S NAGA MALLESWARA REDDY

period of prosperity, Lakhpat lost its maritime significance in 1851 AD, when the Indus river changed its course. Since after the Indus river changed its course, the port dried up. Once a thriving town with population of 15,000, is today a deserted town and only a barren plain of limestone rock with only few families living here. It is not only the architecture but the stark loneliness and a vast view of deserted, crumbling houses which make Lakhpat a rare spectacle.

Tourist Attractions in Lakhpat
The interesting structures at Lakhpat are the tomb of Gosh Muhammad and a Sikh Gurudwara. The tomb of Gosh Muhammad is made of black stone, with four arched doors and its outer walls are decorated with floral motifs. The inside walls are engraved with passages from the holy Koran. The other interesting structures at Lakhpat are the mosque, a structure for keeping Tajia (a Muslim religious float) and a number of temples. More...

How to reach Lakhpat
By Air:
The nearest airport is located at Bhuj, which is about 151 kms. 

By Rail:
The nearest railway station is Gandhidham, which is about 120 kms.

By Road:
Lakhpat is connected by road with all the major cities of Gujarat like Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Bhuj and Vadodara.

settled by Harappan trading communities who came by sea from the mouth of the river but some believe that it may have been settled by traders moving across the overland route. The site is surrounded by a mud brick embankment 300 m North to South and 400 m East to West. Unlike the defensive walls at Harappa and Mohenjodaro, the wall at Lothal enclosed the workers area as well as the citadel. The presence of a dry dock and a warehouse further distinguish it from other major Harappan sites. Excavations here have revealed a tidal dockyard (with a complex lock-gate system) at its peak, this was probably one of the most important ports on the Indian subcontinent. The Sabarmati river, which no longer runs past here, connected the dock to the Gulf of Cambay. Seals discovered at the site suggest that trade may have been conducted with the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Persia.

Dry Dock
The dry dock runs along the east wall of the city and has average dimensions of a 214 m by 36 m. A 1 m wide gap in the north side is believed to have been the entrance by which boats came into the dock. While a spillway over the south well allowed excess water to overflow. The city well, which is wider at this point than elsewhere, may have been a wharf for unloading. Excavations of the warehouse have revealed wide evidence of the trade which was clearly the basis for the Lothal's existence. The building, at the south-west corner of the wharf, had a 4 m high platform made of cubical mud brick blocks, the gap between them allowing ventilation. Over 65 Indus Valley Seals have been discovered which shows pictures of packing material, bamboo or rope, suggestive of the importance of trade to the community. There have also been finds of pottery, semi-precious stones, beads and even necklaces made of tiny beads of gold. Rice and millet were clearly in use, and there is some evidence that horses had been domesticated.

the site displays fragments of this well-ordered civilization, such as intricate seals, weights and measures, games, jewellery and various artifacts including copper and bronze implements from the site.

By Rail:
The nearest railway station is Burkhi on the Ahmedabad - Bhavnagar railway line.

By Road:
Lothal is connected by road with all the major cities of Gujarat like Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Bhuj and Vadodara.

one can barely find the traces of such a magnificent town. The most significant monuments in Patan are Rani ki Vav, Sahastralinga Talav and Khan Sarovar. Patan is a famous manufacturing centre of the beautiful Patola silk saris.

History of Patan 
Patan was founded by the Vanraj Chavda in 746 AD. It enjoyed a privileged status of capital of Gujarat, for about 600 years from 746 AD to 1411 AD. In the 8th century, Patan under the name of Anahilvada, was the capital of the Hindu kings of Gujarat. The major Rajput clans of Chavadas, Solankis and Vaghelas ruled Gujarat from Patan. The glory of Patan reached its highest point during the Solanki period. During this period, the city was a great place of learning and a prosperous trading center. The rulers were great patrons of fine arts and architecture and thus constructed various religious and historical places in the city. This town was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1024 AD. Patan is also described in the Jain text "Kumarpala Rasa" as a prosperous fortified town, about 18 miles in circumference with 84 town squares, 52 bazaars, mints of gold and silver, well laid out gardens with fountains and trees, grammar school of Sanskrit and Prakrit, Hindu and Jain temples. After last Vaghela ruler, Karan Ghelo lost to Ulugh Khan in 1289 AD, the Muslims raided the town, destroyed various temples and ruined the entire city. This city was also taken over by Alau-ud-din Khalji's brother Alaf Khan in 1306. Today, one can barely find the traces of such a magnificent town. Since the rule of King Kumarpal, Patan was the only center of unique weaving craft of 'Patola', but even today, this traditional weaving craft is practiced by some of the families.

Tourist Attractions in Patan 
Patan is a dusty, little visited town, but its narrow streets are lined by the elaborate, faded wooden houses and more than 100 Jain temples, which are worth exploring. The largest of the Jain temple is Panchasara Parasvanath. The major tourist attractions in Patan are Rani ki Vav, Sahastralinga Talav and Khan Sarovar. Rani ki Vav is an excellent example of subterranean architecture of Gujarat. This Vav was constructed by Udaymati, the queen of Bhimdev and represents the finest of the Indian sculptures and architecture. Sahastralinga Talav, an artifical tank was built by the Siddhraj Jai Singh in Gujarat. The architecture of this tank integrated the great sense of water management and sanctity of water in Hindu religion. 

The major tourist attractions in Patan are Rani ki Vav, Sahastralinga Talav and Khan Sarovar. Rani ki Vav The Rani ki Vav, a step well in Patan is an excellent example of subterranean architecture in Gujarat and has steps that lead down to the water level. This Vav is situated about 134 km north-west of Ahmedabad, and about 57 km from Mehsana. The Rani ki Vav was built by Rani Udayamti of the Solanki dynasty, probably as a memorial for her husband Bhimdeva I (1022 - 1063 AD). This Vav represents the finest of the Indian sculptures and architecture and forms the link between a kunda and the classical step-well. In addition to the straight staircase, it also has lateral staircases, along with very broad, stepped corridors.  The entrance of this Vav is situated in the east and the well in the west. The exquisitely carved side walls, pillars, steps and platforms lead to the elaborately carved water well. Although, this Vav is in a bad condition, but still the entrance, the side walls of the stepped corridor, some of the mandapas and the back wall of the well are still in a perfect condition. Five lateral, staggered staircases attached to the side walls connect various storeys. Every surface of the well and levels are adorned with fine sculptures of Hindu deities, religious motifs and geometrical patterns. The lower most level has 37 niches with rudimentary images of Ganesha in the centre and images of the Sheshashayi Vishnu on the upper level. On the upper levels, the impressive images of Laxmi-Narayana, Uma-Mahesh, Brahma-Brahmani, Kubera and Ganesha, with their respective consorts are also sculpted. On the lower levels, there are images of Vishnu's incarnations and 24 forms but the Kufma and the Matsya avatars do not find a place in this Vav. No other Vav in India is so profusely adorned as the Rani ki Vav. Sahastralinga Talav Sahastralinga Talav, an artificial tank, was built by the Siddhraj Jaisingh (1093 -1143 AD), the Chalukyan ruler of Gujarat in Patan. This tank is situated on the north-western part of Patan, on the banks of the Saraswati river. The architecture of this tank integrated the great sense of water management and sanctity of water in Hindu religion. The tank used to receive water from a canal of the Saraswati river and had spread about five km with masonry embankments. About thousand of shrines dedicated to the Lord Shiva were constructed on the edge of the water tank, but now there are remains of only some shrines. Looking at the ruins, one can imagine the grandeur of this great water tank. An inscription found in the Shiva temple in Vyala Kua Street of Patan indicates that the lake was part of a much larger work. At present, the Sahastralinga Talav is dry and the earth work are buried under the sands of the Saraswati river, the same river that was once filled with water. According to some local people the tank was dry to the curse given by the Jasma Oden. A famous story of Siddhraj Jaisingh and Jasma Odan, a beautiful woman of the tank diggers' community, revolves around this tank. She refused to marry the Siddhraj and committed Sati to protect her honour. It is believed that her curse made this tank waterless and the king without a heir to the kingdom of Gujarat. The Sahastralinga Talav is pentagonal in shape, and marked by a series of mounds showing its shape. The earthworks circumscribe an area of several kilometers and about 1 km broad. The total area of the Talav is about 17 hectares. At its fullest, it would have contained about 4,206,500 cubic metres of water. In the centre of the Talav is a large earth heap, the Bakasthana. On a raised platform over it, was built a rauza, an octagonal structure of Lakhori bricks. The most interesting of the relics are the channels, the well, steps and side elevation of the Talav, and a bridge. The channel runs from north to south and connected the lake to the Saraswati river. Khan Sarovar Khan Sarovar is located outside South Gate. This is a water tank from Solanki period with stone steps and masonry. Mirza Aziz Kokah renovated this tank using the stones from ruined structures.  Hemachandracharya Gyan Mandir Hemachandracharya Gyan Mandir contains thousands of rare ancient manuscripts in Sanskrit and Prakrit. Hemachandracharya was a great scholar and grammarian, the first one to formulate the grammar of the Gujarati language.  Temples There are 100 Jain temples in Patan. The most important Jain temple is the Mahavir Swami Derasar in Dhandherwad with exquisitely carved wooden dome. The important Hindu temples are Kalika Mata, Sindhwai Mata, Harihareshwar Mahadev and Brahma Kund.

Shopping in Patan
Patan is also known for the unique weaving craft of 'Patola' silk sarees. These sarees are produced in a great vast process by the Ikat technique. Threads are tie-dyed to create the pattern before the weaving process begins.

How to reach Patan 
By Air:
The nearest airport is located at Ahmedabad which is about 125 km.

By Rail:
The railway station is located on the Ahmedabad - Patan line.

By Road:
Patan is connected to the various cities of Gujarat like Ahmedabad which is about 125 km, Siddhapur which is about 28 km and about 25 kms. from Mehsana.

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.

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.

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.