TOURIST PLACES OF DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI

How to Reach  

 By Rail

The nearest Railway station is Vapi on Western Railway. All major Mail/Express trains are available at Vapi including August Kranti, Rajdhani, Satabdi, Ahinsa, Karnavati etc.

 By Road

The UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli is almost touching Mumbai – Baroda – Delhi National Highway No8 (Western Express Highway). Silvassa is about 14 Kms from Bhilad & 18 Kms from Vapi. Mumbai 180 Kms, Surat 140 Kms, Nasik 140 Kms and Daman 30 Kms.

interesting places 

Vanganga Lake Garden, Dadra

  A beautiful lake Garden Vanganga is located at the entrance of the U.T. of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and this beautiful garden at Dadra (6km from Silvassa) is spread over an area of 7.58 hects.  The garden created with Central Island is connected with bridges in Japanese style.  The major attraction are its water spread framed with tree line, boats, fountains, restaurants and jogging track on an average 4.00 lakhs tourists visits the garden annually.  The garden is very popular with filmmakers and more than 40 Hindi film hit songs have been picturised here.

Hirwa van garden, Piparia

Hirwa van garden 

  Another beautiful garden at the entry point at Silvassa is named after a tribal deity ‘Hirwa’ the green godess.  The water play is a theme here and can be seen in the form at roaring  waterfall, cascading rivulet,  gurgling springs streams all merging in a water body. 

 The visitors are fascinated with the sight of colorful shrubs, criss crossing footpaths and kiosks for the sit out.  The children play section offers variety of play equipments.  The centrally located garden is popular with the visiting.

Tribal Museum, Silvassa

The U.T., of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is predominantly inhabited by the tribal’s.  The museum has displayed their ornaments, musical instruments, fishing and hunting gadgets, agricultural and house hold articles, and several other artifacts. The tribal’s way of life is displayed through life size models, wedding dresses and photographs of eventful ceremonies. The museum is popular with the tourists as it offers the glimpse of the native tribal’s and their culture at one place.

Dudhani

Dudhani, located 40 Kms from Silvassa and 20 Kms from Khanvel, is an aqua serene tourist resort, and ideal to explore water sports. It has a large water front of the Damanganga River with a variety of water sports equipment, like jet skis, speed boats and shikaras. The accommodation in cottages is a sought after retreat for city dwellers. The restaurant serves delicious sea food, as is in restaurants of Silvassa.

Luhari

Luhari, 14 km from Silvassa, is for visitors looking for an absolutely relaxed break close to Mother Nature. The resorts here have machan style cottages close to forested areas. For the adventurous, trekking trails and camps are organized in the surrounding woods and wildlife sanctuary – very close to Silvassa.

Khanvel Resort

Khanvel, 20 km south of Silvassa, is surrounded by lush green hills. The river Sakartod flows by, and in the forests you can spot flying foxes, fruit bats, flycatchers and barbets. The drive from Silvassa to Khanvel is a pleasant one, passing majestic trees and tribal villages.

You can get all your tourist information at Silvassa or the tourism department for Dadra and Nagar Haveli or Silvassa. The Vanvihar Tourist Complex at Chauda offers every facility needed to convert the laziest person into a lover of the great outdoors. The complex has native style cottages, a cactus house and a deer park.

Satmalia    

On the way to Khanvel, Satmalia has a wildlife sanctuary with many species of antelope. Many other animals – including sambhar and chital deer, and black bucks – and a wide variety of birds - including the flame back woodpecker, peacocks, and thrushes – can be spotted. The machan (watch tower) near the water hole provides an incredibly panoramic view of the sanctuary and Madhuban Dam.

Vasona

The famous Lion Safari at Vasona spread over 20 hectares, is a huge attraction. Visitors are driven in vans that are fitted with net mesh screens to admire the lions in their natural habitat. 

Kauncha

Kauncha, 40 km south of Silvassa, is a tranquil place with tile roofed cottages. Trekkers love it . pitching a tent on the bank of the Madhuban Dam and gazing at the stars is the perfect way to end a day of adventure. Jet skies, rowing boats, kayaks and canoes are available for those who like water sports.

The Himai Van Health Resort is surrounded by tribal villages at the foothills of the Western Ghats. For further tourist information contact the tourism department of Silvassa or Dadra and Nagar Haveli. They will provide you with a travel guide for all your travel needs in Silvassa and throughout the Union Territory. You can also get information about hotels, places to visit, tourist complexes, holiday themes or tours in Silvassa and also through Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

ISLAND GARDEN SILVASSA

Situated at the centre of Vanganga Lake, the distance of Island Garden from the Marathi town of Silvassa is only 4kms. If you are a traveler and visiting Silvassa then you cannot afford to miss this beautiful garden. The absolute beauty of the place is very picturesque and appeals to all the senses of the body almost immediately. Get yourself clicked among the old style wooden bridges and abundant flowers and enjoy nature at its best. The garden also has an option of boating for the amusement of the visitors.

CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PIETY

The Church of Our Lady of Piety is one of the oldest churches in the town of Silvassa. Built by the Portuguese in 1889 the church is one example of the excellent architectural capabilities of the Portuguese. Both the internal and the external archway of the church are beautifully decorated. The location of this church opposite the tribal museum is a major factor attracting large number of people to the church.

TAPOVAN TOURIST COMPLEX, BINDRABIN

18Km from silvassa and 2Km from Khanvel, the historic temple of Lord Shiva is located for the devotees. With the temple, the department has provided a restaurant and an amusement park as well, making the place even more interesting.

Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Dadra & Nagar Haveli endowed with nature's munificence, it's a land of spell-binding beauty... green forests, winding rivers, unimaginable waterfronts, gentle gurgle of streams, distant dotting mountain ranges, a gorgeous kaleidoscope of flora and fauna... Owing to its serenity and quaint sylvan surroundings, this territory is a heaven for those who hunt around for a tranquil holiday.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli Portuguese: (Dadrá e Nagar Aveli) is a Union Territory in western India. Nagar Haveli is wedged between Maharashtra and Gujarat, whereas Dadra is an enclave lying a few kilometers north of Nagar Haveli in Gujarat. Its capital is Silvassa. The territory lies some ten to thirty kilometers up-river from the city of Daman.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli are in the watershed of the Daman Ganga River, which flows through the territory. The towns of Dadra and Silvassa both lie on the north bank of the river. The Western Ghats range rises to the east, and the foothills of the range occupy the eastern portion of the district. The territory is landlocked, although the Arabian Sea coast lies just to the west in Gujarat. The major spoken languages in the territory are Gujarati, Hindi and Marathi.

History of Dadra & Nagar Haveli

In order to keep the English at bay and to enlist their support against the Moghals, the Marathas made friends with the Portuguese and signed with them a treaty in 1779. According to this historic treaty of friendship, the Maratha-Peshwa agreed that the Portuguese will be allowed to collect revenues from Dadra and Nagar Haveli which consisted of 72 villages, then known as parganas (now referred to as district places). These territories were earlier ruled by the Koli chiefs who were defeated by the Hindu kings of Jawhar and Ramnagar. The Marathas conquered and annexed these territories to their kingdom.

After India attained Independence in 1947, the residents of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, with the help of volunteers of organizations like the United Front of Goans (UFG), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the National Movement Liberation Organization (NMLO) and the Azad Gomantak Dal liberated the territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli from Portuguese rule in 1954.

The area of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is spread over 491 km2  landlocked between Gujarat to the north and Maharashtra to the south. It was liberated from its Portuguese rulers on 2 August 1954. The people of the territory established free administration of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, which was finally merged into the Union of India in 1961.

From 1954 to 1961, the territory was administered by a body called the Varishta Panchayat of Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

In 1961 when Indian forces took over Goa, Daman, and Diu, Mr. Badlani was, for one day, designated the Prime Minister of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, so that, as Head of State, he could sign an agreement with the Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, and formally merge Dadra and Nagar Haveli with the Republic of India.

Geography of Dadra & Nagar Haveli

The stretch of the geographical area is hilly terrain especially towards the north east and east where it is surrounded by ranges of Sahyadri Mountains (Western Ghats). The central region of the land is almost plain and the soil is fertile and rich. The river Damanganga rises in the Ghat 64 km from the western coast and discharges itself in the Arabian Sea at the port of Daman. Its three tributaries viz. Varna, Pipri and Sakartond also intersect the land. About 53% of the land is under forest cover. However the reserved forest cover is about 20,359 hectares (50,310 acres) in this territory constitutes about 40% of the total geographical area. The rich bio-diversity makes it an ideal habitat for a variety of birds and animals. This makes it a perfect spot for eco-tourism. Silvassa is an incredible eco-tourism spot for wildlife enthusiasts.

A Lieutenant Governor administers the territory, which covers an area of 188 sq mi or 487 km² and consists of two talukas:-

• ·     Dadra
• ·     Nagar Haveli

Dadra is the headquarters of Dadra taluka, comprising Dadra town and two other villages. Silvassa is the headquarters of Nagar Haveli taluka, comprising Silvassa town and 68 other villages. According to the 2011 census Dadra and Nagar Haveli has a population of 342,853.Dadra and Nagar Haveli have a sex ratio of 775 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 77.65 %.

Tribal’s make up a large part of the population - 62%. The most prominent are Dhodia (16.90%), Kokna (16.85%) and Varli (62.94%), with small groups of Koli, Kathodi, Naika and Dubla scattered across the territory, collectively representing 3.31% of the population. Dhodias and Dubles mainly populate the Northern part, whereas Koknas and Varlis are found all over the Union Territory. They worship the primary deities of Dis (Sun) and Chand (Moon), and Narandev, Kanasari, Himai, Hirva, Veer, Rangtai and Vagdev.

MONUMENTS OF CHANDIGARH

The city was originally divided into 47 sectors and the Capitol Complex as well as Civic Centre were meant to be the focal point. A green belt penetrates the centre to the south while in the heart of the city, Sector 17 has been designed as the business district. The orderly design, wide roads and well-planned facilities with a leaning towards modernism, makes it an ideal \'garden city\'. Chandigarh is regarded as a bible for modern architects. It has become a symbol of youth for India and its people are proud of its state-of-the-art-city status. 

Open Hand Monument

This monument is the city's official emblem, signifying the message of unity, peace, and being "Open to give and receive." The monument was designed by the well-known 20th century architect Le Corbusier and is shaped like a giant hand, made from metal sheets that rotate to indicate the direction of the wind. It weighs approximately 50 tons and is 46 feet tall. It located in Sector 1 in the Capitol Complex, on the north side of the city. Open hand in Chandigarh, is one of the most significant monuments of the city. Rising eighty five feet above the ground the monument is designed like a "weather cock", not to show the incertitude of ideas, but to indicate symbolically the direction of wind (that is the state of affairs). The surface of the hand is coated with baked enamel in orange, green and while – the tri colors of Indian flag.

Temple of Goddess Chandi 

This ancient Hindu temple is approximately nine miles from Chandigarh. It is located on Kalka-Chandigarh Road.  It is dedicated to Chandi, considered the goddess of power, a combination of several other male Hindu gods. The temple is considered a place where wishes come true, or a "Siddh Peeth." Thousands of people visit the temple twice a year during the Festivity of Navratras, or "Festival of Nine Lights."

City Museum 

The City Museum opened in 1997 to celebrate 50th anniversary of independence. The modern building houses plans, photos, models and original sketches of Chandigarh planning and execution. The City Museum's purpose is to collect, display and preserve all of the unique architecture and planning that went into Chandigarh's creation, as well as its future.

It is located in Sector 10C. City Museum, The Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh owes its existence to the partition of the country in August, 1947. It is one of the premier institutions of India with a very rich collection of Gandharan sculptures, Pahari and Rajasthani miniature paintings. 

Before the partition in 1947, the collection of art objects, paintings, sculptures and decorative arts, were housed in the Central Museum, Lahore the then capital of Punjab. Of the various multi-dimensional Museums in India, the Government Museum and Art Gallery at Chandigarh occupies a very distinctive position for not only its unique collection of the objects, but also for other reasons as well. Situated in the heart of the city planned by Le Corbusier, and very close to the city centre in beautiful view of the Shivalik range of mountains, the Museum has a very sprawling and spread out campus at one side of which is located the Government College of Art. 

The Museum building is an attraction in view of the fact that Le Corbusier himself designed it. The Museum was inaugurated on the 6th May, 1968 under the initiative and active support of Late Dr. M.S. Randhawa, renowned connoisseur and patron of art, and the then Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh. Later a few other buildings were added in view of the growing need of the Museum's expansion. The campus in which the Museum is situated is surrounded with selective trees adding grandeur to the campus. The vast expanse of the courtyard of the Museum is dotted with some contemporary sculptures suitable for environmental display.

Museum of Evolution 

Located in Sector 10, Museum of Evolution of Life in Chandigarh is an awesome museum that gives a fabulous recap of the history beginning from the time of Indus valley civilization till date. 

Chandigarh Museum of Evolution of Life was made open for public viewing on 13th August 1973. As the name only suggests, it depicts the evolution of life from the unicellular organism to the biological diversity of today.

Museum of Evolution of Life is an apt place for those who are interested in evolutionary studies. It explains the history through various paintings that portray the origin of life, the variety and diversity of plants and animals, extinct races of man etc. The museum has different art galleries in the fields of astronomy, archaeology, botany, biology, history and geology. There is a big reference library, where you can find a plenty of useful books.

Capitol Complex 

This is the most magnificent work of Le Corbusier – the architect of Chandigarh. Capitol Complex is the seat of the governments of Punjab and Haryana. Set against the Shivalik Hills the complex comprises of three edifices – the Secretariat, the High Court and the Legislative Assembly, representing the monumental character authority of the complex. Separated by large piazzas, the subtle and most evocative grouping of these buildings is of breath-taking beauty.

Martyr's Memorial 

Just right of the Assembly building one can see the Martyr’s Memorial – a monument to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Punjab partition. The memorial consists of a square enclosure with one side elongated into a ramp by which one mounts the enclosing wall, Within the enclosure are to be symbolic figures of a prone man, a snake, and a lion set amid ruins. The concrete ramp permits one to see, from above the Capitol in its entirety and creates a promenade rising and descending. Other stunning monuments include the Tower of Shadows and  Geometric Hill.