Portrait of a City: Ahmedabad
Although my जन्मभूमि (birthplace), I had not come closer to Ahmedabad until I walked the familiar streets with a camera. Be it the architecture, food, culture – and now the UNESCO World Heritage status, Ahmedabad is indeed unique for many reasons. This ongoing album is my most intimate encounter with the city where I have spent three decades of my life. Through architecture, culture, markets, streets, and more, I attempt to showcase the daily life of Ahmedabad.
Years: 2020 – Ongoing
March 2022, Ahmedabad: A man praying at Ashtapad Jain temple
May 2022, Ahmedabad: Muslim men offering Eid al Fitra prayers at Jama mosque
February 2022, Ahmedabad: Inside one of the pols
December 2020, Ahmedabad: An auto rickshaw passes through Teen Darwaza
June 2022, Ahmedabad: Rani Rupmati mosque
July 2022, Ahmedabad: An auto-rickshaw passing under an over bridge
July 2022, Ahmedabad: The Sabarmati river as seen from Nehru Bridge
July 2022, Ahmedabad: An auto-rickshaw and under-construction metro
December 2020, Ahmedabad: A man enters Jama Mosque for prayer
November 2021, Ahmedabad: House in a pol
December 2021, Ahmedabad: Sidi Saiyyed mosque and its reflection in wudu khana or ablution pond
November 2021, Ahmedabad: Houses inside a pol
The main gate and base of minarets of Rani Rupmati Mosque
December 2020, Ahmedabad: A man praying at Jama Mosque
Built of yellow sandstones, the Jama Mosque was built by King Ahmad Shah – I, the founder of Ahmedabad.
The Akha Bhagat Chowk at Desai Ni Pole, Ahmedabad.
A heritage building in Ahmedabad.
December 2020, Ahmedabad: Clothes being sold under Teen Darwaza
An illustration of Hindu deities Lord Rama, his wife Sita, his brother Lakshmana, and Lord Hanumana.
Boy with a big kite photographed at Jama mosque during kite festival celebration
A flour shop an old building. Ahmedabad.
An auto rickshaw in Ahmedabad
An old house in Ahmedabad.
A closer look at Hutheesing Jain Temple entrance
Carvings at Hutheesing Jain Temple – II
Carvings at Hutheesing Jain Temple – III
One of the windows of Rani Rupmati Mosque, Ahmedabad.
The Hatkeshwar Mahadev temple in Ahmedabad.
Base of a minaret of Rani Rupmati Mosque
Adalaj stepwell also known as Rudabai stepwell, Ahmedabad
March 2021, Ahmedabad: A woman praying at Shah-e-Aalam shrine
A crowd of devotees during the daily gum benzoin or frankincense burning ritual. Burning gum benzoin is a common daily or ceremonial practice in Indian households, temples, and shrines.
December 2021, Ahmedabad: A man sitting by a pillar of an old mosque
December 2021, Ahmedabad: A man applies sandalwood paste on his forehead at a Jain temple aka ‘derasar’
A 93-year-old woman in Ahmedabad
June 2022, Ahmedabad: A woman soaking the sun from a window of an old house
December 2021: An elderly woman sitting in sun outside her house in one of the pols of Ahmedabad
A woman standing in the balcony of her house in a pol
December 2021, Ahmedabad: A man sitting in the sun
November 2021 – A woman talking on phone outside an old building in Ahmedabad
May 2022, Ahmedabad: A street food vendor places a paan in his mouth
June 2022, Ahmedabad: Water sprays being sold at IIM Road
June 2022, Ahmedabad: Men washing parts of an air cooler
A man who exchanges utensils for clothes talking to a woman
A staircase in a ‘pole’
A woman waits to exchange her clothes for utensils
A heritage house at Dhal Ni Pole
A heritage house at Dhal No Pole, Ahmedabad
A house named ‘Amrut Bhavan’ at Upli Sheri in Ahmedabad
A house help working outside a house in narrow lanes of Dhal Ni Pole
A woman enters Upli Sheri. In Gujarati, Upli means ‘the higher one’ and Sheri means ‘street.’
A woman checks plastic tubs and other things
A woman preparing grains the tradition way. Grains prepared this way are usually used for a dish called ‘Khichra’
A municipality health worker at a rapid Covid-19 test booth in Ahmedabad poses for a picture.
March 2021, Ahmedabad: A chicken up for sale at Sunday Market seems intrigued by the camera
Curious kids look at the camera. Ahmedabad.
March 2021, Ahmedabad: A woman at Sunday Market poses for a picture
December 2021, Ahmedabad: A man barely avoids running into a woman carrying heavy weight over her head
March 2021, Ahmedabad: A man buying chickens at Sunday market where different breeds of chickens are available for sale at highly varying prices
December 2021, Ahmedabad: A man brings back empty bottles of purified water
A sewing machine mechanic working inside his small shop
A tailor working by his house
A sadhu seeking alms in street of Ahmedabad
An elderly woman photographed at Ahmedabad’s Sunday market
A woman in Ahmedabad
A sari along with other clothes drying outside balcony of a house in Upli Sheri, Ahmedabad
A street vendor selling handmade wind chimes in front of the Bhadra Fort, Ahmedabad.
A man working at a parking lot counting money
A man at Jalaram Temple in Ahmedabad fries puris as ‘maharaj’ or the head chef observes.
Shanti Kaka – who in late eighties – performs engraving work on metal plates with remarkable perfection and dedication.
December 2020, Ahmedabad: People collect food donated by Jalaram Temple
A man washes hands after having food donated by a temple.
Men who invited me over for a cup of tea.
A mother and her little girl photographed in Ahmedabad.
A girl applies lipstick to her brother’s lips. Ahmedabad.
A girl seems happy to see his brother with lipstick.
A young girl working at a flower market in Ahmedabad.
A common sight in Ahmedabad during the month preceding the Makar Sankranti or kite festival that’s celebrated on 14th January.
December 2020, Ahmedabad: Luna, once a popular two wheller, parked inside a pol
