1

what do you see?

ahmedabad - more than an mpression
i

june, 2015
2 what do you see?
Looking at a new direction,
from the editor’s desk
Ahmedabad is like Undhiyu, a Gujarati
mixed vegetable dish. What makes it
popular are the multiple textures and
flavors of the vegetables that are cooked
slowly in a multitude of spices and more.
The taste of each of these elements can be
appreciated and revealed only after savoring
it more than once, as every bite of the same
serving is a flavoursome experience.
Just like Undhiyu, Ahmedabad with its
cornucopia of elements slowly reveals its
multiple characteristics which contribute
to its “image”. However, one gets carried
away with the city’s picturesque postcards
that show scenic views, overlooking
the interplay of diverse textures and
experiences that Ahemdabad offers.
Leaving the immediate sensation, we
choose to portray buildings or spaces, some
of which have potential but are not valued
enough. Some are hyped, others had life,
yet all these have an implication on the city.
 3

contents 11
a personal
image of
the city

4 who owns a public

a space?

17
an image
of times to 23 city from the crest
come
35
a potential
image
unrealised

29 a lost
symbol

45 40 trending
lakefront

a cup of 50
chai with the old space,
dead new
performances!
4 what do you see?
 5

ARCHANA VITTAL | NOSTALGIC URBANIST

who owns a public space?

everyday users,
citizens, tourists,
OR all of
them ?
6 what do you see?
A s I cross the Gandhi Road of the
old city of Ahmedabad, the image
of the fort enlarges in front of me, and
I see vendors and buyers moving around
like ants around the anthill. I head through
the flashy and colourful display of articles
sold on carts, with a cloud of colourful
awnings hovering, crying out to me. Yes I
am near the Bhadra Fort. The footwear, the
duppattas, the clothing, the lemonades, the
jewellery, the autos all contain a small world
in itself.
The Bhadra Plaza Development Project
in Ahmedabad, costing Rs.74-crore
under JnNURM scheme, was proposed
by Vastu Shilpa Foundation along with
CEPT University, and completed in 2014.
The square, against the backdrop of the
600-year old Bhadra Fort, Azam Khan
Serai, Teen Darwaza and religious places
like Bhadra Kali Temple, Akub Saheb’s
Mosque is also surrounded by famous
bazaars, city level transport terminal and
important buildings like City Civil Court
and Premabhai Hall.
The Bhadra plaza project, at the nerve
centre and the historic core of Ahmedabad,
belongs to the people of old city of
Ahmedabad. Or so it seems.
The project was meant to bring people
together, to accentuate the importance of
the history of Ahmedabad and to project
an image to the city. Accentuation, it
certainly does in a way. Representation,not
so much.
 7

Above: Seating around the pool

Many historical revitalization projects were
Below: View of the markets from the ASI office
undertaken in Ahmedabad, as it turned
600-year old in 2011. The design intent to Facing page: Space in front of Premabhai Hall
Page 4 & 5: Children playing in the pool
create a huge public square inside a city’s
historical core is an important step in
creating an image to a city because public
squares represent cities.

The project included the restoration of

the surrounding historical buildings, the
fort into museum and café; improvement
of overall infrastructure like roads,
public toilets, parking, street lights,
landscape, pedestrianization of the area;
reorganization of formal and informal
markets and inclusion of pedestrian bridge
to connect the river to the plaza. A fountain
lined by trees shades the central area,
8 what do you see?
surrounded by walkways and seatings. The
Bhadra Plaza project has come like a dilator
to the energized but wheezing city centre.
It has made a huge transformation. But, it
could have done more.
The square is dotted with numerous
umbrellas, selling everything under the
sun. Children splash water at each other
near the fountain. People watch children
frolicking. The smell of popcorn fills the
nostrils, as the bhaiyya juggles the cart
through shops and people, sounding the
bells. Voice of people bargaining with
prices competes with the sound of prayers
from the nearby mosque. As one nears
the Teen Darwaza, the smell of food
becomes stronger, mixed with the smell
of footwear. The plaza becomes narrower
at this edge. Pedestrianization enhances
The project envisioned Bhadra as a city centre
Above: people at the area around fountain
Facing page: Premabhai Hall and the
surrounding informal market
experience and adds value to the spaces, the
people, and the surrounding buildings.
The market swells and bustles after sunset;
they encircle the fort. Moving carts sell
eateries,fruits and drinks. Extending about
half a kilometer the plaza forms a vista
point between Bhadra and Teen Darwza,
between which the character of market also
changes. New light poles, granite platforms,
seaters, stones pavers with patterns, are
new layers to the ‘old city’ life. Bhadra,
throughout history has been a market.
Street markets have thrived in the city from
a very long time, and Ahmedabad is the
street market capital of India. They give
energy and vitality to the city.

In the design, along with major
infrastructure changes, street vendors
were reduced to half of the initial number
and vendors were to be allowed only at
the edges of buildings. The intention
was to get a clear space at the centre for
various activities. The design also tried
to accentuate entry and exit points using
gateway like structures to make it more
legible to the users.
This project has increased the participation
of local community, and, probably, there
lies the problem. The use of such an
important space is just unilateral. Instead
of attracting people from all over the city it
has emerged as a local space.
Outsiders and visitors are passive
consumers and are not active participants.
The central square has become a place for
the poor, the apparently homeless or for
the locals or passers-by. Hence interactions
are reduced. Edges of buildings like
Premabhai Hall are used for display of
goods. It is reduced to a noisy and unclean
market square. The designer’s intentions
may have been profound, but, on the
ground the square has not realized its full
potential yet.
The spread of vendors from the dedicated
spaces to almost every nook and corner
of the square is overwhelming. The
reasons for this could be problems in
implementation and lack of attempt to
make the place more usable. For example
more cultural, religious and social activities
could have been organized.
9
Another problem is that it does not bring
the east and west parts of the city together.
Despite cultural differences between old
city and new city, there have been common
aspirations that bind them together which
have not been addressed to. Bhadra
enhances the image of ‘old city’ and doesn’t
do much to represent the whole metropolis.
Jen Gahl, known for his urban researches,
says that everyday users, visitors and
customers, passersby, recreational visitors,
and visitors to events, all make for
successful public spaces. Incorporating
them in the design is critical.
Squares catch up the spirit of a city, its
social and economic activities, public
space articulation and usages are culturally
different. Piazza San Marco in Venice and
Times Square in New York are wonderful
public spaces in terms of articulation,
usage and popularity. They are the stage for
public life. Public squares can also become
identity to cities like how Eiffel Tower
represents Paris.
10 what do you see?

In India, public squares often become

market squares usually in the core of most
cities. They provide opportunities for small
scale entrepreneurship, places for walking,
gathering, and shopping. They contribute
to economic, cultural and social activities,
but not so much as a relief to urban living.
Probably it is time for Bhadra square to
realize its potential and contribute to all Whether these kind of spaces showcase
dimensions of public life. our strengths of urban informality or
backwardness and an inability to have
The Bhadra’s role as a market square public space and life is questionable.
diminishes its other dimensions of An important public space which unites the
experience of a public space. It appears city together, the Bhadra, is not becoming.
the current users are localites, and non Yet. ◆
elites; the place with this character is not so Above: Vendors at the central area
welcoming for all the classes. Below: The night view of the Fort with markets
 11

SHREYAS BAINDUR | ASPIRING ARCHEOLOGIST

a personal image of the city

why
NOT ?
12 what do you see?
W ithin the chaos of the city of
Ahmedabad, impatient eyes look
for an oasis of peace and quiet. A place of
refuge. Such places are hidden and, when
found, show the possibility of how a city
can be seen by everyone. These places
are unusually hard to find because we are
not accustomed to look for them in the
city’s chaos. The question of the feasibility
of such personal space within the larger
context of the city begs to be asked. Are
public spaces in an urban environment
supposed to have private corners for
individuals? Do these private spaces among
the public realm cast an image on the mind
of the visitor, on behalf of the city?
There are many such places around the
city that are off the beaten tourist track,
such as the north lawns at CEPT during
the evenings, where it is possible to just
lounge around on the grass. But one other
such place that could also be classified as
hidden oasis is Dada Harir ni Vav, located
in old Ahmedabad. The experience of the
vav itself helps the eager mind develop
an image of the city that is personal and
unique.
King Mehmud Begda built the vav in the
year 1485. It is one of the best examples
of Solanki architectural style common at
the period of construction. The vav is built
in sandstone, which is a locally available
variety of stone.
 13

Everyone is mostly familiar with the Above: The terraces within the vav
Below: On top of the vav
notion of the step well and the purpose
with which they were built. The step wells Facing page left: The broken balconies
served not only as a place to collect water, Facing page right: The well
but also as a place of congregation and
socializing, mostly for the women.

Building a vav was considered as an act

of philanthropy towards the community.
They were considered as the ultimate
public monuments at the time, available
to people from all rungs of society. The
vavs also served an ecological purpose of
being soak pits that allowed the rainwater corner within the depths of the vav, the
to collect during the monsoons and seep dimly lit darkened sandstone envelops you
into the ground, replenishing the ground from all sides; providing isolation from
watertable. distractions outside, helps the mind shift
effortlessly from the present day into a
Approaching Dada Harir ni Vav after quieter place, where you can be alone with
having maneuvered through the bad traffic your thoughts. It is not difficult in this
and the heat, it feels like you are leaving place to find such quite spots and watch
everything behind descending into the your everyday image of public spaces in a
depths of the step-well. Finding a suitable city disappear right in front of your eyes.
14 what do you see?

In many ways Dada Harir ni Vav is

completely different from it’s better known
cousin, Adalaj ni Vav. For one, it is smaller
and has not been maintained as well as
Adalaj ni Vav. Dada Harir ni Vav is part of
a complex that has a mosque and a dargah
along with the vav itself. Unlike the Adalaj
ni vav, this vav is less touristy, in the sense
that there are fewer people to trouble you
when you are there.

Nowadays, where most people living in the

city do not have to go to water on a daily
basis, rather water comes home; going to
a step well has become a redundant act.
Going to a step well today is more an act
of viewing a past that is long lost to us. We
go to them only to gawk at the ornately
carved stone and to admire the time and
wealth that our ancestors had. We do not
go to the vavs to relive the life that was
once lived by these very same ancestors.

The experience at Dada Hairi ni Vav is

a personal one. The vav almost begs to
have its intimate spaces that are spread
throughout consisting of, but not only,
the intermediate levels reinforcing the
massive vertical side walls and the balconies
overlooking the various large openings that
allow light to filter in, become part of your
own experience for a short period of time.
At the entry, a board displays the visiting
time for the vav that is not well enforced.
It is very well possible to sit there lost
among the patinated stone statues and the
dimly lit steps well into the evening and to
the night.
In my experience at the vav, I felt more and
more attached to it the longer I stayed.
Separated from the chaos, it became
apparent that I was able to enjoy the tiny
details. The sculptures made in sandstone
have lost their detail, but the broken
balustrades for the balconies overlooking
the well have managed to maintain their
intricacy. The simple stone cut pillars had
beautiful rough edges all over, the cobwebs
in almost every corner of the vav gave the
entire space a very ethereal look.
 15

Grand images are good for postcards, but personal

experiences make up our own image of the city.
16 what do you see?
All of these had suddenly become part of
my memory of Ahmedabad, my personal
image of the city.
Usually, the image that gets associated
with a city is always grand. An image that
is basically larger than life. In every large
public space, people constantly hunt for a
place of solitude among the chaos, so the
they can sit in one place and watch the city
pass by. In places like the Bhadra Plaza and
the Sabarmati Riverfront Project; there is a
sense of alienation. It almost feels like you
are put on display, for everyone to stare at.
Historical structures like Dada Harir ni Vav
tend to get lost, when compared to more
recent public projects, in the vastness of
the urban fabric of Ahmedabad, despite
being crucial as public spaces. These
types of structures become part of our
subconscious memory of a city and offer a
sense of respite, which even citizens and
visitors look for.
But a city can’t have it all, can it? Spaces
like Dada Harir ni Vav are undoubtedly an
important part of Ahmedabad that help
define the city on a personal and individual
level, this helps the image of a city to last
longer in our memory.
The image of a city, especially a city as
complex as Ahmedabad, cannot be defined
or categorized easily. This image, for me,
moves away from the photographic and
the grand, that the bureaucracy wants
to portray, and moves towards the more
personal and intimate experiences of the
city that form a lasting part of our memory
of the city.
Grand images are good for postcards, but
personal experiences make up our own
image of the city. ◆
Page 14: Light well in the step well
Bottom: The Mosque and Darga behind the Vav
 17

APOORVA SHARMA | POLITICALLY ANONYMOUS

an image of educational buildings

A cool fitful breeze stirs up the languid

trees. Light from the swinging lamps
weaves magic patterns on the red brick
walls of the CEPT campus. White petals
an

image
unsettled by the breeze descend silently
from the champa tree. A group of students
sit on the office building steps and engage
in an animated discussion. Being able to sit
and linger, dream about the future, reflect

of times
and internalize, are things I have taken for
granted on the CEPT campus.

to come...
The value of CEPT’s architecture and
what it empowers began to dawn on me,
when I saw how the new college buildings
are planned and built. The changes and
differences were driven home, when the
new building next door was unveiled.
18 what do you see?
T he Institute of Engineering and
Technology (IET) building, in the
neighboring Ahmedabad University (AU)
was recently completed and opened for
viewing. When the corrugated sheets that
hid the construction for long were brought
down, a massive red menhir like structure
suddenly reared its head. Unlike the CEPT
campus and other college buildings that
play hide and seek amongst the trees and
intimately hug the earth, this building
stood shouting aloud like a huge sandstone
boulder in the middle of a barren highway.
The Ahmedabad Education Society (AES)
was established 80 years ago, comprising of
philanthropic industrialists who supported
CEPT campus and in recent times also
promoted the IET building. The new
building is another educational building and
 19

a part of a larger campus that is underway. The buildings have to be built till the edges
The two buildings and campuses are of the site and cannot be set back on
separated by fifty years but they seem to higher levels. All the buildings have to have
be light years apart. The architecture gives external facades made from ‘local’ Agra
an insight on two different worlds and stone and exposed concrete.
how the changes they embody, show how
we look at education which has moved far The new design approaches buildings
away from nobler ideals. and spaces very differently from what the
CEPT design does. The master plan hinges
AES recently had a change in management on maximizing the utilization of available
and in 2009 established Ahmedabad space and creating an urban character for
University which consolidated the existing the campus. It claims that the campus will
institutions and made way for newer ones. ‘fit’ in the urban fabric of the city. One
They brought about a change in the vision; might think the campus looks impressive
‘Global Education at local cost, context and international, will project an image of
and ethos’, which has been manifested in a progressive Ahmedabad. But what such
the proposed master plan designed by HCP a collection of objects in a grid resembles
Design, Planning and Management Pvt. is an IT park or a central business district.
Ltd. Ahmedabad. The spaces between the buildings will be
lonely and desolate, while students are
The master plan proposes construction inside clicking away at their work just like
of four-storey and ten-storey buildings their future places of employment.
which need to have internal courtyards to
replace the existing buildings (including early The existing heritage buildings have been
examples of modern architecture in India - ignored in the proposal and replaced by
L.D. Arts, M.G. Science and L.M. Pharmacy) similar looking large imposing objects each
as well as ten new buildings. They have been almost the size of half a football field.
imagined as a collection of boxes placed in These objects are in sharp contrast from
a highly regimented grid. Ordered, one after the significant yet non imposing existing
the other they stand in attention all of a very buildings and open spaces of the campus
similar size and on the same axis. as it is today.

...it claims that the campus will ‘fit’ in the urban

fabric of the city
20 what do you see?

F ears about the new campus and

changes it promotes came true when
the IET building, the first structure of the
proposed campus, was completed.

Pankaj Vir Gupta and Christine Mueller

won the competition for the IET building.
Compared to the other failed entries,
including a beautiful sweeping staircase
that took you from the ground right till
the terrace designed by SPA Architects
and a building by Kapadia Associates that
managed to break the block and have
accessible streets, Pankaj and Christine’s
entry hardly challenged the master plan.

Vir and Mueller’s building is an introverted

block closed from all sides and fits the
master plan’s dictate. The eastern side of
the building bares itself like a display of
T-rex bones and one gets the first glimpse
to staircases. The bared space struggles
to hide the compromise of having to
stretch the building edge to cover the
entire plot. No space is left untouched;
every square inch of space is paved or
treated to be ‘utilized’ for the ‘purpose’
of learning. The edge of the building is
sharp and unforgiving, instead of accepting
the visitor, it forces her to step inside. It From top to bottom:
has a sense of urgency, the double height vir.mueller architects, KAPADIA Associates,
corridors demand that you rush to your Surya Kakani Associates, SPA Architects
competition entries courtesy
classroom. It is ironic that the students
http://iet.ahduni.edu.in/pages/campus/new-building--ict
have named the courtyard which was
meant to be for informal interaction as the Facing page
‘Diwan-e-Aam’. The comparison is apt. Above: textured flooring in the double
height corridors
The red sandstone and monumentality
Below: Eastern side of building stretched
give it a royal air, a place for the ruler
 21

to listen to grievances. The building It looks at learning as if it could be looked

forces people to look inwards, instead of through the narrow purview of being
fostering interaction it cripples not only the focused on skill development or training.
informality within but the opportunity to It doesn’t leave much to imagination and
interact with the surrounding institutions. hence doesn’t empower.

To the credit of Vir and Muller, the

architects, they have tried to break the
monotony of the corridors with the red
sandstone to become benches and tables.
Black marble, white marble and kota stone
weave into patterns that bring texture to the
floor. The services, fire safety features are
tucked in neatly. Executed with panache,
the exposed concrete and red sandstone
detailing is careful and noteworthy.

The well crafted details of the building

seem to be a compromise in the face of the
other architectural decisions; an introverted
courtyard, a sharp edge and monumental
scale and appearance.

The philanthropists who purchased this

land back in 1939 believed in building
institutions that would bring out the best
in each individual, and not merely in
processing them to fit the moulds to meet
the current expected social (or market)
demand. They understood the importance
of freedom and openness by bringing in
nature, having ambient spaces to sit and
ponder, to interact and dare to create.
Visitors rarely use the words ‘progressive
campus’ to describe CEPT campus, but
that is what they are reacting to with awe.
In contrast, the new vision does not see
learning as a holistic experience.
22 what do you see?

It doesn’t allow the students a sense of

wonderment or being able to question. As
Krishnamurthy a renowned educator put it,
it is important to know the importance of
knowledge as well it’s irrelevance.

All is not lost, the master plan can still

be altered, the buildings can be better
designed. What it requires is a will and an
openness of mind, buildings will follow. ◆

.....the importance of knowledge, as well as it’s irrelevance.

 23

MAULI PATEL | SKYLINE FANATIC

city from the crest

an emblem I
stand,
living up to
what I can
24 what do you see?

O ne of the best experiences that one

can have with their city is to be able
to view it from an altitude high above its
fabric and to enjoy the hues of the city
in one gaze. Ahmedabad is more a city
of streets and low rise buildings, having
tall structures amid these is like making
a landmark for its habitants or creating
an emblematic entity for the city. Patang,
the revolving restaurant is one of the few
tall structures that allow a 360 degree
view of Ahmedabad. Also its form and
stature make it very appealing. Not all can
approach this building with ease, though
the form allows but the function doesn’t,
this subsides the potential of its symbolism.

Its prime location in the city enhances its

Top right: Patang with Chinubhai complex
Top left: Model by HCP
Above: Entrance to the restaurant reception
Facing page: Interiors of the restaurant
visual relation with the passers-by. The
Sabarmati River divides the new city
from the old fortified one. The Patang
complex lies on its banks with the new
growing city surrounding it and one of the
primary roads running past it. A cylindrical
structure (used for vertical circulation)
holds the circular revolving restaurant on
top which is 221ft from ground level. Its
form can be compared to that of a city’s
water tank which rains over the city and is
almost like a necessity and not absurd or
extrinsic. Different people have different
approach towards this building. Some have
celebrated it, some might never be able to
see what it is from up there, but no one
fails to have a glance at it whenever it falls
in their vision.

This building was constructed along with
the building complex called the Chinubhai
centre, which has another prismatic
commercial building and many other shops
that are lined on the ground floor plaza.
Ar. Hasmukh Patel designed it in 1980 and
soon it became superior to any structure
anywhere in the city and was visible even
from 5km off. It became a symbol. The
architect designed it to have a striking
appearance from far, but didn’t provide a
grand entrance as he wanted people to be
visually connected. At its bottom there is
an entrance like just another street café.
But as far as the restaurant is concerned
and the era when it was made, the architect
has made it achieve its purpose.
After being able to find the entry to this
place, going past the reception, the two lifts remain still.
25
facilitate the guests to the restaurant above,
allowing them to see the surrounding sink
as they go high. Stepping out of the lifts a
narrow passage leads to the dining space
where you are greeted by the welcoming
eyes of the staff.
Your eyes travel through the dark finished
floor, the elusive lights and the arrangement
of the tables draped with satin table
cloth. The air is filled by the aroma of
the multiple cuisines laid along the inner
circumference. An artist enchants the
place by a placid music. The restaurant can
accommodate 110 people who dine at the
tables arranged on the circular disk around
the centre service cylindrical kitchen and
lift ducts. The key aspect is that the floor
revolves and the central area and the city
26 what do you see?
The most exciting part - The view. The
river, the bridges, the streets, mini cars,
roof tops, construction cranes, and the
building profiles at the horizon- you can’t
take your eyes off them. It’s vast and
beautiful. Any Ahmedabadi or a visitor
wouldn’t want to miss this. You forget
everything that is around for a while
when you see the city. Sitting at one end
of the table the person ahead is no more
important, the eyes seize each and every
detail of what comes to it and even the
conversations are influenced by what exists
beyond the enclosures. The inclined glass
windows allow us to look down and not
to the sky. In the middle of the day you
can see the clear bright panaroma, as the
sun goes down, the facades go dim and
the lights of the megacity shine out. The
restaurant disk takes about one hour to
revolve once and you get the see the whole
vista by the time you’re done.. Neither the
food nor the restaurant, but the city outside
would draw you again to this place. The
subtle interiors don’t overpower but allow
you to see what the building wants you to see.
There is a terrace, but it is not accessible to
the people and so it isn’t of any use. What
can make the building more symbolic and
interactive to everyone? Not all can afford
to be in the restaurant. One more function
added to this without changing any of its
form can add a lot to this edifice. How
about a layers on top for just visitors! The
space will surely make a lot of friends who
would come over on weekends to greet the
city from the top. This additional function
has been successful in other such high
rise monuments like the M.B.S. hotel in
 27

Singapore, similar tower over the Niagara Top: Sunset over Ahmedabad
Above left: Traffic junction
Falls, and many other skyscrapers over the
Above right: View through the window
world. So why not Patang?
Though the outer form is losing its Facing page: Panoramice view of the bridges
aesthetic beauty as it ages, it offers a lot to
Ahmedabad and its people. Even with the
upcoming high rises, this one is going to be
a symbol till it stands. ◆
28 what do you see?

The colors of the city reflect onto me,

none can contain their glee with what I make them see.
The vista shares an intangible relation.
It does not matter if I have upcoming competition.
 29

NIYANTA SHAH | HERITAGE ENTHUSIAST

a lost symbol

L ike any other Friday, in the January of

2007, pedestrians hurried by without
realizing that the fiddler playing at the
entrance to a Washington D.C. Metro stop
was one of the finest classical musicians
in the world. He was playing some of the
most elegant music ever written, on one of
the most valuable violins ever made.

That day, Joshua Bell the Grammy-winning

violinist who would fill America’s grandest
symphony halls with an audience that was
mesmerized by his music, was just another
vagabond, competing for attention of
office-goers and other passengers using the
metro.

This was a social experiment titled “In

a banal setting at an inconvenient time,
would beauty transcend?” organised by
the Washington Post.The experiment
brought out the philosophical debate on
what beauty is perceived as and resounds
Immanuel Kant’s theory that it depends
on the immediate state of mind of the
observer. If the same violinist was to play
in a plaza in Paris or Milan, the by-standers
would have revelled in the music!
Space is the spotlight.

Art loses its frame in the mundane

ambience of everyday things.
There is lesson for Ahmedabad in this.
30 what do you see?

S iddi Saiyyed ni Jaali is one of the two

most intricately carved stone traceries
that adorn the semi-circular arches along
the walls of the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in old
Ahmedabad. Since several years especially
after the 1960’s, when the IIM-A took an
abstraction of the carving in their official
logo, it has become a synonymous symbol Above: Artistic Ahmedbad,
Campaign by Gujarat Tourism
for the city. The intricate latticework is
Left: The IIM-A Logo
romanticized on postcards, travelogues and Below: Wooden re-creation of the
Ahmedabad tourism websites. Souvenirs jali in Cama Hotel, Ahmedabad
of the jali are given to important delegates Facing page: Rear end
that visit the city and its high definition of the Mosque
images are printed on full pages of coffee
table books that give it a world-wide
recognition and an association as the
unofficial logo of Ahmedabad.

The mosque was built by Sidi Saiyyed, an

African in the service of Jhajar Khan, a
general in the army of the last Sultan of the
Gujarat Sultanate.

It’s believed to have been left incomplete
since the Mughals invaded Gujarat in the
late 1500’s. The incomplete jali in the centre
was said to be the most ambitious and was
planned to be more delicate and intricate
than the ones beside it, that’s why it was
left for the last. The twin jalis beside it are
carved from a single stone in style of a tree
with palm leaves and curved tendrils. This
carving is famously known as the “The Tree
of Life”. Wooden models of these windows
which are a fine example of a symbiotic
synthesis of Hindu and Muslim elements in
architecture of those times are kept in New
York and Keningston museums.
Art loses its frame in the mundane ambience of
everyday things.
31
Glorified to great extents, the expectations
are disappointingly unmatched when we
find the mosque in the traffic island where
the road coming from Nehru Bridge,
Relief Road and the road towards Bhadra
coincide. Creating a one-way traffic route
around, a part-welcome relief from the
chaotic vehicular movement that was
there before, the unpretentious small
mosque at first glance does not seem to
offer anything extraordinary. It’s a big let-
down to see the jali submerged in all the
traffic. Art loses its frame in the mundane
ambience of everyday things.
32 what do you see?

The fore court of the mosque has a dargah sweating in the afternoon sun of
and a small pond for ablutions (ritual Ahmedabad, as he squinted to see the jaali.
cleansing) before the prayers. Two steps He walked around and took a couple of
lead to the main prayer hall which is an pictures. His entire experience was over in
arcade of five arches. A young devotee less than five minutes!
tying his shoelaces, tells me that they light
up the entire place during the festivities of
Ramzan. When I ask him specifically about
the jali, he says that he feels peaceful while
reading the namaz.

The jali is on the qibla wall (the wall that

faces the Mecca) and you can see the pride
in his eyes as he looks back again to point
towards the “Tree of Life” for me.

Adjoining the premises is a garden

developed by the AMC which lies unused
and only serves as rest spots for beggars
who sit on the footpath, outside its wire-
meshed fencing. Negligence is clearly seen.
As one keeps walking along the pavement,
it terminates into a large paved area where
a few cars are parked. The rear end of the
mosque is fenced and and the view of the
ornate jail is obstructed by steel mesh.

Another devotee engages me in

converastion, as I go around clicking
pictures, points out that its strange that
the government decides to actively pursue
projects in the new city and neglect the
ones in need, the historical ones. Since he
has been visiting since a lot of years, he
recalls that the AMC hasn’t taken up any
maintence of the garden and its landscape. Above: Context around the mosque,
It’s been closed for quite some years. unused spaces, lack of maintenance
As I was leaving, I observed a tourist Facing page:The qibla wall
33
34 what do you see?
The 600 year old city is vying for the
UNESCO tag of a world heritage city
proudly touting the architectural legacy
left behind by the Sultanate, Mughals,
Marathas and the British. However, it has
been denying the status due for the jalis
of Sidi Saiyyed. By placing it in a setting
of mundane everythng things, art loses its
essence. why has the heritage department
of the AMC or the ASI disregarded
“In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty
transcend?”
the rich cultural experience that these
monuments give us? It is not a fall out
of institutional pettiness or rivalry as the
government would want us to believe. It
is intolerable apathy and ignorance. This
does not befit the city that claims to be on
the forefront of innovative city planning
and urban development. Sidi Saiyyed
requires the attention it deserves. ◆
 35

GUGHAPRIYAA ELANGO | FORTUNE FINDER

a potential image unrealised

?
is the place being

SHADOWED
over
36 what do you see?
E very building of Le Corbusier in
India, for that matter, in the world
has become a place of pilgrimage . Cities
that own a Corbusier building immensely
value and showcase it. But, in Ahmedabad,
strangely, an important building designed
by him stands neglected.
Sanskar Kendra was designed by Corbusier
as a city museum in 1954. The museum
is not known to many and is least visited.
What is the reason for this sad state of
affairs? Is the problem with Corbusier’s
design? Did he build a building that most
are not able to engage with? Or is the
problem with the way the building is used
and identified with?
Amidst the congestion of the Paldi street
on the riverside, anchors the modernist
bulky building, impermeable and aloof.
The site is surrounded by various places
like National Institute of Design, city bus
stand, community hall, Tagore hall and
different housing units. Commissioned by
Chinubhai Chimanbhai, the then Mayor of
Ahmedabad, Sanskar Kendra is one the
five buildings constructed by Corbusier in
Ahmedabad. Prior to its identity as The
city museum, Sanskar Kendra was known
as N.C. Mehta museum of miniatures.
After the demise of N.C. Mehta, a pioneer
in miniature paintings, his collection was
donated to the Museum of Indology, now
known as Lalbhai Dhalpatbhai Museum.

Later, in 1985, this building was converted
into a kite museum, which houses kites
from all over the world.
After this, in 1992,this building was
expanded to include museum of the
city, freedom movement, textile, craft,
architecture and Gujarati literature .
The second floor serves the purpose of
elections.
This museum is a simple design. It is a
cuboid which is divided into two, with the
lower portion forming a base. The upper
mass of bricks is punctured through the
centre. This puncture imparts a vertical
dimension to the building. The solid base is
converted to pilotis which gives the whole
building an impression of a floating mass.
The heaviness seems heavier as it rests on
slender columns.
37
Top left : Entrance ramp
Top right : Central court
Facing page : View from north-west
Page 35: Sanskar kendra from south-west
Moving up the ramp, dramatically dawns
upon you, the grandeur of the central court.
Meandering through the linear galleries,
orchestrating a narrative of Ahmadabad,
one gets teleported in the building. We can
easily make way through
the exposed concrete and brick in-fill panels
which serves as a mundane backdrop for
the art. The alternate single and double
height spaces, break the monotony of Le
Corbusier’s modular spaces.
There is no formal entry point but only
a central court from where the building
commences. The building does not fail to
impose the timelessness of its bricks. It is
elegant and appealing.
38 what do you see?

However, the periphery of the building

complex has fallen prey to encroachment.
The museum is unknown to many and
hardly gets visitors. As a representative
of the city’s rich history which houses
Ahmedabad’s cultural wealth, it should
have been a well known place occupying a
significant position in the city.

What has happened to Sanskar Kendra?

Has the place been overshadowed by the
other places of heritage?

Or has it lost its charm and needs

reinterpretation in the contemporary
situation? Or is it because, after 1992
when the building was taken over by the Sanskar Kendra stands as an isolated
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the object. A mere act of changing the name
museum has been neglected and hardly to a local language - ‘Sanskar Kendra’
promoted? does not transform it into a civic centre. It
requires more conversation with the nearby
The problem, to begin with, could be places. With several thousand sculptures
in the design and its aesthetic appeal. set in large mosaic courtyards linked by
Corbusier’s signature seems to outweigh paths and deep gorges, Rock garden of
the local context. Among his buildings in Chandigarh was aesthetically revitalised.
Ahmedabad, there are certain fundamental
characteristics that surface repeatedly,
regardless of the function or spatial type.
The pilotis, long ramps, louvers, exposed
material are common signature features of
all his buildings. They do not engage with
the local identity, and the building is more
of a mechanised entity. As if the soberness
of the exterior has not been enough, the
galleries of Sanskar Kendra are poorly
preserved. The museum fails to stimulate
interpretations among the audience due to
its sensory ambience.
 39

What strikes is the fact that, being the city with second most
number of museums, Ahmedabad ironically portrays
‘silent buildings’.
This counter-interpretation with another As a first step we can free Sanskar
art could change the life around Sanskar Kendra from the indifferent Ahmedabad
Kendra. Part of the problem is also because Municipal Corporation and take it
it is a museum, an institution that has not closer to the people. A little ingenuity
engaged with people. Museums that started and resourcefulness can go a long way
during colonial times have never made in maintaining the building. There is a
efforts to connect with its audience. They need for an urgent reinterpretation of its
are merely functioning as a storehouse function as a social space for all classes of
of old objects. Like the objects it houses, people. The building could act as a social
museums are dead with a funereal tool to bring about the active participation
ambience. It is time to reinvent museums in of the people, by pulling in nearby
general and Sanskar Kendra in particular. activities. ◆
Below : Displaying galleries
Facing page above: Encroachment in centeal court
Facing page below: Pilotis
40 what do you see?

NAMRATA RANE | LAND-LOCKED MERMAID

trending lake front

L akes are a vital part of a city. In India

however, water bodies are much
maligned, ignored, and least connected
with public life. They remain less accessible
and unexplored. Exception to this is the
Kankaria Lake.

is this ?
template
a
 41

T he famous artificial lake of Kankaria

is built in the southern part of
Ahmedabad city in Maninagar area. This
lake has been revamped in 2008 and
developed to serve as a public space. It
enriches the historical, social, cultural and
ecological aspects of the city. Initially built
to serve as bathing area for the kings,
this lake and the area around, is now an
amusement park for the citizens. Right
through the day Kankaria Lake Front is
busy entertaining people of Ahmedabad
and numerous other visitors. It is well
conserved and carefully developed
providing various amenities such as open-
air amphitheatre, fountain show, zoo,
amusement park and more.

As you enter through the narrow access

way of the huge Balvatika gate into the
Kankaria premises you are welcomed by
the sight of brightly painted walls, joyous
screeches of the enthusiasts on the roller
coaster ride and the overpowering smell of Above: Early risers at the Kankaria Lakefront
Below: Steps along the Kankaria Lake
the popcorn. The Amrapali Funland near
the entrance hosts numerous rides.
42 what do you see?

These adventurous rides engage everyone,

be it the excited participants or the anxious
spectators. The man at the ticket counter is
kept busy throughout the day by the long
eager queue. Your wandering, confused
eyes are kept engrossed and the pathway
takes you forward. Mural on the walls
parallel to the pathway depict the history
of Gujarat, giving you an insight of the
past and then gently drops you into the
present as the pathway concludes. The
sight and the siren of the Atal Express,
train that goes around the Kankaria Lake,
cross your route towards the promenade.
The promenade surrounds the lake. Also
lateral to it is the low parapet wall that
facilitates sitting, ensuring an astonishing Top: Food stalls at the Kankaria Lakefront
view. View of the lake with Naginawadi in Above: Kid’s play area

the centre, is the highlight. Facing page: Powai Lake, Mumbai


The Naginawadi is an island comprising
of gardens and an open air amphitheatre
connected to the shore by a bridge. This
amphitheatre hosts a fountain show many
times during the evening and is loved by
the audience.
The monotony of the long path towards
the amphitheatre is broken by the
delighting water cascades. Also on both
sides of this pathway are gardens with
provision for sitting under tensile roofs
that let you have a wonderful experience,
amidst the green, enclosed by blue.
If staring into the depths of water is not
enough then one can definitely avail the
motor boating facilities or other water
sports like zorbing and more at the
43
Jaldhara Water Park in the premises of
Kankaria Lake. The balloon ride in the
Ahmedabad Eye lets you have an amazing
view of the lake; so much different than
what the colourfully lit steps at the edges
of the lake. The Kankaria also hosts an
annual festival The Kankaria Carnival.
This fest is held for a week in the month
of December and is attended by many.
It is such events that bring people
together. It allows the busy people of
Indian cities to add spice to everyday
bland life. The nature of development has
allowed people from all income groups to
enjoy the space equally. These factors have
made Kankaria important and part of the
city identity.
44 what do you see?
As a proud resident of Mumbai, who
always thought of Mumbai as better
developed city, a visit to Kankaria provoked
me to reflect on the state of the lakes back
home. I was surprised and disappointed
to realise that there is not any lakefront
in the celebrated metropolis of Mumbai
that matched Kankaria. The artificial lake
of Powai, spread across 520 acres of land,
in northern suburbs of Mumbai with its
clean water and opulent surroundings is
a major source of water. However this
important asset of the city of millions is
often found lifeless without people around.
The walkway in the limited parts of Powai
Lake and garden besides only manage to
attract a few fitness conscious people every
morning. But it fails to keep the visitors
entertained otherwise.Lake Front is not
accessible from all places. These structures
along the banks have fenced off portions
of lakefront.
Such important assets have to remain as
true public space open to everyone. The
lake front is elitist in its orientation. It is
surrounded by expensive commercial and
residential areas. Also the eateries and
cafes near the lake front are expensive and
beyond the reach of common Mumbaikars.
It is not a place many people find comfort-
table visiting. Also few influential people
have introduced boat houses in the lake and
prohibit the fishermen to practice fishing,
which is permited. Thus this lake despite
being vital to the city is not an integral part
of Mumbai or its image.
Powai has a lesson to learn from Kankaria
if it wants to be sought after public place
and be meaningful to the citizens of
Mumbai.The Powai Lake and many other
such water bodies must be treated as public
assets and developed as welcoming public
spaces. The lakes are meant to be that. ◆
Night view of the Powai Lake
 45

DEVASHISH PANDYA | HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

chai with the dead

L ucky restaurant is a small dhaba

type eatery that is located at one
of the roadside corners near Siddi Sayed
mosque in old Ahmedabad. The restaurant
looks like any other inexpensive diner,
which has off-white walls with graphical
where people

DIEchai
posters of menus, plain tables and chairs.
The eatery serves local specialties in
to have unornamented crockery, nothing exotic. It
appears like other roadside food joint, till
you get a closer look of it.

and bun-maska
46 what do you see?

A dozen odd, 600 year old graves

share space with the furniture inside
this greasy spoon joint. One of it’s walls
is adorned by a million dollar original
art work by the acclaimed artist M.F.
Hussain which adds to the paradox of the
experience, the dead sleep quiet within the
graves while the living enjoy snacks above.
Such a juxtaposition of contrasts makes
the Lucky restaurant something unique. It
is not just another Indian hashery. In many
ways this place captures the eccentric side
of the city.

A large banner cries out loud the name of

a multinational soft drink with ‘New Lucky
Top: View of Lucky cafe from the street
Restaurant’ written below in a relatively Above: Chai and jam maska bun
smaller font. This can be seen, as one Facing page: Inside the cafe, eating beside the grave
approaches it through a web of roads,
which connects Nehru Bridge at one end,
House of M.G. and Electricity House at
the other. The Siddi Saiyyed Mosque acts as
a little traffic island.

The restaurant building, of ordinary
construction, sits on a stepped high
plinth. The front façade, facing the road,
is completely open with no walls or
any partitioning elements. People from
different sections of society, with majority
of Muslim and lower middle class people,
throng the pan parlour division and
the juice counter at the entrance of the
restaurant. Next to the juice counter are
two narrow horizontal cuboids on the
plinth. Each is about two meter long,
covered with garish shawl and fenced with
iron rods.
Those visiting the restaurant for first time
would assume that the cuboids are some
stagnant piece of furniture. But a second
glance would reveal something unexpected
and could even shock some. They are not
furniture pieces, but graves.
47
What is amusing is to see middle aged men
discussing politics over a cup of masala
chai with maskabun, a couple quietly lost
in conversation and stopping just to have
a bite of idli from their plates, groups of
young people quipping over glasses of
lemonade and a few women clicking a selfie
while waiting for food to be served as if all
those graves are non-existent. Waiters for
their part, swiftly maneuver customer orders
through this exceptionally grave furniture.
Another surprise is in store for the visitors.
After going through a fanciful experience
while dining, they would be awestruck
by the signature on the left hand corner
of an original artwork framed and hung
on the central wall of the restaurant. The
signature spells out “M.F. Hussain.”, who
was a regular customer and had gifted the
painting to Krishnan Kutti.
48 what do you see?

He used to sit for hours, thinking,
sketching, or chatting with his friends. It is
said that he loved the masala chai so much
that it was packed and sent to Dubai when
he was in self imposed exile there.
Lucky restaurant was opened by K.H.
Mohammed with the assistance of
Krishnan Kutti Nayar in the 1950s as a
small tea stall under a tree surrounded by
graves. As the business grew, they started
expanding in the graveyard itself. Today, the the city. Ignoring them would undermine
tea stall has transformed into a restaurant
by encroaching into the graveyard but not
disturbing the graves and that tree still
stands inside the restaurant shooting up
through a hole in the ceiling.
List of visitors to the restaurant includes
a few local artists, patrons from the
architecture and design field, some elite
people and a few tourists alongside the
usual patrons from the lower middle class
neighborhood. Despite possessing such
unique attributes Lucky is not listed as a must
visit restaurant in the city guides, nor does it
figure in the postcard images of the city.
Fine dining seems to determine a City’s
image when it comes to restaurants. With
time, innovations in dining experience are
bound to come. People would seek new
cuisines and look for new places to visit.
But in this celebration people have sort
of predefined the fine dining impression
a restaurant has neglecting other disguised
impressions. Places such as Lucky not only
add such impressions but also contribute
their share to special flavours and colors to
the kaleidoscopic image of a city.
People may crib that Lucky is mediocre
in terms of décor and exotic food when
compared with other restaurants. But they
are missing the point that such diners
too can provide a rich experience. It may
appear quirky with its graves and the M.F.
Hussain painting but Lucky is as important
to Ahmedabad as any other high end
restaurants.

Ahmedabad is one of the fastest growing

cities in India. It aspires to showcase itself
as globalized city and a cosmopolitan place.
It increasingly takes pride in glittering malls
and restaurants that serve exotic global
cuisine or highly ethnic fare. If asked
to list the most prominent eating places
in Ahmedabad, many would, without
batting an eyelid, recall restaurants like
Vishala, Amazo, Patang, Jungle bhook,
Uppercrust and Waterside to name a few.
 49

Fine dining is common place and they are

like few bricks in the wall which makes the
image of the city. Fine dining is common
place and every city has many of them.
But places such as Lucky acts as one of
the ingredients which makes a city like
Ahmedabad special and unique than others.

Next time when the city food guides are

written and people talk about city images
Lucky deserves to sit alongside Agashiye,
Souq or Manek Chowk.◆

Top: The old tree

Left: The Hussain painting
Facing page: Arrangement of graves
and tables

Though every city in India has fine dining, theme based

or ethnic restaurants with exotic specialities, but it’s only
Ahmedabad which luckily has Lucky
50 what do you see?

APURWA AGRAWAL | THE SHOW STOPPER

old space, new performance!

!
diluted
W hen it began as a Bharatnatiyam
Dance School in 1949,Natarani had

focus
the vision of turning into a prominent art
centre in Ahmedabad. In the sixty years
since it was built, it has changed and grown
with the city. The question is whether the
changes in architecture and the spaces of
Natarani have measured up to its original
vision and promise?
 51

N atarani also known as Darpana

Academy of Performing Arts is now
a recognised public platform for artists
from different fields. Mrunalini Sarabhai, a
renowned Bharatnatiyam Dancer and her
husband, Dr.Vikram Sarabhai, envisioned
and realised this institute; designed by the
eminent architect Achyut Kanvinde.Since
Mallika Sarabhai (daughter of Mrunalini
Sarabhai) took over the academy in 1974,
the academy has significantly grown from a
Dance School to a Performing Art Centre. The performing arts are a form of
expression which is an inseparable blend of
The institute, located on the Sabarmati drama, art, music, and dance. It acts like a
River Front, has earthy red walls, modest mirror to the society; reflecting the history
buildingsand huge trees shading the and culture of the people and the place.
open spaces. Natarani is an interlinked
campus consisting of a teaching academy, The idea of the performing arts initiated
residence, cafe and an amphitheatre that by Mallika Sarabhai brought out voices and
has a view of the river. The place is calm, sent social messages against the challenges
having small interactive spaces and is built ofwomen’s empowerment, dowry and
in an environment friendly manner, with child labour.Performances conducted by
materials like recycled broken glass and tiles Darpana connectand became popularwith
to decorate that mud walls. the people.

This popularity brought the crowd to

Darpana academy and the institute
neededmore space for performances.
Natarani, the Amphitheatre was added to
the academy in 1995 as a gift to Mrunalini
Sarabhai from her daughter, Mallika
Sarabhai. The Cafe and Amphitheatre was
designed by practising architect Kirtee Shah.

Above: The Natarani Entrance

Left: The Natarani Amphitheatre

Facing page: The Dance Hall

52 what do you see?

T he core of the Darpana campus is the

Academy. It has an open dance hall
enclosed by rooms like the costume room,
theatre room and a library in the ground
floor. The second floor has the residence
of Mallika Sarabhai, where she still spends
most of her time.

The open dance hall was designed to meet

The Natarani Amphitheatre, which was
added to the academy later, has the same
character as the academy building. The
earthy red wall, the stone floors and open
space compliment the older building.
Earlier, when the amphitheatre was built,
the steep steps of the amphitheatre which
was a visual surprise to the visitor ended
in a grand view of the river. The recent
developments on the river front have
hindered the clear view of the river that lies
behind the stage.
the limited requirements of teaching the
Bharatnatiyam dance. Music, puppetry
and drama were the major additions that
made Darpana a performing art academy.
Later, dance forms like Kalaripayattu
(dance of martial arts) and contemporary
dance forms were added. These additions
required better specifications for flooring,
acoustically treated performance rooms for
music and separate space for arts. However,
the academy neither added more space for
practicing nor improved the amenities.

Natarani is a culturally important platform

in Ahmedabad that attracts skilled artists
around the country to collaborate and
perform. As a result, the plays at the
Natarani Amphitheatre are culturally rich
and engaging for people of all ages and
interests. The amphitheatre and cafe are
now the lifeline and form a major part of
the attraction for Natarani.

More people know Natarani now not because of its
reputation as a dance school but because of Natarani Cafe
If the Academy has to function well,
it should not only expand the facilities,
but also meet the different specifications
and requirements of each dance and
art form; the flooring which should be
either sprung or hard, the music practice
rooms should acoustically soundproof
and well equipped with wall mirrors for
rehearsals.Instead of paying attention to its
expanding requirements and campus design,
unfortunately, the Academy has expanded
without a serious focus.
When I compare it to other schools of
performing arts in the country such as
Nityagram (Bangalore), Kalakshetra
(Chennai) and Attakkalari Centre for
53
Movement Arts (Bangalore), Natarani
does not appear to be a serious institute.
They offer mostly crash courses and a few
diploma courses. The regular classes seem
to suffer because they do not have adequate
practice space and the academy does not
have plans for any extensions yet.
Natarani is more known to people now
than when it started. It is not because of its
reputation as a dance school, but because of
The Natarani Cafe, which attracts people tof
different ages.
Below: Open rehearsal hall
Facing page left: Steps of Amphitheatre
Facing page right: View of dancehall facing the river
54 what do you see?
Darpana can claim in its favour that the
plays and the cafe bring in more people to
the place. This may be partially true. But
the sad fact is that people know about the
history of Natarani as a Dance School
through their visits to the cafe than the
other way around.
Its dilution as a cultural force was evident
recently, when AMC decided to widen
the road behind the amphitheatre stage and
make it a noisy public road teeming with
cars. Mallika Sarabhai protested and started
a campaign against this but not many people
responded. Darpana may have been hosting
cultural performances and contributing to
the city in certain ways, but
it has not become the cultural force it could
have been.
Darpana could build on its merits and
accomplishments. Unlike other performing
institutes mentioned earlier, it is more open
and attracts a larger section of public.
It can build on this and the challenges
posed can be turned into opportunities
to reinvent itself. It can become a sought
after performing space that connects with
people culturally. This can be made possible
by investing on design and exploring the
potential of architecture to recreate the
image of the academy of a greater value to
the city. ◆
 55

change the way you look at things

the things you look at will change
56 what do you see?

Acknowledgments
We would like to express our deep gratitude to the co-ordinators of the CEPT University Summer School 2015 for the
course “If pictures can speak, why write about architecture?” - Prof. A Srivathsan and Prof. Seema Khanwalkar for their
immense support, patience, individual attention, enthusiasm and the love they reinforced in us, for writing as well as
reading. This magazine would not have been possible without the guidance of :
Mr. Jalp Lakhia, manager and designer at MICA who helped us with the magazine layout design at dfferent stages.
Mrs. Nirupama Subramaniam, the Resident Editor of The Indian Express, Chandigarh
who taught us to ‘simplify’ our language.
Ar. Kaiwan Mehta, the Managing Editor at Domus India, who shared his experience with
‘discourse’ as practice in architecture.
Mr. Kannan Somasundaram, Senior Assistant Editor at Times of India, Ahmedabad, who enriched
us with some of his writing devices and helped us improve our essays.
We would also like to thank the T.A’s-Manasi Chokshi and Parshati Dutta and our fellow classmates
in this course whose presence made the course more enjoyable.
Cover page illustration adapted from Ambika Sambasivan, waglikeamotmot.wordpress.com
Picture Courtesy - Editorial Page – Parshati Dutta

Copyright and Disclaimer

Copyright @ Summer School, 2015, CEPT University.

The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not
reflect that of the Institute.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means without prior written permission.