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Along the sea side, with a meager population, lies
the quaint village of Udvada in Gujarat. Udvada, with
a predominant Parsi population is a perfect weekend
gateway, from the cacophony of the city life. The narrow
lanes, the breeze from the sea and the tranquility makes
Udvada a perfect holiday spot.
Udvada is considered to be the “Mecca of Parsis”
because of its religious significance. It is also famous
for tasty Parsi food. One of the characteristic feature
of this quiet village is that all roads seem to start
or end from the main street. Hardly anyone at Udvada
remembers the names of the streets. This tiny village
has, for years, located houses of its residents on the
basis of a landmark.
Udvada is a must visit, for Parsis as well as the non-Parsis,
because it has preserved the heritage and culture of
Parsis in a remarkable way.
Places to Visit:
Udvada Beach
The muddy brown sand and rocks dress this beach. For
Udvada’s fishermen and women this beach forms
an important part of their lives.
Iranshah
This high walled structure houses the holy “victorious
fire” or the Atash Behram (the fire temple). Iranshah
is the most holy place of worship for the Parsis. Most
of the newly wed Parsis visit Iranshah to take blessings
from the holy fire. The Parsis who came from Iran, fearing
a religious persecution, brought the holy flame to Udvada.
It was established in Udvada in 1742. This fire temple
is strictly meant for Parsis and is regarded as the
most important place for the Parsis, worldwide.
The rustic appeal of Udvada charms every tourist, irrespective
of whether she is a Parsi or a non-Parsi. Udvada offers
museums and other pilgrimage centers. Modernization
may have struck Udvada but its ethnicity still echoes
in every lane.
Food in Udvada:
Parsis are known as the connoisseurs of good food.
Udvada is famous for Parsi food.
You can try some great parsi food in any local restaurant.
You can especially treat yourself on:
Fried Boi(Mullet Fish)
Rava Sheera
Dhanshak
Macaroons and nan khatai
How to get to Udvada:
By air, the nearest airport is Mumbai.
By road, Udvada is 8km from Mumbai, off the Highway.
Buses ply from Mumbai Central to Vapi. You can Auto
Rickshaws or taxis to reach Udvada.
By rail, Udvada is well connected to Mumbai. There
are a lot of trains like Feroze Janta express and Gujarat
Expres that halt at Udvada station. The Udvada village
is 20 minutes from the station.
Where to stay:
There are a few options available for tourists in Udvada.
Some respectable hotels are:
Globe Hotel (Rs 375 to Rs 600 per night)
Ph no:0260-2345243, 2345474
Mek Hotel (Rs 350 to Rs 550 per night)
Ph no: 0260-2345463, 2345679.
Best Time to Visit:
Udvada can be visited any time of the year. There is
no specific time to visit this delectable land of Parsis.
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