Dadra and Nagar Haveli Union Territory
(2001 pop. 220,000). The Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, located in western India, is surrounded by the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is a predominantly rural area and has seventy-two villages. Its capital city is Silvassa, and the principal languages spoken are Gujarati and Hindi.
Originally a part of the Maratha Confederacy, Dadra and Nagar Haveli became the scene of prolonged skirmishes between the Portuguese and the Marathas in the eighteenth century. In December 1779, the Maratha government, in an effort to ensure the friendship of the Portuguese, assigned to them the revenue of a few villages of the region. Since then the Portuguese ruled over the territory until its liberation on 2 August 1954. Subsequently it merged with the Indian Union on 11 August 1961 as a Union Territory.
Agriculture is the major occupation of the people of the region, paddy rice and millet being the most important crops cultivated. Fruits, especially mango and banana, are also produced. Nearly 40 percent of the total geographical area of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is under forest cover, which provides a livelihood to the tribal population.
Traditional crafts of the region include pottery, bamboo, and leather goods. The establishment of a cooperative industrial estate by Dan Udyog Sahakari Sangh Limited introduced industrialization in 1967–1968. Since then, modern industries have sprung up in the cities like Silvassa, Masat, and Khadoli. At present, the region boasts 988 cottage, village, and small-scale industries and 312 medium-scale industries in textiles, engineering goods, plastics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. A multiple-development project, the Damanganga Irrigation Project, a joint venture of the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and the state of Gujarat, is nearing completion. Despite its advantages, it has also caused hardship and displacement to some. The village of Kothar has been submerged, and four others partly submerged due to its construction.
Tourism is well developed in the region. Sites include the Tadkeshwar Siva temple, the Vanganga Lake, Dadra, Bindrabin, and the Tribal Cultural Museum and Hirvavan garden at Silvassa. Usually all Hindu, Muslim, and Christian festivals are celebrated in the territory. Members of the significant tribal population celebrate their own festivals. The Dhodia and Varli tribes celebrate Diwaso; Varlis and Koli celebrate Bhawada. Almost all the tribes perform Khali Puja after harvesting crops and Gram Devi before the harvest.
Further Reading
Research, Reference and Training Division, Government of India. (2001) India 2001: A Reference Annual. New Delhi: Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Singh, K. S. (1994) Dadra and Nagar Haveli. People of India, vol. 18. Chennai, India: East West Publishers.
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