Sample traditional Gujarati street food, shop for jewellery and textiles and spot historical landmarks at this lively square in Ahmedabad’s old town.
Manek Chowk is one of Ahmedabad’s most animated bazaars and a place to experience treats for all your senses. Browse market stalls for jewellery and fabrics, try spicy snacks and delicious street food or admire centuries-old monuments. From morning until late into the night Manek Chowk is a constant hive of activity. It’s both a popular tourist attraction and a favourite gathering spot for Ahmedabadi couples, friends and families.
This daily bazaar opens in the morning with a vegetable and spice market. Listen as the hawkers shout out prices to shoppers and onlookers. See and smell rows of multicolored spices and mukhaws (breath fresheners), all displayed in perfectly sculpted pyramids. After midday the vegetable and spice sellers make way for jewellery and textile merchants. Shop for everything from saris, shawls and sandals to kites, gold items and curios. Bargaining for goods is normal, so attempt to get a cheaper price whenever possible.
Visit Manek Chowk in the evening, when it becomes one of the city’s best street food markets. Breathe in the sweet aromatic scents as you wander between the restaurants and food stands. Savour the opportunity to enjoy classic Gujarati cuisine such as a bhaji pav, which is spicy vegetables served with buttery bread. Try a chocolate pizza or a pineapple sandwich, a three-layered sandwich filled with pineapple, jelly and cheese.
Set aside some time to see notable city monuments near the market. Check out the elegant Ahmedabad Stock Exchange and the Baba Maneknath Temple. Go to Ahmed Shah’s Tomb to see the mausoleum of the former sultans of Gujarat. Also worth seeing is Rani no Hajiro, the tomb of the queens of the sultans. Surrounding this tomb is a market that specializes in women’s clothing.
Manek Chowk is in the heart of Ahmedabad’s old town and easily reachable via low-cost taxis and auto-rickshaws. Ahmedabad Junction and Gandhigram Railway stations are less than 10 minutes’ drive away. Walk to the bazaar from major city attractions such as the Jama Masjid Mosque and Swaminarayan Mandir.
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