Question

Why did people from distant lands visit Surat?

Answer 1

Hint: The old name of Surat was Suryapur. At present it is a city in Gujarat, India. It is a modern port and prides itself of great historical and cultural heritage.

Complete answer:
Surat is famous for diamond, textiles and garments industries. People from distant lands came to visit Surat for the following reasons:
1. Surat was the access for trade with West Asia.
2. Since the main ships for the devotees sail from here, it is also called the gate of Mecca.
3. Due to the massive markets for cotton textiles, it was visited by many.
4. The textiles of Surat contained golden lacy borders for which it is famous. This has a major market in West Asia, Africa and Europe.
5. The presence of rest houses and magnificent buildings also attracted visitors.

Surat is a fast growing city and has registered a GDP growth of 11.5% in the last seven years. It was also awarded the ‘Best City’. Surat was run by Muslims in the 12th and 15th century. Duarte Barbosa who was a Portuguese traveller described the city as an important seaport. Many ships started their journey to other parts of the world from here. Surat has a moderate climate due to the presence of the sea. It is a major hub for diamond polishing, textiles, information technology and other important industries.

Note: Many seths and mahajans had their banks in Surat. Surat since ancient times was a historically important trading centre. This is the reason why people came to the town from far off places because it was a gateway to the word.