Dahisar

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Dahisar is a suburb of Mumbai. It is also the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway (India) railway line, situated in Dahisar suburb. Located on the city limits of Mumbai, Dahisar is the last suburb and railway station within the Mumbai Suburban District; past Dahisar lies the city's extended suburbs.

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[edit] History

The history of Dahisar is probably as old as the ruins of Mandpeshwar caves that lie on the Dahisar - Borivali border. The original residents of Dahisar are the Panchkalshis,Agris, East Indians and Kolis, who still live primarily in the hamlets of Kandarpada and Gaothan and the tribals who lived in the hills surrounding Dahisar- the Warlis and Dublis.

With the construction of the railway line connecting Dahisar to the city of Mumbai over a century ago, came the first lot of migrants, the people from Sindhudurg region of Konkan. These migrants established the first planned residential areas of Dahisar - Maratha Colony in Dahisar East and Mhatre Wadi in the West. The Railway authorities wanted to name the rail head at Dahisar as Mount Poinsur Road, but the locals opposed this move and forced the authorities to name it as Dahisar.

Medina Manzil,Patel Colony,Jainab Bagh,Sanjeevani and Gol Building were amongst the first building style residential areas of Dahisar. The 70s saw the setting up of residential areas of Gokul and Shailendra Nagar.

The 80s and 90s saw a spurt in the development of residential complexes. Anand Nagar was the first of the very large residential complexes to be built in Dahisar.

Dahisar was originally a part of Thane District, it became a part of Mumbai in the 1960s.

Dahisar was once a popular spot for film shoots. There were numerous idyllic locations for film shoots like, the Dahisar river and the old bridge that now lies in the ruins,the small hillock with its orchards which is now the shanti nagar slum and the Bhoot Bangla which is now a film studio. One of the last movies to be shot in Dahisar was the Amitabh starrer, Suhaag, the climax of the Film was shot on the stairs that led up to Bhav Devi Temple at Dahivali.

[edit] Geography

Dahisar is bound by the scenic hills of National Park on the eastern side and the inlet of Manori creek and saltpans on the western side. Dahisar was once an idyllic place to live in, with small hillocks, mango orchards, a beautiful river, and numerous lakes and ponds. But as of today, the beautiful river, is now an extremely polluted stream of sewage, the orchards and hills have been obliterated by slums and lakes have now been filled over for building construction. The dense mangroves surrounding the inlet of Gorai creek however still remain and provide Dahisar with its last remaining stretch of wilderness. There was a time just 30 years back, when the marshy area which is now the link road, was full of gigantic boulders, all of which baring a couple have been demolished. Currently Dahisar has undergone a complete transformation, with better pedestrian sidewalks, wider & smoother roads. A new flyover is being built near Ashok Van on the Western Express High-Way which aims to ease traffic during the peak hours.

[edit] Origins of the City Name

The origin of word Dahisar probably has got something to do with the Ten hamlets which made up this village. "Dahi" stands for Ten in the language of Warlis, Dublis, Kolis and Agris, the original residents of Dahisar. Kandarpada, Navagaon, Ovaripada, Ghartanpada, Ketaki pada, Raival Pada, Dahivali, Babhlipada, Bhagalipada and Gaothan are the ten original hamlets of Dahisar

[edit] Prominent Personalities

Dr.Shubha Raul - Mayor of Mumbai, (second person from Dahisar after Hareshwar Patil to occupy this post),Freedom Fighter Late Mr.Kaku Bhai Bhatia (Gopaldas M.Purecha.)Als.Manvendranath Azad Took part in quit India movement of 1942.Who was Detained For One year & two Months with Mahatma Gandhji-1942.-Yarwada Jail Pune,Freedom Fighter Late Dr.Dattatreya Mahadeo Anagare,Leading Hindi Films Art Director Late Mr. Shiraj Shiraji (Mugl-E-Azam Fame),Leading Gujrathi Catoonist Late Mr.Narad Als Mahendra Trivedi (Janmabhoomi Guj.Eve.News.-ChitraLekha),Leading Journalist Mr.Abhay Mokashi,Famous Actor Suhas Palshikar (Ankush Fame), Ujjwala Raut - Famous Model, Rajshri Thakur - Television Star, Aniket Vishwasrao - Marathi Actor, Dr. Ashok Mulgaonkar - Leading Gynaecologist, Mr Gangaram Gavankar - Marathi/Malvani Playwright, Boman Irani - Promoter of Rustomjee, a Real Estate Company, Mr.Laxmikant R. Tulskar - President of Federation of Ashokvan CHS, Miss. Trishna Beltangdi - Television Star, Dr. Mangesh Tiwaskar - Leading Cardiologiest,Dr.Pravin Bhatia -Purecha-Dynamic Leading Reiki Grand Master-Holystic Healer Acharya of Siddha Healing Foundations India,Gujarathi Poet & Writer Mr.Surendra Thacker(Mehul),Gujarathi Dairo Fame Singer Mr.Bhanu Vora,Amitabh's childhood Roll Fame-Master Raju Bhakti Complex Kander pada..

[edit] Landmarks

The railway line divides Dahisar into 2 sections, Dahisar(East) and Dahisar(West). The residential area of Mhatre Wadi on the westernside and Maratha Colony on the eastern side, were the first planned residential areas of Dahisar.The Bhav devi temple atop Dahivali hill, The old Vithal Mandir near the river, the Gaon devi temple near the rail underpass and Bhatla devi temple near the S.V. Road and the bungalow of then zamindar or Khot of Dahisar, Haji Kasam, known as "Bhoot Bangla", which now houses the Trimurti studio are the original landmarks of Dahisar.

Some other landmarks in Dahisar include Dahisar Fish market, Dahisar Govthan, Siddhi Vinayak Mandir, Dahisar Bridge in Dahisar(West), Moviegem Cinema (earlier termed as Rajashree cinema), Toll Naka in Dahisar(East), Thakur Mall near Toll Naka Dahisar(East), The Gokulanand Restaurant .A place called Bhakti Complex in link road is a famous meeting and hangout place with places like Cafe Coffee Day nearby in Dahisar(West). There is also a large stretch of land belonging to the Airports Authority of India in Dahisar(East) lying close to the nearby residential area of Anand Nagar and Ketkipada.

The main Schools in Dahisar are St. Mary's High School, Shailendra Education Society, VPM-Vidya Mandir, Poorna Prajana High School, Swami Vivekanand Vidyalaya , Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vidyalaya, St Thomas High School and Rustomjee International school and Shailendra is also the only Degree college in Dahisar which provide degree for Commerce and Arts.


Dahisar
Next station south:
Borivali
Mumbai suburban railway : Western Railway Next station north:
Mira Road
Stop No: 22 KM from starting: 36.34

Coordinates: 19°31′N, 72°51′E