Rani no Hajiro Market: The Queens’ Tombs and the Market Around Them

Rani no Hajiro means the queens' tombs, and the market here quite literally surrounds them. Stalls of women's clothing, garba outfits and jewellery crowd the lanes around a walled 15th-century enclosure, a few steps from Manek Chowk.

Rani no Hajiro history

The tombs were probably built around 1445 for the queens of the Gujarat Sultanate. The enclosure is raised above the street and entered through a tall gateway into a courtyard surrounded by a cloister with carved stone screens. Inside are eight marble tombs inlaid with mother-of-pearl and metal; the principal one is of Mughalai Bibi, wife of Muhammad Shah II and mother of Sultan Mahmud Begada. The carving mixes Hindu, Jain and Islamic styles, as Ahmedabad's Sultanate buildings often do.

Over the centuries the lanes around the enclosure filled with shops, and today the area is known as much for its market as for the tombs.

What to buy at Rani no Hajiro market

• Everyday women's clothing and kurtis.
• Garba outfits and chaniya choli for Navratri.
• Costume jewellery, bangles and accessories.
• Mukhwas and mouth fresheners from the stalls around.

Rani no Hajiro shopping tips

• Go in daytime; Manek Chowk's food stalls take over in the evening.
• Bargain, as in all the old-city markets.
• Check sizes and stitching; most pieces are ready-made in standard sizes.
• Combine it with Ratanpol, which is close by.

Fitting what you find

Haggler Studio in Shela alters market finds to fit and stitches garba wear to measure. For the other markets, see Best Clothing Markets in Ahmedabad.