About Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Dadra and Nagar Haveli is a Western Union Territory of India which consists of two places- Nagar Haveli stuck in between Maharashtra and Gujarat and the other small area of Dadra is surrounded by Gujarat. Silvassa is the capital of this union territory and this is regarded to be the largest city in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Established in 11 August 1961, this union territory has a mixed population of Gujaratis and Marathis, along with Gujarati and Marathi Hindi and English are also spoken here.
| Established | 11 August, 1961 |
| Capital | Silvassa |
| Capital | Silvassa |
| Districts | 1 |
| High Court | Bombay High Court |
| National Parks | Lion Safari WS, Deer Park-Silvassa |
| Languages | English, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi |
| Population (2011) | 3,42,853 |
| Density | 700/km2 |
| Area | 491 km2 |
| Literacy Rate (2011) | 86.34% |
| Females per 1000 males | 775 |
| Lok Sabha constituencies | 1 |
| Assembly constituency | 0 |
| Official Website | http://dnh.nic.in/ |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 |
History
The history of Dadra and Nagar Haveli dates back to the defeat of the Koli chieftains of the region by the Rajputs. In the year 1262, a Rajput prince named Ramsingh declared himself as the ruler and Maharana of Ramnagar which is now known as Dharampur. It consists of 8 parganas and Nagar Haveli was one of the parganas with Silvassa as its capital city. However, in 1360 Rana Dharamshah shifted his capital to Nagar Fatehpur instead of Nagar Haveli. The aftermath of the Treaty of Vasai (6 May 1739), Vasai and the surrounding territories came under the Maratha rule due to the rising Maratha power. Ramnagar was also captured by the Marathas but has to abide certain conditions laid down by the Rajputs. Finally in 1783 Dadra and Nagar Haveli came under the Portuguese rule till 1954 when the supporters of the Indian Union captured this Union Territory.
Geography
The total area of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is 491 sq. km. It lies in between Northern Gujarat and Southern Maharashtra and is very close to the Western Coast of India. It comprises of two separate geographical divisions- the larger part – Nagar Haveli covers a c-shaped area upriver from the city of Daman on the coast. Madhuban reservoir is situated at the centre of both sides of the border with Gujarat. The smaller enclave of Dadra is a short distance to the northwest. The Daman Ganga River along with its three tributaries- Varna, Pipri and Sakartond flows throughout the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and making its land very fertile. The eastern portion of this union territory is occupied by the foothills of the Western Ghats Range. The terrain of the Southern and eastern part of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is mountainous whereas the central alluvial region is plain, fertile and rich.
Demographics
Dadra and Nagar Haveli have approximately 343709 populations according to the census of 2011. The population density is nearly 698 peoples per square kilometer and it also has a sex ratio of 775 females for every 1,000 males and a literacy rate of 77.65%.
Economy
The economy of this union territory solely depends upon agriculture, industry, forestry, animal husbandry and tourism. Around 60 % of working population is engaged in agriculture and this is the main boost to the economy of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Important crops grown here includes paddy, ragi, small millets, jowar, sugarcanes, tur, nagli and val. Vegetables like tomato, cauliflower, cabbage and brinjal and fruits like mango, chikoo, guava, coconut and banana. Moreover, manufacturing industries also contributes significantly towards the economy and industrial units are present at Piparia, Silvassa, Masat and Khadoli. Industrialist and entrepreneurs are attracted towards Dadra and Nagar Haveli since there are no sales taxes to be paid by them in Indian Union Territories. Since there are exempted from paying sales tax industrialists and entrepreneurs are more interested to invest and set up their industrial units here. Industrial units comprising of heavy engineering, fabric weaving, dyeing and printing are set up in various areas of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
Tourism
Dadra and Nagar Haveli has become a popular tourist destination and some of the popular attraction includes the Tribal Museum, Vanganga Lake Garden, Island Garden, Mini Zoo, Bal Udyan, Tad Keshwara Temple, Van Vihar, Damanganga River, Dudhani especially for water sports. Other tourist places at this Union Territory are the Deer park, Silvassa Vasona Lion Safari, Swami Narayan Temple and more interesting places worth visiting.
Sports
Cricket is the most popular sports played in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and all the cricket activities are governed by the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Cricket Association. This is not affiliated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) but instead it is affiliated by the Gujarat Cricket Association as a district association. Moreover, even Football is also played here.
Transport
Dadra and Nagar Haveli do not direct access to other cities of India via air and rail. The nearest airport is located in Surat (101 KM) away from Silvassa and other airport is located in Mumbai (132 KM) away from Silvassa. The rail network is also not available in Silvassa instead one can get trains 12 KM away from Silvassa at Karambeli, Vapi and Bhilad in Gujarat on regular basis. Dadra and Nagar Haveli’s capital- Silvassa is well-connected to all the major cities of Western India through NH-8 (Western Express Highway) which just pass by the region. Buses and other local transport ply in this region.
Culture
Dadra and Nagar Haveli have a colorful view about its culture and festivals. Most of the inhabitants of this region are tribal peoples belonging to certain tribes of Kokana, Varlies, Koli, Dhodia, Kathodi, Naika and Dublas. Folklores play a very important role in these tribal communities since it influences their way of living within the society. Every occasions or crop harvesting these tribal people associate with songs and dances and it is an unavoidable part of these tribal groups. Peoples living in the urban areas of Dadra and Nagar Haveli are very much influenced by the culture of Gujaratis and Marathis since this union territory is very near to Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Kokana tribes celebrates Akha Teej, Baras and Divaso too are also celebrated various tribal groups here. Dadra and Nagar Haveli is also famous for its traditional art and craft works which includes Warli painting, leather crafts, mat weaving, basketry, etc.
Education
There are several top class schools, colleges and other academic institutions, computer-training institutes, industrial training institutes, polytechnic institutes and other technical training institutes in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Some of the best known educational institutions are Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Lions English Schools, SSR College of Arts, Commerce and Science, SSR College of Pharmacy, KH Tech College, etc.
Hospitals and Health Care
Best health care services are provided by top hospitals in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. These are located at Silvassa and some of the reputed names in health care sector are Gopi Dental & Medical Care Clinic, Gurudev Skin & Cosmetic Clinic, Shri Vinoba Bhave Civil Hospital, Marigold Children Hospital and many more reputed hospitals and clinics.