Boasting exemplary architecture including finely carved mosques, Parsi agiyaris (a fire temple), European tombs and colonial bungalows, the colourful city of Surat, in Gujarat, enchants a visitor with its heritage sites. While tourists make a beeline for the majestic Surat Fort and therefore the Mughal Sarai, the bustling by-lanes offering quaint eateries and a mess of shopping options, also reel them in with their charm. The second-largest city of the state, Surat is cut by the Tapi river, whose banks host the gorgeous Lake Garden.
Also called the Diamond City for its flourishing diamond trade, Surat may be a favourite stopover for artists, fashion designers and diamond dealers from all parts of the country. Home to an eclectic mixture of ethnic communities, it had been one among the country’s most vital port cities within the 15th century. Earlier, it had been renowned for its silk weaving and brocade, and today it’s known for its polyester fabrics.