# India's "Diamond City" Surat



## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

rick1990go said:


> every city has its pretty face
> 
> assure that the slums of Mumbai Indian shows no
> 
> ...


I am quite aware of slums in India - who isn't. But I have traveled throughout India and have also seen MANY cities virtually without slums. 

Surat is one of those cities where you can spend a week (as I did) and not run into a single slum. That is why I chose to post pictures of Surat - so people got to see a different side of India.

A few other corrections. 

60% of NO Indian city's population lives in slums. Mumbai and Kolkata have the largest slum populations but it is nowhere near 60%.

However, since you have been quoting false statistics about India, may I attempt to enlighten those who are NOT so firmly prejudiced:

First, the city of Delhi (population 14 million plus) has over 5 million registered vehicles - (and it may have now gone up to 5.5 million vehicles). This includes almost 2 million cars, buses, three-wheelers and almost 3 million 2-wheelers.

You can do the math, but over 75% of Delhi households have at least one family member who owns/drives a motorized vehicle. 

About 80% of urban Indians live in their own homes. These homes may be very modest and infrastructure could be a lot better - BUT - these are not all slums. These are homes with a legal title. 

Last month, 15 million new cell phones were added in India. That puts the current phone total at 400 million plus for roughly 230 million households. Again, you can do the math. It means that over 80% of Indian households now have a phone - 60% have 2 or more connections. 

As an Indian, I would be ashamed to post pretty pictures of India if just 0.1% of the population were able to enjoy the benefit of such progress. 

BUT - India is a democratic country with very regular elections and governments that get kicked out from time to time. The progress in the decades since India got rid of British colonial rule has been real - not enough for many of us - but still - it is REAL.

Instead of being mean and nasty about India's progress, if you really cared about India, you might instead, share in its regeneration and renewal.


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

castlerock said:


> No , No actually its 99.99%. The rest are all poor and beg for their living.
> All the buildings and and cars and villas and malls you see in the pics are actually paper cuttings done by some devious photographer to decieve innocent minds like you.
> Get a life .


Thank you for the common sense !!!!!


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

alitezar said:


> What a beautiful city. Thanks for the pix


u r most welcome!

Here are a few more (please note, pics are not mine - borrowed from developer's or blogger's sites - all credit to them):


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

christos-greece said:


> Very very nice! Thanks again kay:


u r most welcome!!!!!

Here are some pictures of another city in Gujarat - Jamnagar - was a small-medium town, but it is now picking up a little pace:

(Photo credit goes to developers/bloggers online sites from where I have taken them)
























































For still more of Gujarat (!):

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=810862

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=810898


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## Dhakaiya (Jul 26, 2006)

rick1990go said:


> every city has its pretty face
> 
> assure that the slums of Mumbai Indian shows no
> 
> ...


Don't bother him. He's been causing trouble in our threads as well. Another guy jealous of the South Asian boom :wink2: 

btw, great thread guys.


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

rick1990go said:


> every city has its pretty face
> 
> assure that the slums of Mumbai Indian shows no
> 
> ...


Stop trolling around please. If you want to see slums, then you're probably on the wrong website.


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

*More from Surat*

All pics taken from builders/developers/architects websites and blogs. Thnks to the original photographers:


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)




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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)




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## isakres (May 13, 2009)

Very Nice...seems India is doing pretty well these days....

Cheers guys.


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

isakres said:


> Very Nice...seems India is doing pretty well these days....
> 
> Cheers guys.


isakres, thanks! In some parts of India (as in Gujarat), the progress is tangible - in others, less so....but overall, I'd have to say, India is still in "catch-up" mode.

About 15 years ago (when 7 pesos traded for the dollar), I had the chance to visit Mexico. Although what I loved most was the food (the street food and what was served at some of the modest but really warm and friendly cafes on the side streets) - I was struck by how developed Mexico City seemed (especially in comparison to any major city in India at that time). 

It had a great metro system (cleaner than New York city), shopping areas that were as fancy and stylish as any in the West, and residential neighborhoods that were pretty as a picture.

That's not to say that I didn't notice the problems, but for someone who had grown up in India, Mexico City seemed more first world than "third world". 

But now its good to be able to report that there has been some progress in India too!!!!


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## isakres (May 13, 2009)

Your welcome Chitrakaar...am glad you enjoy your staying in Mex City...I love Mexico City too ............India is such an exotic country I would like to visit some day.......I just need some time and CASH:lol:...........it is very nice (not a surprise indeed) that many cities in India are showing such improvement.........BTW nice and not-so-nice neighborhoods can be found all over the world, even in the so-called developed world...so keep posting those pics until I get some cash to pay my vacations in India..:lol:


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Isakres - thnks again - I would love to visit Mexico again - when I was there, I was constantly taken for a local. Once, I was sitting on a park bench with my mother, and a local man came up and started talking to us in rapid Spanish. I tried to say that I could only speak a little Spanish - (very little actually) - I kept saying ' No Habla Espanol' and 'Espanol Pocchitto'. The more I would say that - he would look at me and get angrier - as if I was being snooty or giving myself airs!

In most cases, once I mentioned India - and pointed to myself, people would get it - and suddenly they would understand why even though I looked so much like them, I didn't speak their language!!!

Anyway, I do hope you can save enough to visit India. There is much to see, both old and new!

And yes, I'll keep posting - its nice to know that there are people who enjoy the pictures!


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

*The small town of Bardoli*

For a change of pace, I thought I'd post a few pictures from the town of Bardoli (population, now probably 60,000), about 36 km from Surat. 

(Pictures courtesy various web-blogs - all thnks to the original photographers)


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

A shop with traditional decoration



















Newish townhomes










A few older-style homes


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

A home with a colorful traditional-style facade in the urbanized village of Kathor nr Bardoli in the Surat district


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## isakres (May 13, 2009)

Nice pics dude...

And you are right...I ve seen some people from India working here in Mex and some of them looks like locals....dunno if its the skincolor or the moustache but some of them are pretty similar :lol:...I only immediatly recognize as Indians those that always wear their turban (dont know if thats a sikh, muslim or Hindu thing) but as far as i know thats an Indian custom among some people


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Isakres - Indians who wear turbans are typically Sikhs.

(I actually don't sport a moustache - but perhaps its something else. When I came to study in the US - I was often taken for an Iranian or a Puerto Rican, even Brazilian. Funny thing is when I visited Yugoslavia, I was taken for a Turk, but in Turkey, I was taken for an Italian!!!!)

Now, it rarely happens because in California, people have seen enough Indians, so they can usually tell I am Indian.


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## sikal (Jun 8, 2009)

The last photo is quite interesting.

In Europe they take a lot of effort to preserve old buildings with decorative facades such as the one in the last photo. 

I wish we could do the same for our old buildings that have some artistic merit. I have seen some really interesting old buildings, but they are in such a state of disrepair, its quite pathetic.


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Sikal - here are some more from the villages of Vesma, Ninat and Sarbhon (near Surat). Perhaps you'll find some of them interesting as well - because you can see elements of traditional design even in some of the newer homes.

(All pics from photo blogs of local residents. All thanks to the orig, photographers)


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

God how I love these houses - they are so ostentatious - try to cram as much bling as possible into the tiniest facades.


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Continuing with Sarbhon!


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Marathaman said:


> God how I love these houses - they are so ostentatious - try to cram as much bling as possible into the tiniest facades.


So true!!!!

Finally, two pics of the 'village' temple


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

^^^WTH is that!! :nuts:


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Marathaman said:


> ^^^WTH is that!! :nuts:


It redefines 'ostentatious'!


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## diskojoe (Apr 8, 2009)

diamond city looks like its where architechs go to die!

gaudy design everywhere.

hno:


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Marathaman - wonder what you think of these pictures from the old section of Khambat (N. of Surat by the sea)

(All pics from Ashvin Patel - credit/copyrights w. Ashvin Patel)

An old style multi-story!










A bird-feeding tower in a central town square










Temple Doorway/Facade



















In a back alley










Tradiitonal Stone Carving


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Some glimpses of the local arts and crafts










Some unusual kites



















Round kites!


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## isakres (May 13, 2009)

chitrakaar said:


> Isakres - Indians who wear turbans are typically Sikhs.
> 
> (I actually don't sport a moustache - but perhaps its something else. When I came to study in the US - I was often taken for an Iranian or a Puerto Rican, even Brazilian. Funny thing is when I visited Yugoslavia, I was taken for a Turk, but in Turkey, I was taken for an Italian!!!!)
> 
> Now, it rarely happens because in California, people have seen enough Indians, so they can usually tell I am Indian.


llooollll ...:rofl:...
It would be cool to fit in so many stereotypes haha.....


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## isakres (May 13, 2009)

Cool art details in the buildings of the last pics as well...

:cheers:


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Isakres:   

Continuing w. the arts/crafts theme, I found these pictures of vintage carriages - dating to when the automobile was not yet in mass production - (pictures by local photo-bloggers - all thnks to them!)

This one is in Surat (in an old neighborhood)










These next two are from the old town area of the seaside town of Daman (north of Surat)



















Traditional dance masks from a local museum










An ornate gate in Daman


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

This looks like a temple gate.



chitrakaar said:


> An ornate gate in Daman


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

Marathaman said:


> This looks like a temple gate.


Yes, I forgot to mention it!


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

chitrakaar said:


> Yes, I forgot to mention it!


Its a Jain Temple  You can see the "wheel of dharma" on the top of the gate.


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)

*More from the city of Surat*

Back to Surat!

Photo Credit: all imgs from local photogrphers - all thnks to them


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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)




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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)




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## chitrakaar (Apr 24, 2005)




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## Jax419 (Dec 5, 2006)

rick1990go said:


> every city has its pretty face
> 
> assure that the slums of Mumbai Indian shows no
> 
> ...


It amazes me how much of a douchebag you are, This is a thread showing pics of a cities good side, If he wanted to show slums then the title would be "Slums of Indian Cities"

Wow there are some retarded people on this board.

People post pics of Chicago, NYC etc... all the time w/o posting the bad side and I hardly hear anyone complain about that...so please do answer me when I ask WTF is your problem?

lol I live in Chicago, IL and I have never once posted a pic of the dirty ghetto's and housing projects but I have never heard one person complain about it so STFU and enjoy the pictures the OP is providing otherwise GTFO of this thread.


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## India101 (Jul 22, 2008)

rick1990go said:


> every city has its pretty face
> 
> assure that the slums of Mumbai Indian shows no
> 
> ...


fyi, Surat is one of India's richest cities and does not have that many slums. And please go get a real life and do somthing better than comment on poor and dirty other countries are.


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