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The Daman Ganga River flows past just south of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli territory. The Western Ghats are to the east, and the foothills of the range occupy the eastern portion of the district. The territory is just off the Arabian Sea coast lies just to the west in Gujarat. The commonly spoken languages are Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi and English. The UT threw off Portuguese rule in 1954 before joining India.
Demographics:
More than 62 percent of the total population is tribal. The literacy rate is 63 percent. The urbanites constitute about 23 percent of the total population. The urban Silvassa town is the most thickly populated of the lot. Over 95 percent of the population is Hindu. The main tribes are Varlis, Dhodia and Koknas. The main occupation is agriculture, but due to lack
of land holdings, many of them work as farm labourers or seek employment elsewhere. |
How to Get There:
The only way to get there is by road. The National Highway into Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh is three km away, with enough links. The nearest railhead is a small Gujarati station called Vapi, 14 km away. Climate: The climate is moderate; hot and humid during summer but less warm during the
monsoons from June - September. The area, referred to as the Cherrapunji of western India
receives an annual rainfall of 200-250 cm.
Where to Stay:
There are over 30 hotels, lodges and resorts in this UT, 3-star and lower. Each of these has its own restaurant. Apart from these, there are five crowded bar-cum-restaurants. Most of the UT’s visitors are weekenders from Mumbai and Nashik.
What to See:
Tribal Cultural Museum in Silvassa, The Vanganga Lake Garden in Dadra, Hirwa Van Garden, the verdant Khanvel, the wildlife sanctuary at Satmalia, the Lion Safari at Vasona and the Himai Van Health Resort at Kauncha. You could also explore the hill resort and the tribal land of Saputara in Gujarat (route via Dharampur), the Parsi temple at Udwada, the pilgrimage sites of Trambakeshwar, Nashik and Shirdi.
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