My Ahmedabad

My Ahmedabad

Located on the bank of river Sabarmati, Ahmedabad is my birthplace. My father migrated from a village to Ahmedabad in 1934.

Started with Ashaval, then Karnavati (13th century) village in the beginning, now with the merger of many villages and the wall city, it is a metropolitan city of 7.2 million people.

During Solanki Empire Patan was the capital of Gujarat. The design of Patan (fortified by Muslim Sultans) was copied while making Ahmedabad. After acquiring the independent Saltanat of Gujarat, when Sultan Ahmed Shah was passing through the area, a rabbit attacked over his hunting dog. Ahmed Shah realized the strength of the soil of this land and decided to build a capital city of his Kingdom. "Kutta pe jab Sassa aya, Ahmedshah ne sahar basaya”. That is how the city of Ahmedabad was founded on 26 February 1412. Mahmood Begada fortified the Pole city of Ahmedabad into a Wall city of Ahmedabad in 1487, with outer wall, 12 Gates, Windows and beautiful Poles inside.

Kankaria (Houz-i-Qutb), the famous lake of the city was built by Sultan Qutbuddin in 1451. The centre garden Nagina Wadi (Bage Nagina), the garden was my 'Open Air Reading Room' to get into IAS. Big thank you to the present PM, who as CM, motivated the team Ahmedabad to make it the world class Amusement Park. It became more famous with Kankaria Carnival during Christmas Time.

Many buildings and monuments were  built during the Saltnat and Mughal time. Akbar conquered Ahmedabad and Gujarat in 1573, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb had served here as Governors.

During Maratha rule in 18th century, the city was under the conflict between Peshva's of Poona and Gaekvad of Baroda. Peshva, without any preparation, tried to capture Haveli of Gaekvad. They couldn't get Haveli but lost Gujarat to the Gaekvad. From that day, an axiom in Gujarati is popular, Haath Ma Dando, Bagal Ma Moi, Haveli Leta Gujarat Khoi.

Gopalrao (12Y), the second son a farmer Kashirao was adopted, renamed as Sayajirao, he ascended the throne of Baroda State in 1875. The way he became fortunate to travel from the Farm to the Thorne, Gujarat including Ahmedabad prosper under his rule particularly in the area of education, social reforms, watershed management, modernization, etc. He pioneered Governance in Government.

Sheth Ranchodlal Chotalal, the entrepreneur of Ahmedabad,  founded the first Textile Mill (Shahpur Mill) of Ahmedabad on 30 May 1861. Later Sheth Ambalal Sarabhai, Kasturbhai Lalbhai, Mafatlal, Jaikrishna Harivallabh, Arvind Mill etc, expanded the city in the east building more than 84 textile mills. Ahmedabad became the Manchester of the East.

The smoke lines of boilers of mills in the sky of Ahmedabad, was the flags of it's prosperity. Labourers houses were delighted on 7th and 22nd date of each month when the labourers carry Rs. 25 and Rs. 7 respectively in their pockets as wage money. These two were the feast days for the labourers families, rest were the days of dal-pani.

After returning from South Africa, Gandhi was in search of a place for the Ashram. He first established an Ashram at Paladi Kocharab in 1915, then due to frequent malaria to residents of Ashram, a new Ashram was established (the present one) as Satyagrah Ashram in 1917. With Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad became the Epicenter of Indians Freedom Movement. Gandhi launched Salt Satyagrah (Civil Disobedience), the famous Dandi March on 12 March 1930. As pledged, (kagda kutra na mote marish, parantu swaraj lidha vina pachho nahi faru) he never returned to this Ashram thereafter. Under Gandhi's guidance, Ansuyaben Sarabhai founded Textile Labour Association (Majoor Mahajan Sangh) to protect the interests of the workers. Many workers participated in the freedom struggle.

Mills created jobs, brought prosperity and made eastern Ahmedabad, the city of chawls and slums. Then comes Dhirubhai Ambani. His entry in textiles with Naroda Mill, making  synthetic fabric opened a new challenge to the cotton textile mills of Ahmedabad. He couldn't grow much in that front but his Vimal (name of his nephew) brand synthetic clothes was a challenge to many brands of cotton fabrics. Later Dhrubhai tried stock trading and his Reliance become reliance of millions, opened a new door of Public Finances for Private Entrepreneurs. Not walking with time, non productive, non competitive, many mills were closed down in and after 1984. Workers moved from Textile Industry to auto rickshaws driving, building construction, readymade garments, diamond polishing, gems and jewellery, etc. Arvind Mill continued flying the Textile Flag of Ahmedabad, as one of the three largest producers of Denim in the world. But the fall of textiles brought more poverty, depression and Alcohol in East Ahmedabad.

After establishment of Gujarat on 1 May 1960, Ahmedabad became it's capital. The Sachivalya was started in "Panjara Pole" and HoDs were established in "Mental Hospital" area. And the IAS officers coming to serve the State has to stay at "New Mental Vishram Griha". The administration of Gujarat was moving from New Mental to Mental and then to Panjara Pole. Later, all shifted to Gandhinagar. Lol.

The first GIDC of Gujarat was established in Naroda Ahmedabad in 1965. Later Vatva, Odhav, Narol have been added. Textiles Industry promoted the establishment of dyes and intermediates and later the pharmaceutical. The chemical journey of Gujarat started from Ahmedabad.

The city population is increasing. It was 116,900 in 1901; 788,300 in 1951; 3.52 million in 2001 and 5.57 million in 2011 census. The metropolitan and  AUDA together may cross the figure of 7.5 million.

For education and jobs, villagers are migrating to the city of Ahmedabad continuously. Their economic conditions decide their locations in the city. The better ones settle in Western part of the city and the poor settle in Eastern Ahmedabad. The West Ahmedabad talks about 2 BHJ, 3 BHK, 5 BHK, Bungalow, Tenements; the East Ahmedabad talks about Oradi, Zupada, Chapara. The division of Rich and Poor Ahmedabad is visible.

Poor Ahmedabad is living in depression. The living conditions of many are pathetic. One retired Mamlatdar went to a Chapara area behind Civil Hospital yesterday. He saw 1000 people living in 250 Chapara, an area of few square meters. The internal walk ways are narrow with 2-3 feet space. The dead body can't be moved out on Arthi.

Slums Ahmedabad is inhaling more acids and carbon dioxide than oxygen. Their lungs are under attack of disease. But more serious is the threat to their liver. The addiction of alcohol is killing the youths at early age. The numbers of Windows, may be increasing. How could the 400,000 students of the area, going to school and colleges, can excel in their academic performance? Unhealthy living condition and Alcohol are ruining the life of many in Eastern Ahmedabad.

You have heard about Rastravad, Samyavad, Samajvad, etc, but We Amdabadi have one more Vad, "Amdavad"!

Ame Amdavadi, difficult to convince and difficult to win. Economy is in our blood. We share one cup of tea amongst three, we make 4 adheli (200 paise) out of 1 rupee, and when all bring varieties of snacks in the picnic, we don't forget carrying out brother to enjoy the dishes. We can't live without Raipur Bhajia, Manekchok Jyafat, Panipuri, Dhokala, Khaman, Cholafali, Ganthia, Sev, Mamara, ...a long list, mouth watering dishes. We are Amdavadi, victorious in all odds.

"Ame Amadavadi, jyanu pani lavyu, bharat ni azadi, ame amdavadi” (The water of Ahmedabad brought the Independence of India, we are proud to be Amdavadi).

Punamchand
10 February 2016