Ahmedabad: Gujarat
STD Code: 079
It is paradoxical that the fortified city of Ahmedabad, which witnessed conquests by the Mughals, Marathas and British is associated with Mahatma Gandhi who propagated non-violence to the rest of the world. Today the city is famous for its textile industry, weavers working in the alleys and block-printed fab¬rics and sarees drying on the banks of the Sabarmati river.
Halol, the industrial belt, has put Gujarat on the world map. Multinationals ure here with power, cellphone, textile, chemical units, setting up shop in and around the city as it grows with neither power cuts nor water shortage. The ideal place to begin a tour of Gujarat, from here head for circuits in Saurashtra, north, south Gujarat and Kutch. For those coming from south India it is a transit point to places in Rajasthan. An infrastruc¬ture of roads connects the city with tourist destinations in Rajasthan and Gujarat
Related Travel Information
Ahmedabad: By Rail
Important trains for Mumbai (572 km) are: Gujarat Mail, Gujarat Express, Kar-navati Express, Ahmedabad-Janta Express and Shatabdi Express from Ahmedabad to Mumbai Central, Kutch Express from Gandhidham to Mumbai via Ahmedabad, Saurashtra Janta Express from Ahmeda¬bad to Borivili (Mumbai), Saurashtra Mail from Dwaraka-Hapa to Mumbai via Ahmedabad and Saurashtra Express from Porbandar to Mumbai via Ahmedabad. Some other important trains are Sarvo-daya Express, Ashram Express, Aravalli Express, Delhi Mail and Delhi Express which connect the city with Delhi (886 km) and other destinations in north India. Navji-wan Express, Rajkot-Trivandrum Express, Gandhidham-Trivandrum Express and Cochin Express are southbound trains.
Ahmedabad: By Air
Ahmedabad, now an international air¬port, is connected to many international centres. Air India and Indian Airlines op¬erate direct services to Sharjah, Muscat, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, etc. and also connect other destinations through intermediate stations.
On the domestic network, Air India, In¬dian Airlines/Alliance Air, Jet Airways and Gujarat Airways connect the city with Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Calcutta, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Pune and Vadodara.
The airport is 10 km from downtown Ellis Bridge/Ashram Road area. Tourist taxis and auto-rickshaws are available at the airport for transfer to the city. A taxi charges about Rs. 150-200 and an auto-rickshaw from Rs.
Ahmedabad: By Road
State Road Transport Corporations (SRTC) of Gujarat, Maharashtra, tions-Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan provide regular bus services to Ahmedabad from all major centres in the area. In addition, Gujarat SRTC covers all parts of the state
Approximate Distances from Ahmedabad to other major destinations:
Ahwa (Dangs district capital, tribal area; S. Gujar¬at) 394 km; Amreli (district capital, railway station: Saurashtra) 258 km; Anand (dairy, animal husbandry centre: South Gujarat) 77 km; Baruch (district capital, railway sta¬tion: South Gujarat) 187 km; Bhavnagar (port city, former princely state, district capital, airport, base for visit to Palitana, Saurashtra) 204 km; Bhuj (Kutch district
Bird Sanctuaries: Gujarat
The Nalsarovar and Thol bird sanctuaries near Ahmedabad, the bird sanctuary and coastal creeks of Porbandar, and the Khijadiya bird sanctu¬ary, Lakota lake and reservoirs of Jamnagar district, offer splendid birding opportunities.
Textiles And Handicrafts : Gujarat
Is Well Known For Its Textiles. The Double Ikat Patola Silk Sari Of Patan Is Called The Queen Of Textiles. Ahmedabad Is Known For Its Tex¬tile Industry. Surat Is The Centre For Intri¬cately Woven Textiles Like The Tanchoi Sari
(Above) Beautifully Embroidered Jacket Of A Bharwad At The Tarnetar Fair In Saurashtra
And Zari. Kutch And Saurashtra Are Known For Embroidery, Bandhini Tie-Dye, Block Printing, Applique And Other Tradi¬tional Textiles. Lacquered Wood Crafts, Brassware, Silver Jewellery And Other Handicrafts Thrive In Gujarat.
