A week spent in Ahmedabad

Until last week, I have been living my life within a radius of 15 kms, which included my two crammed room--I call it my apartment--, my office and some of the posh shopping areas and theatres where I flocked around during my off days or leisure hours, ofcourse if I was not lumbering in my bed. So when I got a chance to fly to Ahmedabad for a week -- my first outstation assignment -- I was pretty excited because one it was the first time I was moving out of the confines of Delhi
and secondly it gave me the opportunity to cover and interact with some of the international cricketers whom I adored since my childhood.

The first purpose was served, the second was a heart-break though. Anyways that's a different story. It was not the sort of vacation which i was looking for but i had no qualms because it wasn't a vacation after all. The ideal outing would have been
off to a solitude place in some corner of India, with all connections cut off from the outer world, no cell phones, no internet connection and no extra luggages. The only companian -- your silence. However, this outing wasn't bad either.

I had some apprehensions about the place i would be staying, the food and the people especially because the city had its past maligned by incidents of religious violence. I also was little nervous about the sort of work I would have to put in to live up to the expectations of my boss, since I was knew to the organisation.

I reached the city within 2 o clock and was off to my hotel, Lemon Tree. It was started from last month only and I bet it was beautiful. I had never stayed in a five star hotel before and it was a nice little experience for me. Initially I even didnt know what to order for diner and lunch as i wasn't aware of the different dishes that were written in the menu but as time passed by I eventually grew in confidence and managed it pretty well at the end i should say.

The first impression that i had once I landed here was that it was a good clean city with nicely pitched roads and a smooth traffic, ofcourse compared to the overcrowed roads of the capital. There was this esssence of a entirely different flavour, in terms of the language they spoke, the way they looked and the way they behaved.
people were honest and helpful, they spoke with utter respect which was missing in a place like Delhi. They were soft and approacable.

I remember during one of my trips to a place of visit, an autorickshaw driver returned me a Rs 10 note because the meter showed it was Rs 30, whereas before embarking on his auto, he had asked Rs 40 from me. This was a simple gesture but
it reflected the general psychology and integrity of the denizens of this city.


The city did not have the pictureque scenery of Meghalaya or the simmering lakes of Kerela or the glittering sands of Rajasthan but it had a unique culture and a lifestyle of its own. There were not much places to visit as the city was adorned
with shopping malls with a few temples and historical places thrown here and there. But because of my hectic schedule I could not manage to visit these places, apart from a couple of visits, which included 'Sabarmati Ashram', where Mahatma Gandhi
resided and ISkCON temple.

While Sarabmati was a beautiful experience as it gave me a lot of opportunities to test my photographic skills, apart from walking down the memory lanes of the past, ISKCON was a disaster as it was no were near the one that was installed in Delhi.


But apart from visiting these places, one thing that stood out in my eyes was the traditional cuisines of these place. Adorned with a slew of resturants and eateries in every nook and corner of the city, Ahmedabad seemed to be a perfect place for
the foodies and gourmets. Although, I could not taste all the sumptuous dishes that the city provides, I did taste the traditional Gujrati thali and that too at one of the best restuarant, 'Gordhan thal', located in Sarkhej-Gandhinagar highway.

This restuarant has a history of its own and is considered to be a must place for the gourmet, who want to have a taste of Ahmedabad. Adorned with some traditional Rajasthani interiors, traditional swords and equipments hanging on the walls, this
place gives an idea of the history of the place.

There was also a Law Garden, which I could not make because it opens only in the evening and I had my evenings occupied because of my assignments. There is also a Khau Gali in the area which is hotspot for the foodies churning out street food
delicacies.

I also wanted to visit the original Aksardham temple but could not squeeze in the time. The ICL matches were getting interesting and important with each day, leaving me with much less time. Soon one week elapsed and it was time for us to leave. The third final was over on Sunday night and we had to leave early morning the next day.

On the morning, as we left for the airports, my insomniac eyes tried to take in as much as possible as I breathed in with a promise to come back once again.