Manek Chowk

About the location: The Amdavadis’ version of nightlife is packing in a heavy dose of sweets and fried savoury snacks, that too after dinner. Every day, stalls start propping up in the old city Manek Chowk with chairs and tables arranged for nocturnal foodies. The rite of passage to call yourself a foodie includes Bastiram’s rabri kulfi with no artificial essence and Imtiaz Sheikh’s bizarrely tasty chocolate and pineapple pizza. You’ll have to part with less than Rs 200 to have a full stomach. Reserve some space for Kamlesh Patel’s paan – a family recipe since 1967 has won him many regulars. The market is a vegetable hub in the morning, a bullion market at noon and a street food hotspot at night.

Brief History: Manek Chowk is named after Saint Maneknath who was an advisor to Emperor Ahmed Shah I. Mahant Ghanshyamnath, the 12th generation descendant of the saint, performs a puja and hoists the flag on Manek Burj on the foundation day of the city and Vijayadashami every year, keeping a 600-year-old tradition alive. The chowk is located in the heart of the old city of Ahmedabad, surrounded by iconic structures.

Manek Chowk, a bustling city square, is located in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. It is surrounded by historic structures and is considered a part of Old Ahmedabad. If you have a bigger appetite for shopping, this is the place to be, because Manek Chowk plays three different roles in a day. It is a vegetable market in the morning, a bullion market in the afternoon and a foodies hub in the evening. It is considered as India’s second-biggest and busiest markets. If you manage to spend an entire day here, you’ll know how the afternoon takes over the vegetable market and how dusk takes over the bullion market and transforms it into foodies paradise.

How to get there

By Road: Gujarat has one of the better-developed road networks in India. Ahmedabad is well connected with all major cities and towns by road. Prominent bus stops are located at Gitamandir near Kalupur Railway Station and Paldi. Regular bus services are available by Gujarat state transport buses and private operators to all the major destinations of the state.

By Rail: The main railway station is located in the Kalupur area. This station falls under the prominent national railway circuit and is connected to all major cities of India. If you are on the western side of the Sabarmati river, then you can go to the Gandhigram station near Ashram road to buy your railway tickets easily.

By Air: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport at Ahmedabad is an international airport with direct flights to USA, UK, Singapore, Dubai and other international hubs. Numerous domestic flights are also operational from here.