As we continue our tour of Ahmedabad, you will find four more of the places that are rich in history, with something for everyone. By the time you have explored even half of what is available, you will agree that this is one of the richest vacations you have embarked upon.
The Calico Museum of Textiles is widely regarded as one of the finest textile museums in the world. Built in 1949, the Museum has over 500 years of the finest fabrics spun, woven, printed and painted in different parts of India. It also has a collection of marble, sandstone and bronze icons and busts. These latter displays are split into two thematic sections-a gallery for religious textiles and one for historical textiles.
Kankaria Lake is circular lake constructed in 1451 by Sultan Qutubub-Din. At the center of the lake is an island garden with a summer palace, known as Nagina Wadi. The lake is a popular recreation center surrounded by parks, ‘Bal Vatika’, an aquarium, a boat club, a natural history museum and a zoo. This is one of the most family-oriented places to visit and you should plan an entire day for this.
The Mosque of Sidi Sayed, near Lal Darwaja is world-renowned for its magnificent stone tracery, in particular, the splendid Jali screen, which is framed with ten semi-circular windows. It is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture and its models in miniature are the best-known souvenirs of the city.
The Siddi Bashir Mosque is best known for its Shaking Minaret or Jhulta Minar. When one minaret is shaken the other one begins to vibrate. The mosque was obviously built by master craftsmen and the crucial mechanism that causes the vibration is still a mystery.
Architectural Wonders of Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad is rich in architectural art.
Built by Ahmad Shah in 1423, Jama Masjid is the primary mosque of the Islamic era, situated at the heart of the city. The mosque was built in the Indo- Saracenic architectural era and is said to be the most beautiful mosque in the East. The mosque has 260 pillars supporting 15 domes arranged symmetrically.
A special feature of the mosque is the Muluk-Khana, or the Royal Gallery, which is a platform standing on pillars and enclosed upto the roof with beautiful stonework. Named after the Hindu wife of Sultan Mohammed Beghara, the Rani Rupmati’s Mosque was built between 1430 to 1440 A. D. It has three domes supported by pillars with the central dome slightly elevated so as to allow natural light into the mosque. The mosque has richly carved minarets, balcony windows and perforated stone lattices. Its three domes are linked together by a flat roof. However, the mosque and tomb of Rani Sipri at Astodia surpasses it for its planning and structural arrangement. Popularly known as Masjid-e-Nagina, this mosque is the most exquisite gem of Ahmedabad.
Hatheesing Jain Temple was built outside Delhi Gate in 1850 by Sheth Hatheesing, a rich Jain Merchant. This is the best known of Ahmedabad’s many ornate Jain Temples. Built of pure white marble, it has a paved courtyard surrounded by an imposing row of cloisters containing 52 shrines, each with an image of a tirthankara, profusely decorated with rich carvings, one containing the marble image of the 15th tirthankar. The temple is a two-storied structure with elaborate porches on three sides and front porch crowned by a large dome. It was designed by Premchand Salat and is dedicated to Dharmanath, the fifteenth Jina or Jain apostle.