Bharuch is situated on an average elevation of 15 meters (49 feet). It was once a small village on the banks of the Narmada River. It was considered to be sacred among sages, and they would come to Bharuch and pray. Bharuch (alias Bhroach, Bhrauch etc) was known in olden days as Bhrigu Kaksha, which means the domanin of Bhrigu , an ancient Indian sage. It was here, on the banks of river Narmada , that the celebrated Asura king Mahabali, conducted a great sacrifice. In this sacrifice, came a Brahmin boy named Vamana, who interfered with the king's sacrifice and put an end to his reign. A sage named Guru Shukracharya , in the lineage of Bhrigu, was the priest of king Mahabali.
Excavations near the banks of the river Narmada
in Bharuch have revealed many archaeological and architectural wonders, mostly
temples. Later Bharuch was part of the Mauryas, the Guptas, and Rudrama . As a part of the Sultanate of Gujarat , it was subsequently
annexed by the Mughals, and finally by the British. It is also
situated near a small village called halderva where two islamic priests were
found performing miracles. It was known to Europeans as Barigaza (Greek) and probably had a settlement if Greek traders. It is mentioned extensively as a major trading partner of the roman world in the 1st century.
Bharuch has always been prosperous because of its location on the Narmada River. As a result of this, agriculture and other linked commercial activities have flourished in Bharuch. Bharuch is also a central stopping point for many villages spread around its boundaries such as Palej, Valan, Vareydiya, Kamboli e.t.c. People from these small villages come to Bharuch when they want to shop for new clothes, or make a major purchase. Lately a lot of retiring expatriates have been returning to Bharuch and building new houses giving the economy a boost.
Modern Bharuch is one of the most heavily industrilized areas , not only in Gujarat but as for the ASIA with many chemical plants producing ferrtilizers, paints and dyes. Bharuch is famous for the cotton textiles mills and salted ground -nuts. It also has gujart's biggest Liquid cargo terminal.
There are many religions being followed by the people of this town. Usually there is a sense of harmony and co-existence without incident. However, there have been situations in the past in which this delicate social fabric has broken down. Today the city is considered to be a great example of communal equality.
There are various avenues for leisure time activities in Bharuch, and there are a few very good parks maintained by the municipal commission. There are river banks where people go for walks and strolls, as well as a couple of libraries and a few auditoriums. The auditoriums along with movie halls make the theatrical entertainment available in the city.
Of late there has been a boom in the retail sector in the city and there are new shopping malls and multiplexes opening up all over the place.