For Dholka, an ancient town with its own history now becoming an outer edge of Ahmedabad.
An old town becoming a suburb
Dholka has a long history of its own - it was a place of consequence well before Ahmedabad existed. It now farms, and it is steadily being drawn into Ahmedabad's outward expansion.
Being absorbed is different from growing. The town is not becoming a bigger version of itself; it is becoming a part of something else.
Losing a separate identity
Young people here increasingly work in Ahmedabad, socialise there, and think of Dholka as where they sleep. Older residents remember a town that was its own place.
Clients describe a generational argument that is really about belonging, conducted as though it were about property and commuting. The parents are not objecting to the job. They are objecting to the town becoming a dormitory.
What the work addresses
Naming what the argument is actually about, which usually stops it going in circles. It is possible to work in Ahmedabad and belong here; it is also possible to leave properly rather than by gradual disappearance.
What does not work is the current default, where nobody has said what they mean and everyone is annoyed.
Sessions
Online, in Gujarati. Chandkheda is under two hours away if you prefer to meet in person.
Frequently asked questions
- I commute to Ahmedabad. Which page applies?
- Either. Sessions are online, so it makes no practical difference.
