Justification of Outstanding Universal Value

Ahmadabad's walled city has a history of last six centuries. It has a unique settlement which has acquired significant importance for its patterns and homogeneity of community living which is characteristic of .its economic reliance on trade and commerce since centuries. This has now bestowed on us a priceless heritage of urban living which is traditionally unique.

The value of the traditional heritage is enormous:

1. It represents a unique lesson in city's settlement formation (pol) and its basic constituent, the traditional house with carved wooden facades.
2. Its wealth of traditional wisdom represented in its physical settlements is a rich resource of cultural heritage, characteristic of this merchant community and their preference for tasteful life ordained through their religion.
3. Its wealth of wooden architecture of settlements is also a great heritage for which the city is well known since centuries and is considered a storehouse of integrated crafts which extended from block making for textile printing to some of the finest expressions in traditional houses and temple building arts.
4. Its economic enterprise sustaining the city and state, its wisdom in financial expertise and its guild tradition for community co-existence, leading to a world class status in textiles in 19th century
5. Its institutional building traditions and record of civic architecture, leading later on to attract world renowned architects to come to the city to build institutions of world repute and excellence.

Criteria met [see Paragraph 77 ofthe Operational Guidelines]: (ii), (iii), (vi).

Criteria (ii) The historic architecture of the city exhibited an important interchange of human values over its span of time which truly reflected the culture of the communities which were the important inhabitants of the city. Its settlement planning through mutually accepted norms of communal living and sharing and its monumental buildings representative of the religious philosophy exemplified the best of the crafts and technology which actually saw growth of a regional architectural expression which is unparallel in India. Ahmadabad city's planning in a hierarchy of living environment with street also as a community space is representative of the local wisdom and sense of strong community bondage. The traditional house became a generator of the settlement known as 'pol'. This when adopted by the community as an acceptable agreeable form, generated an entire settlement pattern with once again community needs expressed in its public spaces at the settlement level. These in terms of a gate with community control, a religious place, a bird-feeder and a community well were constituents of the self-sufficient settlement of 'pol'. In a variation of this within different culture of the communities in the old city the Mosque and the community Halls became the public areas within. Though the internal arrangement complied with socio-cultural demands, the construction materials, the craft expressions and the techniques of construction achieved a tremendous harmony in its settlement forms which resulted in a unified living environment which was climatically conducive of a very appropriate living environment. 

Criteria (iii) The city's settlements and traditional house forms bear an eloquent testimony to the cultural traditions of various socio-religious bearing and have given a unique identity to the settlement which is world famous for its craft traditions and local wisdom in establishing a social order which emanated from their beliefs and adherence to the values enshrined in it. The house as a self sufficient unit with its own provisions for water, sanitation and climatic control (the court yard as the focus) as a functional unit and its image and conception with religious symbolism expressed through wood carving and canonical bearings is the most ingenious example of habitat. This is one of the most important values.

Criteria (vi) The city's culture has been replete with traditions of its enterprising communities which were frontline traders and merchants, irrespective of the irreligious bearings. The major economic dependence of the cities merchant class was on the textile production in later centuries.

In earlier periods the trading communities had been involved in trading of cotton and related materials. The region around Ahmadabad was one of the richest cotton producing area and the cotton produced here was of very high quality and was even being exported. This is even today regarded as an important agricultural produce with great value. Historically, it was even known for indigo and paper. The various trades practiced here also supported ingenious craft communities which excelled in various crafts. Printing, dying, block making and all related activities flourished here. The enterprising spirit and business acumen of the people became the exemplary hall mark of the citizens of this city and some of them were even considered by Moguls as economic advisers for Delhi Court. In succeeding periods the city also became a place for residence of highly acclaimed literary figures, both of national and regional fame. (especially, Kavi Dalpatram a 19th century Poet of great repute, who even became a very close friend and confidant of the British Officer Alexander Forbes the then District Officer. Alexander Forbes was instrumental in compiling one of the most important 19 century historical writings published as 'RasMala' which is considered as one of the most important source of contemporary history of Gujarat. In later years the literary circles even established Farbas Sabha in his memory to continue the literary works which is even today active doing significant work). The city in last century also was the centre of industrial enterprise and even made British agencies aware of their potentials. It also provided the most important leadership for the Indian Freedom struggle and at the same time it also took leadership in city governance in pre-independence era. The spirit of the city though backed by orthodox traditions has remained very progressive due to their mercantile contacts with the cultures across the sea. The city's culture also is one of the best examples of the multi-cultural traditions which have coexisted which stands as its outstanding universal value. In terms of city's culture and public life, the people of the city have offered luminaries of India in literature, arts, industry, trade and commerce form historic times, including two of the most important national leaders of the country. 

Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore has even lived in the city and produced some of his most poetic writings here while living in the mansion built by Moguls on the river bank. India's most import struggle for independence also originated here when Mahatma Gandhi made this city his home in his formative period. His associations within the historic city first and then at a wealthy merchant's house' Kocharab are preserved in his memory His Ashram here which he conceived as a model for Indian way life on the banks of Sabarmati river is a global pilgrimage place. This was the place he wanted to develop as an ideal set up for demonstrating the Indian way of life. He left from here to start the famous Dandi March which really marked the struggle for Independence Movement in India.

During the last century, some of the most important international masters, artists and architects, have also made Ahmadabad as their most important base for their creations. This has continued the evolving nature of this historic city which has now become an important growing metropolis of the country an this is all the more reason to acquire its much needed World Heritage City Status which can safeguard  

Criteria (vi) The city's culture has been replete with traditions of its enterprising communities which were frontline traders and merchants, irrespective of the irreligious bearings. The major economic dependence of the cities merchant class was on the textile production in later centuries.

In earlier periods the trading communities had been involved in trading of cotton and related materials. The region around Ahmadabad was one of the richest cotton producing area and the cotton produced here was of very high quality and was even being exported. This is even today regarded as an important agricultural produce with great value. Historically, it was even known for indigo and paper. The various trades practiced here also supported ingenious craft communities which excelled in various crafts. Printing, dying, block making and all related activities flourished here. The enterprising spirit and business acumen of the people became the exemplary hall mark of the citizens of this city and some of them were even considered by Moguls as economic advisers for Delhi Court. In succeeding periods the city also became a place for residence of highly acclaimed literary figures, both of national and regional fame. (especially, Kavi Dalpatram a 19th century Poet of great repute, who even became a very close friend and confidant of the British Officer Alexander Forbes the then District Officer. Alexander Forbes was instrumental in compiling one of the most important 19 century historical writings published as 'RasMala' which is considered as one of the most important source of contemporary history of Gujarat. In later years the literary circles even established Farbas Sabha in his memory to continue the literary works which is even today active doing significant work). The city in last century also was the centre of industrial enterprise and even made British agencies aware of their potentials. It also provided the most important leadership for the Indian Freedom struggle and at the same time it also took leadership in city governance in pre-independence era. The spirit of the city though backed by orthodox traditions has remained very progressive due to their mercantile contacts with the cultures across the sea. The city's culture also is one of the best examples of the multi-cultural traditions which have coexisted which stands as its outstanding universal value. In terms of city's culture and public life, the people of the city have offered luminaries of India in literature, arts, industry, trade and commerce form historic times, including two of the most important national leaders of the country.

Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore has even lived in the city and produced some of his most poetic writings here while living in the mansion built by Moguls on the river bank. India's most import struggle for independence also originated here when Mahatma Gandhi made this city his home in his formative period. His associations within the historic city first and then at a wealthy merchant's house' Kocharab are preserved in his memory His Ashram here which he conceived as a model for Indian way life on the banks of Sabarmati river is a global pilgrimage place. This was the place he wanted to develop as an ideal set up for demonstrating the Indian way of life. He left from here to start the famous Dandi March which really marked the struggle for Independence Movement in India.

Statements of authenticity and/or integrity

"It should be noted that the tenor of development and expansion of artistic activities has been mainly governed by the outlook of its people, which was essentially religious. The development of various branches of art has, therefore, taken place around this central objective, viz., dedication of all that is noble and high at the altar of the Supreme Being. It was for this reason that art found its highest expression in Hindu and Jain Temples, which is the house of God and not in palaces and mansions of man. Among the follower of Islam, the religious aspect blended as it was with material happiness gave impetus not only the construction of mosques but also to palaces, mansions and mausoleums. It was this fundamental difference in basic approach which has guided the pursuit of all literary and cultural activities in Gujarat. He all activities were directed towards the construction of the temples, literary and cultural activities found expression in religious treatises, devotional songs and poems. But in the later times, with the change in people's approach and outlook, religion receded in the background and temple building activities came to a standstill. And the common man became the focus of all progressive activities artistic as well as cultura1." (Ref: Special Report on Ahmedabad, R K Trivedi, 1962 pp23)

The authenticity of the historic city's settlement is described in its overall significant cultural attributes. The attitude to houses and settlements in historic city emanated from the adherence to socio-religious followings of different communities. For the Jaina community the temple was treated as a house of God and due to this the temple also inspired the making of a house in the same image. It was similar for predominant Muslim communities. The plan of the house followed their approach to their own life styles and somehow though the courts became an important climatic element, the plan organization displayed their own functional attitudes of positioning various facilities in order of their living preferences. The financial criteria for the house building necessitated preference for affordable materials and thereby preference for timber in construction instead of stone which was much more expensive. However, in the approach to adorning the facade did reflect the same penchant for ideal expression which exhibited a rare sense of integrity towards the culture. This level of integrity is rarely seen in such a scale at the overall settlement level as is seen in historic city of Ahmadabad.

The culture of the city is credibly expressed in the settlement form through the traditional houses which attribute; (Para 82)

• Form and design in terms of climatically most suitable with a house form exhibiting symbolically the character of the occupant. The design of the facade with projecting layers of upper storey to create a shaded street profile at settlement leve1. The entrance area with raised 'otla' forming the outdoor spaces along the streets 'pol' are also very characteristic of the life style of occupants highlighting sharing at community leve1.
• The use of timber and local bricks in a composite construction also was a unique approach in construction with houses sharing the side walls.
• The houses were designed with an internal courtyard which actually controlled the climate of the house.

But symbolically it was articulating nature within a living environment which made the house a complete habitat unit with its own environment and self contained function with its own water harvesting and disposals. The areas for use were also distinctly planned in terms of family hierarchy of relationship with the outside world. The public areas of the house were in the front, the family areas in the rear and more private areas on the upper floors.

• The Street and settlement patterns were generated through a community oriented planning, with shared areas for usage and certain symbolic elements as collective needs for community functions like bird feeders, well and a shrine for daily worship. The unique system of managing community affairs was through a 'panch' which comprised of five representatives who would take care of all the community's organizational needs in maintaining and sustaining the community's interests.
• The locations of important communities were in the proximity of the important zones of the town. Each communith had an entrance gate (where 'panch' office was situated on upper level( which controlled the inner settlement. There were always right of ways and secret access and exits through the 'pol' which were necessary to link the communities internally even if the main entrances were closed.

(Para88): The attitude to houses and settlements also emanated from the adherence to socio-religious considerations. The temple was treated as a house and due to this the temple also inspired the making of a house in the same image. The affordability criteria for the house building necessitated preference for affordable materials and thereby preference for timber in construction instead of stone which was much the same penchant for ideal expression which exhibited a rare sense of integrity towards the culture. This level of integrity is rarely seen in such a scale at the overall settlement level as is seen in historic city of Ahmadabad.

(Para89): The Heritage Cell through AMC is already working on Restoration of the properties and the AMC has undetaken this measure to control the process of deterioration. Through such intervention the AMC is planning to safeguard the listed properties in the historic city and preserve these in their original condition so that the character is retained.

Comparison with other similar properties

The immediate comparison available to Ahmadabad is the historic town of Melaka - Georgetown in Malaysia and the historic city of Lyon in France. This also is because of the similarity in Melaka's founding period which dates back to 15th century. Lyon is more historic but its substantial expansion dates back to 15th century. Like Ahmadabad, Melaka- Georgetown and the historic city of Lyon are merchant and trading towns, though the geographic locations differ in its character the population's main economic base has been similar, that is trade and commerce. Melaka and Lyon both since their founding have been multi-cultural towns like Ahmadabad and were also planned similarly with each community having their own defined settlements. The evolutionary trends in these towns also are comparable where the cities retained their homogeneity and traditions and graduated into their evolving phases retaining their traditions. The following points mark a comparative proposition for these towns with Armedabad.  

1. Melaka/Georgetown(Malaysia) and Ahmadabad (Date: listed in 1998. Ref for Melaka: Evaluation of Cultural Properties, prepared by ICOMOS, Dr. Yahiya Bin Ahmad) 

• From Historic point of view, both cities illustrate development of settlements of diverse cultural groups in the layering of the present cities.
• The architecture of the houseform and settlements illustrate application of various influences during the successive periods of external influences brought in by their trade and mercantile exposures to other cultures.
• The architectural styles which are the central feature of the entire settlement parttern in both exhibits a very rich heritage while comparing with the other cities in their respective regions.
• In both cases the house forms exhibit a strong cultural trait which characterizes their architecture which is unique and which in case of Armadabad also influenced the regional traditions.
• The intangible heritage out of which the heritage of the settlement emerged is also an important feature of the cultural traits illustrating the fusion of different multi-cultural identity in both cases.  

2. The historic site of Lyon, Rhone-Alpes, France  (Date: listed in 1998. Reference dated 10th July 1997: UNESCO website: whc.unesco.org/nomination file for historic site of Lyons/originally prepared by the city of Lyon)

The special quality of the historic site of Lyon derives from its exceptional setting, on two hills at the Influence of two rivers, combined with the material manifestation of its way of life through its town plan and its architecture.

• By the mid 15th century it was one of the mostly heavily populated cities in Europe, with some 65,000 inhabitants.
• The wealth of Lyon and its worldwide mercantile contacts attracted 28 banks from the Far East to the as well as encouraging the creation of banking institutions by the Lyonnais themselves.
• The life-style of Lyon is an original one: its social codes come from a community of merchants, of enterprising townspeople, who are fiercely independent, combining seriousness, a taste for taking risks, and a sense of reality with idealism. Preferring substance to style, Lyonnais society has always conscientiously and resolutely adapted its way of life to its aspirations.
• Being oriented willingly to economic and social expansion, it has always eschewed any form of ostentation. Its sights have been directed in a rational manner towards change and fashion, which has enabled Lyon to preserve continuity in its way of life and to pass this on with remarkable authenticity.
• The historic site of Lyon may be regarded as "an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement," which combines an exceptional site with an urban continuity that is remarkable for its harmony.
• The unusual homogeneity of the urban fabric that strikes the eye results from harmony in the architecture that goes beyond stylistic evolution and from the symbiosis between the natural site of the city and its urbanization.