Capital surprise: View from a hotel

Gujarat's capital is emerging as a destination for the future

Akshardham Temple is among the most famous in Gandhinagar. Credit: Pixahive

The five-level Adalaj stepwell is a short drive from Gandhinagar. Credit: Suman Tarafdar

That seeing a train depart from literally under me, well, many levels under me—was a novel experience—is stating the obvious. The recently launched 'The Leela', Gandhinagar, is built right on top of the Gandhinagar railway station and from my room on the eighth level, the view is arresting. This hotel, which is located at one end of Gandhinagar’s central vista, is easily the tallest structure for as far as the eye can see. The ten-storey, three-winged hotel floats 22 metres above the station. Add about six storeys to get the proper height perspective. The hotel has 318 keys, making it the largest in Gandhinagar, if not Ahmedabad.

Named after the father of the nation, Gandhinagar replaced Ahmedabad as the capital of Gujarat in 1970 (the state itself had been carved out of the erstwhile Bombay state a decade earlier). While the state government shifted to this new town about 25 kilometres north of Ahmedabad, for decades, it remained what is referred to as a "retirement town."

Of late, however, it has seen a spurt of activity, among which is a string of structures at its core. Stretching east to west, this includes the seat of the state government, the Sachivalaya, with the Sabarmati river to its east.

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A park stretches westwards, and at the other end is a convention centre, the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre (MMCC). Further west, still in a line, is a museum to Gandhi called Dandi Kutir. Right next to it is 'The Leela', Gandhinagar.

The layout reminds you of Washington's National Mall, or nearer home, Delhi's Rajpath aka Central Vista, stretching from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to India Gate and National Stadium and the (Yamuna) river beyond. The entire stretch is designed to impress visually.

Today, Gandhinagar, designated a "smart city," is on overdrive to reach the modern world. A planned city, laid out in grids, negotiating the city is easy—provided you have a personal vehicle. Public transport is relatively scarce, though the upcoming metro link with Ahmedabad should help the intercity movement faster.

Temples, unsurprisingly, abound; the most notable of which are the Swaminarayan Temple and the Akshardham Temple. Dandi Kutir is innovatively structured, though its content may appear basic to anyone familiar with Gandhi.

The Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Park is a more unusual destination, which has massive skeletons of sea mammals such as the blue whale. Another green oasis is Sarita Udhyan, located by the Sabarmati.

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The awe-inspiring Adalaj stepwell is just a 20-minute drive away.

Of course, all of Ahmedabad's multiple attractions—the Sidi Sayyed Mosque, Rani Roopmati Mosque, Calico Museum, Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, Kankaria lake, the Vechar/Utensil Museum, the old city's heart, Manek Chowk and Bhadra Fort, Amdavad ni Gufa, Vastrapur lake, NID, IIM, and many more landmark institutions—all are less than an hour from anywhere in Gandhinagar.

The Leela is owned jointly by the state government and the Government of India (via Indian Railways, on whose land/airspace it is built) and managed by the Leela.

"Connectivity is key, and we have 11 international airlines coming to Gujarat," said Jaideep Anand, Vice President & General Manager, The Leela Gandhinagar and Mahatma Mandir Exhibition and Convention Centre. "Gujarat has good infrastructure, and Gujaratis are the largest non-resident Indian community, the average rates in the city are competitive, which is a huge advantage the city has."

Inspirations for the design elements include the Tree of Life at Ahmedabad's Sidi Sayyed Mosque, Adalaj stepwell, traditional glass beadwork and textile patterns of Bandhej, Ajrakh and Batik.

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