There is an interesting legend associated with the Ahmedabad city. Towards the beginning of the fifteenth century, the state of Gujarat was ruled by the Muslim Muzaffarid dynasty. Once Sultan Ahmed Shah was standing on the banks of river Sabarmati and he noticed a tiny hare chasing a strong ferocious dog. He kept pondering over it. He approached a spiritual leader and asked for explanation. This learned man said that, it is the uniqueness of this land that cultivates such rare qualities in its people. After having heard this, the Sultan got so impressed that he decided to set up the capital of Gujarat over here and he called this land Ahmedabad.
Amdavad! Or, Ahmedabad! A city named after its founder Ahmed Shah! It is an important city of India. It is chosen to be set up at the cross roads of not only the routes from North to South or Saurashtra, but also of nearly all the highways that crisscrossed across the country. Earlier it was also named after another founder ruler, Asha Bhil and was called Ashavalli or Ashaval. It marked, later, southern border of the kingdom of the Solanki ruler Raja Karnadev. It was situated en route to the southern region known as 'Lat Pradesh'. In order to make the victory over that rich area, Karnadev, the father of Siddharaj, occupied· this city and camped here. This enhanced its importance and it became almost another capital during his rule. That is why it came to be also called Karnavati after him. It is believed that Karnavati occupied the area beyond the present Jamalpur Darwaza and around the Calico Mills. While digging the foundation of some buildings of the Calico Mills, some pieces of old temples had been found.
After Karnadev and during the rule of Siddharaj the Jain minister Udayan Mehta who anived here as the Durgpal or Fort In Charge, developed the city a great deal. The trade and commerce flourished, several big buildings were constructed . and excellent Jain temples were also built in his time. The small town of Karnavati turned into a prosperous city. The population was mostly of Jains and Brahmans. The contribution of Jain community has been great in the development of the city since old times and even in the present times. This community has worked for the development of trade, commerce and industry here and made the city rich and wealthy. Due to their religious inclinations and charity a number of iristitutions and Jain temples have flourished in Ahmedabad. The famed Jain scholar and ascetic, Devchandrasuri had lived in Arishtanemipraasada temple of Karnavati. Also, Kalikalsarvagnya Hemchandracharya studied here and in modem times the great scholar of Jain Thought, Pandit Sukhlalaji, also lived and studied here. Udayan Mantri and another prominent Jain resident built the Udayvihar Jain temple that has 72 Jinalayas. The glory of this city in those days was something wonderful.
In the early 14th century the Rajput rule came to an end. The governor or Subas of Sultans of Delhi now began to rule over Gujarat and made Patan as their headquarters. Later on these governors asserted their independence from Delhi and set up their separate rule as Sultans of Gujarat. Ahmed Shah, the grandson of the first Sultan of Gujarat, keeping in mind the large and growing area of his kingdom, and Patan turning geographically away from its center, and also keeping in mind the movement of his armies and the trade routes that led allover India, chose the site near Karnvati, the old capital, as his new capital city. Thus in 1411 AD Patan lost its status as the capital of Gujarat and it was replaced by a new city. The site ran along the old structures of Karnavati on flat land and thus the city came up after a plan was drawn for it
The first brick of the first structure here was laid on 1st April 1411 AD by four most honored persons of the time at an auspicious moment. Thus the city has regiosity and purity in its very foundation. The first structure was the Bhadra Fort and the first Mosque was also built next to it. The Jumma Masjid came later
1297 Alla Uddin Khalji won Gujarat
1411 Ahmedshah laid the foundation of Ahmedabad, Manek Bhuraj,Ganeshbari, Bhadra Fort, Muhurt Pole and Jumma Masjid
1413 Construction of Bhadra fort completed
1423 Construction of Jumma Masjid completed
1441 Death of Sheikh Ahmed Khatu and construction of the historical Sarkhej Roja begun.
1451 Houj-E-Kutub or Kankaria Lake constructed
1454 Construction of Shaking Minarets near Gomtipur
1475 Death of Shah Alam Saheb and beginning of his Roja
1485 Step-well (Vav) of Dada Hari constructed.
1486 Construction of City walls by Mehmud Begda.
1498 Step-well (Vav) Adalaj with exquisite stone carving.
1499 Construction of Dada Hari Stepwell
16th Century
1514 Arrival of Spanish traveler Barbosa, Construction of Rani Sipri Masjid.
1535 Humayun captured Ahmedabad and ruled for nine months. Bahadurshahre captured.
1572 Sidi Saiyad masjid with the world famous carved stone tree constructed.
1572 Akbar captured the city. End of the Sultanate.
1586 Meeting of Sant Dadu and Akbar, Akbar recaptured the city from Muzaffarshah.
17th Century
1614 Arrival of the first representative of East India Company.
1618 Arrival of Jehangir,letters written to the British King James on 20-02-18 and 08-08-18, Political relations appointed Suba of Gujarat.
1621 Shah-e-Jehan constructed Shahibag Palace (Present Commissioner's Bungalow) and the Shahi Gardern.
1631 Famine known as 'Satyashiyo Dukal'
1636 Bhadra palace constructed by Suba Azamkhan.
1644 Aurangzeb become suba of Ahmedabad. He broke Chintamani Jain temple and riots broke down in the city.
1658 Aurangzeb ascended the throne at Delhi.
1672 Arrival of English Ambassador Sir Thomas Roe.
1681 Imposition of Jajiavero on non-Muslims. Riots due to famine in the city.
1683 City flooded upto Teen Darwaja due to flood.
18th Century
1708 Invasion by Balaji Vishwanath,Ahmedabad looted, Truce at a price of Rs. 1,20,000/-
1715 Hindu-Muslim riot.
1732 City suffered from famine.Many people died due to plague.
1738 Treaty between Suba of Ahmedabad Aminkhan and Damaji Gaikwad, city came under joint jurisdiction. Construction of Gaikwad Haveli.
1753 Ahmedabad came under Maratha rule.
1757 Division of Ahmedabad between Gaikwad and Peshwa.
1758 Maratha Currency.
1851 to 1900 Century
1851 Establishment of Maganbhai Karamchand Girls School.
1857 Establishment of Gujarat Training College.Ahmedabad Municipality came into existence on 19th January.
1858 Opening of first Library Himabhai Institute.
1861 First Textile Mill started by late Mr. Ranchhodlal chhotalal, the pioneer of Mill Industry.
1863 Construction of Railway Station.
1864 Railway between Ahmedabad and Bombay.Construction Prem Darwaja.
1868 Heavy Floods.Construction of Panchkuva Gate.
1870 Opening of Ellisbridge.
1872 Construction of first city road - Gandhi Road.
1873 Ahmedabad Municipality. recognized by statute and named as City Municipality.
1875 Railway bridge and Ellisbridge were damaged by heavy floods.
1877 Fires in Sarangpur, Zaveri Vad and Maganbhai's Haveli.
1882 Primary Education came under Municipal Administration.
1897 Opening ceremony of Gujarat College by Lord Sandhurst.Telephone service was started.
1901 to 1930 Century
1915 Arrival of Mahatma Gandhi. First flash of Electric lights.Designation of commissioner was given to Administrative officer of the Municipality.
1919 Establishment of Majur Mahajan Sangh (Textile Labor Association)
1921 Gujarat Vidyapeeth, founded by Mahatma Gandhi, Sessions of the Indian National Congress, President C.R. Das (in Jail) Hakim Ajmalkhan acting President , President of the reception committee Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Ahmedabad Municipality was superseded because of non-co-operation movement , and a management committee was formed under the charirmanship of Sir. Ramanbhai Nilkanth.
1924 Elected Ahmedabad Municipality resumed its working, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel becomes President of the Municipality.
1927 Heavy floods. 71 inch Rainfall.
1931 to 1960 Century
1931 Vadilal Sarabhai General Hospital Started.
1939 Opening of Sardar Bridge.Income Tax imposed.
1941 Communal riot.
1942 'Quit India' movement. Ahmedabad Municipality superseded. Historic Textile strike.
1948 Immersion of Mahatmaji's ashes in Sabarmati, Preparations for Electric Grid Scheme and expansion of Power House, Famine conditions in Ahmedabad Dist. Gujarat University Commission.
1949 Rigid cloth control, Textile crisis,Gujarat University Bill passed, Bombay Municipal Corporation Act, Ahmedabad Station of All India Radio
1950 Municipality raised to corporation status on 1-7-1950, First Mayor Sheth Chinubhai Chimanlal. Gujarat University started functioning.
1954 Atira Laboratory building opened by Pundit Nehru.
1960 Constitution of separate Gujarat State on 1st May and Ahmedabad become capital of new state.
1961 to 1999
- Opening of Indian Institute of Management.
- Opening of Nehru Bridge.
- Opening of Shubhash Bridge Heavy flood.
- Nav Nirman Andolan' by students.
- 92 sq. kms of new area merged with Municipal Corporation on Eastern Periphery.
- Municipal Corporation got itself credit rated from CRISIL and got A+ rating which subsequently increase to AA (so) rating.
- Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation becomes first corporation in the country to offer public bonds for Public Subscription of Rs.1000 million. started, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce established.
Year 2000
- Widening of Gandhi Bridge.
- Widening of Ellis Bridge
- Publication of Citizen's Charter for the first time.
- Inauguration of the ambitious Raska Water Project.
Year 2001
- Massive Earth Quake ( 26th January 2001 )
Foundation of Ahmedabad
For the founding of the city of Ahmedabad, permission was sought from Paygambar Al Khizr Khwaja through the saint of Sarkhej, Sheikh Ahmed Khattu Ganjbaksh. The conditions laid for this were most demanding. Four individuals with the name of Ahmed who have spent their-lives by the rules of the religion, and never missed one Namaj throughout their lives should hold the thread while the foundation stone was -being lowered. If this condition was fulfilled the city that was founded on it would -flourish and prosper, it was said. This strange condition was fulfilled. Among the four Ahmeds, the ruler was also added for he too was a religious and devout enough not to have missed any Namaj in his life. Sheikh Ahmed Khattu was the second such holy person. The third was Malik Ahmed (whose tomb is in Pathanwada at Kalupur) and the fourth was Kaji Ahmed whose tomb is in Patan.
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