Situated on the banks of Tapi River in
Gujarat, Surat is flooded with business and industries, with diamond and textile products dominating the rest.
The old name of the town was ‘Suraj’ meaning ‘city of sun.’ Later, a Muhammadan ruler converted ‘Suraj’ into ‘Surat’. It is positioned on
Ahmedabad-
Mumbai corridor, and is 230 km south of Ahmedabad, 256 km north of Mumbai.
Vadodara is 129 km northeast of Surat.
Mahabharata, one of the two epics of India, relates the place with Lord Krishna. During the time of
Mughals, Surat was used as the main port for Mecca pilgrimage. The East India Company established its first warehouse in Surat in 1612. Surat is a major industrial center in Surat District and is famous for gold-based ‘Jari’ (Yarn) business and weaving activities. It also provides an export outlet for agro based products.
Dutch Garden, Old Fort, Sardar Patel Museum, Dandi, Dumas and
Hajira are some the places of interest. Vansda National Park is a major attraction nearby. Swaraj Ashram at Bardoli, 34 km from Surat is a noteworthy pilgrim center. Excellent accommodation can be made in and around Surat at Lords Park Inn, Surat, Shri
Agam Mandir and Hotel Yuvraj.
Surat Airport is 18 km southwest of the city. Various domestic airlines operate services to Mumbai and
Bhavnagar.
Surat Railway Station lies on the Mumbai-Delhi-Ahmedabad broad gauge line. Tourist can rely on state transport buses, private luxury coaches, tourist taxis and auto-rickshaws for local transport.
