Ahmedabad a Living Montage of Historical Evidences

The city of Ahmedabad is distinguished for its architectural and textile heritage which is in a stage of continuous evolutionary change, undergoing metamorphosis from the banal to the loud and rampant, from sustainably functional and user-friendly to the borders of grotesque and environmentally insane; organically induced natural shades to the carcinogenic neon of shocking pink. A true cacophony of styles, shapes, grandeur, history and waste in a chequerboard patina appliquéd over a sprawling fabric. So grew this city, a living montage of historical evidences, encompassing, paramecium like surrounding territories, emerging into living, growing, seething masses of cultural, social and economically diverse hire of humanity.

As the presence of the British raaj began to benignly grow all pervasive and classically interfering, enforced stability and an economic upsurge gave rise to a guild enhanced trading elite. In fact, the advent of the American civil war in 1862 and the opening of the B.B.C.I.railway between 1860 and 1864 contributed to this result. Further mechanisms broadening the urban conflagration on both banks of Sabarmati have been gleaned from excerpts from Edaljee Dosabhai’s ‘History of Guzerat’ first published in 1893.

One of the first metalled roads was constructed, under British hegemony, from the port of Gogha, via Dhandhuka and Bavla to Ahmedabad, a length of 162 miles. Right after this, Sarkhej was linked to Virangam, a distance of 30 miles, its cost of construction, Rs 2, 26,000/-. The advent of the railways, notably the B.B.and C.I. opened more avenues for trade and commerce. This was followed by the Rajputana Malwa Railway in 1877 and several Kathiawar Railways set into motion by Gondal, Junagadh, Porbandar, Morbi and Bhavnagar. Privately owned tracks and carriages such as the ‘Trambak Trolley’ have entered the realm of the modern folk cultural myth. Ahmedabad meanwhile, persevered through communal upheavals, natural disasters and yes the bane of fluctuating markets. It is notable to mention here the stock market crash of 1866, ruining many a respectable family in Ahmedabad. It was only later that the Industrial Revolution in textile manufacture was ushered in by the ‘Honorable Rao Bahadur Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, CIE’ by importing mill machinery.

The most damaging flood on record during the later part of 19th century was on September 23rd, 1875. Approximately 3,800 houses fell, besides damage to other property within Ahmedabad, accounting to a loss of seven and a one half lacks of rupees. Entire villages were inundated in the area outside the city walls. The rail bridge over Sabarmati constructed at a cost of three lack rupees and the Ellis bridge, over the same river, which only five years before had cost the civil administration five lack rupees, were swept away. Ellisbridge was later rebuilt in 1892 through judicious private donations, which enabled amongst other things the relocation of the Gujarat College from Mirzapur to the western bank of the Sabarmati and the settlement of the western suburbs.

Restoration of the Fort wall was undertaken in the year 1832 from the proceeds collected through ‘Kot-tax’. The balance remaining formed the nucleus of a Municipal Fund. On the 11th of June, 1891, the water works and an elaborate drainage system was inaugurated by Lord Harris, the then Governor of Bombay and initiated by Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, the President of the Ahmedabad Municipality with a budget of eight lack rupees. Edaljee Dosabhai, from whose writings these nuggets of history are gleaned, was then the Deputy Collector and District Magistrate at Ahmedabad.

Thus spawned Ahmedabad, ever aggravating outwards in twists and turns; the fortunes of amalgamated peoples in twirling curls, vertical mill stacks running parrellel to living habitats, spewing an intermingling grey over a megalosphere of wealth and morbid industrial prosperity running tandem with age old guilds and cultural propensities.

Published:Ahmedabad Mirror