AHMADABD  :- Ahmadabad the largest city in Gujarat blends an ancient heritage with a vibrant present. Itnurtures in its pages of history, a breath of harmony and a show-case of exquisite harmony. The city is named after a Sultan who founded it in 1411 and graced it with splendid monuments. Ahmedabad is also known for its association with the Apostle of peace Mahatma Gandhi whose ashram is on the banks of River Sabarmati which is now a national pilgrimage site. Ahmadabad is the second largest prosperous city in Western India. It is a place where tradition and modernity co-exist in perfect harmony. The climate of the state is moist in the southern districts and dry towards the northern sides. Ahmedabad has been a city where a lot of action, reaction and interaction between various ethnic and linguistic forces has taken place which has resulted in the synthesis of many races and cultures. It is a land of gentle, dignified.

AHMEDABAD SIGHTSEEING

SABARMATI ASHRAM AHMEDABAD :-  Seven km from the centre of town, on the west bank of the Sabarmati River, this was Gandhi's headquarters during the long struggle for Indian independence. His ashram was founded in 1915 and still makes handicrafts, handmade paper and spinning wheels. Gandhi's spartan living quarters are preserved as a small museum and there is a pictorial record of the major events in his life.

BHADRA FORT & TEEN DARWAJA AHMEDABAD :- Bhadra Fort was built by the city's founder, Ahmed Shah, in 1411 and later named after the goddess Bhadra, an incarnation of Kali. It now houses government offices and is of no particular interest. There is a post office in the former Palace of Azam Khan, within the fort. To the east of the fort stands the triple gateway, or Teen Darwaja, from which sultans used to watch processions from the palace to the jama Masjid.

JAMA MASJID AHMEDABAD : - The Jama Masjid, built in 1423 by Ahmed Shah, is beside Mahatma Gandhi Rd, just to the east of the Teen Darwaja. Although 260 columns support the roof and its 15 cupolas, the two 'shaking' minarets lost half their height in the great earthquake of 1819, and another tremor in l957 completed the demolition Much of this early Ahmedabad mosque was built using items salvaged from the demolished Hindu and jain temples. It is said that a large black slab by the main arch is actually the base of a Jain idol, buried upside down for the Muslim faithful to tread on.

SIDI SAIYAD'S MOSQUE AHMEDABAD :- This small mosque, which once formed part of the city wall, is close to the river end of Relief Rd. It was constructed by Sidi Saiyad, a slave of Ahmed Shah, and has beautiful carved stone windows depicting the intricate intertwining of the branches of a tree.

RANI RUPMATI'S MOSQUE :-   little north of the city Centre, Rani Rupmati's Mosque was built between 1430 and 1440 and named after the sultan's Hindu wife. The minarets were partially brought down by the disastrous earthquake of 1819. Note the way the dome is elevated to allow light in around its base. As with so many of Ahmedabad's early mosques, this one displays elements of both Hindu and Islamic design.

SHAKING MINARETS  AHMEDABAD :-  Just south of the railway station, outside the Sarangpur Gate, the Sidi Bashir Mosque is famed for its shaking minarets, or jhulta minars. When one minaret is shaken, the other rocks in sympathy. This is said to be a protection against earthquake damage. It's a fairly fanciful proposition, and one which you'll be unable to verify, unless of course you happen to be on the spot during an earthquake