Ahmedabad is the largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat and the seventh largest city in India. It is situated on the banks of the River Sabarmati. It served as the capital of Gujarat until it was shifted to Gandhi Nagar.
The history of Ahmedabad starts with the invasion of the Solanki King Karandev. After he conquered the Bhil King Ashapall, he established the city of Karnavati. During the 13th century Vaghela dynasty of Dwaraka ruled this place and at the end of 13th century, it came under the Mughal Empire.
The city of Ahmedabad was founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah of Muzaffarid Dynasty in 1411. When he was resting on the banks of the River Sabarmati he saw a hare chasing a dog. He saw this as a mark of bravery and so wanted to establish his new capital there which he called Ahmedabad. There were great commercial developments during this period and many wealthy merchants visited this place for trade. There existed in this region a good and sophisticated banking system. There were social institutions like Mahajans for merchants and Panches for artisans that safeguarded their rights and protected the place from any disputes.
The city of Ahmedabad had an outer wall of six miles long with 12 gates and 189 bastions and this structure was built by Mahmud Begada in 1487. He was the grandson of the founder of the city, Ahmed Shah. During the rule of Muzaffar II, the Mughal Emperor Akbar captured this city in 1573. Jehangir gave it the name of Gardabad in 1617. Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug was built by Shahjahan. In 1753 the Marathas named Raghunath Rao and Damaji Gaekwad put an end to the Mughal rule by capturing this city. However there existed the struggle for power between Peshwa and Gaekwad.
The city fell into the hands of the British on 18th February 1780 as a result of the First Anglo Maratha War though it was given back to the Marathas. But in 1818 East India Company established their supremacy over the region. They established military cantonment in 1824, municipality in 1858 and railway route from Ahmedabad to Bombay in 1864.
Many manufacturing plants were established and the power of British was limited to administrative and military areas. In 1859, the spinning and weaving company was founded by the Brahmin named Ranchhodlal Chhotalal. The technical students were entitled to receive scholarships since 1889. Many schools for girls were started in the middle of the 19th century.
Ahmedabad served as an important sphere of Indian independence movement. When Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa in 1915, he established two ashrams, Kochrab Ashram and Satyagrah Ashram. This became an important center of Salt Satyagraha.
After the independence of India, Ahmedabad became a part of Bombay state. When the states were reorganized, the new state of Gujarat was formed on 1st May 1960 with Ahmedabad as its capital. In 1971, the capital of Gujarat was shifted from Ahmedabad to Gandhi Nagar. Nav Nirman agitation in 1974 gave it a prominent place in the national politics. A major earthquake struck the place near the city on 26th January 2001 taking its toll. It destroyed more than 50 buildings and wiped out nearly thousand people. The Ahmedabad photos and Ahmedabad videos of the earthquake made this city famous.
