I spent a lovely Easter weekend at Ahmedabad with close family, and it was a delightful trip. Old Ahmedabad with its gorgeous architecture is a photographer’s delight.
In 1947, Mahmud Begada, the grandson of Ahmed Shah (the Sultan who founded the city) fortified the city with an outer wall with 12 gates or darwaajas. Traveling through the city, my cousin in law Rohan let us know that the wall has long since collapsed, but the darwaajas (2 of which are pictured above) are all intact. Do I hear you saying enough of history, get to the flea market bit? Alright, read on.
One of the places Rohan escorted me to was the flea market under the Ellis Bridge. Also called Raviwari, because it is held every Sunday, it is a must visit for anyone interested in picking up odd and authentic old-world knick knacks.
I spotted some really cool stuff – serving bowls that looked like they were easily from the age of the Raj, a beautiful run-down antique cupboard (the men accompanying me just could not fathom what it was I was oohing and aahing over) and replicas of old meat-safes (these were in metal and mismatched cheap wood though, so they didn’t look all that cool, but I am a meat-safe fan and they did catch my attention).
Have a look at these pictures – lovely clocks, a guitar, brass ware that was so lovely that I wanted to own all of it, old pictures, books, even spectacles (haha).
What caught your eye? I almost bought that huge copper vessel in the pic above, and a couple of miniature brass buckets too, but decided against it because I had to cart it all back to Pune by train, with a hyper-active 4 year old in tow! If you are in Ahmedabad, you must make sure that you stay over the weekend too so that you can visit this charming little place! In case you go here, know that you will only need about 2 hours to look over the antique stalls.
I also went to Law Garden with Rohan’s sister Christabel (I am so glad she factored this into our itinerary) and picked up some really lovely bed covers, pillow covers, and little pieces of patchwork for my new home. Law Garden has an evening market with really authentic Kutch work. The prices are unbelievable, and I highly recommend a trip here as well. Be sure to free up 4 – 5 hours for this trip, because the 3 hours I was there was not sufficient at all (I am sure the man who accompanied us thought otherwise; I appreciate his patience though!). Here are some Law Garden pics.
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| That’s my little girl enjoying the colors in the stall! |
I saw a few more places in Ahmedabad, but more on those in a later post! Do write in and tell me if you have been here, done this or if you are planning a trip to Ahmedabad any time soon.
Looks like someone had a really good time 🙂 Love the pics of the flea market…such awesome stuff! Hey did you manage to visit the NID shop that we talked bout?
Hmmm…. U had an awesome time…. I loved all the stuffs displayed here…. I was engrossed in savoring the beauty of all those antique thingies…. The thaal, the baskets & small utensils… All of my interest…. I would love them…. Especially I would have surely bought the telescope to peep into life around… I love & dream of it & would surely accomplish, before I bid goodbye to this world….. 😉
Ash….
(http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)
great pictures…it's amazing what you can find in a Sunday market!!
Waw… so many metal vessels at an open place! Surely looks like a photographers delight place. Nice post, thanks for sharing all the info along with pics 🙂
Fabulous post! Am an antiques buff and loved the bit about Raviwari. Must remember to plan for a Sunday too the next time i visit A'bad.
Have picked up some real bargains from Law Garden with the lovely Christabel's help. The kebabs outside are to die for!
Anna seems content 🙂 Hope you didnt leave her behind at that little girls wonderland.
@ Purplehomes: Oh yes I did Prachi!Rohan was kind enough to take me there too, in the dead heat of the afternoon!More on this in a subsequent post ;)…thanks a ton for telling me not to miss it!
@Ashkuku -yes, the telescope was something I was eying too..hope we both own one soon!
@Nalini and Mohan: Thanks for the compliments!
@idlisinsweden: Haha – laughing at your blogger name – 🙂 Anna was quite tired, but perked up in this particular stall – guess she loves colors!
Hi Sharon!!!
Wonderful post dear!!!Our next posting after 3 yrs maybe Ahmedabad :-)There are a lot of flea markets happening here in Germany. Maybe I should go to one and do a posting!!!
oh how i miss the Sunday Market! Spent 4 and half years in Amdavad!
Now i feel like going to ahmedabad too!
I would kill for the vessels! so good!
Hey Sharon, I am told there are such flea markets in Pune as well. In the peth area, especially one Kumbhar wada, which has amazing pottery collection. How about a detail round up of these places too. :):)
ooh, i am drooling over the brassware there. WIll make sure i plan to include a sunday if I ever visit Ahmedabad.
Wow…Ahmedabad looks so cool in pics. I'll make sure I visit the wonderful Ahmedabad once in a lifetime. May be this my next travel destination…who knows!
Ohh..I already love this place. This surely can be my next travel destination. Rekha, lets plan together. 🙂
http://www.hometone.org/entry/7o-creative-chairs-weird-or-coolyou-decide/
wrote to you 🙂 check mail
OMG!!! so much of antiques! i say this is the heaven for anitques hunters.
Those brass vessels look beautiful.. And also the antique telephones and telescope. This market looks like a photographer's paradise 🙂
I was there last summer, Sharon and loved everything in sight. The vessel stalls you've posted are especially mouth-watering- love their quaintness; reminds me of the Jewish market in Cochin! Loved the cloth stalls in the Law Garden market; and what lovely Indian colours! Thanks for dropping a line in my blog.. do visit more often and give me your ideas!
Love the pictures and the stuffs displayed!
http://padhuskitchen.blogspot.com/
Flea markets or Indian bazaars are so much fun. I'm off to Kerala for a little over a week. Will be checking out Cochin's antiques market (any tips?). And I'm hoping to pick up a souvenir or two. Will definitely blog though I'm getting increasingly lazy about that.
Where are you moving to, Sharon?
oh what a nostalgic post! I always miss this beautiful city specially pols and old city and sunday market.
Thanks for dropping by and lovely comment!
Keep blogging and keep visiting leehkin.