Today we spent our time exploring Ahmedabad. We started out by going to the Calico Museum of Textiles. Ahmedabad is a typical large (4 million people) loud, bustling, congested Indian City. It also is fairly wealthy with many rich industrialists. One family has endowed many museums. The Calico Museum is not about Calico. It is however an oasis of green lawns and trees and very contemplative set in the middle of this city. You are transported to another peaceful world. They allow no pictures so you will just have to visualize the estate. The rich textile family built an extremely large mansion in the 30’s and latter turned it into a museum. They also transported the facades of several old Ahmedabad homes to the property. The museum itself is a gem. It displays many examples of textiles including clothing, temple scrolls etc. The rich are different; I think everyone on this tour could imagine themselves living on this estate.
From there we went 180 degrees in the other direction. We went to Sabarmati Ashram. This is where Mahatma Gandhi lived, upon his return from South Africa. At this Ashram he developed his non-violent philosophy, his acceptance of the Untouchable Class, and his determination to achieve independence from the British. Although from a very high class family, he lived here in a simple fashion, sleeping on the porch of his very small house. We spent a lot time in the historical museum reading about his life.
From there we went to a very small Art Book Store. It was very crowded and had an amazing selection of books on Indian Arts and Crafts.
After lunch we walked around in the old quarter of Ahmedabad. This area has gated alleys that lead off of the main streets. They are very narrow. The homes along these alleys are 600 years old, with families handing them down from generation to generation. We shopped along the way.
In the afternoon we went to Shreyas Folk Museum. This is another museum (actually two different ones at one location) donated by the same family that gave the Calico Museum. It also sits in its own large park. Everyone loved this museum. It is loaded with textiles and everyday historical articles. They had a comprehensive collection.
We returned to the hotel. I finally figured out that everyone is always walking around with a water bottle in the heat and that I could empty my water bottle and fill it with white wine. No one was the wiser and I could expand my drinking environment to more than our hotel room!
In the hotel Cama where we are staying there is a great gift shop. The owner is the 2nd generation running the shop. He has old textiles and designs new ones. We all met with him as he displayed his wares. It was educational and fun (with my trusty not so water bottle).
We had dinner at the hotel and prepared for tomorrows adventures.
No comments:
Post a Comment