Surat city is the 2nd most populous city in Gujarat after Ahmadabad and famous for diamond and textile business . World’s 92 % diamonds are cut and polished here . This city is also famous for it’s food . Here in every street you will get different types of Bhujia , Dhokla , tepla and lots of gujarati sweet. Surat is just situated beside the tapti river . For centuries it is famous for the port city . From the 12 th century it is continuously inhabited by people . so it is almost a 1000 year old city . This city is in very low lying city and that causes flood in the city many time . With the industry it also has some historical places to see which tells the story of the city .
Public transport
Here there is no metro service available in the city so city people mostly have to rely upon the road transport system . Here most of the people have their own cars or at least a scooter . Quantity of vehicles is such that it is very difficult to cross the road for a pedestrian . Here one thing is very good , traffic is always moving . How they do that I don’t know but here is less or none traffic jam in the city . Public transport is cheap and also very effective . You can make a bus ride by just 5 INR .There is two types of city buses one that runs on dedicated road ….. BRTS buses and another in normal road city buses. Surat as a smart city collaborated with Google and gives the passenger real time data on Google maps about their trips , bus timing and travel timing . There was properly defined bus station and doors are also closed in the buses . Which made the public transport very safe . People also have to buy tickets from the bus station or conductor . After buying the ticket you have to pass through a gate like metro where your ticket is checked via machine and then you enter the bus station . When bus comes door of the bus station will automatically opened and people board the bus . After the bus leaves both the bus door and the station door closed made the public transport absolutely safe .
Surat Sitilink buses
On 23 rd of august I reached this city . Beside the main gate of the railway station there is huge Indian flag hosted in a giant pole . It looks very nice and we proud of our national flag . The flag was waving in the strong wind .After that I walked out the station . I have a one huge luggage and a bag in the front . It was too heavy to carry for me . After hovering through some hotel I finally find a hotel which is less expenses . hotel is good . Here you may find lots of dormitory which will charge in between 200 to 500 INR for one night with also air conditioner . For solo and budget traveler it might be a good option . After reaching there I made some cooking with my small induction Cooker .
Foods here are much spicy and called the khatiyari food . Rich spices and chillies are the sign for kathiyari food . Gujrati foods are littlebit sweet which is not good for digestion . Here in Gujrat you can find everytype of Bhujia and fried items . All the day they eat this type of bhujia this is astonishing for me .
First Day I reached towards the Dumas beach , It is the most important beach in this city which is the Estuary of the Tapti river . Dumas beach is like the Mangrove of the river . Here trees are also looks like Mangrove and there is thick mud . Might be that is the reason that the beach is also looks dark . Here the water is very dark of the sea . The beach is totally dirty and there is a temple people worshipped and also a long dam like structure made by rocks . People relax above that . In the opposite side there is a dock . Road towards the beach is very narrow and there heavy jam by the motorcycle . This beach having some haunted stories and people thought that previously it have been a cementry . People also belief that because of that also the sand is black .
On the way toward the Dumas Beach I went to the VR Surat . It is one of the biggest mall in Surat . There having a good food court in the fourth floor of the Mall. This mall having some Indian and international brand . On that area also you will find some other mall also and Ring road is famous for the textile market .
VR Surat
Mohan Mithai Bhander is near to both railway station and central bus stand and from where most of the buses left . I have tasted Mango khaja . They have 4-5 types of Khaja and all different types of sweets . Also this shop sold Khakra and other packed items . I find this shop very good in quality .
This Panipuri centre is just opposite to this Mohan Mithai Bhandar . This types of panipuri can be found in anywhere in Gujarat where with every panipuri they add different types of water . This shop has four different type of water . Each water have a different taste and he put just simple potato stuffing which make you feel the exact taste of this water . First he start with cumin then garlic then hajmola and last is regular panipuri water . After that he give one dry panipuri to change the taste .
Here one amazing fact I saw was that , streets are straight and in the both side of the road there is private property . Another interesting fact is that is that there is no gap between two building , both are joined together and in every house there is a big balcony and a big doors and windows . If you go in the terrace you will see there is a unified terrace only there is a barricade or wall .I must say in our cities you may not find that type of architecture and those building are very healthy also where they get both the direct sunlight and blowing wind . Why they made this type of architecture I don’t know but this is very unique to me .
There has more than one bridge over the river tapti in the surat city . But one thing I must say is that river bank has been very dirty . It also looks like same for tapti in Surat . Proper efforts have been made to clean the city but not the River Tapti which is the Lifeline of the city . River Bank is the place for the poorer and mostly garbage .
In the next day First I went for the Museum (Ballavbhai Patel Museum ) but going there I found now it is a police station rather than the Museum . I asked about the Museum then they said that the Museum has been closed . It is very very astonishing that a museum has been closed and there is no replacement for that . So when I saw it was closed then I went for the Surat fort which was build just near to the Tapti river Bank and made by Ahmadabad king Mahmood iii in 16 th century . It was build to protect the city from outside attack . After reaching there I find that This is also closed for the renovation purpose . I just saw it from outside . It is situated in the central point of the city . Might be beside that some court exist .
After Finishing here I went for the Iskon temple and Chintamani jain temple . Iskon tempt le is quiet a far from the main city centre . It is a recent temple dedicated to lord Krishna . Where lots of people come to worship . Here I found a family come to blessed his new car by the priest . So I understand that this is someway very active temple of the city . After that I reached toward the Chintamani Jani Temple but it was closed for corona .
Next I reached to the Jagadish Chandra Bose aquarium . But here you have to purchase advance online ticket . As they have people restriction so I don’t get chances to see it . After that I reached to my hotel and my journey with the city ends and next I went for the Vadodara city .
