Ahmedabad, Metropolitan city in Gujarat, India
Ahmedabad is a major city in Gujarat, northwest India, located on both banks of the Sabarmati river. The western bank shows modern high-rises and shopping centers, while the eastern side preserves narrow lanes with old stone buildings and wooden doors, several bridges connecting both parts with constant movement of pedestrians, bicycles and scooters.
Sultan Ahmed Shah founded the city in 1411 as capital of the Gujarat Sultanate, commissioning numerous mosques and palaces across the settlement. Later it grew into a major textile manufacturing center, earning the nickname Manchester of the East during the colonial period.
Street vendors sell grilled corn, fried snacks and sweet treats along the old city walls, filling the air with warm aromas. Families gather in public squares during the evening, while children run between stalls and grandparents sit on low benches chatting.
A public bus system with dedicated lanes connects residential areas to business districts, making it easier to move around the city. Many attractions sit in the eastern part, while western districts offer more modern amenities and hotels.
The old city contains over 360 pols, traditional housing clusters with carved wooden doors, inner courtyards and small towers called chabutras for feeding birds. These structures form a maze of narrow passages where neighbors know each other and share communal wells.
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