Motif Travel Guide

Motif Travel Guide

In this guide….

Contact Information
 List of important contacts

What to know before you come
 About Ahmedabad – History, Culture, Climate
 Quick guide to customs and etiquette

You’ve arrived in India!
 Immigration
 City Layout
 Personal Safety
 Dietary advice and treatment of ills

Day one at work
 Motif Culture
 Dress Code
 Training Tips

Festivals and Tourist Attractions
 Information about Celebrated in Ahmedabad
 Historical places, monuments in Ahmedabad

Further Reading
 Websites and Books for more information

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Important Contact Information +91-792-656-9828
+91-982-5555-6413
Motif Reception +91-990-903-1706
Motif - Rich Van Pelt +91-909-909-1643
Motif - Pashmin Trivedi +91-997-891-9682
Motif – Nishith Sarda +91-794-050-1234
Motif – Hitesh Jotwani +91-793-091-2345
Radisson Blu Hotel +91-794-0505050
Four Points by Sheraton Hotel
Fortune Park Hotel 101
100
India - Fire
India - Police

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What to know before you come: Overview, History & Climate

Ahmedabad Overview

Location: Gujarat, India

Population: 6.3 million

Time Zone: IST (UTC+5:30 | PST+12:30)

Language: Gujarati, Hindi and English

Religion: Majorly Hindu and Muslim

Currency: Rupees (1 USD = 68 INR)

Phone System: Country Code is +91, Local Code is 079

Major Industry: Textiles, high-tech, pharmaceuticals

History
Located on the banks of river Sabarmati, Ahmedabad is the largest city in the whole state of Gujarat.
From the year 1960 to 1970, it served as the capital city of Gujarat. However, later on, the capital was
shifted to the Gandhinagar city. It was founded in the year 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah. It is owing to
this reason that, sometimes, it is also referred to as the city of Ahmed Shah.

Ahmedabad is the hub of trade and commerce in Gujarat. The commercial importance of Ahmedabad
makes the city an important travel destination in India. Besides being home to a number of important
industries, Ahmedabad also has a number of majestic monuments, which remind us of the great
historical and cultural past of the city. Ahmedabad is also a city with modern malls and multiplexes at
one side besides museums and monuments of historical importance on the other side of the river.

Ahmedabad was incorporated into the Bombay Presidency during the British rule but remained the
most important city in the Gujarat region. Over a period of time, Ahmedabad established itself as the
home of textile industry and earned the nickname of "the Manchester of the East." A rising centre of
higher education, information technology and scientific industries, Ahmedabad continues to remain one
of the important cultural and commercial centers of western India.

Climate
Summer Season: March to June – 27°C to 41°C (81°F to 106°F)
Monsoon Season: July to September – 24°C to 32°C (75°F to 90°F)
Summer Season: October to February – 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F)

Know More
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmedabad

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Quick Guide to Customs and Etiquette

Quick Facts
 Tipping is generally 10% and is not included in bills
 Most meals are vegetarian. Beef and Pork are not typically eaten; it has the first all-vegetarian
Pizza Hut
 A Typical Gujarati Thali (meal) is roti, dal, rice, vegetables with curry and sweet dish
 Daily newspaper is The Times of India (in English)
 Agree on taxi fare before getting into a vehicle
 Time is less important that relationships
 Gujarat is a dry-state. You can bring two units of alcohol/wine only, or apply for a permit upon
arrival

Interesting things to know
 Ahmedabad is the sixth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area of India
 In 2010, Forbes magazine rated Ahmedabad as the fastest-growing city in India, and listed it as
third fastest-growing in the world after the Chinese cities of Chengdu and Chongqing
 In 2012, The Times of India chose Ahmedabad as the best city to live in India
 Ahmedabad has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart
city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission
 Ahmedabad has the world's largest collection of antique cars at IB farm
 Out of all the developments and transformation, Sabarmati Riverfront is the most talked about
which an ambience of spic and span environment

Customs, Values, and Etiquette
 Indians believe in fate, karma, strength of family, human warmth
 Indians value tradition, respect for elders, democracy, creativity
 Indians dislike loss of face, personal criticism, being patronized
 Remove shoes before entering any religious monument
 Ask permission before taking anyone’s picture
 Revealing clothing is not appreciated in public
 It is rude to eat with your left hand – considered unclean
 Males should not shake hands with an Indian woman unless she offers her hand first
 Indians traditionally greet and say goodbye with palms together

Know More
www.ahmedabad.org.uk/travel-tips

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You’ve Arrived!

Immigration
 Stay with your buddy and move quickly to the immigration line. The international airport can be
confusing and there can be long wait times. Be sure you have snacks and water with you.

City Layout
 Ahmedabad is split down the middle by the Sabarmati River
 The Radisson Blu, Fortune Park, and Four Points by Sheraton Hotels are located on the West
Bank. The West Bank is closer to financial district, planned residential areas, and shopping malls.
 The East Bank houses the old city and features bazaars, clustered buildings, and the main
railway station. It also includes Gandhi Road, an exciting historical part of the city.

Personal Safety
 Avoid taking public transit. Instead, use the transit pre-arranged by Motif. If you wish to get
around, ask the hotel bellman to arrange transportation for you
 Keep your wallet/purse close to you, or hidden from sight especially in public places
 Avoid walking alone at night
 Be careful crossing the street! You haven’t seen busy streets until you’ve been to Ahmedabad

Dietary Advice and Treatment of ills
 Bring medication with you for what’s known as “Delhi Belly”
 Carry bottled water. When purchasing make sure it is sealed
 Bring items to soothe the stomach (i.e. Pepto Bismol, Tums, Advil etc.)
 Bring bug spray, sum block, a hat, toilet seat covers, hand sanitizer
 Avoid eating meat unless it’s from a high-end restaurant

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Day One at Work

Motif Culture
 Motif literally means a recurring theme in a piece of art or music that makes it beautiful
 One of the top BPOs to work for in India and ranked among the top 20 ‘Rising Stars’ in the
industry
 It's a customer-centric niche Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process
Outsourcing (KPO) Company and we perform rules based recurring processes where human
judgment is essential to the workflow
 Open, feed-forward office culture that values integrity and team spirit
 Believes strongly in charitable work including their blood donation drive, annual charity walk

Dress Code
 Business casual. Collared shirts preferred. Jeans + t-shirts are okay.

Training Tips
 Allow room in your schedule as content will take longer to deliver
 Indians do not life to feel rushed. Plan your schedule accordingly.
 Students will be very polite and want to show you their knowledge. When they nod their head
‘yes’, ask yourself – how do you truly know they know? Empower them to demonstrate how
they know a particular topic or issue.
 Take the time to get to know your students. Call them by name.
 Tell them about yourself. This will help build a trusting relationship.
 Walk around the classroom/nesting environment. Ask lots of questions. Engage them in the
learning process.
 Indians love celebration and recognition. Celebrate great learning events and assessments.
 Keep lines of communication open between you, Motif, and your organization.
 As a Mentor or SME, be proactive in finding out if the students have questions or are struggling.
Just because they aren’t approaching you doesn’t mean there isn’t an opportunity to provide
more insight into a policy or some coaching

Know more
www.motifinc.com/about-us/

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Festivals celebrated in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad is a land of festivities; just name the festival and we celebrate it. The celebrations take place
on a real grand scale in Ahmedabad. Festivals in Ahmedabad have popular celebrations and
observations that include major religious, business and entertaining festivals apart from fairs and
heritage tours.

It signify socio-cultural-religious and even economic aspirations of the people of Gujarat. Vibrant Gujarat
Kite Festival marks a new record of religious tradition blend with economic development. The Festival
and fairs of Gujarat promote unity, spiritual well-being, self-discipline and austerity. They act as
refreshers to monotonous routines and are form of recreations.

Uttarayan International Kite Festival

Uttarayan international kite festival usually falls on a bright shining day with clear skies. The wind is
strong enough to lift plenty of kites high up in the air. It is also celebrated to observe the end of winter
season and give a warm welcome to the summer season. It is during this festive occasion that,
Ahmedabad turns into a hub of life. The entire city is abuzz with activities and feasts. On the day of
international kite festival, people keep aside all their work and head their way to the open fields or
terrace of their house for flying kites.

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Navratri Festival Ahmedabad

Devoted to Goddess Shakti, the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad is celebrated with gaiety and fervor. The
main highlight of the festivity of nine nights is the folk dance of Gujarat called Garba. Each day of the
fiesta begins with the performance of aarti. The entire state of Ahmedabad gets energized with the
thought of celebrating the Navratri festival.

Know more

Navratri Diwali Kite Festival Shivratri

Holi Janmashtmi Ganesh Mohorram -
Chaturthi Ramzan

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Tourist Attractions
Ahmedabad is a great tourist attraction destination, as there are number of interesting places to see in
and around the city. Some of the features that perfectly describe the Ahmedabad city are splendid
monuments, wonderful museums and gorgeous lakes. Whether you’re a Shopaholic or an Art Admirer,
want to explore ancient sites or happening hangouts, this fastest emerging mega-city has something for
everyone.
Check out the places in Ahmedabad that you should usually cover in your India tour itinerary:
Adalaj Ni Vav (Step well)

The well was built in 1499 A.D. by Queen Rudabai. The Vav means Step Well, is elaborately carved. The
designs on its walls and pillars include leaves, flowers, birds, fish and other breathtaking ornamental
designs.
Sidi Sayed Mosque

The Mosque,Sidi Sayed is the most prominent and striking structure in the city of Ahmedabad. The
mosque is famous all over the country because of its marvelous architecture and exquisite stone tracery.

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Gandhi Ashram

Gandhi Ashram is located on the banks of the river Sabarmati and is 7km north of Ahmedabad. This
Ashram was set up by Mahatma Gandhi and is one of the most actuated memorials.
Akshardham

Akshardham is a rare combination of tradition and expertise. What makes this amazing structure so
wonderful is the fact that not even a single rod of steel is used in its construction. Akshardham is just not
a temple but it is a center of excellence in the field of education and enlightenment.

Jhulta Minar

A classic example of superb craftsmanship, Jhulta Minar is actually constructed in such a manner that, if
you apply a little force on its upper arc, the Minar tends to sway. An Englishman made an attempt to
demolish one of the minarets of the mosque to unravel the mystery behind the swaying, but all in vain.

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Further Reading

Websites

www.wikipedia.com
A solid overview of Ahmedabad and India

www.ahmedabad.org.uk
Travel and Tourism reference

www.youtube.com
Search ‘Ahmedabad’ and watch some great traveler videos!

www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-ahmedabad
Room details, amenities, and photos of your home away from home

Books

Grihault, Nicki.
Culture Smart! India: A quick guide to customs and etiquette

Davies, Paul.
What’s this India Business?

Storti, Craig.
Speaking of India

Singh, Sarina.
Lonely Planet India

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