This mosque, tomb and palace complex is dedicated to the memory of Ahmed Shah I’s spiritual adviser, Ahmed Khattu Ganj Baksh. The elegant, dilapidated buildings cluster around a great (often dry) tank, constructed by Sultan Mahmud Begada in the mid-15th century. It’s an atmospheric place once used as a retreat by Ahmedabad’s rulers. It’s located in the Sarkhej area, 8km southwest of the old centre; a return autorickshaw from the city centre will cost around ₹150.
The mausoleums of Mahmud Begada (by the entrance, with geometric jalis casting patterns of light onto the floor) and Ganj Baksh (the largest in Gujarat) are both here. In the early evening local families arrive en masse and kids race around while the parents sit chatting in the courtyards as flocks of birds swarm home through the sunset to roost.
