Charms in Bad Air

As one of India's major industrial cities, Ahmedabad is a polluted, dusty and noisy place. However, a certain amount of charm can be found when you wipe away the dirt and grim. It was here on the banks of the wide river that Mohandas Gandhi established the headquarters of his movement for India's independence. He named the ashram after Sabarmati River, which divides its old town and recently developed areas.

Ahmedabad is located in western India, in the state of Gujurat. This area has its own language and scripts, and many people speak Gujarati, Hindi and English. In recent years, the state has had its share of difficulties. In 2001, a massive earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale crushed the western region of Kutch and damaged many parts of Ahmedabad city. Then, in 2002 the state saw wide spread communal violence after a Muslim mob was blamed for an arson attack on a train carriage that killed 59 Hindu activists. The resulting Hindu-Muslim riots left over 1,000 dead and many more afraid to return to their homes. Thankfully, the state is currently at peace.

Gujaratis are known as entrepreneurs, and this characteristic has helped make Gujarat one of India's wealthier and most industrialized states. Gujarat's northern neighbor state, Rajasthan, has the lock on tourism, and as a result, most foreign visitors overlook this interesting west coast state. This translates into a straightforward friendliness offered by the local community, without much expectation out of visiting foreigners.

There is surprisingly high level of sophistication in Ahmedabad, perhaps reflecting the wealth of the state. Some shops offer topnotch services and products, catering mostly to the locals. A restaurant called Swati Snacks attracts well-to-do locals with its clean, modern interior, and its dishes combine traditional flavors presented in a contemporary manner. Above the restaurant, a stylish furniture and accessory shop called 360 Gallery occupies two stories of display space, where art exhibits take place. Bandhej is a place to go, if you are looking for an upscale boutique where you can find clothing of both traditional and modern styles. Trendy espresso bars attract young people and families. Street called CG Road is known to have many up-market and Western brand name shops and restaurants.

However, these charms that Ahmedabad presents are shadowed by the fact that it is one of the most polluted cities in India. The general condition of air quality is the worst we have seen not only in India, but among all places we have visited so far. Being such a major industrial area is the main cause of the pollution. A law imposing all local auto rickshaws requiring use of petrol fuel in place of kerosene has not been established here. In addition, residents freely burn trash and wood at night causing so much smoke to linger all around the city. (They do so often in order to "keep them warm in cold nights", at around 15 degrees Celsius.) The resulting horrid air looks like a thick fog under streetlights. Without much breeze on any given day, it becomes unbearably suffocating, so much so that it's rather discouraging to go out on a rickshaw, into the streets where one can bathe in the dark exhausts from vehicles.

We are staying in this city, often coughing, amazed and confused by the pollutions, but trying to make the best of what it offers.