Surat (સુરત સુરત સુરત સુરત ) (सुरत सुरत सुरत सुरत ) Diamond City / Silk City / Suryapur — Metropolitan City — Location of Surat ( સુરત ) ( सुरत ) in Gujarat and India Coordinates 21.17°N 72.83°E Country India State Gujarat District(s) Surat Population • Density • Metro 4,786,002 [1] (2010) • 14,658 /km 2 (37,964 /sq mi) • 6,353,831 (6th) (2008) Official languages Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi, English Time zone IST (UTC+5:30) Area • Metro • Elevation • Coastline 326.515 km 2 (126 sq mi) • 4,207 square kilometres (1,624 sq mi) • 13 metres (43 ft) • 45 kilometres (28 mi) • Pincode • 395 0xx • Telephone • +91(0261) Surat From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Surat (Gujarati: સ ુરત) is referred as the commercial capital of the Indian state of Gujarat. [2] It is the administrative capital of Surat district. As of 2010 Surat is the Fifth most populous city and Seventh largest metropolitan area of India. Surat with its twin city Navsari has a population of over 6.3 million. The city is now classified as an A-1 city , due to its large size & population. Surat Metropolitan Region is widely regarded as one of the cleanest Metropolitan Regions in the country with the city proper being the second cleanest city in India after Chandigarh. [3][4] The city is located 306 kms south of state capital Gandhinagar, and is situated on the left bank of the Tapti River, 14 miles from its mouth. A moat divides the older parts of the city, with its narrow streets and handsome houses, and the newer suburbs. The city is largely recognized for its textile and diamond businesses. It is also known as the diamond capital of the world and the textile capital of India [5] . 92% of the world's diamonds are cut and polished in Surat. [5] It has one of the highest GDP growth rates in India at 11.5% as of 2008 [5] . Surat was the primary port of India during the Mughal period, a distinction it lost to Bombay during the British Raj. [5] Contents 1 History 1.1 Old English & Dutch Cemetery 2 Geography 3 Climate 4 Economy 4.1 Diamond polishing 4.2 Textiles 5 Government and politics 6 Transportation 6.1 Air 6.2 Rail 6.3 Sea 6.4 Road 7 Infrastructure Surat (સુરત સુરત સુરત સુરત ) (सुरत सुरत सुरत सुरत ) Coordinates: 21.17°N 72.83°E Codes 10/25/2010 Surat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surat 1/12
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Surat (સુરતસુરતસુરતસુરત) (सुरतसुरतसुरतसुरत)
Diamond City / Silk City / Suryapur
— Metropolitan City —
Location of Surat (સરુત) (सुरत)
in Gujarat and India
Coordinates 21.17°N 72.83°E
Country India
State Gujarat
District(s) Surat
Population
• Density• Metro
4,786,002[1] (2010)
• 14,658 /km2 (37,964 /sq mi)
• 6,353,831 (6th) (2008)
Official languages Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Metro• Elevation• Coastline
326.515 km2 (126 sq mi)
• 4,207 square kilometres (1,624 sq mi)
• 13 metres (43 ft)
• 45 kilometres (28 mi)
• Pincode • 395 0xx
• Telephone • +91(0261)
Surat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Surat (Gujarati: સરુત) is referred as the commercial
capital of the Indian state of Gujarat.[2] It is the
administrative capital of Surat district. As of 2010 Surat
is the Fifth most populous city and Seventh largest
metropolitan area of India. Surat with its twin city Navsari
has a population of over 6.3 million. The city is now
classified as an A-1 city , due to its large size &
population. Surat Metropolitan Region is widely regarded
as one of the cleanest Metropolitan Regions in the
country with the city proper being the second cleanest
city in India after Chandigarh.[3][4]
The city is located 306 kms south of state capital
Gandhinagar, and is situated on the left bank of the Tapti
River, 14 miles from its mouth. A moat divides the older
parts of the city, with its narrow streets and handsome
houses, and the newer suburbs. The city is largely
recognized for its textile and diamond businesses. It is
also known as the diamond capital of the world and the
textile capital of India[5]. 92% of the world's diamonds
are cut and polished in Surat.[5] It has one of the highest
GDP growth rates in India at 11.5% as of 2008[5]. Surat
was the primary port of India during the Mughal period, a
distinction it lost to Bombay during the British Raj.[5]
Contents
1 History
1.1 Old English & Dutch Cemetery
2 Geography
3 Climate
4 Economy
4.1 Diamond polishing
4.2 Textiles
5 Government and politics
6 Transportation
6.1 Air
6.2 Rail
6.3 Sea
6.4 Road
7 Infrastructure
Surat (સુરતસ ુરતસ ુરતસ ુરત) (सुरतसुरतसुरतसुरत )
Coordinates: 21.17°N 72.83°E
Codes
10/25/2010 Surat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surat 1/12
• Telephone • +91(0261)
• Vehicle • GJ 05 (Surat), GJ 21 (Navsari)
Website www.Suratmunicipal.gov.in
(http://www.Suratmunicipal.gov.in)
8 Demographics
9 Culture and festivals
10 Education
11 Media
12 Sports
13 Satellite towns
14 Places of interest
15 Photo gallery
16 References
17 External links
History
Surat is mentioned in the Sanskrit epic, the Mahābhārata when Lord Krishna stopped there en route from Mathura
to Dwarka. According to other later Sanskrit records, the area was ruled by the Western Chālukyas in 610 CE,
and continued to be ruled by Hindu kings until it was captured by one of the generals of Quṭbuddīn Aibak. The
Parsis started to settle there in the 12th century, and added greatly to its prosperity. In the early centuries during the
reign of Rishika Lekhadia, the port of Surat was used as the gateway to Mecca for pilgrims of the Hajj from India's
interior regions. Both the Makkai Pool and the Mughal Sarai guest house for hajjis (pilgrims) are indicators of this
historical significance.
Local traditions state that the city was founded in the last years of the fifteenth century by a Brahman named Gopi,
who called it Suryapūr (City of the Sun). In 1512 and 1530 Surat was burned and ravaged by the Portuguese
Empire who were trying to maintain influence in the area. In 1513, the Portuguese traveler, Duarte Barbosa,
described Surat as an important seaport, frequented by many ships from Malabar and various parts of the world.
By 1520, the name of the city was Surat.[6]
Surat eclipsed Khambhat as the major port of western India, when Khambhat's harbour began to silt up by the end
of fifteenth century. During the reigns of the Mughal emperor Akbar, Jahāngīr and Shāh Jahān, Surat rose to
become a chief commercial city of India and an imperial mint was established there. As the major port on the west
coast of India, Surat also served as the port for the Hajj to Mecca. At the end of the 16th century, the Portuguese
were undisputed masters of the Surat sea trade. There still is a picturesque fortress on the banks of the river built in
1540.
In 1608, ships from the British East India Company started docking in Surat, using it as a trade and transit point. In
1615, the British Captain Best, followed by Captain Downton, overcame Portuguese naval supremacy and
obtained an imperial firman establishing a British factory at Surat following the Battle of Swally. The city was made
the seat of a presidency under the British East India Company after the success of the embassy of Sir Thomas Roe
to the court of emperor Jehangir. The Dutch also founded a factory.
At its zenith, Surat was popularly viewed as the city of Kubera, the God of Wealth. In 1664 the Maratha King
Shivaji attacked Surat, a key Mughal power centre, and a wealthy port town which generated a million rupees in
taxes. When Shivaji arrived in Surat, he demanded tribute from the Mughal commander of the army stationed for
port security. The tribute was refused and instead of battling the Marathas, the Mughal commander(Stationed at the
Surat fort) sent an emissary to assassinate Shivaji, but in vain. Shivaji conquered the city and forces under his
command exacted their revenge. Shivaji's army sacked Surat for nearly 3 weeks, looting both the Mughal and
Portuguese trading centers.
The prosperity of Surat received a fatal blow when Bombay was ceded to the British as part of the dowry for
Catherine of Braganza's wedding to Charles II in 1662. Shortly afterwards, in 1668, the British East India company
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established a factory in Bombay (Mumbai) and Surat began its relative decline concurrent with the rise of British
interests in Bombay.
Surat was sacked again by Shivaji in 1670. By 1687, the British East India Company had moved the presidency to
Bombay. At its height, Surat's population reached an estimated 800,000, but by the middle of the 19th century the
number had fallen to 80,000. The British took control of Surat again in 1759, and assumed all government powers
of the city in 1800.
The city and the surrounding district remained comparatively tranquil during British rule. Even during the Revolt of
1857 (also known as the first struggle for India's independence), peace was not disturbed, owing to the largely
mercantile interests of the local population.In the 19th century the Bawamia family was the wealthiest and most
powerful family in the city of Surat, they were also heavily involved in the development of the city by focusing on
maximizing exports to increase revenue and hence increase savings which led to investment in the diamond industry.
A fire and a flood in 1837 destroyed many of buildings of Surat. Among the interesting monuments that survive that
destruction are the tombs of English and Dutch merchants and their families, dating to the 17th century, including
those of the Oxenden brothers.
By the early 20th century, the population had slowly climbed to 119,306 and Surat was a center of trade and
manufacturing, although some of its former industries, such as shipbuilding, were extinct. There were cotton mills,
factories for ginning and pressing cotton, rice-cleaning mills and paper mills. Fine cotton goods were woven on
hand-looms, and there were special manufactures of silk brocade and gold embroidery (known as Jari). The chief
trades were organized in guilds. Manufacturing and trading brought an eclectic mix of ethnicity to the city, making
Surat's culture unique.
In 1992, violent riots took place between Hindus and Muslims, the first and worst of their kind in the modern
history of Surat. In 1994, a combination of heavy rains and blocked drains led to flooding of the city. A number of
dead street animals and public waste were not removed in time and a plague epidemic spread through the city,
which caused a number of countries to impose travel and trade sanctions. The municipal commissioner during that
time, S. R. Rao and the people of Surat worked hard in the late 1990s to clean the city.
Old English & Dutch Cemetery
The structure of the Old English and Old Dutch cemeteries in Surat is dominated by the largest monuments of
Europeans in all over India. These graves are also some of the oldest tombs which have survived from the earliest
times of British and Dutch activities at Surat.
The English traders settled in Surat in 1608 followed by the Dutch in 1617. French and also Swedes - even for just
a short period - commenced trading-enterprises here. However, it seems that there are no re-mainders of their
burial culture left today. Along with the Dutch also Armenian traders left a quite big cemetery in Surat. Both nations
share the same burial ground only separated by a wall.
Geography
Surat the second capital of Gujarat is growing much as its neighboring metro Mumbai and by 2020 it is estimated
that Surat will be the largest city in Gujarat state and its urbanization will stretch from Kosamba in north to Billimora
in south. Surat is a port city situated on the banks of the Tapti river (damming of the Tapti caused the original port
facilities to close, the nearest port is now in the Hazira area of Surat Metropolitan Region). The city is located at
21°10′N 72°50′E.[7] It has an average elevation of 13 meters. The Surat district is surrounded by Bharuch,
Narmada (North), Navsari and Dang (South) districts. To the west is the Gulf of Cambay. The climate is tropical
and monsoon rainfall is abundant (about 2,500 mm a year).
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Surat Growth Map
Diamond Market
Surat has grown in area since the early 1700s. The oldest part of the city developed in the area between the train
station and the area known as Athwalines. Since the 1970s most of the new development including the most
desirable location for the city's burgeoning middle and upper class is the area between Athwalines and the coast at
Dumas.
Climate
Surat has a Tropical monsoon climate, moderated strongly by the Arabian Sea. The summer begins in early March
and lasts till June. April and May are the hottest months, the average temperature being 30 °C. Monsoon begins in
late June and the city receives about 800 mm of rain by the end of September, with the average temperature being
around 28 °C during those months. October and November see the retreat of the monsoon and a return of high
temperatures till late November. Winter starts in December and ends in late February, with average temperatures of
around 22 °C, and little rain.
Very often heavy monsoon rain brings floods in the Tapi basin area. In last two decades, the city has witnessed
major floods every four years, the worst being the flood of August 2006, perhaps the costliest in the city's history.
In the second week of August 2006, a massive flood caused severe damage to the city of Surat. According to a
report released by Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad (IIM-A), massive flood after release of water
from Ukai Dam had caused major human tragedy and property damage estimated at Rs 22,000 cr on that day. In
less than three days, at least 150 people died directly due to flood and many other due to water-borne diseases that
followed. More than 1500 animal carcasses were later hauled out of the mud.[8]
Economy
Surat is known for diamonds, textiles and recently for diamond-
studded gold jewellery manufacturing.
Diamond polishing
Surat is Commercial Capital of Gujarat and also one of the
economic hubs of India. Surat is famous for its diamond industry and
textile industry, along with silk and chemicals. It is at the heart of the
world's diamond-polishing industry, which in 2005 cut 95% of the
world's diamond pieces and earned India $15 billion in exports.
Gujarati diamond cutters emigrating from East Africa established the
industry in 1901 and by the 1970s Surat-based diamond cutters
began exporting stones to the US for the first time. Though much of
the polishing work takes place on small weight stones, Surat's
workshops have set their eyes on the lucrative market for finishing
larger, pricier stones in the future.
The November 18, 2008 issue of the Wall Street Journal had an
article about the diamond industry in Surat. It claims that 80% of the
world's finished diamonds are cut and polished in this city. However
the wages of the industry's workers remained flat for years and 250,000 workers, or one-third of the city's diamond
industry workforce, has left between 2005–2008, leaving about 500,000. Only after a July 2008 strike did the
workers obtain a 20% salary raise, their first in a decade.
Textiles
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Textile Market
Airport
Surat is known for producing world-class synthetic textiles.It is known as the MANCHESTER OF EAST.[9].
Surti households have been declared the most prosperous in the
country by the National Council of Applied Economic Research
(NCAER) and Future Capital Research's Roopa Purushothaman in
their latest study. The average annual household income (AHI) in the
diamond city is Rs 4.57 lakh - the highest in the country. The Patel
from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat are the main businessman in
the city and also in the outcountry.[10] The study says that Surat's
AHI is almost equal to China's per capita income of 2007 and
double the national per capita income. Even its GDP growth of 11.5
per cent for the many consecutive years is the fastest in the
country.[11] Recently Surat's diamond and textile industry faced the
recession due to slowdown in US economy but the picture has
changed and today Surat is the only city in world not facing
recession. The textile industry is boosted compared to past times and the diamond industry is also in a better
condition than in previous times. The oldest business of Surat JARI has made Surat the world embroidery capital.
There are approximately 80,000 embroidery units in Surat which makes Surat the embroidery capital too.
Surat also has many large industrial Giants such as KRIBHCO fertilizer plant, Reliance petrochemical plant, Essar's
10 million tonne steel plant, L&T Engineering unit, gas processing plant of ONGC, NTPC gas power plant. All at
Hazira and ABG Shipyard (Shipbuilding Yard) and Ambuja Cement (grinding Unit) at Magdalla port where as
Torrent mega power plant and GIPCL are located at Kamrej.
Government and politics
The Surat Municipal Corporation is responsible for the maintaining city's civic infrastructure as well as carrying out
associated administrative duties. At present, BJP is the ruling party with majority. Surat Municipal Corporation is
one of the wealthiest municipal corporation in India. Surat has the maximum number of flyovers in India.
Transportation
Air
Till May 2006, Surat was the only city in the world with a population
of over 4.6 million people without a functioning airport. The Surat
Airport was closed down due to technical reasons in 2001. The new
airport finally became functional with Surat-Delhi IA flight on 6 May
2007. Currently daily flight is operated to Delhi (Except Saturday).
By June 2012, Surat will get a full fledged International Airport
which is under construction at Magdalla-Dumas near Surat. The
current plan proposed by Air India is to serve the Jeddah flight from
Surat which will decrease pressure on Ahmedabad Airport in the
peak season of Hajj.
Rail
Surat railway station is under the administrative control of the
Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways. It connects Surat with