Centuries-old buildings that became central to the community, alongside those added during the Sultanate era, stand side by side in Khadia. In many ways, this part of Ahmedabad still mirrors the city’s spirit during the textile mill era. But then migration, primarily provoked by mills’ closure, changed the narrative. Ritu Sharma reports: A STRANGER cannot go unnoticed in Khadia, people say. Here, word travels “within minutes” through its narrow streets and the myriad of neighbourhoods set up on them. Here, broad main roads taper into arterial lanes, which further narrow into bylanes connecting the meandering pol or alleys, leaving the din of traffic far behind. These alleys can barely accommodate a two-wheeler. The quieter, narrower sheri opens into traditional homes with ornate wooden and lime-plastered facades. From the outside, they reveal little about the multi-room houses within, with large central courtyards standing over tanks that collect rainwater for harvesting.…