Tag Archives: india

In the footsteps of the founder of the religion of the Sikhs

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THE SIKH RELIGION was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1539). During his lifetime,  he made pilgrimages to Mecca. On two of these, he travelled through the port of Lakhpat in Kutch (Kachchh,  Gujarat). In his lifetime, Lakhpat was a thriving port, but now it is a ghost town.

 

Lakhpat contains a fully functioning gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), the Lakhpat Gurdwara Sahib. It was established by the descendants of the Sikhs who hosted Guru Nanak during his two stays in Lakhpat.  The sanctuary  of the gurdwara contains  relics that were used by Guru Nanak while he spent time in Lakhpat.

 

The sanctuary is housed in a large compound in which one must walk barefoot and with one’s head covered. The place is very clean.

 

As with all gurdwaras, pilgrims and other visitors are offered (free of charge) vegetarian food and drinks (eg tea) in the ‘langar’ (=kiitchen) hall. We drank tea from metal cups and saw others, seated on the floor, eating food from metal thalis. After finishing ones food and drinks, visitors must was the metal vessels with soap and water so that they are ready for use by others.

 

Although the sanctuary building is nineteenth century or older, the rest of the gurdwara is newer. We entered a huge new meeting hall to which builders were completing finishing touches. We were told that it was being got ready because there was about to be a great gathering of Sikh pilgrims at a festival.

 

Lakhpat and its gurdwar are close to India’s border with Sindh in Pakistan.  The whole area around the erstwhile port is full of military personnel and camps. Many Indian regiments contain Sikh members. Some of these regiments have donated things to the gurdwara at Lakhpat.  As one walks around, one can see plaques put up by, and to commemorate these regiments.

 

I enjoyed visiting the gurdwara, and we were happy to make a donation.  Whatever the size of the donation, the donor receives a receipt that  states the reason for making the gift. We wrote that our money was in gratitude for the refreshment offered to us in the langar hall.

 

By visiting the gurdwara at Lakhpat,  we can truly say that we were following in the footsteps of Guru Nanak, even though our journey was most probably more comfortable than his.

The “Native Library” in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

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AN OLD BUILDING stands near the Bhadra Fort in the heart of old Ahmedabad. This is the Himabhai Institute. Its origin dates back to 1849 when Alexander Kinloch Forbes, an administrator in the British East India Company, set up the Gujarati Vernacular Society which aimed at carrying out social reforms, enriching the Gujarati language and its literature, and to promote ‘useful knowledge’.

The Society set up a library in the building now known as the Himabhai Institute. A leading light in establishing the library was the Gujarati poet Dalpatram, a friend of Forbes and his teacher of the Gujarati language.

Dalpatram, whose full name was Dalpatram Dahyabhai Travadi, lived from 1820 to 1898. According to Wikipedia, he:
“… led social reform movements in Ahmedabad, and wrote articles against superstitions, caste restrictions and child marriage. He dealt with the problem of widow remarriage at length in his poem, Vencharitra … In 1885, Dalpatram was made a Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire.”

The library, named after the philanthropist Himabhai (Vakhatchand) who lived from 1785 to 1858, is one of Gujarat’s oldest. It contained a valuable collection of books and manuscripts. Today, unfortunately, the place is in a sad condition. The number of people using it has declined considerably. This is to some extent due to the Internet having become a major source of information, and as a consequence people depend less on books than they used to. The Institute has a peaceful rear garden and on the first floor there is a hall that can be used for meetings and other functions.

A preserved historical building, the now melancholic Himabhai Institute was known as the “Native Library” in the nineteenth century.

His sister was a pioneer of the labour movement in India

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A LARGE WHITE MANSION stands in lovely grounds not far from the Sidi Saiyed mosque in central Ahmedabad. If you look carefully, you will see that in various places the outside of the building has cartouches consisting of an A intertwined with an S.

This edifice was a home of the textile magnate and philanthropist Ambalal Sarabhai (1890-1967).

Ambalal’s sister was Anasuya Sarabhai (1885-1972). She became a pioneer and founder of the women’s labour movement in India. Also, she helped Gandhi set up his Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad.

Initially, Anasuya studied medicine, but gave it up. She was a Jain and dissecting corpses was abhorrent to her. She gave it up, and went to London where, in 1912, she studied at the London School of Economics, where many years later my father became a professor.

In 1914, she organised a textile workers strike in Ahmedabad. No doubt, her brother’s factories would have been affected. In 1917, the Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association (Majdoor Mahajan Sangh) was formed and Anasuya was made its lifelong president by Gandhi.

I do not know where Anasuya lived in Ahmedabad, but seeing her brother’s house made me think of her. [It is possible that she resided in Ambalal’s mansion.]

The villa is now the home of the Shanti Sadan institute.

A freedom fighter,  an architect,  and a hotel in Ahmedabad

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MADAM BHIKAJI CAMA (1861-1936) was an Indian freedom fighter. Aa member of the Parsi community,  she is remembered for various activities including unfurling one of  thee earliest versions of a flag of Indian independence  at a socialist Congress in Stuttgart in 1907, several years before Gandhi returned to India to start his struggle to make India independent of the British.

 

 In 1960, Rustom Cama, who was related to Bikhaji Cama,  opened his 26 room luxury Cama Hotel, close to the River Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. With a delightful garden, it was the city’s first hotel offering deluxe accommodation.

 

The hotel was one of the earliest projects of the renowned Indian architect Charles Correa (1930-2015). He designed the hotel in 1958-59. Not too far away from the hotel is the Memorial Museum at Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad.

 

I have read that  the  Cama Hotel has been modified over the years. So, although it is recognisable modernistic, some of what Correa designed has been changed. We visited the hotel, hoping to drink some coffee. Despite having placed the order, it never arrived, and we left thirsty. Nevertheless,  I was pleased to have entered a building designed by Correa. And I was fascinated by the fact that the hotel was established by a member of Madam Bhikaji Cama’s family.

 

I first became aware of Madam Cama when I was researching my book, “Indian Freedom Fighters in London (1905 – 1910), which is about some Indian revolutionaries, who were active several years before Gandhi came on the scene. [The book is available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/INDIAN-FREEDOM-FIGHTERS-LONDON-1905-1910/dp/0244270716 ]

 

Only Ganesh is allowed to completely circumnavigate this Shiva temple

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THE PUNVARESHVAR TEMPLE is one of the oldest surviving Hindu temples in Kutch. It stands beside state highway 42 between Bhuj and Nakhatrana.

 

The temple is built in a style that incorporates elements of both Dravidian and Nagara styles.  It was built sometime around the tenth or eleventh century. During the earthquake of 2001, part of its roof collapsed, leaving part of the temple without a roof. The temple is dedicated to Shiva.

 

The dripping cow head

Built on a stone podium, there is a walkway surrounding the temple. We began walking around it, and stopped to look at a carved cow’s head from which water was dripping. While I was taking a picture of this dripping sculpture, a man approached it, knelt down, let some water drip onto his fingers, and then touched his eyes with the water. He explained that we should not walk all the way around the temple, because only Ganesh, son of Shiva, is permitted to walk the whole way around. Ordinary mortals are supposed to walk up to the dripping cow, put the water in their eyes, and retrace their steps. Then, one can walk around the rest of the temple until one reaches the dripping cow. After applying water to the eyes, one retraces one’s steps.

 

While we were looking at the old temple, a group of ladies dressed in traditional folk costumes  arrived at the temple. Each of them had what looked like a colourful pillow balanced on their heads. These were, in fact,  bundles of clothes.

 

We learned that the ladies had walked through the night from Ratnal, which is 40 miles east of the Puneshwar Shiva Temple. According to Google maps,  this walking journey takes between 13 and a half and 14 hours. We were at the temple at 10 am. The ladies would have set out on their walk early the evening before. Very kindly, they allowed me to take pictures of them.

 

The Punvareshvar Shiva Temple is on the way from Bhuj to the enormous temple complex called Mata no Madh. We visited this popular temple a few years ago. It was overcrowded and highly commercialised. Near the sanctum containing the highly revered deity, I spotted an ATM machine for pilgrims who had not brought enough cash to offer to the deity and the priests who perform the pujas – at very high speed.  The simple, ancient Puneshwar Temple is a peaceful place, where  unlike at Mata no Madh, there is a spiritual atmosphere bathing the environment.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

The Road Through (or To) Heaven in Kutch (Gujarat,  India)

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THE FIRST TIME we drove from Bhuj to Dholavira,  home of Harappan ruins, the journey via Bhachau and Rapar took about six hours, not including stops for refreshments.  This route runs around the large Lake of The Rann of Kutch. We made this journey in January 2020. Since then, a new road has been built. It reduces the journey to less than three hours.

 

The new road, which runs roughly parallel to India’s border with Pakistan is part of a highway constructed to allow rapid movements of military vehicles. When India is under attack, or at risk from it, the thoroughfare is closed to non-military traffic. To call it a highway is a bit misleading. The new road, NH754K, consists of a single lane of tarmac, which is the width of a large lorry. The tarmac strip is flanked on each side by gravel carriageways that are wide enough for large trucks. When driving along the highway if two vehicles are approaching each other, one needs to swerve off the tarmac onto the gravel carriageway so that the two vehicles do not collide head to head. Many drivers, especially those in huge trucks and fancy SUVs expect cars approaching them to move off the tarmac and onto the gravel which is full of sharp rocks.

 

The new ‘highway’ traverses the Lake of The Rann of Kutch along a recently constructed causeway. This is about 30 km (18.6 miles) in length. It traverses a narrow island about half way along its length.

 

The Road To or Through Heaven

Known variously as ‘Way Through Heaven”, “Road to Heaven”, “Road through Heaven”, etc, the causeway is flanked on both sides by the waters of the vast lake through which it runs. Apart from the frequent swerving to make way for approaching vehicles, driving along the causeway is a magical experience. The shallow waters of the lake reflect the sun in varying ways. Far in the distance, beyond the lake, one can see hills silhouetted against the bright blue sky.

 

The water in the lake derives from the monsoon rains, and remains there until the end of the hot season just prior to the rains. Then, the lake dries out. When the lake is full, it attracts a variety of waterfowl. The most fascinating of these creatures are the huge number of pinkish flamingos. Because the lake is very shallow, many of the flamingos we saw were standing in the water rather than swimming.

 

Apart from its military purpose, the Road to Heaven has made it easier for tourists to visit the ruins at Dholavira. This has brought prosperity to the previously hardly visited island on which the archaeological site is located. On our recent visit in December 2025, we saw that Dholavira had become much more developed for tourism than it was back in 2020, when facilities in the area were rudimentary to say the least.

  For many people today, the journey to Dholavira is being made not primarily because of an interest in archaeology,  but to enjoy the heavenly sensations experienced while crossing the lake on the causeway.  And there is nothing wrong with that: the causeway provides visitors with a wonderfully memorable experience.

The superfast express train from Ahmedabad to Bhuj

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THE EXPRESS TRAIN, Indian Railways number 22903 (the Bhuj AC Superfast Express), runs between Bombay and Bhuj (in the Kutch district of Gujarat). On its way, it stops at Ahmedabad Junction Station at 630 am. To catch the train, we arrived at Ahmedabad Junction at about 530 am – I always prefer being early at the departure point of a train, aeroplane, bus,  etc.

 

It was dark as our autorickshaw drove speedily along the empty streets of central Ahmedabad. The sun only rises after 7 am in the west of India.

 

Ahmedabad Junction Station

The well-lit station platforms were covered with rows of people wrapped in blankets, sleeping on the floor. The sight of these sleepers reminded me of the images that Henry Moore made of people sleeping on the platforms in London’s deep Underground stations during WW2. Of course, the people sleeping in Ahmedabad’s Station were awaiting trains, not sheltering from bombs dropped by the German’s Luftwaffe.

 

These sleepers were not disturbed by the endless series of train announcements, each of them were made in three languages: Hindi, English,  and Gujarati. One of them that was repeated at regular intervals informed those who were listening that the Shalimar Superfast Express (it runs between Kolkata and Bombay) was running 12 hours and 50 minutes late. Fortunately, our train 22903, pulled into platform 3 almost exactly on time.

 

We had reserved places in the first class, air-conditioned carriage, and had a coupé (compartment) to ourselves. Although comfortable,  it was a rather spartan little cabin. I believe that first-class rail travel in India is aimed at those who wish to travel secluded from the ‘madding crowd’. Frankly, I prefer travelling in a carriage in which one can see and, sometimes,  interact with one’s fellow travellers and the endless stream of vendors, who move up and down the trains in India.

 

The six-hour journey from Ahmedabad to Bhuj is through terrain as flat as in the Netherlands,  but much dustier. All along the route we passed factories, both small and large, many with chimneys emitting smoke. For the first half of the journey,  we travelled past well-tended fields in which crops were growing. After crossing into Kutch, we passed numerous vast water features containg seawater that was being dried to produce salt. Every now and then, white, conical mounds of salt could be seen. The train runs for a long way parallel to a main highway in Kutch.  This connects Kutch and its important port Kandla with the rest of India. An endless stream of large trucks moves along this road.

 

At Gandidham in Kutch, the train’s engine was changed. We began moving in a different direction as we travelled along the stretch of rail track between Gandidham and Bhuj, where we disembarked.  Outside the station there was a sea of men offering to drive us in taxis, jeeps, and autorickshaws.

 

Eventually, our driver met us, and drove us through the hilly, almost arid hills between Bhuj and Kutch Mandvi, where we were going to stay with my wife’s cousins.

 

Even though train 22903 traverses terrain that few would regard as picturesque, I always enjoy long land (rather than air trips) journeys through  the countryside of India.

A statue iņ Ahmedabad and a friend in Bangalore

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I FIRST CAME ACROSS the name Indulal Yagnik when I was researching my book (“Indian Freedom Fighters in London:1905-1910”) about the less well-known Indian Freedom Fighter, Shyamji Krishnavarma (1857-1930). Indulal Yagnik (1892-1972), who was a writer and political activist, published a biography of Krishnavarma in 1950. Yagnik wrote many other things, amongst which were the first 30 chapters of Gandhi’s autobiography that were dictated to him by the Mahatma whilst they were both imprisoned in Yeravada jail.

 

Between 1915 and 1947,  Yagnik was active in the Indian struggle for freedom. Amongst his many activities,  he carried the first tricolour Indian flag from Germany to India. This flag had been designed by Madam Cama, a leading proponent of Indian independence, and had been displayed to the world (for the first time) at a meeting of socialists in Stuttgart (Germany). Yagnik was imprisoned by the British at least twice on account of his anti-British activities and publications.

 

After Independence, in 1956, Yagnik led the Mahagujarat Movement for a separate Gujarat state, which led to the separation of Gujarat from Maharahtra that occurred in 1960.

 

Close to the east end of the Nehru Bridge in Ahmedabad, the city in which Yagnik died, there is a small, well-maintained  park in  which there is a fine statue of Indulal Yagnik. It was created by the late Kantibai B Patel, who also made many other statues of well-known Gujarati people, including many of Mahatma Gandhi.  The statue of Yagnik depicts the man striding forward, his shirt pocket filled with a spectacles case and a pen.

 

I was keen to view the statue not only because I had read Yagnik’s biography of Krishnavarma  but also for another reason. His nephew,  who lives in Bangalore,  is a good friend, whom we got to know because his wife is related to members of my wife’s wider family.

 

Even if you do not have the sort of ‘connection’ we have with Indulal Yagnik’s nephew, the statue is worth seeing because it is a good piece of sculpture.

Shifting Identities: movement of crafts across national boundaries in the Indian subcontinent

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THERE HAVE BEEN events that have caused people to flee from one part of the Indian subcontinent to another, traversing national boundaries.  The best known of these events was the Partition of India in 1947. Another event was the Bangladesh War of 1971, which resulted in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) becoming independent, no longer united with West Pakistan.

 

Until I visited an exhibition,  “Shifting Identities”, at Arthshila, an art institution in Ahmedabad, I was unaware of India’s temporary occupation of a part of West Pakistan in 1971. In order to deflect some of West Pakistan’s army from their activities in East Pakistan, India staged an attack on Sindh, a province in West Pakistan.  As a result of this, India temporarily annexed a part of Sindh close to Kacchch (Kutch). This annexation was reversed by treaty in 1972. However, this resulted in a flow of refugees from Pakistan  into border areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan.  Likewise, during the liberation struggle in what was East Pakistan, refugees flowed from what was to become Bangladesh into Indian West Bengal.

 

Amongst the migrants who sought refuge in India, there were many who were skilled in traditional crafts,  notably textile manufacturing. 

 

The splendid exhibition at Arthshila contains beautiful examples of textiles made by refugees both from Sindh and the former East Pakistan.  The exhibition also includes documents and photograph albums that belonged to these people who felt it necessary to flee their former homes. The photographs in the albums were those sent to the migrants by family and friends they had left behind.

 

The show at Arthshila is both attractive and very moving. The exhibits are well labelled with much information. It showcases the skills that were the only riches that the refugees were able to carry with them when forces beyond their control made them feel it was necessary to leave the land that had been their home for innumerable generations.

A fort and a temple in the heart of Ahmedabad

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THE TEEN DARWAZA (a magnificent three arched gateway built in 1415) was an entrance to the Bhadra Fort in Ahmedabad.  The Gateway faces the main part of the fort, but is separated from it by a large rectangular piazza lined with shops, eateries, an auditorium designed by BV Doshi, and market stalls.

 

The Bhadra Fort itself was constructed by the founder of Ahmedabad,  Ahmed Shah, in 1411. Thus, it is one of the oldest surviving edifices in the city. Only a few parts of this imposing structure are accessible to members of the public.

One substantial part  of the fort is occupied by a busy Hindu Temple,   Nagardevi Shri Bhadrakali Temple. This has been in existence for many years. However, since our last visit to Ahmedabad two years ago, the temple has spread into the piazza, occupying an area that used to be filled with traders’ stalls. The expansion consists of an area covered by a colourfully decorated canopy.

 

In addition, many of the street vendors who used crowded and enliven the piazza between the fort and the Teen Darwaza have been cleared out. According to one shopkeeper, with whom we spoke, it was the Temple authorities who ordered their removal.

 

The Bhadra Fort was built by followers of Islam. It has now been used to accommodate a Hindu temple.  Seeing this reminded me of the Charminar in Hyderabad.  This place, which is of great significance in the Islamic world, like the Bhadra Fort,  has been encroached by a Hindu temple. Although less solid in appearances than that in the Bhadra Fort, that attached to the Charminar is here to stay.