Bharuch alias Bhroach, an ancient town, one of the oldest in Gujarat with a 2000 year history, is situated at the mouth of the holy river Narmada. It was an important Buddhist center in the 7th century and considered to be sacred among sages. Located between Vadodara and Surat, the city derived its name from 'Bhrigukachba', the temple of the great saint Bhrigu Rishi, which was later abridged to Bharuch. As it is a major seaport and the administrative headquarter of the district Bharuch, a number of trade activities have flourished here. This heavily industrialised city is renowned for its textile mills, chemical plants, long staple cotton, dairy products and much more. Gujarat's biggest liquid cargo terminal is situated here. It also houses many reputed multinational companies like Videocon, BASF, Reliance, Welspun Stahl etc. Bharuch is a shopping center well known for its salty peanuts. Because of the distinctive colour of the soil here that is ideal for cotton cultivation, Bharuch is sometimes referred to as 'Kanam Pradesh' (black soil land).