Ahmedabad Gujarat

Ahmedabad is the largest city in Gujarat and is an important industrial city. It was once known as the “Manchester of the East” because of its many textile factories. It has some interesting temples, mosques, and museums.

It is a good place to see buildings designed in the Indo-Saracenic style, a blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture. The walls of the city have been taken down, but some of the gates still remain. The capital of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, is 32km to the northeast.

Sultan Ahmed Shah founded Ahmedabad in 1411. In the 17th century it was one of India’s most important cities, but the city’s fortunes declined over time. Ahmedabad became an important textile producer during the British rule, and over the years it became an important industrial town. Mahatma Gandhi established an ashram in 1915 and spent much time here.

Orientation
The Sabarmati River flows north-south through the middle of the city. The main section of the city is on the eastern, old city side. The railway station is about 3km east of the river. The airport is in the northeast section of the city. There are two main streets that run west to east: Tilak Road (Relief Road) and MG Road (Gandhi Road). Sir RC Road, which runs along the west bank of the Sabarmati River, goes to the Gandhi Ashram. At the northern end it is called Ashram Rd, and most people know it by that name.

Information and Tours
The Gujarati Tourist Office (658-9683), MK House, is across the river from the downtown, just off Sri RC Rd. (Ashram Rd), near the South Indian Bank. It has information on the events in Ahmedabad and a good map of Ahmedabad and Gujarat. Open daily except Sun and the 2nd and 4th Sat of each month from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and 2 to 5:30 pm. There are also tourist counters at the railway station and airport.

The Municipal Corporation (535-2911), intersection of RM Rd and Sardar Patel Rd, organizes a City Tour (Rs 40) from 9 am to 1.30 pm and 2 to 6 pm (4 hr), which departs from the local bus stand (Lal Darwaja).

The tourist office runs a five-day tour of Western Gujarat, which includes Dwarka, Somnath, Sasan Gir, Junagadh, Girnar, and Palitana for Rs 1850. The tour leaves every Friday.

On Saturdays, a five-day tour leaves for North Gujarat and Rajasthan (Rs 1650) and includes Udaipur, Mt Abu, Chittorgarh, and Modhera.
The Royal Orient Train provides a luxury tour of Rajasthan and Gujarat for $150 a day between April and September, and $200 a day between October and March. It stops in Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Palitana, Somnath, Diu, Sasan Gir, Junagadh, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. The tour must be booked in advance at the Gujarat Tourism Office (449-172; fax 656-8183), HK House, Ashram Rd, in Ahmedabad, or the office in Delhi (011 373-4015; fax 373-2482) at the Gujarat State Emporia Building, Baba Kharak Singh Marg.

Goa Tourist Office (384-895), Vaveli Building, Fantasa Pole, Gandhi Rd.

The Choice Is Yours publication has information about the city and a fare conversion table for rickshaw meters. The Ahmedabad edition of the Times of India has the latest flight and train information on the second page.

Money, Post, Internet & Medical
Foreexchange, next to the Hotel Goodnight, changes most currencies and travelers cheques efficiently and at the bank rate (Mon to Fri 10 am to 6.30 pm, Sat 10 am to 4 pm). You can change money at the Bank of India, Lal Darwaja, near the local bus stand; Bank of Baroda, one on Relief Rd and another on Ashram Rd; and Central Bank of India, Lal Darwaja. You can withdraw money against your Visa card at the Ashram Rd branch of the Bank of Baroda.

The GPO is in the center of the city on Salapose Rd, near Relief Rd.

VS Hospital, Ashram Rd and Ellis Bridge; and Chaturbhuj Lajpatral Hospital (783-6311), 3km north of the railway station, are both good hospitals.

Random Access, Agarwal Arcade, Panchwati Circle, Ambavadi Rd, has internet facilities. Interactive Technologies, Mardia Plaza, CG Rd, has good internet facilities.

Cultural Centers
The British Library (656-0693), Bhaikaka Hall, west side of the Sabarmati River.
Alliance Française (644-1551), near the Gujarat College, west side of Sabarmati River, has French books and sometimes shows French films.
Darpana Academy (644-5189), Ashram Rd, has cultural programs.

Foreigners’ Registration Office
Located at the Commissioner of Police (562-0990), Balvantrai Mehta Rd, Shahibaug, north of the center city. You may be able to get a visa extension here.

Bookshops
Sastu Kitab Ghar, across from the Relief Cinema, west end of Relief Rd, has a decent choice of books. Crossword, Shree Krishna complex, Mithakali Six Rd, also has a good selection.

Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque)
This interesting mosque, built in 1424 by Sultan Ahmed Shah I, has a large marble courtyard with a small, reflecting pool in the center. The mosque has 256 pillars, which support fifteen domes (cupolas). Two of the minarets were destroyed in 1957 by an earthquake. Sections of the mosque are built from the remains of old Hindu and Jain temples. The detailed carvings on the pillars are mostly Hindu. By the main entrance is a black slab said to be an inverted Jain figure.

East of the entrance of the mosque is the Teen Darwaza (Three Doorways). It is a 12m high triumphal arch.

Outside the east entrance of the mosque, in a large pillared chamber, are the Tomb of Ahmed Shah (1442) and the tombs of Ahmed Shah’s son and grandson. The graves in the main chamber are covered in gold-laced cloth. A guard can lift the cloth so you can see the fine carvings. Women are not permitted to enter the tombs of the male members of the family. Nearby is the tomb of the Shah’s queen, Rani ka Hazira.

Other Mosques
The two most interesting mosques are the Jama Masjid and Sidi Saiyad’s Mosques.
Sidi Saiyad’s Mosque, in Lal Darwaja, was built by a slave of Ahmed Shah in 1573. The impressive interior has elaborately carved domes and ceilings. The intricate latticework on the screens along the upper walls is excellent. Women are not permitted to enter, but can view the mosque from the outside gardens. It is located at the western end of Relief Rd.

Ahmed Shah’s Mosque, Sardar Patel Rd, was built in 1414 and is one of the oldest mosques in the city. It used to be a private royal mosque. There are Sanskrit inscriptions and Hindu designs—remains of Hindu temples, which stood in the area. Across the street from the mosque is Victoria Garden. It is southwest of Bhadra Fort.
Sidi Bashir’s Mosque and the Shaking Minarets, near Sarangpur Darwaja Gate (south of the railway station), has two enormous 21m high minarets supported by huge arches. It is believed that if you shake one minaret, the other will also shake, which is supposed to prevent them from being destroyed in an earthquake. The old mosque was destroyed in 1752. There is now a new mosque with a green facade and a colorful interior.

Rani Sipri’s Mosque, Sardar Patel Rd, also known as Masjid-e-Nagira (Jewel of a Mosque), was constructed in 1519. It has ornamented 15m minarets and excellent latticework. The tomb in the middle contains Rani Sipri, who had the mosque built after her son was executed for a minor crime. The tomb has a central dome surrounded by twelve pillars. It is in the southeast section of the city. Near here is the Dastur Khan’s Mosque.

Babi’s Mosque, southeast of the railway station, has a 25m shaking minaret. You can climb to the top and a guide can make it sway.
Haibat Khan’s Mosque, near Jamalpur Gate, Dastur Khan’s Mosque, and Rani Rupamati’s Mosque north of city center, are also interesting. There are many mosques throughout the city.

Sabarmati Ashram
Known locally as the Gandhi Ashram, this is a peaceful place with reddish buildings and nice gardens located on Ashram Rd, north of Gandhi Bridge, about 6km from the center of the city. Gandhi stayed here from 1917–30. You can see his simple rooms and tour an exhibit of his biography, photographs, quotes, and paintings. There is a bookshop here that sells books by and about Gandhi, handicrafts, and handmade paper. This is where Gandhi began his famous march protesting the British Salt Law. The Ashram is open daily April to Sept from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm; Oct to March from 8:30 am to 6 pm. Admission free. Buses #81, #82, #83/1, and #84/1 drop passengers here.

There is an hour Sound and Light Show in English about Gandhi on Wed, Fri and Sun at 9 pm.

Swami Narayana Temple
This interesting temple, located in the north part of the city, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi. It was built in 1850. It is painted in bright colors and has interesting stonework, intricate woodwork, and paintings depicting the pastimes of Vishnu. It is usually crowded.

Hathi Singh Temple
Located north of Delhi Gate, this Jain temple was constructed of white marble in 1848. It is dedicated to Dharamarath, the 15th Jain tirthankara. It has detailed carvings and excellent floral patterns. Open to non-Jains daily from 10 am to noon and 4 to 7:30 pm.

Calico Museum of Textiles
The Calico Museum of Textiles, Shahi Bagh, 3km north of Delhi Gate, is an excellent textile museum. It is located in a beautiful old haveli (mansion) surrounded by the Shahi Bagh Gardens, which are beautiful gardens containing fountains and peacocks. This museum is worth seeing.

The museum is divided into two sections. One section displays a large collection of textiles made from many fabrics in different styles from all over India. There is fine silk embroidery and white-on-white shadow work. There is also a collection of beautiful saris costing Rs 100,000 and more. Some saris are woven by a process that if there is one mistake, the work must be disassembled and begun again. Some have so much gold work on them that they weight over 9 kg (20 lb).

The other half of the museum displays textiles used for religious purposes. There is an 8m long pictorial scroll, old tapestries, and an image of Krishna from Nathdwar, Rajasthan. There are also exhibits describing the process of how different cloth is made.

Open daily except Wed and holidays. Visitors must take a tour to enter. Guided tours begin at 10:30 am and 2:45 pm, 2½ hr. Admission is free. Cameras not allowed. Buses #101, #102, #103, and #105 come by here.

Museums
The Tribal Research and Training Museum, north of Ashram Rd, exhibits crafts from regional tribal people and illustrates their customs. Open Mon to Fri noon to 6 pm and Sat noon to 2:30 pm.

The Shreyas Folk Museum, in the Ambavadi area northwest of the city, has a collection of folk art from all over Gujarat. It displays handicrafts, textiles, costumes, and other items. Open daily except Wed 9 am to noon and 3 to 6 pm. Buses #34, #41, and #200 pass this museum.

The Institute of Indology, close to Gujarat University, has a collection of illustrated manuscripts and miniature paintings. Open daily 11:30 am to 5:30 pm.

The Mehta Museum at the Institute of Indology in Paldi, southwest of the river, has a good collection of miniatures, most of them modern. Open daily except Mon 10 am to noon and 3:30 to 6 pm. Admission is free.

Vishalla
This is an artificially built, traditional Gujarati village located 4km south of Ahmedabad on Sarkhej Rd in Vasana. Potters and weavers make traditional crafts in mud and thatch huts. They serve spicy traditional Gujarati meals on leaf plates and in clay cups. Local folk music is played during the meal.

There is a Utensil Museum here with a good collection of pots, utensils, boxes, scales, and pipes (open daily 5 to 10 pm and Sun 10 am to 2 pm and 5 to 10 pm). Bus # 31 comes here. If you are coming for the evening meal, it is a good idea to arrange an auto-rickshaw or taxi for a round trip plus waiting time because it can be hard to find return transportation at night.

Step Wells (Vavs or Baolis)
The Dada Hari Vav (1501) is one of the most impressive step wells in Gujarat. It has intricately carved walls and pillars, and the steps lead down to different levels and end at a small well. It is in poor repair, but is still interesting. It is best to visit just before noon when the sun lights up the lower levels of the well and you can see the fine stonework.

Mata Bhavani’s Vav has been converted into a temple. This well, which was made before the founding of the city (around the 11th century), is of Hindu design. It is about 300m north of Dada Hari Vav.

There are several vavs in the north part of town, just south of Civil Hospital.

ISKCON Temple
This large, newly built temple (449-945) is located on Satellite Rd, Gandhinagar Highway Crossing. It is a popular place to visit. It is located in the new western side of town, and by rickshaw takes about a half hour (Rs 50) from the railway station.

Other Places
Bhadra Fort and Azamkhan’s Palace (in the fort), near Teen Darwarja, were built in 1411 by the founder of Ahmedabad, Ahmed Shah. Made of red sandstone, the buildings now house offices. There are fairly good views from the ramparts. Teen Darwarja, “triple gateway,” is east of the fort.

Kankaria Lake, southeast of town, is a park with a central, artificial lake built in 1451. It has thirty-four sides, each 60m long and is a nice place to stroll. Near the lake are a Zoo and Aquarium. To get here, you can take buses #32, #42, or #153 from the local bus stand (Lal Darwaja).

Where to Stay
Most the hotels near the railway station in the east part of the town are not very good. The better hotels are in the western part of the downtown, a few km from the railway station. The hotel prices are higher here than in other places in India, especially because tax is added.

When I arrived at the train station, the rickshaw drivers insisted that the two hotels to which I wanted to go were closed. Of course they weren’t. They did know a few good places, however, that were, of course, open.

Where to Stay—Lower
Most of the budget hotels are by the railway station or close to Tilak Rd (Relief Rd). The ones by the station can be noisy.
There are Retiring Rooms at the railway station that cost Rs 75 per person and Rs 150/2000 for a room with A/C and a private bath. Dorm beds cost Rs 50.
A-One Guest House (214-9823), opposite the railway station, has basic, unclean rooms with common bath for Rs 120/160, decent doubles for Rs 200/250, and dorm beds (men only) for Rs 60. It is best to get an outer room as the inner rooms are dismal. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Esquire (550-6840), opposite Sidi Saiyad Mosque and off the road, has clean rooms for Rs 175 a person, but it is often full.
Hotel Mumbai (351-746), just north of Sidi Saiyad Mosque on the third floor of the KB Commercial Centre, has rooms for Rs 125/175 with common bath and no windows. It is Rs 225/275 for rooms with bath and hot water. 24-hour checkout.
Ashiana (535-1114), Salapose Rd, by the GPO, has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 135/160 and Rs 150/177 with bath. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Naigra (384-977), near Tilak Rd, has rooms for Rs 125 with common bath, Rs 125/200 with bath, and Rs 250 with A/C. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Relax (550-7301), down an alley across from the Advance Cinema, is a popular, clean place and is a good value. Rooms with hot water are Rs 150/200 and Rs 300/350 with A/C.
Hotel Natraj (550-6048), Dada Mavlankar Rd, near the Lal Darwaja local bus stand, is in a quiet area. It has good rooms, some with balconies with views overlooking the garden of Ahmed Shah’s Mosque next door, for Rs 150/200. Free buckets of hot water. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Cadillac (550-7558), Dr Tankaria Rd, Lal Darwaja, has inexpensive rooms, some with bath, and a dorm for men.

Where to Stay—Middle
Metropole (550-7988), opposite Electric House, Relief Rd, has rooms that are a pretty good value for Rs 250/350 to Rs 450 and Rs 450/550 with A/C.
Hotel Mehul (550-7862) has less expensive rooms that are not quite as nice, but are still good for Rs 200/250. Both of these hotels are located down a side street near the end of Tilak Rd.
Hotel Good Night (550-6997), Dr Tankaria Rd, opposite Sidi Saiyad’s Mosque, has well-maintained rooms with TV for Rs 300/450, AC rooms for Rs 400/500, and larger A/C rooms for Rs 450/550. It is a little off the road, so it is relatively quiet. It has a good A/C restaurant, 24-hour room service, and 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Sahil (550-7351; fax 550-6265), Dr Tankaria Rd, by the Advance Cinema, has small rooms for Rs 175/250 and Rs 500 with A/C.
Hotel Balwas (550-7135), 6751 Relief Rd, has clean, modern rooms with hot water and a TV for Rs 350/450 and Rs 450/500 with A/C. It is well-maintained. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Embassy (535-8463), Lal Darwaja, has comfortable rooms for Rs 300/450 and Rs 600/700 with A/C. A good value.
Hotel Gujarat, third floor of Sneha complex, Dr Tankaria Rd, is a modern, clean place with a roof terrace.
Hotel Ambassador (550-2490; fax 550-2327), on Lady Vidyagauri Rd, near the end of Tilak Rd. by the river, is a large, modern place with clean rooms and hot water for Rs 400/500 and Rs 600/700 with A/C. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Kingsway (550-1215; fax 550-4566), Ramanlal Sheth Rd, close to Tilak Rd. and the GPO, is a nice place with rooms for Rs 500/600 and Rs 700/850 with A/C. All rooms have hot water and a color TV.
Hotel Shakunt (344-615), Reid Rd, near the railway station and just off Station Rd, has rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 300/350 and Rs 500/550 with A/C. Some rooms do not have exterior windows. 24-hour checkout.
Moti Mahal Guest House (339-091; fax 214-4132), Kapasia Bazaar, by the railway station, is a well-maintained place with clean rooms, bath, and a TV.
Hotel Sarita (550-1569), near the Indian Airlines office, has clean rooms for Rs 450/500 and Rs 550/600 with A/C.
Hotel Alif International (550-1270; fax 550-0540), Khanpur Rd, has clean, modern, comfortable rooms for Rs 350/425 and Rs 400/550 with A/C. It has a good restaurant. 9 am checkout.
Hotel Sarita (550-1569), K Vaghela Rd, has modern rooms for Rs 450 and Rs 600 with A/C.
Stay Inn (300-727; fax 442-243), near Khanpur Gate, is a well-managed place with clean rooms for Rs 800 and Rs 1000 with A/C.
Toran Guest House (Gujarati Tourism) (748-3742), opposite the Gandhi Ashram, has peaceful rooms for Rs 350/550 and Rs 600/800 with A/C.

Where to Stay—High
Hotel Capri (550-7143; 550-6646), has poorly maintained but clean rooms for Rs 550/600 to Rs 600/700. For the price, the rooms are not so bad.
Rivera Hotel (550-4201), Khanpur Rd, has clean, comfortable rooms for Rs 1100/1400. It has a lawn and is quiet. It is a good value and recommended.
Hotel Mascot (550-3848; fax 550-3221), Khanpur Rd, is a new hotel with modern, comfortable rooms for Rs 900/1400. Airport pickup.
The four-star Cama Hotel (550-5281; fax 550-5285), Khanpur Rd, along the river, has a pool, garden terrace, bookshop, and currency exchange. Its luxurious rooms are $40/45 and up. The restaurant is good. Checkout time 9 am. Recommended.
Across the river on Ashram Rd. is the four-star Hotel Nataraj (448-747), which has A/C rooms.
Shalin Suites (642-967; fax 656-0022), near Ellis Bridge, has a pool and nice bedroom and lounge suites for Rs 2300 to Rs 3500. The restaurant serves lunch buffets.
Holiday Inn (550-5505; fax 550-5501), Khanpur Rd. near Nehru Bridge, has good A/C rooms for 4800/5000. A buffet breakfast is included in the price. It has an indoor pool, health club, jacuzzi, sauna, 24-hour coffee shop. Checkout 9 am.
Inder Residency (656-5222) has rooms for Rs 2800/3500 which includes breakfast. It has a pool and health club.

Where to Eat
RG Pizza and Tomato’s (656-6129), off Chimantal Girdharlal Rd, near Law Garden, has good pizza (Rs 70 and up), Indian, and Continental food. Open 10 am to midnight.
ZK, Relief Rd, near the Hotel Balwas, is a good, inexpensive place.
Girish Ice Cream, near Law Gardens, is a popular place with good ice cream.
Vishalla Village (403-357), on Sarkhej Rd in Vasana, 4km south of town, has an interesting setting—like a local village. Diners sit on the floor and watch a puppet show for entertainment. Over twenty preparations are served with the thali. Lunch (Rs 150) is from 11 am to 2 pm, and dinner (Rs 200) is from 7 to 11 pm; snacks the rest of the day.
Cactus Restaurant in the Hotel Mascot, is a good place serving Chinese, Continental, and Indian food. It has live music on Monday and Thursday nights.
Paramount, Khas Bazaar near Teen Darwaja, serves Chinese, Continental, and Indian food.
Mirch Masala, Chandan Complex, CG Rd, is a popular restaurant with good, spicy Gujarati food. Mirch means “pepper.”
New Swagath, Babha Complex, has good South Indian food.
Nutan has very good, inexpensive food.
Havmor, Salapose Rd, is a good bakery; also serves good ice cream.
Patang, Chinubhai Centre, Ashram Rd, is a revolving restaurant with live music at night. The buffet is worth the price. For dinner, best to reserve in advance.

Where to Eat—Pure Vegetarian
Kalapi (550-7779), Dr Tankaria Rd, opposite the Advance Cinema, is the best restaurant in the Bhadra area. It is an A/C place and is reasonably priced (usually less than Rs 35 a preparation). It has a good selection of desserts.
Advance Restaurant, almost right next door, is cheaper.
Chetna Dining Hall, Relief Rd, near Jama Masjid, has good Gujarati thalis for Rs 30 and individual South Indian dishes. Open 10:30 am to 3 pm and 6:30 to 10 pm.
Woodlands is a first-class South Indian restaurant on the other side of the river near Navrangpura Municipal Market on CG Road.
Sankalp Restaurant, also across the river off Ashram Rd, not far from the tourist office, is a good South Indian restaurant. It has the longest dosas in India (over 1m long), costing Rs 151. They also have the highest stack of napkins at your table, about half a metre high.
Gopi Dining Hall (657-6388), Pritamarai Rd on the west side of Ellis Bridge, near VS Hospital, is a popular Gujarati thali place. Lunch, Rs 50; dinner, Rs 65. Open 10:30 am to 3 pm and 6 to 11 pm. Best to book in advance.
Mehta Garden, west of the river, has very good thalis.

Travel
Air The airport (642-5633) is 1km south of the city. From the airport an auto-rickshaw costs Rs 100 to the city center. There are also local buses (#101, #103, and #105) that go to Lal Darwaja, the local bus stand in town.

There are flights to Chennai (2 weekly, $220), Delhi (4 daily, $190), Hyderabad (2 weekly, $150), Jaipur (2 weekly, $95), Mumbai (5 daily, $75), Pune (3 weekly, $90) and Vadodara (1 daily, $25).

Indian Airlines office (550-3061; fax 550-5599), Tilak Rd (Relief Rd.), close to Nehru Bridge; Air India (642-5644), Premchand House Building, Ashram Rd, west of the river near the High Court building, has direct flights to America and the UK. Archana (440-666); fax 402-348); Gujarat Airways (286-8770; 642-3130); Navrangpura; Jet Airways (754-3304; Airport: 286-8307); Sahara (656-4049; fax 656-3977), Sadat Palace, Shahibagh.

Train Ahmedabad in not on the broad-gauge line between Delhi and Mumbai. There is a metre-gauge line that goes north to Delhi, passing through major towns in Rajasthan on the way. There is, however, a separate broad-gauge line that goes between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. City buses #48, #122, and #133 go from the railway station to Lal Darwaja, the local bus stand, near the hotels.

There are eight trains a day to Mumbai (7-15 hr, but usually 9 hr), including the Shatabdi Exp #2010 (7 hr). There are three trains daily to Delhi. The trip to Delhi on the #2906 Ashram Express (5 pm) takes eighteen hours. Some of the Delhi trains stop at Abu Road (6 hr), Ajmer (14 hr), and Jaipur (17 hr). The Delhi Express #9904 (6 pm) is the quickest train to Jaipur (16 hr 20 min). A train goes to Chennai (35 hr) four times a week. The Sarai Rohila Exp #9644 (10.40 pm, 9 hr) departs daily to Udaipur. There are two trains daily to Ujjain (9½ hr) and several daily to Mount Abu (3½ to 6 hr). There are trains to Chittorgarh (17 hr) and Jodhpur (three daily), including the Surya Nagari Exp #2908 (9 hr). Bhavnagar Bhavnagar-Ahmedabad Exp #9936 (7 am, 5½ hr), Shetrunji #9910 (5.10 pm, 5½ hr).

There are also trains to Vadodara (twenty daily), Surat (14 daily), and Vapi (for Daman—eight daily). The Saurashtra Mail #9005 (6 am) departs daily to Dwarka (10 hr) via Rajkot (3½ hr). The overnight Girnar Express #9646 (10 pm) goes to Veraval (10½ hr) via Junagadh (9½ hr). The Somnath Mail #9924 (11 pm, 12 hr) goes to Veraval via Junagadh. There is an overnight direct train to Bhuj (Bhuj Fast Pass, 8.30 pm, 17 hr), but it is much faster to take the Kutch Exp #9031 to Gandhidham and then catch a train or bus from there.

Outside the main station is a computerized booking office (Mon to Sat 8 am to 8 pm, Sun 8 am to 2 pm). Counter #6 efficiently deals with tourist quota tickets. If you do not have a reservation, a berth on some trains can be reserved at a temporary counter on the platform just before the train departs.

Bus The Central (ST) bus stand (214-4754) is southeast of the old city, a few km from any accommodations. Buses to all over Gujarat and the neighboring states leave from here. For long distances, the private minibuses are slightly more expensive, but quicker.

The local Lal Darwaja bus stand is just east of the river, between Ellis and Nehru bridges. City buses #13/1, #32, and #52/2 go between Lal Darwaja and the Central bus stand.

From the Central bus stand buses go to Gandhinagar (1hr, every 15 min), Mehsana (2 hr, every 15 min), Nal Sarovar (2 hr, in the morning), and Dholka for Lothal (1½ hr, every half-hour).
There are regular buses to Mumbai (11 hr), Ujjain, Udaipur (7 hr), and Mt Abu (7 hr). It is usually quicker and more convenient to take a bus to Mt Abu than to take a train to Abu Road and a bus from there to Mt Abu.

There are many travel agencies that run private luxury buses to the major cities and tourist towns in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. I was told at the tourist office that Punjab Travels (656-9200) was a good travel agency. They are located around the corner from the tourist office by the Sankalp Restaurant at Embassy Market. They also have an office at Shefali Centre, Pritamnagar Rd. There is also Shajanand Travel, Shefali Centre, and Bonny Travels (657-6568), Shefali Centre.

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INCENSE & OILS
Incenses
Essential Oil
Vegan Candles

VEGAN BELTS & WALLETS
Vegan Wallets
Hemp Belts
Vegan Belts
Hemp Guitar Straps

VEGETARIAN & VEGAN BOOKS
Vegan Books
Vegetarian Books
Vegan Cookbooks
Vegetarian Cookbooks
Restaurant Cookbooks
Raw Food Book

VEG COSMETIC
Eyeshadows & Liners
Nail Polish
Blush
Lip Stick
Mascara
Powders
Nail Polish

VEDIC & SPIRITUAL
Mandala Publishers
OM Jewelry
Krishna Photos
Radha & Krishna Dolls

JEWELRY
Anklets
OM Jewelry
Nose Rings & Studs
Toe Rings
Astrological Gems
Earrings
Pendants
Silver Tulasi Beads
Neckbeads
Necklaces
Silver Jewelry
Gold Jewelry

BUTTONS STICKER
Animal Rights Buttons
Vegan Patch
Jam Bands Stickers
Jam Band Stickers (20 stickers for $5)

SPIRITUAL BOOKS
All Books
Holy Places
Vedic Scriptures
Mandala Publishing
Art Books
Kurma Cook Books
Bhagavat Gita
Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Children
Srimad Bhagvatam
Spiritual Biography
Vedic Coloring Books

SPIRITUAL MUCIC
Bhajans
S. Prabhupada Bhajans
Kirtana
New Age
Musical Instruments
Spiritual Lessons
Audio Vedic Books

VEGETARIAN VIDEO
Vegetarian Cooking
Vegetarian

SPIRTUAL VIDEO
Devotional Movies
Interactive CDs
Vedic Puppet Shows
Vedic Art & Culture
Indian Music Lessons
Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupada

Spiritual Photos & Art
Krishna Posters
Krishna Pictures
Vedic Gods Photos
Vedic Gods Posters

OTHER PRODUCTS
Putumayo World Music
Pet Products
Outdoor Neem
Air Garcia T-shirt

Bob Marley Reggae
Hats
Shirts
Key Chains
License Plates
Scarves
Books