RESURGENCE OF THE PAST IN THE FORTIFIED PRECINCT OF SHAHPUR & KHANPUR RECURRING THEMES - THE FRUITS
LEVELS BECOMING INSIGNIFICANT
The wall has become abandoned belonging to nobody. This is led to vegetation grwoth, structural degradation and also illegeal
The hetrogenity of a pura is still evident today.
Due to such a haphazard development and multiple walls, there is no prominence of the wall, today.
“When we were small children, as there were no barriers on the fort wall, ''we used to run till Cama hotel from our place.”
OTHERS PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THE FORT WALL
LO C A L S ’ P E R S P E C T I V E S ABOUT THE FORT WALL
“Walls are now a mere illusion and the walled area is more like a city of ancient gates. The last wall in Khanpur, opposite to Cama hotel is symbolic of the walled city.”
FORT WALL A SYMBOL OF RESILIENCE
In the pols an extravagant ecosystem emerges due to the different types of appropriations of the fort wall by different people and animals.
“The children from the Muslim community threw dead rats, explosives, stones and garbage from their side into our society during the riots. That is why we increased the partition wall. We don’t want children littering and running on the fort wall, right next to our houses. - Kokilaben (a resident of Sardar Kunj society)
SIGNIFICANCE OF LEVELS
The impact of the fort wall as a city’s boundary was strong.
The puras (urban sectors) that existed before the fortification of Ahmedabad were an ensemble of many different houses and institutions.
But in the case of the high rise and the mid rise apartments, it has just become like a boundary wall of any other gated community. This disrupted relationship with the fort wall has resulted in its degradation.
HISTORIC EVENTS - THE ROOTS
T H ETOWN T OWALL W N PROJECT W A L L - PPORTFOLIO ROJECT THE
The five metre high wall built between Jalai wada and Sardar Kunj society has resulted in the restriction of access to the fort wall in this strecth.
LIFE AROUND A FORT WALL
''During the riots of 1969 due to the unrest between them and the Hindus and due to the accident of a child tripping over the partition wall between their community and the Sardar Kunj society, the height of the partition wall was increased considerably and the access to the fort wall was closed.” Hussain bhai (a resident of Jalai wada)
Steven Canara, PA104816 H.T.C. -2nd year, M. Arch.
EVOLUTION OF THE FORTIFIED PRECINCT OF SHAHPUR & KHANPUR SHAHPUR & KHANPUR W.R.T. GROWING AHMEDABAD
FORT WALL’S STAGES OF EXISTENCE
IDENTIFIERS ALONG WITH THE FORT WALL
CHANGES IN SHAHPUR & KHANPUR
8.
9.
Pre 14th century A.D.: Shahpur and Khanpur as Puras before the formation of Ahmedabad:
5.
1.
7.
PURA
Prior to the wall
Some of the first mosques in Ahmedabad came up here and were the identifiers of these areas.
PURA
A major mill of Ahmedabad With the advent of the first cotton mill of Ahmedabad in Shahpur in 1861, there was a significant increase in poulation. “most of Shahpur… grew up in the late 19th century and the early 20th century. “
6. The entire stretch on the periphery might have been fortified later.
Foundation of the fort wall laid
1486 A.D.: Fort wall built
Shahapur & Khanpur get were named after the darwajas.
2.
Construction of the fort wall
SLUMS
2005 A.D. Increasing built footprint
10.
Post independence (1947-2000A.D.) Co-operative Housing societies & private bungalows
The different Puras growing after fortification.
source - Ghosh, Soumitro. Documenting Ahmedabad – nineteenth century to independence. Vastu-Shilpa Foundation, 1994
1881 A.D. Multiple pockets of empty lands.
“During the 1960s, seven large mills in Ahmedabad shut down, and around 17,000 workers lost their jobs.”
Due to the availability of reclaimed land of the rive bed, many institutions were built here. “Most of the institutions of the minorities were built here.”
Source - 1969 Gujarat riots https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=1969%2 0Gujarat%20riots
source - Ghosh, Soumitro. Documenting Ahmedabad – nineteenth century to independence. Vastu-Shilpa Foundation, 1994
11.
CO. OP HOUSING
Parsi gymkhana, Khanpur
12. After the shutting down of mills, jobless mill workers were forced to live in slums.
3. CO. OP HOUSING
Fort wall as a battlement Calico mill
Shahapur & Khanpur get were named after the darwajas.
Slums oustide Khanpur fort wall
13.
SLUMS
2000-2017 A.D.: Institutions & Riverfront built.
A land mass extension is seen in Shahpur area the Relief road proposal.
4. Damages to the wall
In 1969, Ahmedabad witnessed communal frenzy, in which more than 3,000 people were killed , due to which Riots in Shahpur & Khanpur ghettoization occured.
“Several violent clashes involving the textile workers took place in the slums of the city, mainly between the Hindu Dalits and the Muslims.” Source - 1969 Gujarat riots https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=1969%20Gujarat %20riots
INSTITUTIONS
The footprint changed drastically with the institutions, roads and riverfront. References - 1.‘Ahmadabad’ - book by George Michell & Snehal Shah 2. https://issuu.com/gauravbanerjee9/docs/comparative_urban_form
The present condition of the fort wall is a repercussion of all of these events-migration, minorities’ institutions, slums, riots and ghettoization.
Part of the fort wall broken for expansion of road and the Insititutions became prominent. Repairing the fort wall
Sardar Kunj
3.Ghosh, Soumitro. Documenting Ahmedabad – nineteenth century to independence. Vastu-Shilpa Foundation, 1994 5. http://www.oldindianphotos.in/2015/07/shaikh-hasan-muhammad-chishtis-tomb.html 4. Nomination text for U.N.E.S.C.O. 6. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=158073&page=45
THE TOWN WALL PROJECT - PORTFOLIO
Jalai wada
7,9 - Kunte, Keya - Polyphony of Themes (thesis) - CEPT university 8. http://static.dnaindia.com/sites/default/files/1871939.jpg
Degraded condition of the fort wall
10. Parsis of Ahmedabad - Rashid Sohrab Medora 12. Kunte, Keya - Polyphony of Themes (thesis) - CEPT university 11. http://gaatha.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Manchester-Cotton_mill.jpg 13. Amdavadma magazine- May, 1980
LIFE AROUND A FORT WALL
Steven Canara, PA104816 H.T.C. -2nd year, M. Arch.