Ahmedabad

State: Gujarat

Main languages: Gujarati and Kutchi

 

History:

 

The city of Ahmedabad is the largest city in the state of Gujarat. It is located on the banks of the river Sabarmati. It was founded in the year 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah and was ordered to serve as the capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat. During the British rule the city was under military cantonment and the infrastructure of city was modernized and expanded. It was incorporated into Bombay Presidency during this period but remained one of the most important cities in Gujarat. The city earned the title of 'Manchester of the East'. It also played a vital role in the Independence movement of India and included the start of events like the civil disobedience movement. Ahmedabad was the capital of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970 after which the capital was shifted to Gandhinagar. 

 

Geography & Climate:

 

Located at 23.03° N 72.58° E, Ahmedabad has an elevation of 53 meters. It is located in north central Gujarat and extends over an area of 79.15 square miles. The city also experiences extreme weather conditions with arid and sandy summers. Many localities here are spread in sand. Deforestation has made this region more prone to hot spells. The river Sabarmati also dries up during the summer. The small hills of Thatlej- Jodhpur Tekra are the only small hills in the region. Two main lakes lie within the city. These are the Kankaria Lake and Vastrapur Lake. The city falls under the seismic zone-III which makes it prone to earthquakes and high damage risks. Summers are hot and last from March to June, while November to February is the cold months. Monsoon is brought by southwest winds from mid-June to mid-September. The average rainfall is 93.2 cm only.

 

Culture:

 

The city of Ahmedabad has a thriving cultural tradition. There are various ethnic and cultural activities going on through out the year. 14th January is their annual kite flying day. Then there are the famous 9 nights of 'Navratri' where the traditional Gujarati dance 'garba' is performed. Other Indian festivals like Deepavali are also celebrated with grandeur. The mixed culture groups here encourage the celebration of Christmas and Id also. Other festivities include the Rath Yatra and the procession of Tajia during Muharram. The apparel of festivities is colorful and sweets are an essential part of their culture. 'Thali' is the most popular form of food here and includes savories of scores of items in the same plate.

 

Economy: 

 

Textile and garments are a strong industry here. Most of the famous textile mills in India are located here. This industry spread during the First World War and continues to flourish. There are booming chemicals and pharmaceuticals industry here including two of the biggest pharmaceutical companies of India. Diamonds and jewelry also dominate the economy of the city. 

 

Education:

 

Modernization and industrialization has led to the development of some of the best educational institutes being set up here. These include the National Institute of Design, Indian Institute of Management, the Mudra Institute of Communications, the National Institute of Fashion Technology, the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India.