Enchanting network of narrow winding streets interconnect seemingly disorderly domestic enclaves of this picturesque century old city. These streets, known in local language as ‘Pols’, harbour rows of exquisite courtyard houses. They provide a protective envelope analogous to the emperor’s fort; simultaneously containing elements of privacy, security, comfort and culture. As a preserve of women of high status, even provide an architectural ‘purdah’. The soul of such a house is outside the body of rooms and yet contained within a structure. It is an ‘outside’ that is ‘inside’. This inner court controlling heat and glare, transforms living into a sacred ritual. Seeing a ‘pol’ house is really witnessing patterns of Gujarati culture.

Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat, is located in western India, only an hour’s flight from Mumbai. Today it is a large metropolis studded with elements of contemporary lifestyle coexisting with rich traditional culture. It began as a Hindu kingdom of the Solanki ruler, King Karnadeva Vagehra. Named Karnavati, it flourished till early fifteenth century. In 1411, Sultan Ahmed Shah conquered it and renamed to Ahmedabad. Over a period of time the town expanded to hold beautiful mosques in Mogul architectural style within its fort wall adorned with 12 majestic gates. The mid eighteenth century saw Hindu kings returning to power only to surrender soon to the British rule. In their customary methodical application, British developed the city and established Municipality, Railway, Circuit houses and elaborate planning apparatus. Just as Muslim rulers added grand architectural character to the city and left an indelible mark, British also added layers of orderliness and nourished the merchant class to help develop this city into a textile hub of India. In recent times, philanthropists have brought distinguished institutions to the city to enrich its intellectual and social life. Ahmedabad today is surging towards a universal metropolis containing ubiquitous shopping centres, gardens, entertainment centres and a spanking new airport, along with a clutch of fine institutions. In an amazing amalgam of old and new it simultaneously fosters modernity and tradition with aplomb. In layering with this checkered history and its rich expressive monuments, the city offers the visitor an unique view to this splendid blend of cultures. Surely its most revered historical fragment is the Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram, Mahatma’s abode of many years and the centre of his major political activities.

A cultural tourist exploring sights of India can be rewarded with a unique window to Gujarati traditions and their modern achievements with a short two and half days visits to this jewel of western India. One can easily cross herds of cows being guided by brilliantly clad Rabaris (shepherds) on the way to a fine monument of antiquity. Simultaneously, visit contemporary institutional buildings conceived in arresting styles. A fine aid to such a quest is acquisition of a copy of Setu City Map. This is a superbly printed guide with area maps precisely indicating important tourist attractions, monuments, buildings and much more.

One of the unique forms of old monuments in Ahmedabad, is the subterranean structure for conserving water in dry hot climate. This step well with profusion of elaborately carved stone columns, brackets and wall friezes, is an architectural marvel. Dada Harir’s Vav (well) constructed in 1501 is located in Asarwa area near the main Railway Station. A five-storey building built entirely underground with series of ascending steps, resting platforms and alternating open courts, gradually takes you to the inner depths of water well. Grand blend of utility and art has rendered it poetic. So visit to the city is deemed incomplete without a sojourn to Asarwa stepwell. A similar experience awaits the cultural tourist at the Jami Masjid, also built in red stone in a highly developed Ahmedabad Mogul style of construction deploying Hindu craftsmanship.

Ahmedabad is mercilessly warm in summer but thoroughly enjoyable in winter. With a spate of festivals in offing, a trip in winter is infinitely more memorable. As local festival dates are based on lunar calendar, they tend to be variable every year. Except, the Makar Sankrant. This is a lunar Kite Festival day that is always celebrated on the fourteenth of January. The whole city moves on its terraces flying paper fighter kites with glass coated thread. One can witness a million colourful squares dancing in the mellow winter sky, like paintings of Paul Klee or mobiles of sculptor Alexander Calder. A delightful cultural event that transforms the entire city into an art form for a day! Ahmedabad is one of the five major Indian cities that enjoy this aesthetic sport with gusto and is undoubtedly the most intense.

On the other end of the spectrum, modern Ahmedabad offers beautiful museums, institutes and culinary delights. A dinner at Vishala garden restaurant with its wondrous utensils museum promises an unforgettable experience. Located on the outskirts of the city is this vegetarian eatery styled as a village square. Authentic Indian food is served in typical village environment enhanced with lantern lights accompanied by live folk music. A soothing evening under the stars can never be bypassed by a sensitive visitor. This gastronomic delight is coupled with an informal utensils museum that displays large traditional culinary vessels that almost appear sculptural in their voluptuous embodiment.

Another museum of international repute is the famous Calico Museum assembled over generations by art loving premier industrialist family, Sarabhais. Just as the collection of art on fabric is rich and invaluable, so is the sensitive display. An old house at Sahibaug is enlarged with discarded components of traditional havelis and passionately converted into a ‘treasure house’ of textile art. As this is a private museum, prior arrangements are pre-requisite for a visit. But once inside, a spectator is transferred into another era, in a world of rare beauty and richness bestowing an exhilarating historical perceptive.

Philanthropist Sarabhais also set up the National Institute of Design. This institute trains students, provides professional services to industry and conducts research in fields of industrial design and visual communications. Built in sylvan environs on riverbanks, it is surrounded with trees, peacocks and verdant lawns. Students learn multidisciplinary design logic with specially chosen national and international faculty to produce designs for consumer comforts and a better India. N.I.D’s unique collection of well designed consumer objects from around the globe, as well as their own design display, give insight into modern India’s proud design output that is as scintillating as yesterday’s crafts.

Indian growth was also visualized through a focus on creating its new management capabilities. The Indian Institute of Management was thus founded in early sixties in collaboration with Harvard University to meet this urgent national need. The I.I.M. sits on a vast land at Vastrapur, designed by famed American architect Louis I. Kahn and supervised by a team of architects from the National Institute of Design. This modern residential institute is built entirely in traditional brick construction and with its contemporary design responsive to local climate, is now a much admired campus. Needless to say I.I.M’s dynamic education program is also developing greatly sought after new managers and entrepreneurs. This is Ahmedabad’s premier institute and along with NID and IIT, forms an intellectual backbone of emergent modern India. They together have carved a deep imprint on the psyche of contemporary persona of the nation.

Presence of French architect Le Corbusier with his Sanskar Kendra and Mill Owner’s Association designs as well as Louis Kahn, has greatly contributed to the development of the city’s contemporary architectural language of repute. In fact, students of architecture from around the world are continually visiting to pay their tribute to extraordinary traditional and contemporary architecture of this city. In turn it has inspired many local architects to produce outstanding works. One such fine example is Ahmedabad Ni Gufa located at the Gujarat University campus. A distinctive, largely invisible structure shows off only its roof domes that appear like some alien space craft. In its windowless rambling form it holds works of India’s celebrated senior painter M.F. Husain. One could easily surmise that a brief visit to Ahmedabad can not be precluded from any plans to visit India along with a visit to this modern cave museum perhaps as its climax.

Winner of several awards Sen Kapadia is an eminent architect, planner and educationist based in Mumbai. He is presently involved in designing distinctive ecological buildings for ashram, college, office tower and courtyard houses harnessing solar energy.