Manek Chowk (Ahmedabad)
Manek Chowk
 Street food stalls at night | |
| Addresses | within walled city, near Bhadra Fort |
|---|---|
| Location | Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India |
| Coordinates | 23°1′25″N 72°35′19″E / 23.02361°N 72.58861°E |
Manek Chowk is a prominent city square located in Old Ahmedabad, India. Surrounded by historical structures, it serves as a vegetable market in the morning, a bullion market in the noon, and transforms into a vibrant street food market at night.[1]
Etymology
[edit]The square derives its name from Baba Maneknath, who played a crucial role in aiding Ahmed Shah I in the construction of Bhadra Fort in 1411.[1][2][3][4]
Manek Chowk
[edit]This bustling square functions as a vegetable market in the morning, transforms into a jewelry market in the afternoon (the second-largest in India), boasting an annual turnover of around 3 million rupees. However, it is most renowned for its food stalls that emerge around 9:30 in the evening, offering a variety of local street snacks. Manek Chowk is particularly celebrated for its Kulfi.[5][6]
Food Street
[edit]Manek Chowk is one of the few food streets allowed to stay open until late at night. Offering Bhajipau, dosa, typical local sandwiches, and various local cuisines, it is a hub for culinary enthusiasts even during the late hours.
Structures
[edit]
Baba Maneknath Temple
[edit]The memorial temple, where the saint Maneknath took samadhi, is situated in Manek Chowk.
Badshah no Hajiro
[edit]This is the burial place for male members of the royal family, including Ahmed Shah I, the founder of Ahmedabad. Women are restricted from entering, and men must cover their heads before entering. Several minister’s tombs are laid out across the road. It lies to the west of Manek Chowk.[1]
Rani no Hajiro
[edit]
On the street leading to the Rani no Hajiro (Queen’s tomb), where the female members of the royal family were buried, is now a market for women's clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Traditional Garba clothes are also sold here. Many types of mouth fresheners, Mukhwas, stalls are nearby. Rani no Hajiro lies to the east of Manek Chowk.[1]
Ahmedabad Stock Exchange Building
[edit]
Established in 1894, the Ahmedabad Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange in India after the Bombay Stock Exchange. It operated in this location until 1996, housed in a 93-year-old heritage building showcasing British architecture.[7][8][9][10]
Mahurat Pol
[edit]It was the first pol (housing cluster) of Ahmedabad. Jains settled here around the 1450s. There are two temples inside the pol, Sheetalnath Jain temple and Dholeshwar Mahadev temple.[1][10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Desai, Anjali H., ed. (2007). India Guide Gujarat. India Guide Publications. pp. 93–94. ISBN 9780978951702.
- ^ More, Anuj (18 October 2010). "Baba Maneknath's kin keep alive 600-yr old tradition". The Indian Express. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Flags changed at city's foundation by Manek Nath baba's descendants". The Times of India. TNN. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Jadav, Ruturaj; Jani, Mehul (26 February 2010). "Multi-layered expansion". Ahmedabad Mirror. AM. Archived from the original on 7 December 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Manek Chowk". Government of Gujarat. Tourism Corporation of Gujarat. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Jani, Mehul (14 April 2011). "Manek Chowk fights off its 'MAHA' Clone". Ahmedabad Mirror. AM. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Old stock exchange building at Manek Chowk to be sold". The Times of India. Ahmedabad. TNN. 6 June 2012. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Dhomse, Himansh (7 July 2012). "Veterans rue loss of Ahmedabad's Manekchowk building". Daily News and Analysis. DNA. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Soni, Nikunj (20 February 2011). "Heritage lovers root for Ahmedabad Stock Exchange's Manekchowk building". Daily News and Analysis. DNA. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ a b Ruturaj Jadav and Mehul Jani (5 February 2010). "Amdavad's First Pol". Ahmedabad Mirror. AM. Archived from the original on 7 December 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
