About Surat

One Of The Oldest Cities Of Gujarat. Surat Has Been A Flourishing Centre Of International Trade Since The 14th Century. Believed To Have Been Founded By A Brahmin Named Gopi, Who Rose To The Rank Of Prime Minister Under The Sultanate Of Gujarat, The Arch Shaped City Is Strategically Situated On The Southern Bank Of River Tapi, About 20 Km From The Arabian Sea.

Surat Was The Chief Port Of The Mughal Empire And Has Been Renowned For Its Fine Silks, Exquisite Brocades And Its Trade In Spices. The Fame Of Its Spices And Textiles Attracted Traders From Across The Seas, Among Them The Portuguese, The Dutch And The English Who Setup Trading Ports On The Coast, Making Surat One Of The Most Prosperous Of India’s Cities In The 17th And 18th Centuries.

The Varied Influences Are Reflected In The Appearance Of Presnt Day Surat. Elegant Mosques, Colonial –Type Houses, Carved Jain Temples And Old Wharfs On The River Tapi- All Give Surat Its Own Unique Character.Today,It Is One The World’s Leading Diamonds Cutting And Polishing Centres.

Dandi

This Is A Village Located In Navsari District Of Gujarat, On The Coast Of The Arabian Sea. It Shot Into World-Wide Prominence, When Mahatma Gandhi Selected It To Be The Place For The Salt March Which He Commenced On March 12, 1930. He Marched From Ahmedabad To Dandi With Some Of His Followers To Protest Against The Imposition Of A Tax On Salt. Thousands Of People Participated And Travelled Continuously On Foot For 24 Days.

The Route For Dandi March Is From The Starting Point ( Sabarmati Ashram) And Carries On Towards,  Aslall – Naagam – Matar –Nadlad (Sataram Temple) – Anand – Borsad – Kanakpura – Karell – Ankahi – Amod – Samine – Dehrol – Ankleshwar – Mangrol – Umarchh – Bhaktam – Delad – Surat – Vaz – Navsari – Mewat – (Dandi) Ending Point , Which The Government Would Now Embark As The ‘ Heritage Path’.

From 1931 to 1948, He Often Went On Fast Unto Death And Also Travelled Extensively. His Voice Asking The Britishers To Quit India Was Echoed By 300 Million Of His Compatriots And Reached A Crescendo. Widespread Protest Marches All Over The Country During Which The People Braved The Rain Of Lathis And Showers Of Bullets Ultimately Convinced The Britishers That The Time Had Now Come For Them To Leave India.30th January 1948, As He Was Coming Out After Prayer, This Apostle Of Peace And Non-Violence Was Shot Dead. His Last Words Were ‘Hey Ram’.

Chitamani Jain Temple

This Temple Was Built During The Reign Of Emperor Aurangzeb At The End Of The 17th Century. It Has A Simple Exterior But The Interiors Are Remarkably Crafted With Fine Expertise. Crafted With Fine Expertise.The Beautiful Vegetable Dye Paintings Of Acharya Hemchandra (A Jain Preacher) And King Kumarpala Cover The Wooden Pillars That Lead Up To Carved Brackets.

Visiting Hours: Across The Day, Every Day.

Dumas Beach

This Is One Of The Most Famous Beaches Of Surat And What Makes It Unique Is Its Singular Black Sand Which Leads To The Blue Salty Waters And Sky .Being A Favorite Tourist Spot, It Harbors A Stretch Of Local Food Joints That Make For A Fulfilling Outing On A Lovely Evening.

Location: 22 Km From Surat.

Visting Hours: Across The Day,Everyday.

Parsi Agyari (Fire Temple)

Surat Has Been The Headquartes For The Parsi Community Since The Earliest Days Of Their Settlement In India. Udvada, Only 10 Km North Of Vapi, The Station For Daman, Has The Oldest Parsi Sacred Fire In India. It Is Said That The Fire Was Brought From Persia To Diu, On The Opposite Coast Of The Cambay In 700 AD. Sanjan, In The Extreme South Of The State,Is The Small Port Where The Parsis First Landed; Apillar Marks The Spot. Only Parsis Are Allowed Here.

Location: 39 Km South Of Surat, Navsari.

Visiting Hours: Across The Day, Every Day.