Surat - Gujarat Tour

Surat Information on Surat Surat is associated with the name Saurashtra, 'The Good Land', the regions covering the peninsula of Gujarat. It is situated on the banks of the Tapti river and owes its development to its early and sustained importance as a trading centre. It was large in 1600 and even after a decline in its fortunes the population in 1796 was estimated to be as much as 800,000. Surat is a busy commercial centre for textiles and diamonds. This city is mainly visited by the tourists who are interested in the colonial history of Surat. History of Surat The Parsis driven from Persia, first arrived in India in the 8th century and many moved from their first  settlement on the West coast of the peninsula to Surat in the 12th century. It later became a vital Mughal port and transit point for Mecca and in 1613 was the first English settlement in India. The Mughals, under Akbar, took the town and during their reign, the Portuguese, British, Dutch and French in turn established trading outposts here. The British were first to establish a factory in their first settlement in India, having arrived in 1608 and Surat remained their headquarters until it moved to Bombay in 1674. During the 17th and 18th centuries, trade flourished and made Surat the mercantile capital of West India. The first dock was built in 1720 and by 1723 there were 2 shipyards. The tide turned, however in the next century, when a fire destroyed the city centre to be followed by floods when the river Tapti burst its banks. This led many Persias to move to Bombay to make their fortune. Surat formerly known as Suryapur, is the eighth largest city in India. The city proper is the one of the populous cities in the world. The city is situated on the left bank of the Tapti River, 14 miles from its mouth. This city has many historical buildings which are quite captivating. Surat is a major industrial city with many textile mills. Textiles for ceremonial and utility purposes, wood lacquer and ivory handicrafts, embroidery and jewellery had great demand in the world market. Fine silver and gold jewellery crafted in Surat is srill a rage here, but this southern most city of the state is today more known for diamond cutting and polishing industry besides the jari and art silk produced there. Some famous places are Chintamani Jain Temple, Diamond Industry, Sardar V Patel Museum and Planetarium etc. Shopping in Surat Today Surat is a busy textile town with several cotton mills. The production of gold and silver thread and kinkhab brocades and wood and ivory inlay work are also important in Surat. Silk weaving is a cottage industry producing the famous Tanchoi and Ganjee Sarees. Diamond cutting is also a speciality of Surat. Tourist Attractions in Surat The main tourist attractions in Surat are the castle, tombs, mosques and temples. Nau Saiyid Mosque The Nau Saiyid Mosque (mosque of Nine Saiyids) is situated on the west banks of the Gopi Lake.  Mirza Sami Mosque The Mirza Sami Mosque was built by the Khudawanad Khan who was also responsible for the castle.  Dandi Dandi is situated about 13 kms. from Navsari. Dandi is the main place for the Gandhi's Salt March in 1930. It is reached along a pleasant rural road and by the strikingly empty beach are several monuments to Gandhi, including a small museum. Castle The castle was built in 1546 alongside the Tapti Bridge and now full of offices. The castle provides good views of the city and surrounding countryside from its bastions. Colonial Tombs The colonial tombs here dates from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The most magnificent is the 17th century memorial to Baron Adrian Van Reed, a local Dutch company Director. British Factory The British Factory House, combined English and Hindu styles and had stained glass windows with carved wooden supports. It is located near the Mission High School, but not much remains. Navsari Navsari is situated 29 kms. south of Surat. Navsari has been a headquarters for the Parsi community since 1142. Udvada Udvada is situated about 10 kms. north of Vapi, the station for Daman. Udvada has India's oldest Parsi sacred fire. It is said to have been brought from Persia to Diu, on the opposite coast of the Gulf of Cambay, in 700 AD. Sanjan Sanjan, in the extreme south of the state, is the small port where the Parsis first landed. A pillar marks the spot. How to reach Surat By Rail: Surat is situated on the main Mumbai - Ahmedabad railway line. By Road:  Surat is connected to various cities in Gujarat like Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Somnath and Vadodara. Bardoli It is situated 34 kms. from Surat. This town saw the birth of the No-Tax movement, led by Sardar Patel, in protest of the British rule under which farmers barely had enough to feed their families, let alone to pay the exorbitant taxes. It was a precursor to the Namak Satyagraha, the Salt March. The Swaraj Ashram, garden, museum, and khadi workshops, are well worth a visit, as well as the Aitihasik Ambo, a mango tree under which Gandhiji famously declared that he would settle for nothing less than independent home-rule for India. Bardoli is accessible by ST (State Transport) buses. Chintamani Jain Temple The exquisite wooden carvings and paintings are the major attractions of the temple. The temple actively maintained and visited by the city's Jains is situated in the Shahpor area and dates back to 15 century and houses some extremely rare paintings of the Jain monk Acharya Hemachandra, and of the Solanki King Kumarpal. Any visit to the city would be incomplete without a visit here especially for Jains. Choppati This is also a very popular place in the city. It has a large garden and provides Indian fastfood like Paav Bhajee and Pani puri. Chowk The Chowk, or main square built after the 1837 fire which destroyed much of the city, is surrounded by colonial buildings such as an Anglican Church around 1895, Andrews Library of 1907, and the Sir J. J. Training College of 1872. Dandi Here you reach the ocean, and the historic landmark where the Namak Satyagraha, also known as the Dandi March ended and India's independence began when Mahatma Gandhi picked up a pinch of salt in protest of the British rule. Dandi is accessible by ST (State Transport) buses. Dandi also has seashore area which is known as Dandi Beach. Diamond Industry Around the world, 8 out of 10 diamonds on the market were cut and polished in Surat. This industry earns India about 10 billion USD in annual exports. A legacy of old Dutch trade links, it began after a Surti entrepreneur returned from East Africa bringing diamond cutters. The rough diamonds themselves, however, come to Surat as rough crystals ripped out mainly from deep under the earth of South Africa and other regions of the continent, and go from here as smooth gems to Antwerp, Belgium where the international diamond trade is run mainly by Hasidic Jews and Jains from Palanpur in North Gujarat. Dumas Sea Beach Dumas Sea Beach is an ideal picnic spot located about 15 km from Surat, in Gujarat. The best time to visit the beach is on tidal days. Dutch Cemetery Located near Kataragam Gate, this impressive mausoleum is that of Baron Hendrik Adriaan Van Rheede tot Drakenstein, who died in 1691. A massive Dome, beautiful pillars and the huge gallery make it a very outstanding monument. Dutch Garden Dutch Garden is a major attraction of Surat city. Other noted attractions of the Surat city include the Dutch cemetery and Makaipul, the ancient original sea port from where large shilps sailed to various parts of the world. European Tombs It is said that the competition between the Dutch and the British followed them even past death. They erected grand mausoleums instead of the normal tombstones in Europe, heavily influenced, ironically, by Hindu and Islamic elements belonging to the very natives to whom they were each trying to prove their superiority as colonizers. Next door to the British and Dutch cemeteries is the churchyard of the Armenians, another important trading community from the 16th century, whose tombstones are heavily inscribed, but forgo the superstructures of the other two communities. The cemeteries have been declared as protected monuments, but they still show signs of deterioration, both from natural weathering and from human visitors. Photography is prohibited at the sites. They may be hard to locate, but you can ask the locals to guide you. Gaurav Path Gaurav Path is an expressway designed and constructed by the Surat Municipal Corporation as a part of a plan to connect Surat City with its airport, Magdalla Sea Port and Dumas Village. The expressway replaced the prior Surat-Dumas Road and is one of the best examples of Town and City Planning in India. Gopi Talav and Nav Sa'id Mosque This lake is named after Gopi, credited with the rise of the city. Nav Sa'id Masjid is one of the four main mosques, along with Khudawand Masjid, Sayyid Idris Mosque, and Khwaja Diwan Sahib. Hajira Another well known health resort is Hajira, south west of Surat on the creek of the Arabian sea. Hajira has two wells with water rich in iron and sulphur. The pleasant Hajira beach is fringed by feathery casurina trees. Hajira is situated 28 kms from Surat. The pleasant Hajira Beach is fringed by feathery 'Casurina' trees and has a comfortable holiday home for visitors. Jama Mosque One of the oldest cities in South Gujarat, and the main city of the area before the center shifted to Surat. The 4-storey Jama Masjid, or Friday Mosque here was built in the 16th century reusing parts from the Jain temple that was on the site previously. Kantareshwer Mahadev Temple It is very old temple since samudra manthan with three pats in shiv ling of brahma , vishnu and mahesh, previously there was the end of tapi river, now it was diverted to dumas after a so many 'kalp'. Marjan Shami Roza This mausoleum for Khwaja Safar Sulemanim, the Governor of Surat, was built by his son in 1540, with signs of Persian influence in the architecture. Masjid in Rander(Ek thamb) It is situated in the old city near jama Mosque. This build on one pillar only. It has unique and mesmerising architecture. Mughalsarai This sarai, or guest house, was constructed in mid 17th century under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for pilgrims en route to Mecca, and briefly served as a jail in 1857. The finely crafted archways and dome now stand over the Surat Municipal Corporation offices. Parsi Agiari This is the main Fire Temple of the city, with the sacred flame. There are also other less central temples around the city. Non-parsis are not allowed to enter, as in all Parsi fire temples. Rangupavan It is an open air theater with a 18 meters by 10.5 meters stage and a capacity of around 4000 spectators. This is one of the biggest theaters in the country. Rangupavan was recently closed. Sardar V Patel Museum and Planetarium Also known as the Sardar Sangralaya, this museum was established in 1889, and the collection represents the rich history and eclectic ethnic mix of Surat. It also provides maps for travelers. The Planetarium runs a show on the universe, in Gujarati. Surat Castle In 1540, Sultan Mahmud III had this castle built with extra strength for protection against Portugese raids. It is now filled with government offices, but you can go up to the top for a marvelous view of the city and Tapi river. Suvali Beach Suvali is 28 km from the city. Suvali has two wells with water rich in iron and sulphur. Suvali beach is fringed by feathery casurina trees. Tapti River The Tapti River, ancient original name Tapi River, is a river in Gujarat passing from Surat and Songadh. It is one of the major rivers of India with a length of around 724 km. The river rises in the eastern Satpura Range. The Tapi River in Thailand, was named after India's Tapti River in August 1915. Textile Markets South of the Sahara Gate which opens on to Bardoli Road, the textile markets are packed with saris, salwar kameez, dress pieces, and a range of other polyester, silk, printed, and embroidered materials that Surat, once renowned for silk weaving and brocade, and is still famous for even after a history of setbacks in the textile industry. The Old Fort The Old Fort was built by Muhammad bin Tughluq in the 1546 to fortify the defence against the Bhils. It is now used for municipal offices. Ubharat About 42 kms. from Surat, Ubharat is a beautiful sandy beach having a backdrop of shady palm groves. When you visit this beach don't forget to carry your swimming suits because the current of the water is very high. You can't enter in deep water of Ubharat as it is strictly prohibited. Udhana An Edge City only 7kms south of Surat hosts more than 3000 industrial units and corporates. Also the place where the HUB skyscraper is being proposed. Also Gateway of Southern Gujarat. Udvada Regarded exceedingly sacred by the Parsi and Zoroastrian community, Udvada is a coastal town near the city of Surat in the district of Valsad. It is renowned for the Zoroastrian Atash Bahram fire temple. Udvava literally stands for `grazing ground of camels`, which was actually the town`s condition, prior to becoming a fishing village. The Udvada Beach and the Iranshah or the Atash Bahram fire temple are the chief attractions. Udvada is famous for Parsi food. You can try some great Parsi food in any local restaurant. You can especially treat yourself on Fried Boi(Mullet Fish), vin-daloo fish curry, sali margi or ghosht, Rava Sheera, Dhanshak, Macaroons and nan khatai. Ukai Dam It is situated 94 kms from Surat. A major multipurpose irrigation project of Gujarat, the storage of water at the dam site is quite large. Vir Narmad Saraswati Temple Poet Vir Narmad (1833-86), author of 'Jai Jai Garvi Gujarat' and some other famous Gujarati poems, lived in this quaint house built in 1866, now restored as a memorial. Narmad actively advocated a single national language, self-governance and created literary works that sparked off an era of social reform. During the freedom struggle, freedom fighters and artists used to gather here. The Narmad library, further down in the south-west part of the city, has a large collection of books, including a sizable section for the blind. Water Fun Park Water Fun Park is located 16 kms away from Surat city on Hazira road. During the summers large number of people visit the park, mostly on weekend. Winchester Museum Winchester Museum is named after Mr. Winchester, the British Assistant Collector who took a keen interest in increasing the prosperity of Surat. A place of tourist's interest Winchester Museum houses a variety of items.