A Sunday

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Sundays are to unwind, to get lazy and watch loads of television. But if you are in Ahmedabad and are looking for something to recharge your senses, head to the Sunday market. Known as Ravivari, this market promises to be a treasure island that will surprise and enthrall you at every step.

This was my second visit and I was particularly looking for some good books. When we reached, the booksellers were still arranging the books.

There were books everywhere you looked. Tied in neat bundles, they awaited the glance that would give them a secure place in yet another bookshelf.

Literature, history, art, law, religion, science, photography – these booksellers have an extraordinary collection of second-hand books. All you need is patience to browse through thousands of books that lie in no particular order.

And if you’re lucky, you may find a 1950’s National Geographic magazine, a book showcasing photographs of the Vietnam War, a rare edition of a classic or an advertising journal that can inspire you for years to come.

Neha picked some 6-7 books. Not to mention, she went crazy looking at the collection :)

After enough browsing and sighing and buying at the book corner, Neha and I went around seeing other interesting things at offer. Gleaming utensils, vehicle parts, loud speakers, gardening tools, wrist watches, perfume bottles, pigeons and chickens – the list is unending, and at times bizarre.

These reminded me of the 'sigdi' we illegally used in our hostel room :P

This man would put the blue rings on the pigeon's feet before giving it away

And there’s a whole section dedicated to second-hand clothes. Stacks of them lay displayed on khatlas.

No matter how small the shop, people always do some puja before beginning the day

Barely used clothes, old-fashioned silhouettes, slightly defective clothes and those that don't fit anymore - this market serves as a perfect recycling agent that gives new life to the old.

But what fascinated me most was the brassware.

I loved the tiffin :)

I just couldn’t get my eyes off the amazing pots and locks.

Each little piece was a work of art, telling a story of a bygone era.

I was very tempted to buy the scorpion lock

The carvings, the designs and the finish were so great, if I could, I would pick all of them!

But then I settled for this cute high-heeled ashtray.

Meanwhile, I received many calls; it was my birthday. Everyone sounded surprised when I said I was at the Sunday market. “It's not the best way to begin a birthday”. I didn't argue. I know they wouldn't understand. They had to experience it to believe how breathtaking this trip can be.

Here, old is new…

Trash is treasure…

Bizarre is beautiful...

All you need to do is look carefully…

And learn to see things in a different angle.

I couldn't have asked for more on my birthday :)

It was the break i was looking forward to. 6 days of complete freedom - from office and all the other stuff that make life monotonous. Found these strip ads in a lifestyle magazine just before the holidays. They sure were hinting at what was to follow.

I had quite an eventful mini vacation. And though i'm all charged up, i just don't feel like going to office tomorrow :P Will post about the holidays soon. Enjoy! 

Where Gods Dwell

As I write this post, people across the country are bidding adieu to their favourite god – Ganpati bapa. Meanwhile, I go a li’l back in time to share with you some glimpses from the lives of the people who make these beautiful idols in the city of Ahmedabad.

Welcome to Gulbai Tekra. More often than not, people remember it as the slum around one of the most commercial areas in the city. But come Ganesh Chaturthi and the otherwise filthy area turns into a heaven – literally. Suddenly you begin to see the gods everywhere - in every corner, peeping out from every door and even standing in the middle of the road! For here lives the community that is best known for making Ganesha idols.

I made my trip just before the festival set in and captured some images that convey what makes this place so special.

Artisans put up make-shift camps at every corner and line up their idols, which are made from huge moulds.

The surface is smoothened and then paints are applied with the help of a spraying machine.

 

The sight of the idol going from white to colour is quite something.

Unlike earlier, idols nowadays are made from Plaster of Paris. Though it makes the process much faster and cheaper, the material doesn’t dissolve in water, causing pollution during Visarjan.

Make it or break it - it's all in our hands...

While men do the major paint job, women help in beautifying it further by painting the accessories.

What comes as the final product is absolutely stunning.

And these are not just the usual Ganpati forms. The artisans take full creative liberty in giving the gods any form that appeals to the devotees. So while you see a sai baba ganpati in one corner you’ll see a swami ganpati in another. Looks like a fancy dress competition to me where our sole hero is switching characters every now and then.

A family invites me to their home to take more pictures – they think I’m a journalist. They take me through some narrow lanes and into their house. I’m greeted by kids and women, giggling and shying away when they see a camera in my hand.  

Inside, more idols await to be greeted.

I take a walk around the little house and find creativity in every corner.

I keep the camera aside and move around the house; there’s always more to be seen than captured. By the time I leave, I’ve absorbed much more than what I’d expected.

It’s not so much about the place, but the people who live here...

You see a sense of pride in whatever they do...

You find joy reflected through their eyes…

You feel more than welcome, though you are a stranger…

Perhaps that’s the reason even the gods dwell here

It’s not about the place, it’s the people…

A whole new world

I am of the opinion that as an outsider you take a closer look at a city than you would as an insider.


21 years in Ahmedabad v/s just 3 years in Pune. I think I can talk more about the later than the former - not a fact that I’m particularly proud about. So last week, with the hope of knowing more about my city, I took a heritage walk in the old city of Ahmedabad.

Organized by the Gujarat government, this walk takes you through the labyrinth corners of the vicinity where the city originated. In these lanes, time stands still and each building narrates the story of the grandeur of the bygone era.

We started with the house of Kavi Dalpatram. This bronze statue sits at the entrance.

The two hour walk takes you through various ‘pols’ – the self-contained neighbourhoods, some of which are virtually small villages. In olden days, these pols were protected by gates and secret passages.

An old woodden door that caught my eye

Today, when you walk through its narrow streets, you cannot help standing in awe before these architectural wonders.

A traditional bird-feeder known as a 'chabutara'


These carved out pieces that adorn every house here bear the influence of various cultures. While the floral pattern is a Persian influence, the presence of angels is very European.

This one bears a chinese influence

And then you enter these Jain temples where gods carved out from wood some 400 years ago still retain their luster and glory!

Some pics taken from outside the temple

Inside a particular house, it looks just like a ‘chal’, only that it’s bigger and grander. Some of these houses still accommodate huge Jain families (some 80-100 people).

In those days, it was a matter of pride for the family members that their girl child is educated. They'd place such small statues on the main door to indicate that.
Amidst these lanes also lies the tomb of the man who built this city – Ahmad Shah. (He was only 20 when he built it!) The intricate designs on the walls that surround it are beautifully carved out.

The city was systematically divided. There was the residential area called pols and the commercial area called ols. The markets of the old city are still the biggest markets in Ahmedabad and here you’ll find every damn thing you have on your list!

A banner with a typo that caught my attention

The walk ended at the Jama Masjid. It was the first time I entered a mosque and the feeling was overwhelming. The huge central area is surrounded by walls where some urdu words are painted.

The central area

The soothing Urdu script

To say that the central dome is a work of beauty would be an understatement. The 500+ pillars within the mosque give rise to an interesting play of shadow and light. I just had to close my eyes and say ‘Allah’ in my heart to feel one with Him.

One of my favourite pics from the day

I wondered, how many people know this facet of Ahmedabad. How many even care to? And as I type this I wonder if it would be fair to even call it the old city. In those couple of hours, what I discovered was a complete new city.

Shaival and me :)

Thanks Shaival for your wonderful company. Thanks Om for helping me out in posting the pictures.
P.S. - You can see some beautiful pictures of Ahmedabad pols here.