Ahmedabad is the sixth largest city of India. It is the commercial hub of the state of Gujarat, though it is not the capital, which is Gandhinagar, 30 km to the north. Although it is not very well known as a 'tourist' place, it is certainly worth a visit. Located on the banks of the River Sabarmati, the city is the administrative centre of Ahmedabad district, and was the capital of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970; the capital was shifted to Gandhinagar thereafter. The city is sometimes called Karavati, a name for an older town that existed in the same location; in colloquial Gujarati, it is commonly called Amdavad.
The city was founded in 1411 to serve as the capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat, by its
namesake, Sultan Ahmed Shah. Under British rule, a military cantonment was
established and the city infrastructure was modernised and expanded. Although
incorporated into the Bombay Presidency during the British rule in India, Ahmedabad
remained the most important city in the Gujarat region. The city established itself as
the home of a booming textile industry, which earned it the nickname "the
Manchester of the East."
Archaeological evidence suggests that the area around Ahmedabad has been
inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known as Ashapalli or Ashaval. At that
time, Karandev I, the Solanki ruler of Anhilwara (modern Patan), waged a successful
war against the Bhil king of Ashaval. Soon after the victory, he established a city
called Karnavati on the banks of the Sabarmati at the site of modern Ahmedabad.
Solanki rule lasted until the 13th century, when Gujarat came under the control of the
Vaghela dynasty of Dholka and Ahmedabad was conquered by the Sultanate of Delhi.
