The Puṣṭimārga , also known as Pushtimarg (Path of Nourishing or Flourishing) or Vallabha Sampradāya , is a sect within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism . It was established in the early 16th century by Vallabha (1479–1530) and further developed by his descendants, particularly Viṭṭhalanātha. Followers of the Puṣṭimārga worship Kr̥ṣṇa and engage in devotional practices centered around the youthful Kr̥ṣṇa as depicted in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa , and the pastimes at Govardhan Hill .
125-473: The Puṣṭimārga sect follows the Śuddhadvaita philosophy of Vallabha. According to this philosophy, Kr̥ṣṇa is considered the supreme deity and the source of everything. The human soul is believed to be imbued with Kr̥ṣṇa's divine light , and spiritual liberation is thought to result from Kr̥ṣṇa's grace. The sect worships Kr̥ṣṇa through sevā , a practice in which his idols are served and entertained with food, drink, music, and art, recreating his daily routine as
250-476: A Shaiva-Tantric ascetic named Jadrup who exerted significant influence over Emperor Jahangir . In the early 1600s, the houses had a dispute over the rights to perform worship to Śrī Nāthajī, and Jahangir sided with Tilkāyat Viṭṭhalarāy that the First House held precedence over the others. The Third and Sixth Houses were also in conflict through the century over the worship of the deity Bālakr̥ṣṇa, resulting
375-664: A devotee goes to Goloka after leaving this body and lives in eternal bliss enjoying the sports of the Lord. The classical example of this complete self-effacement is that of the cow-herdesses towards Krishna . They spoke no word except prayer and they moved no step except towards Krishna . Their supreme-most meditation was on the lotus-feet of Krishna .Thus it is by God's grace alone that one can obtain release from bondage and attain Krishna's heaven, Goloka. In V.S. 1602, Vallabhacharya's son Vitthalnath, also known as Gusainji , established
500-405: A devotee would achieve awareness that there is nothing in the word that is not Kr̥ṣṇa. According to Barz, in Śuddhādvaita the concept of uddhāra or lifting a jīva out of ignorance is granted solely through the grace of Kr̥ṣṇa who may have seemingly unknowlable reasoning. He further states that in Śuddhādvaita philosophy uddhāra may be granted to any jīva regardless of sectarian membership in
625-409: A doer and enjoyer. It is atomic in size, but pervades the whole body through its essence of intelligence (like sandalwood makes its presence felt through its scent even if sandalwood can't be seen). Unlike Advaita, the world of Maya is not regarded as unreal, since Maya is nothing else than a power of Ishvara . Ishvara is not only the creator of the universe but is the universe itself. Vallabha cites
750-547: A handful of subcastes from Rajasthan. According to Shah these Brahmins are initiated into the sect. However it has been observed that many of these Brahmins are only nominally followers of the Puṣṭimārga and actually follow other local traditions. Shuddhadvaita Shuddadvaita ( Sanskrit : śuddhādvaita "pure non-dualism") is the "purely non-dual" philosophy propounded by the Hindu philosopher Vallabha (1479-1531 CE),
875-503: A hundred thousand units and mills in total. The overall annual turnover is around 5 billion rupees. There are over 800 cloth wholesalers in Surat. It is the largest manufacturer of clothes in India, and Surti dress material can be found in any state of India. Surat produces 9 million meters of fabric annually, which accounts for 60% of the total polyester cloth production in India. Now the city
1000-528: A large seaport . It is now the commercial and economic centre of South Gujarat , and one of the largest urban areas of western India. It has well-established diamond and textile industry, and is a major supply centre for apparels and accessories. About 90% of the world's diamonds are cut and polished in Surat. It is the second largest city in Gujarat after Ahmedabad and the eighth largest city by population and ninth largest urban agglomeration in India. It
1125-445: A lineage that served as leaders of each house or seat of the sampradāya . The sons of Viṭṭhalanātha, the svarūpas, and where they currently reside are: The nine svarūpas listed in Puṣṭimārga theology are considered svayambhu (self-born), sevya-svarūpa (having been offered sevā by Vallabha and Viṭṭhalanātha), and nava-nīdhi (nine receptacles of treasure). The eldest gosvāmi of the First House (descendants of Giridhara) holds
1250-463: A network of 245 buses connecting major localities. Surat International Airport located in Magdalla , 11 kilometres (7 mi) southwest of Surat. It is the 2nd busiest airport in Gujarat in terms of both aircraft movements and passenger traffic. Currently, airlines such as Air India, Alliance Air, AirAsia India, SpiceJet, IndiGo Airlines, Air Odisha, Ventura AirConnect provide flight services from
1375-532: A range of manufacturing and industry fields such as diamonds, textiles, petrochemicals, shipbuilding, automobile, port etc. Since it is known for producing textiles, including silk, Surat is known as the textile hub of the nation or the Silk City of India. It is very famous for its cotton mills and Surat Zari Craft . Surat is the biggest center of MMF (man-made fiber) in India. It has a total of 381 dyeing and printing mills and 41,100 power loom units. There are over
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#17327649385581500-668: A study conducted by Economic Times . The city registered an annualised GDP growth rate of 11.5% over the seven fiscal years between 2001 and 2008. Surat was awarded "best city" by the Annual Survey of India's City-Systems (ASICS) in 2013. Surat has been selected as the first smart IT city in India which is being constituted by the Microsoft CityNext Initiative tied up with IT services majors Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro . The city has 2.97 million internet users, about 65% of total population. Surat
1625-522: A thousand Braj Bhasha poems under various pen names. Pauwels and Bachrach compare Harirāy to Vyāsa of the Puranic tradition , to whom texts are by default attributed. The Caurāsī Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā (the most notable vārtā text) details the accounts of 84 Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Puṣṭimārga who were disciples of Vallabhācārya. Complementing the text is the Do Sau Bāvan Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā by
1750-519: A traditional education in Sanskrit scriptures and was a precocious student. In 1494, around the age of 15, he had a vision in which he acquired the Brahmasambandha mantra from Kr̥ṣṇa which was to be used to clean the faults of the human soul. He first bestowed the mantra on Dāmodardās Harsānī who would become the first member of the Puṣṭimārga. When he went to Govardhan Hill he declared that
1875-651: A youth in Braj . The followers of this tradition are known as Pushtimargis or Pushtimargiya Vaishnavas. This sect is prominent in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat , as well as in their regional diasporas around the world. The Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara is the main shrine of Pushtimarg, with its origins dating back to 1669. Vallabha was born into a Telugu Brahmin family in South India. He received
2000-505: Is a small Buddhist and Christian community. Languages of Surat M Corp. (2011) At the time of the 2011 census, 54.42% of the population spoke Gujarati , 22.39% Hindi , 9.92% Marathi , 3.24% Urdu , 3.11% Odia , 1.74% Marwari and 1.38% Bhojpuri as their first language. Surat is a stronghold of the BJP, which has ruled Gujarat continuously for 30 years. Mukesh Dalal , of BJP is the MP from
2125-516: Is called the Tīn Janma kī Līlā and generally contains more episodes but is more concise than the version without commentary. The Do Sau Bāvan Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā was more likely composed by Harirāy's disciples and was completed at the end of the 17th century. Harirāy is also the attributed author of the Braj Bhasha text Śrī Nāthajī Prākaṭya kī Vārtā which recounts the history of Śrīnāthajī from
2250-555: Is considered to be the private dwelling of Kr̥ṣṇa and entrance is only granted at appointed darśana times. There are four main types of bhāva : dāsya , sakhya , madhura , and most importantly vātsalya . Vātsalya bhāva treats Kr̥ṣṇa as if he were a child and the devotee is his caring mother or father. Specifically, devotees aim to model Yashoda, imparting tender love and concern to Kr̥ṣṇa. This bhāva manifests in acts of sevā through providing toys and blankets, and cooling Kr̥ṣṇa's meals before serving them. Madhura bhāva places
2375-528: Is due to ignorance derived from material attachments. However, for certain individuals this ignorance can be removed through divine grace ( puṣṭi ) that would move one to a path of devotion where one would rely on Kr̥ṣṇa's grace alone. Such people are admitted into the Path of Grace or Puṣṭimārga. The purpose of this tradition is to perform sevā (selfless service) out of love for Kr̥ṣṇa. According to Saha, Vallabhācārya stated that through single minded religiosity,
2500-538: Is focusing on increasing the exports of its textile. There are many SME Domestic IT Companies present in Surat. MNC IT companies like IBM, HCL have satellite or virtual branches in Surat. On 14 February 2014, Government of Gujarat DST had handover STPI Surat at Bhestan-Jiav Road, Bhestan Near Udhana-Sachin BRTS Route. Surat city administration will demand for setting up of an information technology (IT) hub and an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) on
2625-601: Is known as the early founder of the Rudra sampradaya , one of the four main traditions of Vaishnavaites . Vallabhacharya founded the Krishna-centered Pushti-Marga sect of Vaishnavism in the Braj(Vraj) region of India. In modern times followers of Shuddadvaita are concentrated in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat . In the ancient Vedic tradition of knowledge and comprehension of reality,
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#17327649385582750-530: Is located in Hazira , an industrial suburb where most of the industries are located while other region is Magdalla which is also developed as Port of Magdalla . The government of Gujarat plans another project near Surat similar to Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT). The Chief Minister has suggested that the government wishes to develop DREAM to have a five-seven star hotel, bank, IT, corporate trading house, entertainment zone and other facilities while
2875-585: Is now in the Magadalla and Hazira area of Surat Metropolitan Region . It has a famous beach called 'Dumas Beach' located in Dumas.The city is located at 21°12′18″N 72°50′24″E / 21.205°N 72.840°E / 21.205; 72.840 . It has an average elevation of 13 metres. The Surat district is surrounded by the Bharuch , Narmada , Navsari and Tapi districts, and Gulf of Cambay to
3000-610: Is often described as the "golden age" of both Nathdwara and the Puṣṭimārga. In the 20th century, the Pushtimarg prospered due to the acquired affluence of some of its members, primarily Gujarati merchants. The Gujarati diaspora founded important Pushtimarg centers in the United States , Canada , the United Kingdom , Australia , and New Zealand . In the 21st century, the sect is not very well known in India. Since
3125-832: Is people from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Because of demand in the American market from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s (with only a brief recession in 1979), Surat's diamond industry grew tremendously. Currently, most of the diamond polishing workshops are running in the Varachha area of Surat, mostly by the people of the Patel community. Around the world, 8 out of 10 diamonds on the market were cut and polished in Surat. This industry earns India about US$ 10 billion in annual exports. That declined by about 18% in 2019 due to reduced demand for diamonds. The decline continued in 2020 when
3250-416: Is that Surat was built up by a wealthy Hindu merchant named Gopi around the year 1500. At first, the town had no name and was simply called "the new place". Gopi consulted with astrologers, who suggested the name "Suraj", or "Suryapur", or "city of the sun". Gopi sent a request to the unnamed king of Gujarat for this to be the new town's name. The Muslim king altered it to Surat after the word surah , which
3375-499: Is the Shashti Tatpurush samaas Shuddhyoh adwaitam (The Non-dual is pure). In this system, the combination of Maya with Brahm is done away with; therefore the cause of this world is not Brahm covered by Maya. But the pure Brahm and only pure Brahm is the effect and cause of this world." The Shuddhadvaita philosophy has also been explained by various scholars of the sect, such as Devarshi Ramanath Shastri , who has enunciated
3500-596: Is the administrative capital of the Surat district . The city is located 284 km (176 mi) south of the state capital, Gandhinagar ; 265 km (165 mi) south of Ahmedabad ; and 289 km (180 mi) north of Mumbai . The city centre is located on the Tapti River (popularly known as Tapi) , close to the Arabian Sea . Surat will be the world's fastest-growing city from 2019 to 2035, according to
3625-467: Is the name of the chapters of the Qur'an . However, the names Suryapur and Surat are both mentioned in sources before 1500, so both the name and the town predate Gopi's time. Duarte Barbosa described Surat as Suratt. Jacob Peeters referred to Surat as Sourratte which is a Dutch name. There are many other names of Surat in history. Surat is referred to as Surrat, Surate or Soorat in some literature. Before
3750-548: Is the only city in India to disclose municipal budgets on a weekly basis. Surat began the 'Safe City Project' in 2011 aimed at keeping the city safe using surveillance cameras. The project was headed by Sanjay Srivastava (IPS) who was then the Joint-Commissioner of Surat Police. The 280-square-foot video wall claimed to be the largest surveillance screen in the country, is being installed in the control room of Police Commissioner Mr. Rakesh Asthana (IPS). This will help
3875-680: Is the ruling party with a majority. Under the Provisions of Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, Section – 4, the powers have been vested in three Distinct Statutory Authorities: the General Board, the Standing Committee, and the Municipal Commissioner. It ranked 7 out of 21 cities for best administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 3.5 on 10 compared to the national average of 3.3. It
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4000-425: Is then given a kaṇṭhī made of tulasi . The second ceremony is known as Brahma-sambandha (a state of union with Kṛṣṇa ). This usually occurs before the initiate is married or as soon as they are considered mature enough to understand the significance of the ceremony. The initiate is made to fast the day prior, bathe, hold a tulasi leaf in the palm of the right hand and repeat the Ātmanivedana-mantra mantra after
4125-541: The Bhatia , Lohana , Bania , Marwari , Kanbi/Patidar Patel (elite sections), and higher artisan castes (e.g. Soni , Kansara , Kayasth ), almost all of whom reside in urban areas. There are only a small number of Gujarati Brahmins, mainly Shastris, who study and expound upon sectarian texts and perform specialized rituals. In sectarian temples, the Mukhiyas (chief priests), cooks, and water-carriers are all Brahmins from
4250-573: The Brahmasambandha mantra (the mantra that binds one with Brahman , or Krishna) from Krishna himself (hence the name, mukhāvatāra ) at Gokula . The eight-syllable mantra, śri kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇaṃ mama (Lord Krishna is my refuge), is passed onto new initiates in Vallabh sampradaya. It is believed that the divine name has the power to cleanse the recipient of all impurities of the soul ( doṣas ). The school of in-essence monism or purified non-dualism of Vallabha sees equality in "essence" of
4375-544: The Chandogya Upanishad sections 6.1 - 6.4, that Brahman desired to become many, and he became the multitude of individual souls and the world. Although Brahman is not known, He is known when He manifests Himself through the world . As is customary in Vaishnavism, bhakti is the means of salvation, though Jnana is also useful. Karmas (understood as daily and occasional ritual acts) precede knowledge of
4500-701: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage deeming Surat as the second cleanest city in India. On 2 October 2007, Surat district was split into two by the creation of a new Tapi district, under the Surat District Re-organisation Act 2007. Surat is a port city situated on the banks of the Tapi river. After dams were built, water flow in Tapi deceased causing the original port facilities to close. The nearest port
4625-540: The Jalalpore Railway Station , removed the Rails and burnt down the post office. After this, situation in the neighbouring villages of Borsad , Anand and Thasra taluqas became so aggravated that British troops was marched through the villages between 22 and 24 August 1942. The Armenian community in Surat, India , flourished from the 16th to the 17th centuries, leaving a lasting impact on
4750-547: The Pushti sect in India. He won the title of acharya by traveling and debating advaita scholars from a young age. In 1493-94 Vallabhacharya is said to have identified an image of Krishna at the Govardhan hill at Braj . This image, now called Shrinathji and located at Nathdwara , Rajasthan , is central to the worship by Vallabha followers. According to Vallabha tradition, one night in 1494, Vallabhacharya received
4875-523: The Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) will be based there. Allotment of Khajod land for the project is convenient for the state government because they have 2,000 acres (810 ha) of available land. The Trade Centre, located near Sarsana village, will have a 100,160 m (1,078,100 sq ft) pillar-less air-conditioned hall with a 90 by 35 m (295 by 115 ft) pillar-less dome. Built in 1860, Surat railway station falls under
5000-722: The Surat Lok Sabha constituency . He was elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha in 2024. Govind Dholakia he was nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the Rajya Sabha , elected unopposed for the term spanning from 2024 to 2030. The Assembly constituencies of Surat district are The Surat Municipal Corporation is responsible for maintaining the city's civic infrastructure as well as carrying out associated administrative duties. At present, BJP
5125-580: The Swachh Survekshan 2020 on 20 August. It suffered a major pipeline fire which caused some damage. In the 2021 edition of the same survey, it slipped to 12th place and further dropped to 25th in 2023. Despite these recent fluctuations, Surat continues to implement various cleanliness initiatives and shared the title of the cleanest city in India with Indore in the 2023 Swachh Survekshan Awards , highlighting its ongoing efforts towards maintaining high cleanliness standards. The traditional account
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5250-510: The Vallabha Sampradāya a degenerate sect with false doctrines, and accused its mahārājās (including Jadunath Brizratanji specifically by name) of forcing female devotees to have sexual relations with them. The British judges sided with Mulji, and the Puṣṭimārga's reputation was tainted, and the sect was viewed negatively by Western scholars until the late 20th century. The tenure of Tilakāyat Govardhanalāl ( tilkāyat from 1876 to 1934)
5375-533: The aṣṭachāp . The kīrtans are categorized into five major groups: Nitya (daily), Utsav (festival), Baddhāī (good wishes [used for birthdays]), Malhār (rainy season), and Dhamār (spring). In Gujarat, lay devotees sing songs in the dhoḷ tradition. The dhoḷ originated as form of non-sectarian Gujarati folk song that later became identified with Vaishnavism as well as the Vallabhite sect in particular. In modern times, Mallison observed that only among
5500-398: The sampradāya are meant to experience bhāva in order to understand the rasa (essence) of Kr̥ṣṇa's līlā s, through which a devotee experiences unselfish love for Kr̥ṣṇa. Sevā occurs privately in the home, but communal sevā in a haveli is also an important aspect. In the Puṣṭimārga, the icons of Kr̥ṣṇa are installed not in temples ( mandir ) but in mansions ( havelī) . Each havelī
5625-487: The svarūpa's appearance on Govardhan Hill until its removal to Nathadwara in 1672. Harirāy's authorship of this text is doubted, and the current text may only date to the 19th century. The Nijavārta and Śrī Ācāryajī ke Prākaṭya Vārta describe the life of Vallabha, while the Baiṭhaka Caritra describes Vallabha's travels around India. All three are dated to the 19th century. The Bhāvasindhu recounts information about
5750-428: The vārtā tradition was Vallabha's grandson, Gokulnāth , and Gokulnāth's grandnephew, Harirāy (1590–1715). The prose vārtā s served as hagiographies about Vallabha, Viṭṭhalanātha, and their disciples, that could educate everyday devotees in Puṣṭimārga doctrine. In terms of volume, Harirāy has the greatest literary output of the sect. There are hundreds of Sanskrit and Braj Bhasha prose works attributed to him, and over
5875-439: The 10th century, but they shed little light on what type of settlement it was. As Suryapur, it is mentioned along with Bharuch as a place where an army from Anhilwara passed through in 990 en route to attack the ruler of Lata . Suryapur may also be the port called "Surabaya" mentioned by the 10th-century Arabic geographer Istakhri as being four days south of Khambhat and five days north of Sanjan . Other Arabic authors spelled
6000-483: The 1570s, he launched two major campaigns against Gujarat —one of a much longer duration and one much shorter. The fall of Surat occurred during the former campaign and lasted one month and seventeen days. Akbar implemented large military power during these conquests, fighting many battles. Notably, the conquest of Surat was an important catalyst for overseas trade during the rule of the Mughal Empire as it became
6125-408: The 2011 India census, the population of Surat is 4,467,797. Surat has an average literacy rate of 89%, higher than the national average of 79.5%, male literacy is 93%, and female literacy is 84%. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. In Surat, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. Hindus are the majority community. Muslims and Jains are the largest minorities, and there
6250-502: The 20th century, Surat has experienced some 20 floods. In 1968, most parts of the city were flooded and in 1994 a flood caused a country-wide plague outbreak, Surat being the epicenter. In 1998, 30 per cent of Surat had gone under water due to flooding in Tapti river following release of water from Ukai dam located 90 km from Surat and in Aug 2006 flood more than 95 per cent of the city
6375-655: The Armenians' business prowess, seeking their cooperation for trading privileges in the Mughal court . Today, these gravestones serve as a poignant reminder of the Armenian community's significant contributions to Surat's history and culture. After India gained independence on 15 August 1947, Surat became part of India. At that time it was a part of Bombay State. Later it became the part of Gujarat state. Along with Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur and Vadodara, Surat became one of
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#17327649385586500-661: The Brahmasambandha mantra. Vallabhacharya established that liberation is only possible due to God's grace. According to the version of Vaishnava Theology Vallabhacharya espoused; the glorious Krishna in His " Satcitananda " form is the Absolute, Svayam Bhagavan . He is permanently playing out His sport (leela) from His seat in the Goloka which is even beyond the divine Vaikuntha , the abode of Vishnu and Satya-loka ,
6625-572: The Gangetic plain and Gujarat, with converts tending to belong to mercantile or agricultural castes to whom the ideals of purity were appealing. He died in 1530, designating his elder son Gopīnātha as his successor. In 1540, the Gauḍiya priests of Śrī Nāthajī, whom Vallabha hired, were expelled from Govardhan Hill which gave the Puṣṭimārga sole control over the deity's worship. In 1542, Gopīnātha died with his son soon dying as well, leaving Viṭṭhalanātha as
6750-731: The Gujarat Sultans or the Deccan sultanates . However, following the fall of the Gujarat Sultanate in 1538 it was controlled by more local nobles starting with Chengiz Khan who enjoyed absolute authority over Surat, Broach , Baroda and Champaner . However, in 1637, Aurangzeb fully annexed Baglana into the Mughal Empire. In 1514, the Portuguese traveler Duarte Barbosa described Surat as an important seaport, frequented by many ships from Malabar and various parts of
6875-556: The Mughal Empire. Though it remained a pivotal city for textile-based products, it was less important to the British as a port city than it was for the Mughals. Nevertheless, Surat was very interconnected with Asia and Europe, involving trade with both Europeans and Armenian merchants. Tactically, Surat involved itself in trade in fields that did not compete with existing European products, such as pearls and silver. The textile industry
7000-524: The Partition of India, there were also followers in Sindh and (West) Punjab who have since migrated to Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. The region of Braj is theologically the most important region and the homeland of the sect. There also exist outposts of the sect in eastern India, namely Varanasi and Champaranya. There is no presence of the sect in South India. The followers in Gujarat usually belong to
7125-496: The Pushtimarg is through the administration of the Brahmasambandha mantra . The absolute and exclusive rights to grant this mantra, in order to remove the doṣa s (faults) of a jīva (soul) lie only with the direct male descendants of Vallabhācārya. According to Vallabha, he received the Brahmasambandha mantra from Kr̥ṣṇa one night in Gokula. The next morning, Vallabha administered the mantra to Damodaradāsa Harasānī, who would become
7250-807: The Puṣṭimārga as Vallabha put a greater emphasis on the personal and emotional relationship on the first three bhāvas . Baithak , literally "seat", is a site considered sacred by the followers of the Pushtimarg for performing devotional rituals. These sites are spread across India but they are chiefly concentrated in Braj region in Uttar Pradesh and in western state of Gujarat. There are many Baithaks that are considered sacred; 84 connected to Vallabha, 28 to Viṭṭhalanātha, 4 to Giridhara, 13 to Gokulanātha, 1 each to Raghunātha and Ghanaśyāma, 7 to Harirāya, 2 to Dāmodaradāsa Harasānī, and 2 to Śrī Nāthajī. There also exist 10 caraṇa caukī s or pedastals on which Śrī Nāthajī
7375-495: The Puṣṭimārga or conduction of sevā, rather it is granted solely through Kr̥ṣṇa's independent will. Vallabha stated that religious disciplines that focus on Vedic sacrifices, temple rituals, puja , meditation, and yoga had limited value. The school rejects the ascetic lifestyle and instead cherishes the householder lifestyle, wherein followers see themselves as participants and companions of Kr̥ṣṇa, and their daily life as an ongoing raslila . Vallabha accepts four prior works as
7500-412: The Puṣṭimārga was divided into Seven Houses ( Sāt Ghar ) or Seven Seats ( Sāt Gaddī ), with all patrilineal male descendants of Vallabhācārya having these rights. These descendants have the titles of mahārājā (Great King) or gosvāmi (Lord of Cows), and the chief mahārāja of the First House has the title of tilkāyat and is primus inter pares . Viṭṭhalanātha's sons continued obtaining patronage of
7625-415: The Puṣṭimārga, several festivals are celebrated including Holī , Kr̥ṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī , Nāgapañcamī , and Annakūṭa . On festival days, the sevā is designed to match the bhāva of the holiday. Music plays a key role in sevā in the form of kīrtans . The aṣṭachāp , or group of eight poets who composed Braj Bhasha devotional poetry and kīrtans are revered in the sect. According to sectarian sources,
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#17327649385587750-613: The Supreme, and are present even when this knowledge is gained. The liberated perform all karmas. The highest goal is not Mukti or liberation, but rather eternal service of Krishna and participation along with His activities in His Divine abode of Vrindavana. Vallabha distinguishes the transcendent consciousness of Brahman as Purushottama . Vallabha lays a great stress on a life of unqualified love and devotion towards God. Devotees are to serve God without any personal motives. In all
7875-499: The Surat City Police. Surat ranked 9th in India with a GDP of $ 40 billion in the fiscal year 2016. The GDP of Surat in 2020 will be around $ 57 billion estimated by The City Mayors Foundation, an international think tank on urban affairs. Surat is a major hub of diamond cutting and polishing. The first diamond workshops in Gujarat appeared in Surat and Navasari in the late 1950s. The major group working in this industry
8000-578: The Vallabhans is the dhoḷ likely to survive. They are sung only by lay Gujarati devotees, particularly women, and are not part of the formal temple Braj liturgy. The authors of dhoḷs are generally not well known in literary circles except for Dayārām . The Puṣṭimārga has the general reputation of having most of its followers in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Mumbai. However, the sect also has a large presence in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Prior to
8125-441: The abode of Brahma the Creator, and Kailas , the abode of Shiva . Creation is His sport. It is that bhakti which gives itself up body, heart and soul to the cause of God. It is considered to be the fullest expression of what is known as Atma-nivedana (= giving-up of oneself) among the nine forms of bhakti ( Navadha Bhakti ). It is the bhakti of the devotee who worships God not for any reward or presents but for His own sake. Such
8250-450: The administrative control of Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways . In early 2016, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation rated the facility the best large station in India based on cleanliness. The Sitilink or Surat BRTS is a bus rapid transit system in the city. Initiated by Bharat Shah, additional city engineer of Surat Municipal Corporation. It is operated by Surat Municipal Corporation and as of August 2017, had
8375-427: The animate souls and the inanimate objects are respectively its parts and modifications. The animate souls are its parts because they retain to some extent the essential qualities thereof namely consciousness and joy. The inanimate objects are its modification because the above said qualities are absent therein. Followers of Vallabhacharya maintain that if one wants to obtain moksha and the bliss given by Krishna ,
8500-426: The arts. The themes of the sevā are based on the līlā s (pastimes or play) of Kr̥ṣṇa as depicted in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa . Based on the līlā , appropriate pure and high quality food and clothing are offered to the svarūpa . The svarūpa is entertained by singers and poets, with paintings called pichvaī s being placed in the background to enhance the bhāva ("emotion") of the sevā . Through sevā , members of
8625-414: The central theme would be experiencing the Supreme Entity or Brahman . Vedas primarily contain references to the advaita nature of Brahman. However, depending on how a scholar perceives those verses, they might see duality— dvaita aspect as well. This ambiguity has led to several philosophical traditions in the Indian history , such as: Vallabhacharya was a devotional philosopher, who founded
8750-415: The city as well as the regular collection of garbage. Rao also demolished many illegal constructions. However, slums would often fall subject to removal when streets were widened, but Rao ensured that the residents were given alternative residential sites with adequate facilities to accommodate them. Rao’s urban and sanitary-related actions fostered the revival of Surat in its post-plague state. Nevertheless,
8875-502: The city was mentioned, many residents of Surat fled the city. About a quarter of Surat’s population fled the city, including people who were in the incubation phase of the disease. This, in turn, partly contributed to the spread of the plague throughout India. In the media, the cause of the plague was attributed to poor garbage disposal. However, the spread was instead brought about by rodents and fleas which were inadvertently caused by garbage in Surat. The disease ran more rampant through
9000-490: The city's history. The Armenian gravestones in Surat, dating back to this period, are intricate and well-preserved, showcasing the community's presence and customs. Armenians in Surat were renowned traders, dealing in jewelry, precious stones, cotton, and silk. They established trade routes to destinations such as Egypt , the Levant , Turkey , Venice , and Leghorn , often traveling with their families. The British recognised
9125-409: The city. By the middle of the 19th century, Surat had become a stagnant city with about 80,000 inhabitants. When India's railways opened, the city started becoming prosperous again. Silks , cotton, brocades, and objects of gold and silver from Surat became famous and the ancient art of manufacturing fine muslin was revived. Under British Raj , Surat saw a period of decline from its success under
9250-513: The co-operation continued into 2016. Surat is being a port city, it has turned as a major commercial and industrial hub in India. It is home for many companies such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation , Reliance Industries ( Hazira Manufacturing Division ), Essar Steel , Larsen & Toubro , Krishak Bharati Cooperative , NTPC Limited , Bharat Petroleum , Indian Oil Corporation , UltraTech Cement , Shell , GAIL , GSEG , Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation , Hero MotoCorp etc. Hazira Port
9375-567: The concept of Māyā , stating that the world was a manifestation of the Supreme Absolute and could not be tainted, nor could it change. According to Vallabha, Brahman consists of existence ( sat ), consciousness ( cit ), and bliss (ā nanda ), and manifests completely as Kr̥ṣṇa himself. In this philosophy, Kr̥ṣṇa, as Brahman , is considered the supreme and sole being, and that Brahma, Śiva, and Viṣṇu are his limited avatāras. If someone forgets this truth about Kr̥ṣṇa and his nature, it
9500-440: The devotee in the role of a gopī (cowherd-girl of Braj) who takes part in the love-play of Kr̥ṣṇa's līlā s in the nighttime. Sakhya bhāva places the devotee in the role of gopa (cowherd) as a friend of Kr̥ṣṇa's who takes part in games and cow herding activities in the daytime. Dāsya bhāva treats the devotee as a humble servant of Kr̥ṣṇa as a king who praises his master while demeaning himself. This bhāva has less presence in
9625-418: The eight poets were Kumbhanadāsa, Sūradāsa , Nandadāsa, Paramānandadāsa, Kr̥ṣṇadāsa, Caturbhujadāsa, Govindasvāmī, and Chītasvāmī. The most famous of the eight is Sūradāsa, whose relationship with the Puṣṭimārga is most tenuous, and historically some of the members also had unclear relations to the sect. In modern times, the musical liturgy contains nearly ten thousand padas by thirty to forty poets including
9750-524: The eight-fold system of singing the name and glory of Shrinathji ( Kirtana ) and entrusted this responsibility to eight poet-disciples of Vallabhacharya and his own, called the ashta-chhaap after the eight divine services to Shrinathji from morning until going to sleep. Foremost among them was Surdas , the blind poet of Agra . These are Surdas, Krishna Das, Paramanand Das, Kumbhan Das, Chaturbhuj Das, Nand Das, Chhitswami, and Govind Das. The first four poets and singers were Vallabhacharya's disciples, while
9875-567: The evening, especially near the Bazaar (marketplace), the streets became crowded with people and merchants (including Banyan merchants ) selling their goods. Surat was a populous city during the Mughal era but also had a large transient population: during the monsoon season, when ships could come and go from the ports without danger, the city's population would swell. In 1612, England established its first Indian trading factory in Surat. The city
10000-603: The exodus of both Houses from Braj to Surat , Gujarat. The Third House eventually moved to the region of Mewar in Rajasthan due to the invasion of the Marāṭhās where they were welcomed by the kings and granted refuge. In Braj, the Jāṭ rebellion under the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb caused many religious communities, including the remaining houses of the Puṣṭimārga, to flee to Rajasthan where they received protection. The First House, who
10125-462: The fast growing cities and major commercial and industrial centers of Western India. During the post-independence period, Surat has experienced considerable growth in industrial activities especially textiles and chemical along with trading activities. Surat faced a major health crisis in 1994. News of a plague outbreak in Surat occurred in September 1994, and when the possibility of quarantine for
10250-446: The first member of the sampradāya . In Vallabhācārya's time, an (adult) devotee to-be would ask Vallabha to admit him, and if Vallabha was willing to take the potential devotee, he would ask him to bathe and return. Vallabha would then administer the mantra, asking the devotee to use Kr̥ṣṇa's name and to devotee everything he had to Kr̥ṣṇa, after which Vallabha would begin the spiritual education on doctrines and texts. In modern times,
10375-471: The followers of Vallabha and Viṭṭhalanātha, while Viṭṭhalanātha has his own Nijavārta and Baiṭhaka Caritra . Another important text is the Vallabhākhyān , a Gujarati poem by Gopāḷdās (a devotee of Viṭṭhalanātha) composed before 1577 that praises the family of Vallabha, and was one of the earliest texts to establish the divinity of Vallabha, Viṭṭhalanātha, and their descendants. The formal initiation into
10500-508: The founder of Puṣṭimārga ("The path of grace"), a Vaishnava tradition focused on the worship of the deity Krishna . Vallabhacharya's pure form ( nondualist ) philosophy is different from Advaita . The Shrinathji temple at Nathdwara , and compositions of eight poets ( aṣṭasakha ), including Surdas , are central to the worship by the followers of the sect. The tradition is founded by Vishnu swamy in Southern India . He
10625-405: The guru. After this, the initiate places the tulasi leaf at the feet of the image of Kṛṣṇa . After this he or she is considered a proper member of the sampradāya . The mantra and initiation may only be performed by the direct male descendants of Vallabha. Viṭṭhalanātha had seven sons among whom he distributed nine major svarūpas of Kr̥ṣṇa that are worshipped by the Puṣṭimārga. Each son founded
10750-587: The hottest months, the average maximum temperature being 37 °C (99 °F). Monsoon begins in late June and the city receives about 1,200 mm (47 in) of rain by the end of September, with the average maximum being 32 °C (90 °F) during those months. October and November see the retreat of the monsoon and a return of high temperatures until late November. Winter starts in December and ends in late February, with average mean temperatures of around 23 °C (73 °F), and negligible rain. Since
10875-403: The individual self with God. There is no real difference between the two (like the analogy of sparks to fire). However, unlike Shankara's Advaita, Vallabha does not deny God as the whole and the individual as the part. The individual soul is not the Supreme ( Satcitananda ) clouded by the force of avidya , but is itself Brahman , with one attribute (ananda) rendered imperceptible. The soul is both
11000-718: The industry closed for some months because of the COVID-19 pandemic in India . A legacy of old Dutch trade links, it began after a Surti entrepreneur returned from East Africa bringing diamond cutters. The rough diamonds are mined in South Africa and other regions of the African continent, and go from here as smooth gems to Antwerp, Belgium where the international diamond trade is run mainly by Hasidic Jews and Jains from Palanpur in North Gujarat. Surat's economy drives from
11125-415: The latter half of the 20th century, the mahārājās no longer have the same level of religious and secular authority over their followers, and they are much more restrained in their public presence. While devotee families include those of great wealth, they do not draw attention to themselves either. The Puṣṭimārga does not actively seek converts in modern times. According to Vallabha, the society of his time
11250-404: The leader of the Puṣṭimārga. From 1543 to 1581 Viṭṭhalanātha went on fundraising tours to Gujarat where he converted many merchants, agriculturalists, and artisans. He also successfully obtained the royal Hindu and Mughal patronage for the sect. He heavily transformed the simple sevā of his father's time into a deeply aesthetic experience that sought to recreate the daily life of Kr̥ṣṇa in which he
11375-425: The local histories of Bakshi Mian Walad Shah Ahmad and Munshi Ghulam Mohi ud-Din , Aibak went as far south as Rander and Surat. Surat was then ruled by a Hindu chief based at nearby Kamrej . This ruler initially tried to take refuge in a garden at Surat, but then decided that he had no chance of resisting Aibak's forces and offered his submission. Aibak, in turn, confirmed him as ruler of Kamrej. From 1297, Gujarat
11500-788: The major bases for his doctrines: the Vedas , the Bhagavad Gītā , the Brahma Sūtra , and the Bhāgavata Purāṇa . However, in practice the Vedas are not studied, whereas the Bhagavad Gītā and Bhāgavata Purāṇa are. Vallabha composed many philosophical and devotional books during his lifetime including: Later figures authored prose texts in Braj Bhasha in the vārtā genre. The progenitor of
11625-417: The majority of members of the sect are born into Pushtimarg families, with the administration of the mantra split into two ceremonies. The first ceremony is known as śaraṇa mantropadeśa (or traditionally as nāma lenā and kaṇṭhī lenā ). This occurs in the initiate's infancy or at any age if requested. The guru has the initiate repeat the aṣṭākṣara mantra (" śrī Kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇaṃ mama ") 3 times. The initiate
11750-637: The most important port city of that reign and evolved into a bustling trading hub. It was the most prosperous port in the Mughal empire. Despite being a rich city, Surat looked like a typical "grubby" trader's town with mud-and-bamboo tenements and crooked streets, although along the riverfront there were a few mansions and warehouses belonging to local merchant princes and the establishments of Turkish, Armenian, English, French and Dutch traders. There were also hospitals for cows, horses, flies and insects run by religious Jains , which puzzled travelers. Some streets were narrow while others were of sufficient width. In
11875-520: The name as "Subara" or "Sufara". The identification of this place with Surat, though, is uncertain, and in any case these early mentions of Suryapur or Surabaya do not indicate whether it was a sizeable town or just a small hamlet. Another early mention of Surat is in the 1190s, after Qutb ud-Din Aibak , then a general of Muhammad Ghuri , defeated the Chaulukya king Bhima II in battle. According to
12000-509: The only path to do so is bhakti . In the Kali Yuga , it is believed that the forms of bhakti mentioned in the scriptures are nearly impossible to practice, so the followers of Vallabhacharya recommend pushti bhakti – which is the end itself and not means to an end, giving moksha, joy and oneness with Shree Krishna. It illustrates oneness with Shree Krishna can be achieved merely by having true belief and love for Shree Krsna and recitation of
12125-413: The other four were Gusainji's. Shuddhadwait is defined more thoroughly in verse 27-28 from Shuddhadwait Martand: शुद्धाद्वैतापदे ज्ञेय: समास: कर्मधारय: I अद्वैतं शुद्धयो: प्राहुः षष्ठी तत्पुरुषमं बुधा: II मायासंबंधरहितमं शुद्धमित्युच्यते बुधै: I कार्यकरणरूपमं हि शुद्धं ब्रह्म न मायिकम़् II "It is Karmdharay samaas : Shuddham ch tat adwaitam (The Pure and its non-dualism) . Or, it
12250-472: The outskirts of the city. Microsoft CityNext initiative has tied up with IT services majors Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro to leverage technology for sustainable growth of cities in India. The first smart IT city in India is being constituted by the Microsoft CityNext Initiative in Surat, Gujarat . In 2011, Surat hosted India's first Microsoft DreamSpark Yatra (a tech event) with speakers from Microsoft Headquarters at Redmond, Washington . The event
12375-562: The philosophical traditions, it is common practice to describe how the Supreme Entity Brahman is related to us and our surroundings. In Suddhadavaita, otherwise known as Brahmvaad , the One, secondless Ultimate Reality is the only category. Every other thing has proceeded from it at the time of creation, is non-different from it during creation and merges into it at the time of dissolution. The two other well known categories namely
12500-406: The plague had long-lasting implications for Surat. It brought attention to the lack of information and the spread of misinformation that occurred in India. Incorrect death tolls and false facts about the cause of the disease were spread, leaving lots of room for post-plague city revival both in terms of information control and cleanliness. Surat’s actions pertaining to the latter eventually resulted in
12625-422: The plague, Suryadevara Ramachandra Rao was elected as the new administrator and launched extensive cleaning campaigns to combat the outbreak. This was a major step towards sanitation and cleanliness in Surat. Rao’s campaigns included launching hotel and shop inspections (to address their irresponsible garbage practices) for several months and calling for the broadening of roads. He enforced designated sweeping of
12750-405: The police view the entire city live through 10,000 CCTV cameras across the city. Surat police have decided to install 5,000 CCTV cameras at sensitive points across the city. While 1,000 cameras will be night vision cameras, 4,000 others will be simple CCTV cameras. This has been installed on PPP base with the help of the city's businessmen, the city's social persons, Surat Municipal Corporation , and
12875-414: The rise of Bombay (present-day Mumbai ). Afterward, Surat's shipbuilding industry declined and Surat itself gradually declined throughout the 18th century. During 1790–1791, an epidemic killed 100,000 Gujaratis in Surat. The British and Dutch both claimed control of the city, but in 1800, the British took control of Surat. A fire in 1837 resulted in more than 500 deaths and the destruction of much of
13000-475: The rise of Surat in the 1500s, the nearby town of Rander was the main commercial centre in the area. Rander had a prominent Arab merchant community involved in overseas trade with regions such as Burma, China, Malaya, and Sumatra. In the 1500s, Rander declined due to Portuguese raids. Surat became an important port city around the same time, and some of Rander's merchant population likely moved to Surat for economic opportunity. Early references to Surat appear by
13125-447: The same authors detailing the lives of 252 disciples of Viṭṭhalanātha. Gokulnāth is credited as the original collector of these accounts but they were likely not written down but rather collections of his discourses. His grandnephew Harirāy is credited as the final editor of the two texts. The Caurāsī Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā exists in two recensions , one without commentary and one with commentary written by Harirāy. The version with commentary
13250-430: The sect from Mughal emperors. Viṭṭhalanātha's son Gokulanātha authored many texts in Sanskrit and particularly in Braj Bhasha , which reemphasized the themes of Vallabha's works in a more accessible language. Gokulanātha is considered the most prominent Puṣṭimārga figure of the era, and according to sectarian sources he defended the sect's right to wear their sectarian tilaks and mala beads made from tulsi from
13375-468: The slum population of Surat. In order to combat the spread of this disease, Surat closed its schools, universities, and public places for an indefinite period. They also ordered the shutdown of important industrial businesses, including diamond-cutting units. Eventually, antibiotics were given out and the plague was controlled. Prior to the major plague outbreak, Surat Municipal Corporation was suspended in 1993, leaving no major elected body in charge. During
13500-467: The stone being worshipped as Devadamana was the svarūpa of Śrī Nāthajī and instituted the formal sevā of the deity. He adopted the householder form of life and had two sons, Gopīnātha and Viṭṭhalanātha. In Vijayanagara he won a religious debate and was awarded the title of ācārya of the Viṣṇusvāmi sampradāya . Throughout his life he made three pilgrimage tours of India where he won converts mainly from
13625-531: The tenets of this philosophy in his books ‘Shuddhadvait Siddhantasaar’ (Hindi and Gujarati) and Shuddhadvaita Darshan. Surat Surat ( Gujarati : [suɾət] ) is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat . The word Surat directly translates to face in Urdu , Gujarati and Hindi . Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be
13750-443: The title of tilakāyat , and is the custodian of Śrī Nāthajī. The tilakāyat is considered the highest authority in the Puṣṭimārga. Yadunātha's descendants also hold Śrī Kalyāṇarāijī ( Baroda , Gujarat) and Śrī Mukundarāyajī ( Vārāṇasī , Uttar Pradesh). The eighth house was founded by Tulasīdāsa, also known as Lālajī, whose descendants hold Śrī Gopināthajī ( Br̥ndābana , Uttar Pradesh, until 1947 in Ḍerāgāzīkhāṁ , Sindh). Tulasīdāsa
13875-567: The west. The climate is tropical and monsoon rainfall is abundant. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards , the town falls under seismic zone-III , in a scale of I to V (in order of increasing vulnerability to earthquakes). Surat has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen : Aw), moderated strongly by the Sea to the Gulf of Camboy. The summer begins in early March and lasts until June. April and May are
14000-469: The world. By 1520, the name of the city had become Surat. It was burned by the Portuguese (1512 and 1530), conquered by the Mughals (1573) and was twice raided by the Maratha king Shivaji (17th century). Mughal Emperor Akbar placed major importance on Gujarat and successfully obtained numerous towns in Gujarat. The Mughals were able to conquer Surat due to his campaigns against Gujarat during his rule. In
14125-556: Was also a large portion of Surat’s shipping success. But despite being a primary port for textiles, Surat rarely manufactured these textiles locally. Bullion was also quite important to Surat’s economy during this time. During his first-hand experience on a trip to Surat, Britisher John Ovington recalls the great ores Surat possessed, such as gold and silver. He recollects the notable “abundance of Pearls” and other precious stones like diamonds that could “be purchas’d here [Surat] at very reasonable rates.” As Ovington observed, this industry
14250-421: Was an adopted son of Viṭṭhalanātha, and the svarūpa in his descendants' possession is less significant than the other svarūpas . The daily sevā and darśana periods are meant to portray a day in the life of Kr̥ṣṇa Gopāla , or Kr̥ṣṇa as Cow-protector. In the Pushtimarg, sevā is the unselfish worship of a svarūpa , under the doctrine that the svarūpa is sentient and appreciates refined food, clothing, and
14375-627: Was appointed governor of Gujarat in 1391, he appointed his son Masti Khan to govern Rander and Surat, but Bakshi Mian adds that Surat was not very populous at this point. As control from the Delhi Sultanate waned at the end of the 14th century, pressure grew for an independent Gujarat, culminating in Zafar Khan declaring independence in 1407. Surat was controlled directly by the nobles of the Rajput kingdom of Baglana who fell either under
14500-592: Was gradually conquered by Allauddin Khilji , the ruler of the principal state in north India at the time, the Delhi Sultanate . The Delhi Sultanate appointed Governors to control Gujarat, but this had to be forcefully imposed, notably in 1347, when Muhammad bin Tughluq sacked Surat, among other cities. Firoz Shah Tughlaq later built a fort at Surat in 1373. According to Bakshi Mian's account, when Zafar Khan
14625-708: Was imperative to Surat’s prosperity under the British Raj and allowed it to maintain its relevance as a port city. During the Quit India Movement of Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, A large number of 3,000 Koli cultivators from Matwad, Karadi, Machhad and Kothmadi in Surat District fought against British soldiers at Matwad with lathis and dharias on 21 August 1942. In this fight, four persons including one policeman died. The kolis also snatched away four police muskets and two bayonets. Kolis smashed up
14750-455: Was looted twice by the Maratha king Shivaji , with the first sacking occurring in 1664. Shivaji's raids scared trade away and caused ruin to the city. Later, Surat became the emporium of India, exporting gold and cloth. Its major industries were shipbuilding and textile manufacture. The coast of the Tapti River , from Athwalines to Dumas, was specially meant for shipbuilders, who were usually Rassis. The city continued to be prosperous until
14875-427: Was offered expensive clothing, jewelry, perfumes, and sumptuous meals. The arts of paintings and poetry were also added to the rituals to enhance their appeal. Upon Viṭṭhalanātha's death the spiritual leadership of the sect was divided among his seven sons among whom he had distributed the major svarūpas of Kr̥ṣṇa and granted the sole right to bestow the brahmasambandha mantra , that is, to initiate new members. Thus,
15000-476: Was organised by Ex- Microsoft Student Partner Samarth Zankharia. In May 2015, Tech giant IBM has chosen Surat among 16 global locations for its smart cities program to help them address challenges like waste management, disaster management and citizen services. Under the program, IBM will send a team of experts to each of the chosen cities where they will spend three weeks working closely with city staff analysing data about critical issues faced by its local bodies;
15125-551: Was placed when being taken from Govardhana to Nathdwara. Members of the Puṣṭimārga also participate in the largest circumambulation of the Braj region in the baṛī yātrā . The pilgrimage lasts between six to seven weeks with several thousand participants and is led by a Maharaj. The pilgrimage starts in Mathura , and then travels to Jatipura (Govardhan) , Kaman , Vrindavan , Barsana , Gokul , and other towns. The pilgrims are accompanied by pilgrimage priests called Chaubes . In
15250-486: Was ridden with ills such as bloodshed, barbarians, foreigners, the departing of gods from temples, an impure Ganges river , the presence of heterodox communities, ineffective religious rites, the disappearance of the caste system , and the prevalence of greed, hypocrisy, and impurity. In response, Vallabha formulated the philosophy of Śuddhādvaita , in opposition to the Ādvaita Vedānta of Śaṅkara , which he called Maryādā Mārga or Path of Limitations. Vallabha rejected
15375-411: Was selected in 2015 for an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant. Surat has been selected as one of twenty Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission . Surat is also home to the world's largest office building by floor area , the Surat Diamond Bourse . Surat is listed as the second cleanest city of India as of 21 August 2020 according to
15500-541: Was the custodian of Śrī Nāthajī, settled in a village in Mewar that would become Nāthadvārā. According to Pocock, the Pushtimarg was at its height in the late 19th century. The Maharaj Libel Case , in which a mahārājā from Surat named Jadunath Brizratanji sued the journalist Karsandas Mulji on charges of libel in the Supreme Court of Bombay , was widely publicized. In the paper Satya Prakāśa , Mulji had called
15625-417: Was under Tapti river waters, killing more than 120 people, stranding tens of thousands in their homes without food or electricity and closing businesses and schools for weeks. The city is expected to experience more flooding and extreme weather as climate change becomes worse , so has invested in flood protection and climate resilience infrastructure. A resident of Surat is called Surati . According to
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