Culture of Ahmedabad – People, Handicrafts & Sculpture

Ahmedabad, a city well known for its diversified culture, rich history, and tradition, and this altogether make a perfect travel destination. Ahmedabad is believed to be the center of Gujarati cultural activities and is very much famous for its diversified traditions. Natives of Ahmedabad are very friendly and are very enthusiastic to celebrate each and every festival in a super exciting manner especially Navratri, a nine-day long celebration.

Ahmedabad Culture – Handicrafts, Dance & Music

People of Ahmedabad

Natives of this industrial city are very energetic and enthusiastic and they treasure each and every moment of their life. They believe in a simple lifestyle but when it comes to celebrating special occasions like fairs and festivals then the entire city gets eager and enjoys the celebratory moments with great pomp and joy.

They are very friendly and kind-hearted who welcome their guests warm-heartedly and guide them in the best possible manner. People out here are foodies and are very fond of savoring different delicacies and this is why the restaurants and hotels of the city are always found crowded.

Languages in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, a renowned industrial city established in Gujarat is known for its diverse culture and traditions. People of this city usually communicate with each other in Gujarati but with outsiders, they talk either in Hindi or English. They are very soft-spoken and humble and you would surely love interacting with them without any hesitation.

However, senior citizens of Ahmedabad prefer using their native language while communicating.

Note: English and Hindi are two frequently spoken languages in Ahmedabad.

Paintings of Ahmedabad

One can witness the incredible mural painting inscribed on the main entrance of Ahmedabad Railway Station catches everyone’s attention. During the Mughal dynasty, Abdul Hassan, a great artist of Ahmedabad had drawn the picture of Jahangir’s coronation on the front page of Jahangirnama, the autobiography of the ruler.

Shri Narayanbhai Suthar, the first painter of this tradition prepared a profile painting of Sahajanand Swami as Shri Hari.

Sculpture of Ahmedabad

Hathisingh’s Temple, the Swaminarayan Temple, and several other temples are the best places depicting the finest examples of sculptures of Ahmedabad. Kantibhai Patel, the great sculptor who has designed the sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi, has established his studio in the same city. He has also made the images of Induchacha and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and these images are placed beautifully at a famous public place in Ahmedabad. Ratilal Kansodaria, another popular sculptor has also contributed a lot in the field of modern sculpture.

Dance and Music

Gujarat is worldwide famous for its folk music and dance like Garba, Rasado, Hudo, Raasi, Garbi, Tibbani, and Adivasi Folk dance. These dance forms play a major role in religious and social festivals and other special occasions. There are several small as well as big institutions imparting dance training classes. Kumudini Lakhia and Mallika Sarabhai are the two great dancers awarded with ‘Padmashri’ for their contribution in the field of classical dance.

Mrinalini Sarabhai, another famous dancer is also awarded with ‘Padma Bhushan’ for her great contribution.

Folk music and Bhakti Sangeet, devotional songs of different sects have contributed very nicely to the cultural growth of the city. Avinash Vyas, a great musician of the city has played a key role in making light music popular. The contribution of Bhailal Barot, Dilip Dholakia, Rasiklal Bhojak, Rasbihari Desai, and Kshemu Divetia is pretty noteworthy in the music field.

Handicrafts and handlooms in Ahmedabad

The handicrafts and handlooms of Gujarat have not gained popularity in India only but also in foreign countries. Housewives of this commercial city are keen on weaving and knitting and they design world-class embroidery, Toran, Chakada, and Chandarva with beautiful patchwork. There is a very famous local market established near Law Garden which is quite popular for rural style jewelry and Chaniya-Choli.

The antiquity and ethnicity of the handicrafts are quite compelling that grab the attention of every traveler. People visiting the market areas of the city prefer buying display bronze lampstands, images, utensils, and other decorative items for their houses. Do not miss the chance to explore the magnificent Gurjari Emporium which is run by the state government.

Architecture

A perfect place to enjoy some quality time with your family and friends as there is no dearth of tourist attractions in the city. This beautiful city boasts of several astonishing ancient sites including Adalaj Stepwell, Jama Masjid, etc. If you are a history buff then you must be aware that several rulers have ruled over this city hence, one can witness varied architectural styles.

Ahmedabad Cuisine

Renowned as a paradise for food lovers, Ahmedabad serves you authentic and peculiar delicacies. The Gujarati Thali is one of the most served and preferred dishes in the city. This savory thali is offered by most of the restaurants and hotels in Ahmedabad consisting of mouth-watering food items. The restaurants here serve vegetarian dishes mainly and a pleasant flavor can be observed in almost all the dishes.

Food in Ahmedabad plays a significant role in the culture in the city hence, the majority of the restaurants offer vegetarian dishes. But this doesn’t mean that you don’t get non-vegetarian food in the city but yes, you will have to struggle a bit to satisfy your craving for non-vegetarian delicacies.

Interesting Facts about Ahmedabad

The former capital of Gujarat and one of the largest cities in the country, Ahmedabad is also popular as Ahmedabad. Located on the banks of River Sabarmati, the city happens to be one of the best holiday destinations in India where you can enjoy some amazing moments.

Those who are planning for a trip to Ahmedabad shall keep on scrolling down the pages to know a few of the lesser-known and interesting facts about this city.

1. IIM Ahmedabad was the second renowned management institution after IIM Calcutta.
2. The logo of the State Bank of India is inspired by the gorgeous Kankaria Lake of Ahmedabad.
3. Ahmedabad was the former capital of Gujarat. The present capital city of this westernmost state is Gandhinagar.
4. This industrial city is popularly called Boston of India and Manchester of the East.
5. The city is worldwide famous for its Kite Museum as there are only two kite museums in the world. One of them is in Osaka, Japan and the second one is in Ahmedabad.
6. There are several textiles and mills established in the city hence, the city is famous as the ‘City of Mills’.
7. Only historians and history buffs know that the legends of Akbar’s court were actually from Ahmedabad itself. The eminent musician Tansen and the legendary historian Todarmal are the two legendary personalities of Akbar’s court.