Experience of traveling alone to city of Rajputana's through city of Gandhiji's abode- Part 1

Well people, I planned this trip in the month of July 2017 and plan was to travel for 15 days through the entire Rajasthan relishing the culture, markets, foods, dresses and forts. However, last minute change left me with only 5 days to relish the Ahmedabad, Udaipur and Jaipur.

Here goes the journey-

I began at 4.20 am on 24 January 2017 from Koramangala to catch my flight. Luckily, I got my share cab for 400 bucks only and I dropped plan to catch city bust shuttle. I reached flight 2 hours before departure and to my surprise, ticket was in business class with lounge pass attached to it. I went to lounge and slept there until 6 am. Flight was at 6.40 am so I thought it's totally cool to reach by 6.20 am, a 20 minute before departure. I went to relieve myself and reached at counter by 6.21 am. Looks like, my luck ran out, they didn't allow me to board the flight as gate was closed. I requested them it's always 20 minutes before time but Go Air said they close 25 minutes before time. I was little upset but then I said, 'fine, it's okay'. They changed my flight to evening one at no cost and gave me another lounge pass. I enjoyed lounge whole day until 7.00 pm.

Ahmedabad landing-

I landed in Ahmedabad around 9.45 pm and got an auto to drop me in the city. Driver helped me search a hotel room. I went around the city to find a nice cozy room but hotels in Ahmedabad is really costly. Then I thought, I have to just spend a night so I went for an economy room that cost me Rs. 900 but it was not at all good but somehow I spent the night after all I was too tired to find more.

I spent the night, go up around 9.30 am next day, and checked out the hotel. I started slowly down the streets to find some good restaurant to have breakfast. On 10 mins walking, I realized neighborhood near hotel was not good so I decided to visit ' Teen Darwaza" in the city and there to eat.

I took an auto, which cost me Rs. 20 to reach there. To my surprise, such a nice place for tourist attraction was damn dirty and no signs of maintenance. I took glance the Gate's and then I decided to leave the place. I took an auto to go to ' Sabarmati River Front' for Rs. 200. On way, I bargained with auto wala and he agreed for entire day city tour for Rs. 900 and I happily agreed for that. I made a small calculation and I realized that I ending up paying just Rs. 200 for convenience of not waiting for city buses or getting harassed from more auto wala's.

I started my quest to heritage watching enthusiastically. First in my Ahmedabad, itinery was Sabarmati riverfront. View was amazing so was serenity. Having reached there, found many people had come there for weekend relaxation and lovebirds were capturing selfies.

Front was very clean with fresh air breezing over my face. I stayed there for half an hour walking on the front side, seeing the beauty of architecture, and experiencing serenity. I embarked my journey to Adalaj Ki baory. A giant step well constructed with such marvelous architecture around it, full of scriptures on the walls with places to stand and sit. I walked down the well and found a good amount of water was available. On seeing up to the top, I realized it is like I am standing at ground floor of three storey ancient building. Alas, place was bereft of maintenance and tourist control measures. After spending an hour, we started again towards the most talked on place of Gujarat- Gandhi Ashram.

It took not more than 20 minutes to reach there. On entrance, there was a portrait of Gandhiji with black background. Picture portrayed the serenity and cleanliness, after all picture was simple but beautiful.

Hall was full of the events from the past detailing about ashram, its histories, inmates stayed there and statements of great leaders. What was most important was the display of Gandhiji’s ideal as detailed by Gandhiji himself. Once could really visit the ashram only to feel motivated and to find ideals to live the life. Inside the ashram, I found on display items required by Gandhiji from drinking water, eating plates, eyeglasses to big water jugs among others.

There was special room where various charkhas were on display including the raw material and finished goods. In one corner, one would found the charkha, which was operated by Gandhiji himself. Spending time in this Ashram paid me more than what I spent and I realized life is bigger than myself. After spending considerable time, I started my journey to my next destination- Akshardham.

On the way, we stopped our auto to feed ourselves. We found a good Punjabi Dhaba where one can find luxury food at nominal price. I especially ordered for Kutchi Khichdi but it was not to my taste. It took 400 rupees appx. to feed two hungry person only.

We started traversing through Gandhinagar, I felt as if this part does not belong to Ahmedabad at all, everywhere street light are placed with roads clean and neat and criss crossing each other at 90 degrees. After all, this is a sit of legislature and chief minister, supposed to be this way.

On reaching Akshardham, we got to know that that was Monday and on Monday, Akshardham remains close. To my bad luck, I had no choice but to return disappointedly. It was already evening time; I asked auto wala to take me to Law Garden market to buy chaniya choli for my sisters.

Market was very traditional with shops lining both sides of the narrow street. Shoppers ready to take on the sellers and to bargain as much as they can. I visited 2-3 shops to just understand how economics work in that market. I realized that they are selling items at 4 times the prices and you can even bargain further. I proceeded to next shop and identified a nice chaniya choli for my sister blue color one. I bargained for 1/4 of the quoted price (2500) and settled the matter for 1100 rupees. I felt it was win-win for both of me and shop owner. I felt little guilty when shop owner told me that with chaniya choli, he is not giving me dupatta and I need to buy at next shop for Rs 400. I did not proceed to buy dupatta and left the matter to be decided by sister herself. It was 6'o clock in the evening and still good 4 hours to go for my bus.

Auto wala took me to Kankaria Lake where annual festival was getting inaugurated. There was tight security measure and on getting inside I realized, getting in was easy but getting out is a nightmare after all exit gate was 500 metre away. Lake was clean with cool breeze blowing around. One could spend a great time there. I somehow managed to come out through exit gate but I realized I need to go back to same gate through which I had entered because auto is there and he cannot come due to one-way restriction.

I walked slowly to reach there and boarded it. Lucky enough, in next 10 minutes, CM was to visit the lake to inaugurate it. We left the place without facing much traffic. Auto dropped me to bus stand. There I ate nice pav-bhaji in dinner and boarded the bus to Udaipur.