Heart of the Charotar
Nadiad is the headquarters of Kheda district, in the fertile Charotar region between the Mahi and the Sabarmati. It's the birthplace of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and the Santram Mandir is at the centre of the old town. The old town has narrow lanes and old havelis; newer societies, bungalows and apartments have spread along College Road and the roads to Dakor, Pij and Anand.
When you ask for a quote, give the exact address, a map pin and whether a truck can reach the gate.
Charotar abroad
Charotar has long links with the UK, the United States, Canada and East Africa, and many families have relatives settled overseas. Large homes are sometimes locked for years and opened for visits and weddings. If you're packing a house that won't be lived in, our storage service page explains the options.
Anand next door
Anand, home of the Amul dairy cooperative and an agricultural university, is a short drive west, and many people live in one town and work in the other. Moves between the two are common; give the exact address and a landmark.
Students
Dharmsinh Desai University and the colleges in Nadiad, and the universities at Anand and Vallabh Vidyanagar nearby, draw students from across Gujarat. A student's room usually goes as a few-items move; check the hostel's dates first.
Weather
Nadiad has a hot summer, from April to June, a monsoon from late June to September that can be heavy, and a mild, dry winter. November to February is usually the best time to move.
Dakor and the festivals
The Ranchhodrai temple at Dakor, north-east of Nadiad, draws huge numbers of pilgrims on full-moon days, especially at Sharad Purnima and Holi, and roads fill with people walking there. Navratri, Uttarayan, Diwali and the wedding season are busy too. Check the calendar before you book.
Local moves
Many local moves go between Nadiad and Anand, Kheda, Mahudha, Uttarsanda, Dakor, Kapadvanj or the villages around them. Share both exact addresses when you ask for a quote.
Common moves out of Nadiad
Common moves from Nadiad go south to Vadodara and on to Surat. Our route guides cover both.
Old havelis
Some old-town homes are havelis with carved wooden doors, steep stairs and heavy furniture. Ask the crew to wrap carvings carefully, dismantle large pieces and carry rather than drag them on old floors.
Industry and work
Food processing, including the snack makers around Uttarsanda, engineering units and the expressway corridor bring workers and managers to the district. If an employer is paying, ask what documents they need; every mover we work with provides a GST invoice.
A dry state
Gujarat has prohibition, so bottles of alcohol shouldn't be packed in household goods, even unopened gifts.
Packing against damp
In the monsoon, ask for mattresses and fabrics in sealed covers, wooden furniture in blankets and electronics in their own cartons. Our guide to moving in the monsoon has more tips.
First weeks in a Nadiad home
Ask how the water supply works and whether there's a borewell or storage tank, check the power backup, and book internet as soon as you have the address. Our guide to address changes after moving lists the official records to update.
Kapadvanj and Kheda
Kapadvanj, to the north-east, and Kheda, the old district town to the west, are market towns with narrow centres. Moves between them and Nadiad are common; give the exact address.
Santram Mandir days
The Santram Mandir at the heart of the old town draws large crowds on its festival days, and the lanes around it fill with devotees. If your home is nearby, ask your mover to avoid those dates.
The Ahmedabad–Vadodara expressway
The expressway between Ahmedabad and Vadodara passes Nadiad, so a truck can reach either city in about an hour. Its tolls are higher than the old highway's, so ask the mover which road the quote assumes.
Sardar Patel's birthplace
Nadiad is where Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born, and the town marks his birth anniversary on 31 October with events in the old town, where the lanes around the memorial are crowded.
Matar's Jain temple
Matar, west of Nadiad, has a large Jain temple that draws pilgrims on festival days, and the village roads around it are narrow.
Mahemdavad on the Vatrak
Mahemdavad, to the north on the Vatrak river, is a taluka town where many families commute to Ahmedabad, and its old lanes are narrow.
Thasra and the Mahi
Thasra, to the east towards the Mahi, is a farm town where staff are posted, and villages near the river can flood in a heavy monsoon.
Uttarsanda's papad makers
Uttarsanda, a few kilometres from Nadiad, is known for its papad, khakhra and snack industry, with many small units run from homes and workshops. Families in the trade often have rolling equipment, drying racks and stock to move; pack food stock in sealed tins and keep it away from detergents and paint.
Vadtal's Swaminarayan temple
The Swaminarayan temple at Vadtal, near Nadiad, is one of the sect's most important, and its festivals at Kartik and Chaitra Purnima draw huge crowds. The roads to Vadtal are packed on those days.
Charotar's tobacco fields
Much of the land around Nadiad grows bidi tobacco, and in the curing season the smell hangs over the villages. Tobacco stock should never travel with food or fabric.
Galteshwar on the Mahi
Galteshwar, near Thasra where the Mahi and the Galti meet, has an old Shiva temple that draws visitors on festival days.
The Narmada main canal
The Narmada main canal crosses Kheda district on its way north, and villages beside it have narrow canal-side roads with few bridges. A truck may have to go a long way round to reach a home on the far bank.
Ahmedabad's airport an hour away
Ahmedabad's airport is about an hour from Nadiad by the expressway, so families flying out on moving day can leave after the truck has gone.
Dharmsinh Desai University
Dharmsinh Desai University, in Nadiad, draws engineering and other students from across Gujarat, and many rent rooms in the colonies near the campus. A student's room usually goes as a few-items move, timed for the start or end of the semester.
Uttarayan rooftops in Charotar
On Uttarayan, rooftops across Nadiad fill with kite-flyers, and terraces are no place for a crew to work that day.
Mango and chikoo orchards
Orchards of mango and chikoo surround many Charotar villages, and in summer fruit lorries leave for Ahmedabad's markets every morning.
Garba nights
Navratri garba grounds in Nadiad stay busy past midnight.