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Surat
Languages : Gujarati, Hindi, and English
Population : 2.3 million
STD code : 0261
Best time to visit : October to March
The city of Surat is situated on the bank of river Tapi in
the West Indian state of Gujarat. The city extends from latitude
21°15' in the North to longitude 72°52' in the East. It occupies
a pivotal position on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai corridor and is
well connected by railway. Surat is at a distance of 230 km
from Ahmedabad, 256 km from Mumbai, and 129 km from Vadodara.
The climate of Surat is mild due to its nearness to the Arabian
Sea. There is not much change in the winter and summer temperature,
which ranges between 10°C to 38°C. Although one can visit
Surat in any season, the best time to do so would be between
October and March.
PAST
Surat finds mention in the Mahabharata when Lord Krishna stopped
here during his journey from Mathura to Dwarka with his cows.
According to the Sanskrit scriptures, this area was under
the control of the western Chalukyas in AD 610 and remained
under Hindu kings till 12th century when a general of Qutub-ud-din
Aibak captured the city. The wealth and prosperity of the
city started in the 12th century when Parsis first settled
here. Akbar captured the city in 1573 after a long siege and
it became an important Mughal trading point. Arabian traders
started calling this place Bunder-E-Khubsoorat (the beautiful
port), which later shortened to Surat.
In 1612, the British established their trading factory here,
soon to be followed by the Dutch and French. Due to political
and climatic problems and growing importance of Mumbai, Surat
lost its prominence. In 1852, Surat became the first municipality
of Gujarat and gradually it became a major business city famous
for its textile industry.
Places
of Interest
In 1546, the Sultan of Gujarat built a castle in Surat on
the banks of the Tapi. Nowadays, this place houses several
government offices.
There are English, Dutch, and Armenian cemeteries around the
Kataragama Gate. There is a massive mausoleum of Baron Adrian
Van Reede, who died here in 1691.
Sardar Patel Museum was established in 1898 and originally
named as Winchester Museum. It displays over 10,000 exhibits
of arts and crafts. The museum is open from 11.45 am to 13.45
pm on Tuesday to Saturday and 14.45 pm to 17.45 pm on Sunday.
The museum remains closed on Monday and public holidays.
Surat is home to many Hindu, Jain, and Parsi temples and mosques.
SITES NEARBY
Duma is around 16 km off Surat and a popular health
resort on the Arabian Sea. Accommodation facilities are available
in various cottages around the place.
Hajira (28 km) is a seaside resort and famous as a
picnic spot.
Ubharat is an upcoming beach resort around 42 km off
Surat.
Navsari is around 29 km south of Surat and known as
the headquarters of Parsis since their settlement in Surat.
Udvada, near Surat, has the distinction of having the
oldest sacred fire of Parsis in India. It is said that the
fire was brought from Persia.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
In the month of January/February, a week preceding Holi, the
local tribes have a major festival in the forested region.
The festival is known as Dang Durbar.
WHERE TO STAY
Being a major business center, there are good accommodation
options available in the city. Majority of the hotels are
in the budget category but some standard options also exist.
Some of the hotels provide restaurant, conference hall, swimming
pool, travel desk, and credit card acceptance facility.
HOW TO REACH
Surat does not have an airport. Baroda, situated around 140
km from Surat, is the nearest airport.
Surat is an important railway station on Western Railway's
network and is connected to all parts of the country.
The National Highway 8 connects Surat to all parts of Gujarat.
The distances to some important centers from Surat are Ahmedabad,
267 km; Baroda, 140 km; Mumbai, 326 km; Bhavnagar, 422 km;
Okhla, 706 km; Junagarh, 550 km; Jamnagar, 531 km; Bhuj, 619
km; and Palanpur, 434 km.
There are regular state transport and private buses from Surat
to the important centers of the region and Gujarat. Tourist
taxis, auto-rickshaws, and city bus service are available
from the main bus stand.
For local transport, tourist taxis, auto-rickshaws, and city
buses are available.
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