Impressions of Ahmedabad

Well, I have been in Ahmedabad for five days and still feel uncertain about writing anything because the experience has been so confusing full of contrasts. For example, on my first full day I went to visit Gandi's ashram. It is on the banks of the Sabermati river which runs through the city. When he set it up it would have been a rural retreat but is now absorbed into the expanding city. It is, however, still a very tranquil place and it attracts students and devotees from all over India. It was from here that he set out with his followers in 1930 on the famous Salt March against the British attempts to tax salt. One of his other principled campaigns, the local production of cotton goods (khadi) using the spinning wheel, fought the British attempts to import Indian cotton to produce goods in English mills to sell back to the Indians. The spinning wheel has become symbolic of Ghandian principles. So what would Gandhi think of the traders on the street running from my hotel to the ashram who are selling shirts (I bought one for 60p) which are a) not cotton and b) made it Korea? Later, in the late 30s and 40s, Ahmedabad became known as the 'Manchester of India' such were the numbers of cotton mills. Unfortunately, Gandhi didn't really approve of factory production at all, wherever located. A hard man to please.

As Divali approaches there is a huge sense of anticipation. The streets and markets are crowded and people are buying gifts and special items for Divali celebrations. I was mystified at first to see stalls with piles of lurid powders displayed - too artificial looking to be edible I thought and they are in fact for the custom of creating pictures (rangoli) on the floor at the entrance of houses - like sand drawings.They can be very beautiful. Another aspect of Diwali is less benign. The traditional practice of setting off firecrackers has expanded into industrial scale fireworks and bangers - not unlike our Guy Fawkes, and like 5 Nov. it starts early and I am writing this to a background of huge bangs three days before the main day of celebration. But there is a counter-movement. I read in the English language paper that an environmental group of school-children are campaigning to abandon fireworks onthe basis that they are a huge waste of national resources which could be channelled into a more productive purpose, that they are environmentally harmful, and that they scare the many animals which abound in the cities as well as the rural areas(today on the streets I have seen camels, donkeys, a horse, dogs, cats, monkeys, goats and of course many cows - and those are only the ones with more than two legs). And encouragingly, there is a village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, beside a lake which attracts many migant birds at this time of year, where the inhabitants have for the past ten years completed escewed the use of fireworks at Diwali and have done so without any local legislation or compulsion. Their sole concern is not to disturb the birds. Very inspiring.

Another Diwali preoccupation is buying gold (for those who can afford it). In the Hindu calendar Monday was adjudged to have been a propitious day for buying gold and, despite a record price of 15,000 rupees for 10 grams (about £200), a huge volume of trading was reported for that day both as pure gold and as jewellery. The high price of gold has seen an increase in one form of petty crime - chain snatching. Hindu women traditionally wear a gold chain round their neck and at current gold values these are typically worth 15-30 thousand rupees (£200-400) each. Motorcyclists simply snatch these necklaces from women walking on their own.

My Gujarati lessons have not been a great success, partly because I am such a slow learner and partly because the young man assigned to teach me, although a really nice friendly character (who has, for example, invited me to his house on Diwali climax night (Sat.) to spend time with his family), is not a good teacher, had no materials and just wanted to run through lists of vocabulary. So instead of sitting in the hotel for 4 hours a day on fairly ineffective learning I am instead taking him out and about and using him as a guide and learning some language along the way. I do seem to spend more time helping him with his English though and I do wonder who is getting the better end of the bargain! Ah well - go with the flow. There is no point is getting uptight here and re-adjusting to situations seems a better tactic that mounting my customary high horse. Talking about horses, I discovered today that one of the Gujarati phrase books which I had sourced at home although it was published in India, may have been reprinted once too often. On the section on 'While Travelling', the first six phrases are: 'I am going out for a ride.', 'Where is the stable?', 'I want to dismount for a while.'', 'Don't whip him.!', 'Give him some grass.', 'and 'Take off the spurs.' However, the next phrase is 'I wish to go by car.' and I can't say I'm surprised after all the trouble with the horses! The section on Going to the Doctor is better though. If I need to say 'I have got a boil' or 'I suffer from severe constipation.' (one of the less likely ailments I might succumb too. I think), I have the words for it, and if he doctor replies, 'You shall have some motions', I will relieved in more ways than one.

Perhaps joking about gastro-intestinal processes is tempting fate. So far so good. The vegetarian diet seems to be suiting me. Further bulletins (digests?) to follow.

Pre-Travel

Wenesday 8 October

The day before I set off. I have now read much about Gujarat since deciding to visit but I must remember what might be the few perceptions and facts about the place that may be known to average European. Here are a few that spring to mind:

1) Birthplace of Gandhi. By chance, I will be staying in a hotel which is opposite the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabarmati_Ashram] It was here that Gandhi formed a tertiary school that mainly focused on manual labour, agriculture, and literacy to advance his efforts for nation's self-sufficiency. It was also from here on the 12 March 1930 that Gandhi marched towards Dandi, 241 miles from the Ashram with 78 companions in protest of the British Salt Law, which taxed Indian salt in an effort to promote sales of British salt in India.
It is because of the Gandhian heritage that Gujarat is a) almost exclusively vegetarian and b) dry (in the non-alcoholic sense).
Today, Gandhi's reputation is mixed and I will be interested to find out how his reputation has survived in his home State.

2) In 2001, the city of Bhuj was the epicentre of a devastating earthquake which killed over 20,000. 90% of the buildings in Bhuj were destroyed. I am going to be visiting Bhuj and looking forward to seeing the intricate textiles and embroidery for which it is renowned.

3) In 2002, there was extreme religious violence in Ahmedabad. After Hindus died on a train which was set alight by Muslims, retribution in the city led to widespread arson in Muslim districts and many more deaths. The city is still questioning how it happened. The Chief Minister, Nahendru Modu, who belongs to the Hindu Nationalist BJP (Indian people's Party) has been implicated in allowing/encouraging the violent response and the non-involvement of the city's police force. I will be in Ahmedabad for a week and hope to get a feeling of what level of tension remains, how segregated are the two communities and, I hope, what progress is being made to ensure there is no repeat of the 2002 tragedy.

4) Recently Gujarat was in the news because about 120 people died after drinking illegal liquor contaminated with ethanol. That caused renewed call for the alcohol ban to be relaxed, not only because of illegal and dangerous brewing but because it is said to discourage tourism.

5) Gujarat is nevertheless a very successful state in economic terms (Ahmedabad used to be called the Manchester of India) and contributes 39% of India's industrial output but also has significant agricultural production esp. cotton and groundnuts as well as being the 'dairy of india' with milk production organised on a cooperative basis with 1 million members! Once I get out of the city I hope to see some rural production at close quarters. The FairTrade movement started with Gujarati produce and now supplies the Fairtrade cotton range.

6) Misc facts about Gujarat: very approximately Gujarat is the same area as mainland UK and has a similar population. 89% are Hindu, 9% Muslim and with a smattering of Jains, Sikhs and Christians - no mention of aethiests! Gujarati is spoken almost universally, followed by Hindi, Urdu and English. Around 3500 festivals are celebrated in Gujarat - the state is known as the land of fairs and festivals. I'm going to miss most of them but will be there for Diwali. Although well-known here in UK, Diwali is only a one day festival, mainly comprising letting off firecrackers so sounds like our Guy Fawkes. I like the sound of the kite festival better but that's in January.
Well, I wonder what will stand out at the end of the holiday. I hope I will be able to reflect and report back to this blog but before then I will be posting my impressions and experiences as I go along.