Konkan

It has been suggested that History of the Konkan be merged into this article or section. ()

A typical view of the Konkan, consisting of white-sand beaches and palm trees (mostly coconut and betel nut).

The Konkan, also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali, is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore. It includes Mumbai Region and Thane District. The sapta-Konkan is a slightly larger region described in the Skanda-purana. Konkan is also one of six divisions of the state of Maharashtra. Residents of Konkan and their descendants are called Konkanis. The name may also refer specifically to the Konkani people, an ethnic group of the region; most of them speak the Konkani language, which is from the Indo-European family of languages. The Sanskrit term Konkanastha (कोंकणस्थ), meaning "Resident of Konkan".

Rural Konkan

Boundaries

Map of the Konkan 1740AD.

The precise definition of Konkan varies, but most include Maharashtra's districts of Raigad, Mumbai, Thane, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, the state of Goa, and the Uttar Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka. The cities of Mumbai and Mangalore are geographically a part of the Konkan. The sapta-Konkan as depicted in Skanda-purana stretches from Maharashtra to Karnataka . This is actually logical since there are a lot of similarities in the food-habits (rice and fish), crops cultivated (rice, mangoes, cashews and jackfruit) and the physique (tall and well-built) of people dwelling in this area.

The Konkan division

Map of the districts comprising the Konkan division of Maharashtra.

The Konkan division of Maharashtra comprises the entire coastal region of the state, including Mumbai.

• Area: 30,746 km²
• Population (2001 census): 24,807,357
• Districts: Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Thane
• Literacy: 81.36%
• Area under irrigation: 4,384.54 km²

The Konkan division in Goa comprises the whole of it. AND MUMBAI TO MANGALORE 776 KM DISTANCE

History of administrative districts in Konkan Division

Konkan in monsoon

There have been changes in the names of Districts and has seen also the addition of newer districts after India gained Independence in 1947 and also after the state of Maharashtra was formed.

• Notable events include the creation of the Sindhudurg from the southern areas of the Ratnagiri district.
• Second event include the renaming of the erstwhile Kolaba district as Raigad, district.
• The Thane district is under proposal to be divided and a separate Jhawar (Tribal) district be carved out of existing Thane district

References

See also

• Konkan Railway
• History of Konkan
• People of the Konkan Division
• National highway 17

External links

• Konkan on Konkanonline.com
• Complete Guide to Konkan Tourism
• Stunning Konkan Pictures
• Konkan Pictures
• A description of the land, people and culture.
• Ratnagiri District.
• Konkan Railway