Everyone knows that Varanasi is the oldest city in India but no one knows which is the second oldest, it is Bharuch.

Welcome to Bharuch, the city of Golden Bridge and the second oldest city in Indian Civilization. Currently famous for its Narmada Valley and Industries, Bharuch was one of the greatest port cities in India 2,500 years ago. It has a history of trade through the sea with Greek, Romans, Egyptians, Africans, Arabs, Malay & Chinese. Bharuch is also known as Kanam Pradesh, which is because of the color of its soil. The city of Bharuch is been ruled by various empires. Starting from Gupta Dynasty, Rajput Empire and then Mughals. Bharuch was also an important formation during British Rule. There are several architectural marvels in and around the city that speaks about its glorious history. However, most of them are in ruins conditions and ignored by the authorities for several years. The city is the walled region which is covered by 9 gateways to entre during the ancient era.

History of Bharuch

History of Bharuch: The city of Bharuch also known historically as Broach, Bharukaccha, or Bhrigukaccha is a place located in the southeastern part of Gujarat. It is flourished on the bank or one of the biggest rivers of the country, Narmada and near the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay). Bharuch city is one of the ancient most port of Gujarat which is continuously inhabited for more than 2500 years. Everyone knows that Varanasi is the old city in India but no one knows which is the second oldest, it is Bharuch. One of the biggest historical monuments of Bharuch City is Golden Bridge. The bridge was built by Britishers in 1881.

According to the Skanda Purana, Bharuch city, or Bhrigukaccha was named after the scholar sage Bhrigu, who is said to live in this area. During the pre-historic era, Bharuch was one of the biggest shipbuilding locations with a seaport that was connected with the Middle East, Far East and European countries. Also, Bharuch was a part of the Spice and Silk Trade that happed in ancient times through the shipping route. However, there is a reason why Bharuch was so flourished during the ancient era, the main reason is its location right at the opening of the Narmada River which is just inland from where it meets the Arabian Sea. Also, the river here is wide and deep which makes it suitable for ships entering deep close to the city region making it suitable for building harbors and for transportation purposes. Another reason for Bharuch’s prosperity was the Narmada River, which contributes to a fertile region and a rich crop of wheat and cotton was grown in this part. Also, the Narmada Valley Forest was a good source of timber.

Things To See & Do In Bharuch: There are many things as a visitor you can consider while traveling to Bharuch city. While walking down to the street of Bharuch you can see the architecture from the Gupta and Rajput Dynasties as well as some of them build by Greek and Roman emperors who ruled the country before the Britishers. One of the most important places to visit in Bharuch is the Raichand Dipchand Library; which was built in the year 1858 and today possesses thousands of books of original Gujarati manuscripts. Some of the top places to see and things to do in Bharuch involves exploring Golden Bridge, Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Ninai Waterfalls, Nilkantheshwar Temple, Narmada Park, Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Sardar Bridge, Bharuch Fort, Raichand, Deepchand Library, Zarwani Waterfall and Kadia Dungar Caves.

Golden Bridge: This is one of the biggest attractions of Bharuch. The Golden Bridge was built by Britishers in 1881 across the Narmada river. The core purpose is to give transporters access towards Mumbai, then Bombay as an administration headquarter of Britishers for Western India. The construction was started in1977 and it took four years to complete this bridge. The original name of this bridge was Narmada Bridge. But to prevent rusting over the metal golden paint was applied and because of it the bridge became famous as Golden Bridge. Heavy expenditure incurred during the construction of this bridge due to several damages done because of the heavy water stream of the Narmada River. Golden Bridge has seen many natural calamities like floods and earthquakes, yet this gigantic structure never denied transportation in the last 140 years or so. Also the name Golden Bridge was derived due to the high quality of iron that provides extra strength and rust resistance was used in the construction of this bridge. The construction cost of the Golden Bridge was so expensive that even a Bridge from Gold can be built over a small river using a small amount. Another reason for the heavy expenditure of Golden Bridge was its pillars which were multiple times washed away half-constructed due to the heavy flow of the river. There was a time during the second world war when due to the financial crunch Britishers even planned to deconstruct Golden Bridge to get the iron that can be used for arms & ancillary production, but because of the love and affection of the locals, they didn’t do it. Another important fact about Golden Bridge is that though it was built as a railway bridge between Ahmedabad-Baroda-Surat-Bombay, the bridge was only able to use passenger trains and it was unable to withstand the load from a freight train. Golden Bridge is also one of the major tourist attractions for all who visit Bharuch to get the best of the view of the Narmada River. As a tourist spot, it is best things to do in Bharuch to get sight seen of river Narmada when it is in its full flow during the evening hours.

Bharuch BAPS Swaminarayan Temple: Not so far away from Golden Bridge Bharuch, located this beautifully marble crafted temple of Lord Swaminarayan. The temple was built by BAPS trust and inaugurated by Pramukh Swami in the year 2001. The Swaminarayan temple in Bharuch is located on National Highway No. 8 near Zadeshwar. The temple is spread across more than 18 acres of land. Like any other Swaminarayan temple, this place too is one of the cleanest and peaceful destinations with well-managed small gardens and eateries. Bharuch Swaminarayan temple is also one of the favorite places to take a break from the long drive for all Gujaratis traveling towards Mumbai.

Narmada Park: Narmada Park at Bharuch is one of the best family outing places to visit for your half-day tour with kids. Particularly during the weekends and on Sundays you can see many families enjoys here. Near to National Highway 8, Narmada Park is located on the banks of river Narmada. This is one of the best family entertainment parks where you can relax with kids. You can get the best view of the Narmada River which passes nearby only. Also, there are fountains, varieties of gardens and fun activities to do for kids. The Nilkantheshwar Temple which is nearby only is another place to visit in Bharuch.