There is much more to Surat than diamond polishing industry and textile looms. Surat Municipal Corporation, having identified nearly 2,800 heritage structures in the city, now intends to make the city a tourist destination.
The civic body will also come out with a limited edition of a book containing photographs of the city’s heritage structures. SMC has commissioned Delhi-based experts for surveying and identifying the heritage buildings in the city.
About SMC Building
January 27th, 2010 by admin
Surat Fort
January 27th, 2010 by admin
The city of Surat is located on the bank of river Tapi in the West Indian state of Gujarat. Surat was a grand port city during the Mughal period. Since the ancient times, the early port of Surat has been well-known for its elite quality fine silks and beautiful brocades and its trade in various spices. Surat has been one of the most progressive of India’s cities in the 17th and 18th centuries. Presently, Surat is a chief industrial city with many textile mills. Besides, Surat is also an imperative diamond-cutting centre in India. Surat features many attractive tourist destinations. Monuments in Surat are a popular destination with tourists visiting the famous Old Fort which stands tall in the city.
Surat Old Fort was built by Muhammad Tughlak in the 14th century to serve as the defense fortification against the Bhils. Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq was the original of the Tughlaqs to rule Delhi. Subsequent to Muhammad Sahab-ud-din Ghori, the next mention of Surat is in 1347 A.D., in connection with the rebellion of Gujarat during the time Surat was under Muhammad Tughlak (1325 to 1351). In 1373 A.D., the emperor Firoz Tughlak(1351 to 1388) is said to have built a fort at Surat to guard the town against Bhils attack who wanted to conquer the land.
About Dandi
January 27th, 2010 by admin
Situated at a distance of 5 kilometers from the heart of the city, Dandi in Surat is a center for the production of salt and is of historical importance to all the Indians. Owing to its significance in the history of Indian Independence struggle, the region has become one of the chief Surat tourist attractions.
Beckoning the history of the Indian independence struggle would rekindle the historic act of civil disobedience started in Surat. The famous Dandi March was launched in this region by Gandhiji and his followers in the year 1930. The taxes levied on salt were imposed by the British in the year 1930. To refute the imposition of taxes in the region, the Dandi March was launched. In the early months of spring in the year 1930, 78 dedicated followers along with their leader, Gandhiji, marched 241 miles from the Sabarmati Ashram to the salt center in the remote hamlet of Dandi. The apparent purpose of the march may have been to protest against the levying of salt taxes, the underlying purpose was to start the non-violent civil disobedience act that would root out the British Empire from their colonial rule in India. The breach of law by the Dandi March was the primary salvo directed to the yoke of the British Empire.
