Dutch Gardens

Surat is a bustling port city sited in the state of Gujarat. A forerunner of India's industrial enterprises, Surat is shrouded in history and myriads of reference of its former efflorescence can be found in the chronicles of the Mahabarata, the annals of the foreign travelers and the British and Dutch colonial powers. A beautiful relic of Surat's glorious past are the magnificent and sprawling Dutch Gardens.

Surat, a busy port city is the administrative headquarter of its namesake district. The city is full of life and has all the hustle and bustle that is characteristic of an industrial city. The second largest city of Gujarat, Surat is credited to be the ninth largest city of the Indian subcontinent with a population touching the sizable 4.9 million mark. Standing in a quiet corner away from the chaotic rush and the raucous traffic the Dutch Garden stands unperturbed by all the pollution and cacophony and offers a welcome refuge with generous stretches of greenery.

The Dutch Gardens are a hallmark of the erstwhile Dutch settlements in India. The sprawling gardens that bear telltale symbols of a bygone era also house an ancient Dutch cemetery. The pristine sepulchers stand grandly while flowery inscriptions glorifying the virtues of the deceased are carved on the epitaphs. Rather than invoking fear or dread, these edifices are awe-inspiring symbols of history. Makaipul, the original port that was once upon a time the center of maritime trade is also housed in the vicinity of the spectacular Dutch Gardens.