| - Elina Mohanty
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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