Samipya 1991 Vol 08 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 61

Mahmood Begda, who had nine lakh mango and 'Rayan' trees planted. Hence, it was also known as “Nav Lakho ( of nine lakhs) Bag." It is said to have been 10 miles long and 2 miles wide. Bag-e-Firdaus means Garden of Heaven.7 By irony of fate, the lands of this once 'Garden of paradise' now serve as dumping ground for the refuge from the city by the local municipality.
In the east of Ahmedabad, there was a lovely garden know as Bag-e-Shayaban, named after Malik Shaban, a famous Muslim saint, who was buried in the garden where he used to pray. According to Mirat-I-Ahmedi, it was surrounded by a wall of brick and contained beautiful buildings, a mosque, tank with stone steps and a step well. All traces of the garden have now disappeared. It appears from the works of European travellers of 17th century that during the period of the sultanate and even later, the road leading from the city of Ahmedabad to Malik Shaban's garden and to the monuments of Rakhyal was one long avenue covered with shany trees on both sides.8 Mandelslo, who visited the capital in 1638, refers to the same.
There was also a 'Harde' garden in the city. Harde is considerd to be a very effective purgative in Ayurveda. Specially appointed gardeners used to look after it. It was near Rakhyal village.
Fateh-Bag was another place of retreat built outside the city. In 1584 A. D.. Mirza Abdur Rahim Khan Khana defeated the last Sultan of Ahmedabad. Sultan Muzaffar the 3rd, near Sarkhej.9 In memory of the victory (Fateh ) this garden was built at Sarkhei, where the Dargah of Ganj-Bakhsh and some of the sultanate rulers already existed. There was a well around with butress, and streams, roads and beautiful pavillions within. The German traveller Aalbert de Mandeslo (came to see it in 1638 A. D. praising the beauty of the garden, he writes, “This is the biggest and the most beautiful garden. It has many beautiful buildings and many fruit trees. It is one of the many beautiful places in the world. There are fruit trees bearing oranges. pomegranates, dates, almonds, mulbarry, tamarind, cocoanuts, citrons, etc.”10 Nothing remains of this garden except parts of one or two pavillions.
Jeet-Bag. Gulab-Bag and Bag-e-Tot were also equally large and beautiful gardens from the accounts but their sites cannot be located today.
Farman-vadi was on the opposite bank of the river to the west of the city, near the present Gujarat College. Perhaps the existing Law Garden is a part of this Farman-Vedi, or if not actually part of it, there is no doubt that the Law Garden of the present is a link with the pleasure garden of old.
Rustom Bag was built by Amir Rustom Khan. It occupied 60 bighas of land on the river bank to the north near Shahi-Bag. It had 4 small buildings add a domed pavillion, 6 wells and a stone gate, all surrounded by a wall. The writer of Mirat I-Ahmedi says Jahangir visited this garden several times.
Ahmedabad ; An Islamic Garden City 1
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