Navsari

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  ?Navsari
Gujarat • India
Map indicating the location of Navsari
Thumbnail map of India with Gujarat highlighted
Location of Navsari
Coordinates: 20°56′57″N 72°54′49″E / 20.9491, 72.9136
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Elevation
• 9 m (30 ft)
District(s) Navsari
Population 134,009 (2001)
Codes
• Pincode
• 396445

Coordinates: 20°56′57″N 72°54′49″E / 20.9491, 72.9136 Navsari (Gujarati: નવસારી) is a city and a municipality in the Indian state of Gujarat. The Navsari administrative district is named after it.

Contents

[edit] History

Navsari, one of the oldest cities of Gujarat, has an inspiring history of over 2000 years. According to the Greek historical writings, a celebrated Egyptian astronomer and geographer named Ptolemy mentioned about Navsari's port in his book written about 1850 years ago (150 A.D.). The geographic location he showed as Narispa, is in fact the Navsari of today (Ref: Bombay Gazetteer. Record 13).

The origin of the name "Navsari" has a very fascinating history. In the past, the city of Navsari has been associated with many names such as Nag Vardhana, Nag Shahi, Nag Sarika, Nag Mandal, Nav Sarika and Nav Sareh. Some of the legends associated with the various names of Navsari are as follows:

Shayashray Shiladitya, who ruled over Navsari in the seventh century named this city NAG VARDHANA in honor of his Guru Nag Vardhana. During the same period, the name changed to NAV SARIKA as is evidenced by a recovered copper plate dated 669 A.D. The legend is that Shayashray Shiladttya presented a copper plate to a priest in his town. The copper plate read that Shiladitya, the ruler of "Nav Sarika," had bestowed a nearby village upon this priest of the Kashyapclan.

The above changes in names show that Navsari, like any other city, has passed through many vicissitudes in the matter of political reign. About fourteen hundred years ago, the kings of the Chalukya Dynasty governed the region of Navsari. Later on, the Parsis, who migrated from Iran, virtually ruled this small town. One group of Parsis, then Persian Zoroastrians, left Iran from a place in north eastern region with Sari as the main town; its possible this is the name adopted by Parsis (new Sari-Navsari) for Nav Sarika. The reign of the Parsis ended as the Muslim rulers took over. For the last one hundred years, until India's independence in 1947, Navsari was the property of the Gaekwads of Baroda.

Navsari is recognized as the birthplace of the great business tycoons such as Dadabhoy Naoroji, Jamshetji Tata and Sir Jamshetji Jeejeebhoy. A Historical place in the history of India is located just 17 km from main city. Dandi where Mahatma Gandhi and lots and lots of his followers protest against the British salt tax in colonial India. Mahatma Gandhi along with his followers, walked from Sabarmati Ashram(Ahmadabad) to Dandi(Navsari), Gujarat to make salt, large numbers of Indians following him of their own accord. The road toward dandi is lined with tall trees and green fields. A large number of tourists from the different places of the country come to have a look at Navsari. Several people from the Parsi origin also come here to see this site as this was the first dwelling place of the Parsis who migrated to Gujarat. The excellence of the Parsi architecture can be well understood from the various edifices of this place that are built in the authentic Parsi style. The Parsi Vad is one such structure that has become a heritage site and attracts a lot of tourists. Being one of the important tourist attractions in Navsari.

[edit] Geography

Navsari is located at 20.95° N 72.93° E. It has an average elevation of 9m (29') above sea level. The city is located in Southern Gujarat and is situated near the Purna River, within a few kilometres of the river's delta, which is west of the city and empties into the Gulf of Khambhat.

The weather is sunny from September to May, rainy from June to August. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are 40°C (104°F) and 18°C (64°F) respectively. The average annual rainfall is 122cm (48").

The nearest local airport is at Surat, 30 km north of Navsari, with the nearest international airports being Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Mumbai (Bombay), 260 km to the south and to the north the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad. Navsari also lies on the Mumbai-Delhi railway link.

The soil of the region is black. There are 2 lakes in the city - Dudhiya Talav (Talav means Lake in Gujarati), Sarbatiya Talav.

[edit] Demographics

As of the 2001 census[1], Navsari had a population of 134,009. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Navsari has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 72%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

There are no accurate figures, but during the months from November to February (the cooler months), Navsari and the surrounding 'villages' are visited by a large number of people (Non-Resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin) from countries like: United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. As time has gone on and because getting to Navsari and the surrounding villages has got easier (and cheaper), more and more people are now coming 'back' on a more regular basis. Usually these are people whose families are still there or people whose ancestors originally came from there (or in most cases, both).

[edit] Landmarks

The Sayaji Vaibhav Library is an important public building in Navsari. The Meherji Rana library at Tarota Bazaar has a very good collection of literary works and is home to some of the oldest texts of the Indian Zoroastrian community.

The Clock Tower and Old Post Office Building serve as important landmarks for the city's primary market (Mota Bazaar).

There is also a statue to Dadabhai Naoroji within the town (see below for details).

Dudhia Talao, another of the area's major market and commercial centers was once a lake. There is a reputed ophthalmic hospital near Dudhia Talao built in early 70's. The regionally popular Ashapura Temple is near Dudhia Talao.

Another important place of worship is BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. Lcated on Ntional Highway no. 8 which links Mumbai - Delhi

Lunsikui, the city's main residential area is named after a large park where the children of the city come to play cricket and eat in the evenings when Lunsikui is filled with vendors, all serving different kinds of food.

[edit] History and Personalities

Navsari also boasts of a big Parsi-Zoroastrian community. Dadabhai Naoroji, the 'Grand Old Man of India', who was the South Asian to be elected to the British Parliament; and Jamshetji Tata, founder of the Tata group of companies, were both born in Navsari. J. N. Tata's birth place is still preserved as a memorial.

The famous Salt March undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi and his followers in 1930 passed through Navsari on the way to Dandi beach from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. At Dandi beach, Gandhi and his followers defied the British authorities by making salt, and this act signified the beginning of non-violent resistance to British rule which culminated in Indian independence in 1947.

[edit] Education

Schools

Colleges and Universities

  • Navsari Agricultural University
  • S.B. Garda Science College
  • P.K. Patel Commerce College
  • Navsari Law College
  • Naranlala College Of Commerce & Management
  • B.P.BARIA SCIENCE COLLEGE
  • Mahatma gandhi institute of technical education and research

Hospitals

  • Kesrichand Gulabchand Hospital (K. G. Hospital)
  • Dabu Hospital
  • Kejal Hospital
  • Yashfin Hospital
  • Gulab Ben Choteo Bhai Trust's SHRUSHUSHA HOSHPITAL
  • K.D.N GOHIL HOSPITAL

[edit] References and further reading

NavsariOnNet

Seth Banatwala High School

Chijgam, the neighboring village - [1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns. (Provisional). Census Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.