Ahmedabad is the largest city in the state of Gujarat and the seventh-largest urban agglomeration in India, with a population of almost 53 lakhs. 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 city was founded in 1411 to serve as the capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat, by its namesake, Sultan Ahmed Shah. The city was at the forefront of the Indian independence movement in the first half of the 20th century
Ahmedabad has established itself as the home of a booming textile industry, which earned it the nickname 'The Manchester of the East'.Once characterised by dusty roads and bungalows, the city is witnessing a major construction boom and population increase. A rising centre of education, information technology and scientific industries, Ahmedabad remains the cultural and commercial heart of Gujarat, and much of western India. Since 2000, the city has been transformed through the construction of skyscrapers, shopping malls and multiplexes.
The Ahmedabad circuit, which covers the northern part of Gujarat, is a fascinating blend of history, culture and adventure. It is home to the Sabarmati Ashram, Mahatma Gandhi's famous retreat and the nerve centre of India's freedom movement, Ambaji -an important place of pilgrimage in Gujarat and some of the finest examples of Indo- Saracenic architecture like the Jumma Masjid and the Siddi Sayyad Mosque.