Amdavadis celebrate city's rich history with heritage walks

Away from the towering high-rises, upscale cafes and restaurants, curling four-lanes jam packed with traffic and a fast-paced modern lifestyle, lie Ahmedabad’s iconic monumental structures in the Walled City that tell the story of a glorious past celebrating harmonious community living. Be it getting a feel of what it’s like to live in the

pols through heritage walks, a gastronomic trip down the narrow lanes, an early morning cycle ride to know the historic tales or a late-night stroll for a tranquil trip, Amdavadis are now finding newer ways to experience the city’s glorious heritage. For some, it is about knowing the city’s history better, while others look at it as a way of gaining a new experience. What makes these heritage walks so special?
‘IT’S ALL ABOUT GAINING A NEW EXPERIENCE’
While the sun kissed walled city structures give a glimpse of the slow paced life in the morning, those very structures bear a completely different and glittering look at night, providing a whole new experience. And it is this very experience that Amdavadis look for when they opt for different kinds of heritage tours. “If you go for a morning heritage walk, it is a different experience as people are beginning their day, there are laaris

lining up and serving hot Gujarati nashto, small shops in the vicinity getting ready for their daily business etc,” says Suhag Modi, director of a local travel agency that organises heritage walks in partnership with Gujarat Tourism. He adds, “The scene totally changes when you go there in the night. The pol houses and other heritage monuments are lit with beautiful lights, there is more hustle-bustle on the streets and morning nashto gets replaced by evening snacks. So, the entire experience is different.” Even though the numbers show that morning heritage walks are more popular (morning heritage walks organised by the Gujarat Tourism get 60-100 participants, while night walks receive 20-30 people on an average), night walks are also gaining popularity.

For tourists coming from outside Gujarat, a heritage walk offers enough to explore, and these added features also attract Amdavadis to take these trips. “More than the history, people are becoming more interested in having a fun time out,” says Ali Turner , who has been organising cycling trips and night walks for a while now. He adds, “If you add an element like cycling to a normal heritage walk, more locals get interested as it gives them something new in terms of experience, and also doubles up as a fitness activity.”

‘FUN ELEMENTS LEAD TO MORE PARTICIPATION AT THESE WALKS’
Making every activity more fun adds to the numbers, believes Harsh Bajaj, who has been organising cycle trips in and around the city. “We recently organised a night cycling trip to Manek Chowk, and it was everything combined. People got a feel of the night life in the old city and had a guilt-free indulgence in local food, since we cycled.” The organisers of such heritage walks also believe that many Amdavadis haven’t yet explored the old city area and to make them interested in such trips, adding a fun element is important. “I have lived all my life in Ahmedabad, but never got to experience the culture of pol

houses,” says Aarohi Patel , adding, “It was recently that I realised what an amazing place it is!” And don’t we all love it when we get something extra? “Having knowledge about something existing and then visiting that place are two different experiences, so it is important that the visitors get more than just information on such tours,” says Chandrashekhar Solanki.
So, be it getting to know the city better or just simply soaking in the atmosphere, it is the experience that’s making Amdavadis choose different kinds of walks down the heritage lane.