my school (obviously!) being the best amongst them! Youth life is pretty cool here and commerce takes a more important stream than engineering here.
Entertainment
Ahmedabadis love entertainment. And its in any form of entertainment. Nothing compares to the road side Pani-Puri or Dabelis which are a staple diet of people here! It’s a must to eat them on road side at least twice a week!!!! On the other hand, Ahmedabad also houses some of the best multiplexes in India. There are currently four, and all four of them are great places to visit and enjoy movies! C.G road is the most happening place in Ahmedabad, and this is where most of the activity is. Of course its also the most costliest area in the city, though its isn’t s costly as Bangalore is! There are all major food chains here too. It is a interesting fact that the PIZZA HUT here is the ONLY pure vegetarian Pizza Hut in the world! The Tomatoes and Mirch Masala hotels are also damn good providing a nice blend of food. If Gujarathi food is to be had, then there is nothing like Vishala. Vishala is a village-setting restaurant, serving authentic gujarati food in the traditional way. If you want to enjoy a bird view…then the hotel patang too exists here which is situated around 200 feet upwards on a tower and is a revolving hotel. It does give a nice view of Ahmedabad!
Sightseeing!
As I mentioned earlier, this is not a tourist spot. But then there a couple of places where one can go. The shaking minarets are one of them. Though the place is not littered, it was once a good destination in Ahmedabad. The proximity of Gandhinagar being so near makes it a ideal place to visit. The Akshardham ( Swami Narayan temple) is something to be seen. It is grand and beautiful. There are a couple of other places too, but they are situated outside of Ahmedabad, and it wouldn’t make sense to put them here. On the whole, there are very few tourist destinations in this city.
Finally
I could have never finished this review! There are so many many things about this place that I could go on writing about Ahmedabad for ever. But I have to end this review, else the reader will get bored! But yeah, before signing off, I would say the same thing again: if you want to enjoy Ahmedabad, come here for a year. I bet you will not feel like leaving this place ever again.
Welcome to life: Ahmedabad.