In Ahmedabad

The city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat is named after Ahmed Shah (ruled 1411 to 1442), who also built a wall around the city. Parts of the wall still exist 

 On to the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi .. 

  

This is the room he used to live in, spinning yarn in the charkha.

Simple living verging on the austere, adding a moral dimension to the nationalist movement of India that has influenced millions of Indians and then, Nelson Mandela in recent times.

Upasana Mandir, the consecrated place for morning and evening prayers. The river Sabarmati in the far distance.

As the sun set, we went to the old city. Yusuf, our driver, insisted on showing us around, keeping up a running commentary. There were twelve gates in the wall around the city, he said, and at Lal Darwaza is the mosque of Sidi Sayyed, famous for the jaali or stone lattice work. The middle panel out of five was dismantled and taken away by the Brits, but the ship sank in the high seas ..

And the Aalif Masjid, around which are numerous local eateries  .. kebabs and sweetmeats ..

There is never time enough, but I do mean to visit sometime again!

A painted door

This is actually not a door at all, but a painting done on a glass partition in a graphics training institute. The space between the door panels was left as it is, and the peering face is on the other side of the glass partition. Clever? Probably so, because the students of this institute have contributed to the Chronicles of Narnia in a major way and their skill has to be seen to be believed!