Ahmedabad’s soul is of a city of, for and by its people

Ahmedabad has maintained near autonomy in its day-to-day functioning, trade and industry regardless of change of rule at the center, due to its parallel administrative structure, economic independence and initiatives of its citizens in the local governance. There are innumerable anecdotes to recall that Ahmedabad has truly been the City Of, For and By its people all these years.

City first over self
History has been witness to selfless sacrifices of its citizens for collective interest. Legacy goes back to several millennia, when sage Dadhichi, on the banks of the river offered his bones to prepare Vajra for Indra, to be able to kill the demon Vrittasur. Even the legend of Laxmi- goddess of prosperity, refers to a similar sprit. A guard protecting the city gates stopped Laxmi from leaving the gates and asked her not to leave until he returned with the King’s permission to do so. Later he sacrificed himself thinking if he did not return, then bound by the promise the goddess of wealth shall remain within the city and thus, the city would always be prosperous.

The spirit lingered on. Sheth Khushalchand of the Nagarsheth family in the 17th Century personally paid off the ransom money to the Marathas, who at the downfall of the Mughal Empire were advancing towards Ahmedabad after looting and burning Surat city. Their sole purpose was to take away the riches of the city. The city leaders convinced the looters to accept the ransom money and spare the city of arson and looting. In return, after the British rule, the trader’s guild of Ahmedabad continued to pay quarter percent royalty of its trade transactions to the family of Khushalchand. His son Vakhatchand also saved the city by forcing the British Empire to revoke General Goddard’s decree to loot the city. Later, Ambalal Sarabhai, secretly helped Gandhiji with a sum of Rs10,000 when Gandhiji was to close down the Sabarmati Ashram for want of money. Veteran leader Jay Prakash Narayan’s observation that ‘Ahmedabad city has given the highest number of human sacrifices in the Indian independence struggle’ itself best personifies the legacy.

Local self-governance
 Ahmedabad has pioneered successfully the model of local self-governance, as early as 1833 AD. By the exertion of Mr H Borradail, the collector, much interest was generated in the restoration of fort walls. The traders and merchants of the city voluntarily raised a fund, called “City Walls Restoration Fund.” This Fund was raised through a levy on classified butter (ghee) sale. It was administered by a committee, consisting of judge, the collector and two citizens.

Not only the city walls were effectively restored with this fund abut also seeing its success, the subscribers of the fund continued to share and expand the funds for general management and improvement of the city, as well. Revenue through such fund was made available to Ahmedabad Municipality for fifty years or so. This probably, would have been the earliest effort of organized Municipal Self Government, in the country.
City as the chemistry of the collective Mahajans.

The key organisation instituted for nearly thousand years is that of the Mahajans. They assumed the powers to impose or reduce any taxes on the goods, which could not be challenged by the court or the government bureaucracy. They functioned in the interest of the collective good and well-being.  It was the Mahajans who took the business orders and distributed it amongst its members to ensure equality and undue competition, as well as disparity of income amongst its members. Worker’s wages, minimum base price, dealing with outstation traders, offering verdict on any trade related disputes, ensuring amity between communities, introduction of taxes, representation to authorities, initiation and management of any charitable activities were all within the provision of the Mahajans.

The Mahajans were involved with philanthropic activities. Imposition of a quarter percent octroi to compensate the Nagarsheth family who saved the city by paying ransom money to the Marathas, imposition of surcharge on ghee for repairs of city walls, creation of panjarapol- an asylum for the infirm animals and installations and maintenance of parabadi-bird feeder are some of the profound examples of charitable work undertaken by the Mahajans.

Founded on such legacies, we need to create a parallel platform of citizens, independent of authorities, to chart the collective long term vision of our city’s development and institutionalise, or may be should we say truly democratise, the decision making process.