Building Stories - 4

Suggestions based on first review:

1.       Make an exhaustive list of the origin of names of the pols.

2.       Categorise stories

3.       Mind-map

a.       Which stories are strongest?

b.       How has that shaped the neighbourhood?

c.       Which are the central stories?

d.       Who worships?

e.       Who is the informant?

f.        Constitution of the pol now?

g.       Perception of the place now?

h.       How have some memories been re-created?

4.       Origin stories and cultural memory anchored in places.

References suggested:

1.       Street-Naming and Nation-Building: Toponymic Inscriptions of Nationhood in Singapore

By Brenda S. A. Yeoh

[Yeoh, B. (1996). Street-Naming and Nation-Building: Toponymic Inscriptions of Nationhood in Singapore. Area, 28(3), 298-307. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20003708]

“……names are rooted neither in reality nor custom, but express instead the power of the namer over the thing named” (Emmerson 1984, 4)

“..reveals a human drama of ideas and ideologies, interest groups and power blocs”

Toponymy – study of place-names in a region: infer landscape and settlement histories

2.       Feld, Stenen & Basso, Keith H. “Senses of Place” Santa Fe, New Mexico: School of American Research. Ress 1996.

a.       Wisdom sits in Places

“To know who you are, you have to have a place to come from”

Sensing of place as a cultural activity – appropriating portions of the earth.

b.       Where do you stay at?

“…used to tell about someone’s family, economic and social status.”

“A range of possibilities and judgement about the communities are contained in sayings, stories and descriptions of them and in the attitudes conveyed about them.”

3.       Tilley, Christopher. Paths, Places and Monuments. A phenomenology of Landscape. Oxford: Berg 1994.

“Phenomenology: understanding and description of things as they are experienced by a subject.”

“Relationship between the being and being-in-the-world”

“Somatic space, perceptual space, existential space….”

“The naming and identification of particular topographical features, is crucial for the establishment and maintenance of their identity [a sense of attachment to a place is frequently derived from the stability of meanings associated with it].”

“Names create landscape”

4.       Morphology of a Folktale – Propp

5.       Bear Stoppers and Blood Warmers

6.       Sabarmati Workshops - CEPT

INFORMATION FROM SASANK:

In conversation with a shopkeeper in Kansara Pol:

A monkey fell from the peepal tree, where the Kashtbanjan Hanuman Temple has been established.

In conversation with various resident of Lalabhaini Pol:

Some houses have Dargas - shrine built over a grave – of martyred Hindu men, probably during the freedom movement. The family does not know who exactly is buried but the spirit is worshiped.

In conversation with various residents:

The Ganapati at the wall shrine - Ganapati Dadanu mandir – is considered to be very powerful. It was taken from a well below it, which has been closed now. There is a snake around the idol’s neck – very rare sighting.

Many pols have a ‘Mohalla Mata’ – a protective diety of the pol. During the Navratri festival, children of the pol come together to make a mud idol along with their families. It is kept for Pooja and submerged (visarjan).

INFORMATION FROM RUCHIKA:

Elements used for warding-off evil eyes/ bringing good luck:

         i.            Suryanarayan Dev - strong stare cuts off evil eyes

       ii.            Shani Dev: the black face – strong stare cuts off evil eyes

     iii.            Nagdevta – modern interpretation just has a painting

     iv.            Incense sticks (nashwaar)

       v.            Shell (conch)

     vi.            Pagliya: footsteps of ‘dev’ at the entrance

    vii.            Imprints of hands: by newly married couples on the front entrance

SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION:

CEPT Conservation Studio:

1.       Kakabaliyani Pol-

                                 i.            17^th C - Sree Aadinath Digambar Jain mandir – built 2 floors below the ground to protect from Mughal attack. It is believed to be miraculous – if anyone prays here, their wishes come true. Highest footfall on Sundays and full moon days.

2.       Nagji Bhudarni pol-

                                 i.            Myth around the name- Nagji and Bhudar were two brothers and the pol was names after them.

                               ii.            1760- pol officially established

                             iii.            A pol comprised of wealthy jain merchants also remembered as ‘NALANDO PADO’ due to it’s economic stability.

                             iv.            1615 – Establishment of Shri Shantinath Sambhavnath Jain Derasar -  Originally two temples: Sambhavnath and Shantinath. A new unified temple was created with 350 idols in the building.

                               v.            1960 – Dilip Chowk got its name in memory of Dilip Bjai who was martyred during the Mahagujarat movement.

                             vi.            1990 – Commercialisation of Ubho Khancho.

                            vii.            2001 – Upashrays were used as common gathering to eat and sleep. Everyone used to cook together in Dilip Chowk.

3.       Harkishandas Seth ni Pol-

                                 i.            1870 – construction of Dodeshwar Temple.

                               ii.            1970- Travellers and devotees stopped staying on rent in the vadi.

                             iii.            1974 – Navnirman Agitation – Shah Kishore Ramanlal, 22, was martyred during the movement. Toda ni pol changed its name to Kishore sheri.

                             iv.            1985 – Worshipping of ‘ice shivling’ started in Shravan month at Dhodeshwar Temple.

                               v.            2009 – Jernodhar (renovation) of Dhodeshwar temple

4.       Lalabhaini Pol-

                                 i.            1950s- Akkada – the ground was used for ‘khusti’ training as part of RSS activities.

                               ii.            1970s- Muslims were pushed out. Muslims used to light lamp in a niche in the wall. The Hindu tenants still observe this practice.

                             iii.            During the plague, the residents of the house promised to convert it into a temple for Bahuchar matha if they were brought out safely from it. And so now the the Bahuchar Mata temple exists in its place.

                             iv.            Around 2000-2005 – tankas filled, an underground tunnel found –filled,

                               v.            Gold idol of Ganesha found during renovation of a house near akkada

5.       Mandvi ni Pol –

                                i.             used to flourish as a cloth market post-independence.

                              ii.            1984-1985 – 14 mills closed. 40,000 workers lost their jobs. Rents in the old city increased.

                             iii.            2000-2005 – Complete commercialisation of main streets and area near pol gates.

                             iv.            Post 70’s riots, many people started moving out. Marking the beginning of commercialisation. New shops kept opening up but older ones did not shut down.

                              v.             2014-2015 – wells closed for the safety of children.

From CEPT Library: Ahmedabad in Time and Space by Dr. Panubhai N Bhatt

Origin of pol names

[Bhatt, D. P. (1972). Ahmedabad in Time and Space. School of Planning Ahmedabad. Pg 185-190]