Suryaputri Tapi Mata's Birthday Celebrated Across Surat

Today, the birthday of Suryaputri Tapi Mata was celebrated with great fervor across Surat. The river Tapi is considered so sacred that it is believed that all sins are absolved just by remembering it. Bathing in the Ganges, visiting the Narmada, and bathing in the Saraswati are sacred acts, and Tapi Mata holds a similar significance as the lifeline of Surat city.

Sanjaybhai Chowski highlighted the mythological importance of the Tapi river, stating that according to the Tapi Mahapuran Mahatmya Granth, Lord Brahma worshiped Suryanarayana during the creation of the earth. However, the intense brightness of Suryanarayana was unbearable for living beings. In compassion, Lord Suryanarayana shed a tear from his right eye, which flowed as the Tapi river.

The Tapi river originated on Ashadh Sud Satam near a lake in Multai village in the Satpura mountains of Madhya Pradesh. It flows through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, finally merging with the Arabian Sea near Dumas, close to Surat. The river has been referred to as Suryaputri in numerous mythological texts, predating the existence of rivers like the Ganga, Narmada, Saryu, and Sabarmati.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Surat was a bustling international port with extensive trade connections. The port of Surat on the Tapi river facilitated maritime trade with various ports in Europe, Africa, Iran, and Asia. At that time, ships with a load capacity of up to 1500 tons docked at the Tapi river, highlighting its depth and width.

The celebration of Suryaputri Tapi Mata’s birthday is a tribute to the river’s enduring legacy and its pivotal role in the history and culture of Surat.