Paying homage to India's greatest, Gandhi, of Ahmedabad, India 10/2023 (Stop 8)

6 October 2023 Ahmedabad
After 2 days in Mumbai, I took a night train to arrive in Ahmedabad at 6.30 a.m. Stepping into the arrival hall, many were still sleeping snugly on the floor, like on their warm beds. They made do.

Arriving at the Ahmedabad train station in the early morning

I bought a couple of bananas for my breakfast and started walking. I carried the banana peel for an hour looking for the rubbish bins, not realizing that I was surrounded by rubbish dumps. I also carried some bird food to keep me going until lunchtime. Excited to peel Ahmedabad.

In front of my hotel was the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, a small old mosque. After a quick look around, I walked to the Bhadra Fort and the Sabarmati Riverfront. It was nice and cool in the morning, with a couple of lazy dogs slumbering on the bench, totally disregarding proper decorum. I immediately noticed how free of rubbish the river was. I would come across a few old city gates, among them, Teen Darwaza was full of street vendors, the throbbing heartbeat of the city keenly felt. The Jama Mosque is a historic mosque in the old part of the city, with a big inner courtyard that provides sanctuary from the chaos outside. The Rani no Hajiro is a hidden gem, surrounded and obscured by other buildings much less her equal, every corner and wall was stacked with merchandise and household items. Someone unlocked the gate to let me into the big inner courtyard where tombs of queens were laid. Rani no Hajiro could have been resplendent, but it was unloved. Snow White was still a maid.

The day was coming to an end. I quickly dashed to the Hutheesing Jain Temple. Wow, what an exquisite piece of marble carving. It was like an enormous wood carving of the most elaborate and intricate designs, with hardly any flat surfaces. Many stone images, almost lifelike, adorned its walls. It was built to showcase.

So, in one day I covered these sites – no mean feat crossing many streets in the chaotic traffic. Every second seemed so in your face, yet none was aggressive or intimidating. It was way too much to process – a day of sensory overload, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Oh dear, I am turning into a junky.

On the second day, I visited the Gandhi Ashram, where Gandhi had lived and fought his fights. He was born in Gujarat. I always remember the image of a frail man but with an indomitable spirit. He is the most widely known Indian. I must come to see him, no matter how humble his abodes are. I, too, detest violence.

Paying homage to Gandhi at Gandhi Ashram

I then rode a rickshaw 20 km from the city to Adalaj Stepwell. In some parts of India, stepwells were built in old times with steps descending to the water level, providing the residents with water for daily use. Well, this is a well that is more than a well. It did not just serve a utilitarian purpose but was built and styled to look like an elaborately designed monument – one of a kind.

In Ahmedabad, I saw much more of India. The people slept almost anywhere like birds dozing off on any tree branch. They discarded any rubbish and wrappers with just a toss and didn’t care where they landed. They spat from chewing betel nuts and stained the city. Some wore shoes, many only slippers while laboring, some barefoot. These behaviors felt poignant, especially in a place already so congested.

The 3 S’s of India – sight, smell, and sound – are like no other. It is a colorful people with the freedom to make noise and one of the oldest civilizations. We should not expect less from them.