Did you know that if you send a letter from Sabarmati Ashram, your letter gets a unique stamp of the iconic chakra I'm still waiting for my letter. If you plan to spend a good amount of time at the
ashram like I did, find a display that shows what a life Mahatma Gandhi led--there is a display that shows how some of the letters were addressed to him, even from places overseas. Some were addressed with
only a sketch of the chakra, some only had his name and no address. Those letters found their way to him.
By the end of the museum tour, it was lunch time and my host decided that when in Ahmedabad, it should be nothing but the best. In my case, the best came in the form of a silver platter. Lunch was at the House of MG, Agashiye restaurant to be precise.
The House of MG, a boutique heritage hotel, was built in 1924 and back then Mangaldas Girdhardas, a wealthy textile magnate, called it home. At Agashiye restaurant, a typical Gujarati thali was served on a
silver plate with precise instruction "put your chutneys and pickles on top of the paan leaf". Why Because those add-ons will ruin the silver. Noted.
After a somewhat lengthy lunch, I was given a much-needed walk-around. The palatial House of MG requires a good an hour and a half of exploring. The building has so many things to see, from old artworks to an antique shop to just admiring the old world charm of the property. The architecture is to die for.
Though my Ahmedabad stay was less than 48 hours, from what I had experienced, it was clear to me that if a day and a half could bring so much joy to the traveller in me, I was definitely coming back for a
longer stay in the city.
The Information
Air Ahmedabad can be reached by all metro cities in India. Air connectivity is pretty good. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is 20 minutes away from Ahmedabad city.
Rail There are two railway stations in Ahmedabad. The main one being Kalupur Railway Station. Sabarmati Railway Station is 10km away from Kalupur stations.