Surat, Port city in Gujarat, India.
Surat sits on the Tapti River banks a few kilometers before it meets the Arabian Sea, serving as a center for diamond cutting workshops and textile factories. The city spreads across both riverbanks with wide streets, industrial zones on the outskirts, and an old quarter with narrow lanes around the former harbor area.
The settlement grew into a major harbor during the 16th century, where Dutch, British, and Portuguese merchants shipped spices and textiles. After 1759, the British took control and developed it into a trading hub for cotton.
During the nine nights of Navaratri, women and men dance traditional Garba circle dances in public squares and residential neighborhoods. Markets sell handwoven saris and gold jewelry year-round, busiest during Diwali when families shop for new clothes and exchange sweets.
Most diamond polishing workshops are housed in closed buildings not open to tourists, but some textile markets in the old town can be visited. A trip works best from October through March, when weather becomes milder and local festivals take place.
Nine out of ten diamonds worldwide are cut and polished here, even though no rough diamonds are mined in India itself. All stones arrive from African, Russian, or Australian mines and are imported for processing.
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