STOREYS OF MEMORIES – A Collection of Narratives (First Draft)

         I.            COMMON TO AHMEDABAD/ MANEK CHOWK –

1.  Story of the hare and the dogs – formation of Ahmedabad

Legend has it that Sultan Ahmed shah sighted a rabbit chasing away a wild dog while hunting near the Sabarmati River. He wondered that if the animals were so brave here, then so must be the people and decided to set up his kingdom here.

2.  Stories of Manek Baba (different versions)

Manek Baba was a very powerful occultist in the area. Ahmed Shah did not want him disrupting the construction of the city. Ahmed Shah challenged Manek Baba to enter a ‘chirag’ (lamp) if he was so powerful. Once he was in the lamp, the Sultan closed it, trapping him in it and buried Manek Baba at the site on which the temple exists today.

3.  Story of Lakshmi Devi in Ahmedabad –

Story of Goddess Lakshmi coming in the form of a woman and asking the guard at the gate for some water to drink. The guard, on realising her to be Goddess Lakshmi, told her to wait while he gets it for her, never to return. It is believed that he sacrificed himself so that the Goddess would never leave the city. People believe that the presence of  Lakshmi Devi is what brings prosperity to any business that starts in Manek Chowk, or even Ahmedabad, and no one goes hungry.

4.  Chronicle of Manek river, a tributary of Sabarmati river, Smashan Ground and Samshan Hanuman Mandir -

The Sabarmati used to flow through the Manek Chowk and the area where the Sharma Bakery is situated now was a burial ground. Near the bakery is a Hanuman temple, the Samshan Hanuman Mandir was where the bodies used to be cremated. That was where the ‘samshan’ ghat was.

       II.            ORIGIN OF NAME OF POLS

5 . VICHINI POL:

The pol was just inside the fort wall when Ahmedabad was built. While making of the pol, many scorpions were found on the site, which is why it is called Vichini (gujarati for scorpions) pol. 

6. SONI NI POL:

The pol was named after the Soni family who used to live in the pol, community of goldsmiths.

7. GATRAD NI POL:

The name of the pol comes from the Gatrad Matha, for whom a shrine is dedicated to in the pol.

It was previously called Joita dhola, named after Bahuchar joita.

8. KAKABADIYA NI POL

Named after a shaivak Kakabaliya who resided there.

9. HARIKISHANDAS NI POL

Named after Harikishandas who used to reside in the haveli.

10.               SAMETHSIKKAR NI POL

From Sameth sikkar jain temple

11.               DEV NI SERI

From the Ramnath Mahadev Mandir at the seri.

12.               MURLIDAR NI KANCHO –

Named after Lord Krishna

13.               NAGJI BUDHAR NI POL –

Named after a pandit who lived there

14.               KANSARA POL - 

kansara community (ones making utensils) live here.

15.               MUHURAT POL  -

 the first pol that was formed, thus named it muhurat meaning ‘auspicious time’

     III.            STORIES OF POL SHRINES

16.               VICHINI POL:

It is also believed that the idol of Kalka Mata was found from the well that used to be there at the chowk. The well was covered 4-5 years ago. Many houses have been renovated.

17.               KAKABADIYA NI POL:

The idol at Suvideena Jain Mandir (swethambar temple) is believed to be the oldest in Ahmedabad, and the old temple to be the first with a history of 400 years. The new temple was constructed 119 years ago. This temple and idol has a lot of power and many miracles keep happening in the lives of the people that believe in it. He does not want to reveal what the miracles are as he is worried that will lead to an influx of people just for the miracles and not for the belief in the God.

18.               HARISHANDAS NI POL:

(i)      Bahuchar Mata Temple

The idol is more than 100years old. In one of her great grandfather’s dreams, Mata told him to take her out of the well, and so the idol was found from the well that used to be opposite their house (now it has been covered up).

(ii)    Nagmaharaj Mandir

From his childhood, Moleshbagath could communicate with Nagraj. He had a certain connection which he could never understand. In his late teens, he started seeing Nagaraj in his dreams and his communication became better as time passed. He shared whatever he wanted with Nagaraj. Initially he used to have only a Pooja mandir at home (15years back). Overtime, when he wanted to build a temple, the money somehow got arranged and six years years back, he built the Nagmaharaj Mandir on the ground floor by clearing his house. He can sense people’s aura and knows whether he or she is has good or bad intentions.

(iii)      Peepal Ishwar Mandir

The shiv-ling manifested itself (swayambu) while a soni was digging, from the roots of the peepal tree. It is also believed to grow in size every year.

19.               SAMETHSIKKAR NI POL

Shri Sammeth Sikhar Jain Temple - Magical temple – story?

20.               DEVI SERI

Manek Chowk, was used as a burial ground for such people. At those times, shiv-manthir used to be constructed near such places as he is the God of destruction and death. The Ramnath Mahadev Temple is one such place, more than 700-800 years old (based on the fact that the statue of ‘nandi’-cow- and of the tortoise are within the shrine, contradictory to the later trends). So this particular shrine was sort of on the banks of the river, approached by steps (The shrine is almost 7ft below the ground) . This shivling is also believed to be ‘swayambu’.The shrine has undergone many modifications through the years.

It is believed that, during the reign of Mughals, the temple was destroyed and the stone pillars were taken away. But on trying to destroy the shivling, it bled where the sword struck the stone, and so the shrine was allowed to remain. Some parts of the temple were reconstructed, but in a mix of Hindu and Mughal style. Proof of this can be seen in the typically Mughal styled domes over the colonnades of the temple.

The peepal tree near the temple is more than 200years old. The land near this was about 7ft above the present road level, and the shiva shrine nearby was almost 12ft below. When the roads were laid, some land was cut and filled to level the area, resulting in the roots of the tree being exposed.

21.               LALABHAI NI POL

 Peepal Ishwar Mahadev temple

 The shivaling of is believed to have emerged from the earth – ‘swayambu’ – under the Peepal tree. It is believed to be about 50-80years old. The shivaling was worshipped under the tree for a few years, after which it was shifted to the shrine constructed beside it. The tree is still worshipped and the ground in which it is situated sees one of the largest religious gatherings within the pol during festival time.

22.               NAGJI BUDHAR NI POL:

The legend has it that during the time of Krishna, while he was travelling from Dwaraka to Dhakko, he rested along the banks of the river Sabarmati. This was way before Ahmed Shah established Ahmedabad city, almost 2000 to 3000 years ago. The Ranchod Lalji Mandir is dedicated to Lord Krishna in memory of this event. The idol of Krishna is worshipped here along with Goddess Lakshmi and Tikamji (Balram).

23.               MUHURAT POL:

The first pol that was formed, at the  ‘Ishan Kon’*(Northeast direction) and the other pols were made later. This is considered as the direction of Gods. Ishan Kon has a lot of significance because it is believed that when Vastu Purush was brought down to the Earth, his head was in the northeast direction. The puja room should be in the Ishan Kon.

    IV.            OTHERS

24.               People knew the exact time during monsoon to open the pipe to collect the water from the roof to the tanka. The right time to store water was during the ‘magha nakshatra’. Water would be pure at that time. Even if that water is stored for 50 years, that water will be clean.

25.               Worship of Peepal tree –

Noone can cut the peepal tree. It sprouts by itself and dies by itself. If anyone cuts a peepal tree, it will destroy their house.

26.                Warding off Evil eye/ negative energy and bringing good luck -

Many practices are followed to avoid evil eye and bring good luck to the household, like hanging ashoka leaves, chilli and lemon, black horseshoe etc.

(i)      The horseshoes that are to be thrown out after full use, should be used. Preferably taken from the left hind leg, from a pitch black horse. [Assimilated energy from use; black horse is considered stronger.] It should be hung with the curved portion upwards, depicting forward motion. (Vaastu: The Art And Science Of Living By Ashwini Kumar pg 314)

(ii)    Jains and marwadi communities also use coconut wrapped in red cloth also to avoid negative energy.

(iii)   Protective angels would be carved onto the building ornamentation as guardians of the house.