Ankleshwar is an important industrial city in the Bharuch district of Gujarat, India. It is better known as the twin sister city of Bharuch, which is 10 k.m. away. The place is also famous for housing four highly revered Jain temples and the historic Golden Bridge. Visit the city for a fun vacation and pick from the best hotels in Ankleshwar.
Ankleshwar, also spelled as Ankleshvar, is a significant part of Gujarat state. It is a developing industrial city home to over 1500 big and small chemical plants producing products like chemicals, paints, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. It is here where a branch of ONGC exists and is an attribute for which the place is distinctively known. The modern, developed part of the place is called GIDC, which stands for Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation. Today, it is one of the most significant centres of commerce, education, and healthcare in the region. It also hosts multiple trade fairs and industrial expos occasionally that attract large masses of visitors from all over India. Additionally, the place is also an important pilgrimage as it is home to four highly revered Digamber Jain temples which draw a lot of attention of the spiritualists, particularly the Jains.
Ankleshwar is a sister city of Bharuch, which is a major commercial city and the headquarters of Bharuch district in the parent state. The distance between the two cities is about 10 k.m. and there is a very old (over 130 years old) bridge that connects them. The location of the city is very strategic as it is located on the way of National Highway No. 8 and railway line connecting Delhi and Mumbai. The city’s railway station is situated on the intersection of Station Road and NH 8. Apart from trains, there are regular inter- and intra- state buses running to and from the place. Ankleshwar Bus Stand is located on western region on the Station Road.
Ankleshwar has a rapidly changing lifestyle. Presently, it is more modern because of the explosion of modernization. Today, there is no shortage of entertainment and recreational centres to keep one engaged. Besides, the place is rapidly getting filled by hotels in Ankleshwar year after year. However, the place still clings to old traditional values and rich cultural heritage, which is very much alive in the locals.
When it comes to visiting the popular places in the city, there are not many but they certainly are interesting. The historic Golden Bridge built over the Narmada River connecting Ankleshwar to Bharuch since late 1800s is one of the most prominent attractions here. It is a big bridge and has been a mute witness to many natural calamities. The bridge is generally busy with continuous flow of vehicles. There also exists a railway track alongside the bridge. It is iconic and tourists often take pictures of themselves with the bridge as the background. Besides, located just a short distance from the main bus stand are the four Jain temples. They are the main attractions of the place as almost every tourist visiting Ankleshwar visits them. Each temple is beautiful and is an ideal place to find solace. Additionally, there also exists a holy Gurudwara of Chandar Sahib with tourists flocking in a large number. It is dedicated to Guru Nanak Devji who visited the place in 15th Century. There is a popular legend that when a boatman refused to take him across Narmada River the Sikh guru crossed the river on a chadar (a cloth sheet).
In a nutshell, Ankleshwar is one ideal destination in western India that makes a perfect offbeat destination. Visit the city and have a fun vacation.