Ahmedabad also known as the Manchester Of India is the second largest cotton producer of India. Although Ahmedabad is famous for its cultural heritage, it is one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under the Government of India. Being a cultural heritage city there are many places you can visit in Ahmedabad. One such place is dedicated to India’s renowned freedom fighter who played a big role in uniting India. The gentleman’s name is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the place which is dedicated to him is the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial.
This place originally served as a Mugal Palace known as Moti Shahi Mahal. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan during his reign in Gujarat as the governor, he was just a prince back then. The Memorial has a collection of many photographs of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the walls of the memorial.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial originally served as a residence to the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan when he was a prince and the governor of Gujarat. The palace and the garden in front of it were built between 1616-1623.As the garden was constructed, in the Mughal era, and the sight was well known as Shahi Bagh. The Shahibagh garden had a variety of plants and trees including mango, noble cypresses, cedars, palms, sandals, cassias, and many others.
The Palace was later controlled by the British Raj until the independence which was endowed by the Government Of Gujarat in 1975. The palace served as the Raj Bhavan (Governer’s House) of Gujarat. Later the memorial was founded on 7 March 1980 on the birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and was known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial.
According to the records Rabindranath Thakur (a.k.a Rabindranath Tagore) stayed in this palace in 1878 when he was seventeen years old. He wrote his only ghost story ‘The Hunger Stones’ and his first poetry in this Palace.
