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The busiest market in old Ahmedabad runs through the oldest gate. Teen Darwaza, three arches built by the city's founder, stands at the end of a square that has been a marketplace since the 15th century, and today the lanes around it and around Bhadra Fort are packed with bandhani, everyday clothes and bargains.
Teen Darwaza history
Sultan Ahmad Shah I founded Ahmedabad in 1411 and built Bhadra Fort as his citadel the same year. Teen Darwaza, the triple gateway east of the fort, was completed in 1415 as the grand entrance to the royal square between them, where processions and ceremonies passed. The gate is a Monument of National Importance and appears in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's logo. Bhadra Fort was restored in 2014 as a cultural centre.
Two stories are carved into the gate's life. In 1812 the Maratha governor Chimnaji Raghunath had an inscription put up there declaring that daughters should receive their due share of their father's property, an early stand for women's inheritance. And a lamp burns in a niche of the gate, which tradition says one family has kept lit for some six hundred years, tied to the legend of the goddess Lakshmi being persuaded to stay in the city and keep it prosperous.
What to buy at Teen Darwaza market
- Bandhani sarees, dupattas and dress pieces.
- Chaniya choli and everyday kurtis.
- Children's clothes.
- Traditional footwear, bags and wallets.
- Costume jewellery and accessories.
Teen Darwaza shopping tips
- Go on a weekday; weekends and the weeks before festivals are packed.
- Bargain firmly. This is the cheapest market in the city and prices allow for it.
- Check stitching and colour carefully; quality varies stall to stall.
- Keep your phone and bag close in the crowd.
- Dhalgarwad, the fabric market, is a short walk away.
Making it fit
Bandhani and bargain chaniya choli often need a tailor. Haggler Studio in Shela alters what you buy and stitches to measure. For the other markets, see Best Clothing Markets in Ahmedabad.
From the community
Tips from visitors to Teen Darwaza and Bhadra Market
Been recently? Prices, timings and the best stalls change: share what you found.
Questions people ask
Who built Teen Darwaza?
Sultan Ahmad Shah I, the founder of Ahmedabad. The gate was completed in 1415 as the eastern entrance to the royal square in front of Bhadra Fort, which he built in 1411.
What can you buy at Teen Darwaza?
Bandhani sarees and dupattas, chaniya choli, everyday clothes, children’s wear, footwear, bags and accessories, mostly at low prices.
What is the lamp at Teen Darwaza?
A lamp kept burning in a niche of the gate, which local tradition says a family has tended for some six hundred years, tied to the legend of the goddess Lakshmi being kept in the city.
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