Devgad taluka

Devgad is a taluka in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, India consisting of 98 villages.[2] It is located on the Arabian Sea in the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, south of Mumbai. Devgad is known globally for its exports of locally grown Alphonso mangoes.[3]

Alphonso mango
Bastions of Vijaydurg fort
Photo of ten large mangoes
Alphonso mangoes (Hapoos), grown mainly in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg, Devgad, and Ratnagiri districts, are popular in the United States.[1]

Devgad is a natural harbour which only small vessels can enter the harbour.[4]

History edit

It is noted for its harbour, its beach, and a lighthouse built in 1915 at the Devgad fort. Raja Bhoja II built Fort Vijaydurg (Gheria), ruled later by Adil Shah and eventually by Shivaji.[citation needed]

Transportation edit

The nearest railway station is Kankavli on Konkan Railway on Mumbai-Goa road.

There is a wall under the sea at shores of the Vijaydurg built such that an enemy's ships, trying to attack, would crash and sink.

Trade edit

Devgad is also widely known for its pure Alphonso mango cultivation/farming and the whole development has evolved due to undertaking of the cultivation of Alphonso mango farming.[5] Mangoes grown here are characterized by their distinct aroma, smooth exterior, thin skin and thick saffron pulp. The variety is different from the Alphonso mangoes grown in the Ratnagiri district. Such is the popularity of the Devgad Alphonso mango that vendors often pass off other similar looking mangoes under the name of Devgad Alphonso. Devgad Alphonso mango is grown on an area of 45,000 acres and reaches a production of about 50,000 tons in a year of decent production. Devgad is also home to the oldest and biggest co-operative society of mango farmers in India, called the Devgad Taluka Amba Utpadak Sahakari Sanstha Maryadit[6] or Devgad Taluka Mango Growers Society Ltd with over 700 alphonso growers and 25-year-old in 2013.

Fishing is carried out on a large scale in the sea as well as in the creeks throughout the taluka region. The staple diet of this region is rice and fish.

The first windmill project in Maharashtra was installed at Girye. [citation needed]

Climate edit

Climate data for Devgad taluka (1981–2010, extremes 1944–2006)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)36.4
(97.5)
36.9
(98.4)
39.2
(102.6)
37.2
(99.0)
38.0
(100.4)
37.2
(99.0)
32.4
(90.3)
33.0
(91.4)
32.9
(91.2)
36.6
(97.9)
36.3
(97.3)
35.2
(95.4)
39.2
(102.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)30.8
(87.4)
30.8
(87.4)
31.4
(88.5)
32.2
(90.0)
33.4
(92.1)
31.0
(87.8)
29.2
(84.6)
28.7
(83.7)
29.4
(84.9)
31.3
(88.3)
32.6
(90.7)
31.7
(89.1)
31.0
(87.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)19.6
(67.3)
20.2
(68.4)
22.5
(72.5)
24.5
(76.1)
26.2
(79.2)
24.4
(75.9)
23.8
(74.8)
23.4
(74.1)
23.0
(73.4)
23.3
(73.9)
21.8
(71.2)
20.5
(68.9)
22.8
(73.0)
Record low °C (°F)15.4
(59.7)
16.2
(61.2)
18.4
(65.1)
19.7
(67.5)
19.4
(66.9)
17.8
(64.0)
18.0
(64.4)
17.3
(63.1)
17.3
(63.1)
15.5
(59.9)
14.1
(57.4)
14.5
(58.1)
14.1
(57.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches)0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
2.6
(0.10)
76.9
(3.03)
791.9
(31.18)
786.4
(30.96)
547.5
(21.56)
270.0
(10.63)
70.1
(2.76)
13.7
(0.54)
0.2
(0.01)
2,559.3
(100.76)
Average rainy days0.00.00.00.32.517.923.123.913.34.11.20.186.3
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST)61636868708186878377676073
Source: India Meteorological Department[7][8]

Places to visit edit

Devgad is slowly becoming a tourist hot spot for tourists who want to avoid Goa beaches. This is perfect for family outing in a peaceful and calm backdrop.

  • Kunkeshwar shiva temple- There is a temple of Hindu deity Shiva which was built in 11th century situated in Kunkeshwar town, 16 Km from main city of Devgad. It is very famous for its Divinity and religious values across Maharashtra and people gather from across Maharashtra on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
  • Shri Dev Rameshwar Temple- This is a 16th-century temple called as Shri Dev Rameshwar Temple, dedicated to lord shiva located at Rameshwar.
  • Bhagwati Devi temple- There is a temple dedicated to the goddess Devi Bhagwati at the village of Munge.
  • Vishweswarayya and Swami Kartikaswamy temple- There are temples to God Vishweswarayya and Swami Kartikaswamy at Hindale village.
  • Rahateshwar temple- The temple of Shri Rahateshwar is in the village of Gadi Tamhane.
  • Dirba Devi temple- A small village known as Jamsande is situated near to Devgad. The famous Dirba Devi goddess temple is located in jamsande. It is approximately 4 km from the Devgad bus stand. There is a small fair during Tripuri pourninam[9]
  • Devgad Lighthouse-The western coastline is highly sensitive, hence recently, Government of India installed static radar and electro-optic sensors at Devgad Lighthouse as a part of India's first coastal surveillance network. Devgad is one out of 46 locations chosen for the network and envisages real-time surveillance cover up to 25 nautical miles.
  • Devgad Fort- This is situated 3 km from bus stand, on the east of the town. The Ganesh mandir and tree old cannons are worth visiting. This fort is situated on a small hillock close to the sea. Panoramic view of sea and the sunset view is best seen from the fort.[9]
  • Devgad Beach- It is about 2 km from the Devgad bus stand.

Demography edit

The following is a list of villages and their populations according to 2011 Census data:[10]

Sr.

no

VillageAdministrative divisionPopulation
1AadbandarDevgad292
2AreDevgad1,335
3BagamalaDevgad303
4BagatalavadeDevgad136
5BandegaonDevgad222
6BapardeDevgad1,304
7BurabavadeDevgad603
8ChafedDevgad629
9ChandoshiDevgad697
10ChinchwadDevgad280
11DabholeDevgad2,356
12DahibaonDevgad1,517
13DevgadDevgad2,417
14DhalavaliDevgad1,230
15DhoptewadiDevgad796
16ElayeDevgad1,697
17GadhitamhaneDevgad648
18GavaneDevgad693
19GiryeDevgad2,457
20GovalDevgad1,039
21HadpidDevgad522
22HindaleDevgad1,714
23HurshiDevgad1,206
24JamsandeDevgad14,487
25JuveshwarDevgad1,057
26KalambaiDevgad1,066
27KalviDevgad604
28Kasaba WaghotanDevgad313
29KatvanDevgad794
30KatwaneshwarDevgad829
31KhudiDevgad1,527
32KinjawadeDevgad2,491
33KorleDevgad681
34KotkamteDevgad1,808
35KunkawanDevgad896
36KunkeshwarDevgad1,829
37KuvaleDevgad1,255
38LingdalDevgad491
39MahalungeDevgad1,054
40MalegaonDevgad1,025
41MalpewadiDevgad632
42MancheDevgad2,261
43MithbaonDevgad2,241
44MithmumbariDevgad920
45MohulgaonDevgad715
46MondDevgad1,564
47MondparDevgad907
48MorveDevgad408
49Mouje WaghotanDevgad1,380
50MunageDevgad1,883
51MutatDevgad1,933
52NadDevgad990
53NadanDevgad2,105
54NaringreDevgad1,516
55NimatwadiDevgad629
56OmbalDevgad527
57PadelDevgad3,673
58PadtharDevgad1,074
59PadvaneDevgad660
60PalekarwadiDevgad1,210
61PatgaonDevgad942
62PavnaiDevgad732
63PendhariDevgad1,053
64PhanaseDevgad738
65PhanasgaonDevgad1,328
66PombhurleDevgad1,910
67PoyareDevgad943
68PuralDevgad1,203
69RahateshwarDevgad628
70RameshwarDevgad2,099
71RembavaliDevgad259
72SalashiDevgad1,164
73SandveDevgad473
74SaundaleDevgad1,939
75Sherighera KamteDevgad4
76ShevareDevgad368
77ShiravaliDevgad478
78ShirgaonDevgad2,555
79SomlewadiDevgad602
80TalavadeDevgad1,163
81TalebajarDevgad689
82TambaldegDevgad731
83TembavaliDevgad829
84ThakurwadiDevgad1,033
85TirlotDevgad2,307
86TorsoleDevgad1,172
87UndilDevgad623
88ValivandeDevgad962
89VijaydurgDevgad1,735
90VirwadiDevgad391
91VitthaladeviDevgad668
92Wadaker PoiDevgad178
93WadeDevgad1,728
94WadetarDevgad293
95WaghivareDevgad381
96WanivadeDevgad811
97WareriDevgad1,869
98WelgaveDevgad400

References edit

  1. ^ Allen J. Mango mania in Portland, Oregon, New York Times, May 10, 2006
  2. ^ India Village Directory
  3. ^ "Places of interest: Devgad". Gazetteers. Department of Tourism and Culture.
  4. ^ "DEVGAD LIGHTHOUSE" (PDF). ww.dgll.nic.in. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Vagaries of nature, rising input costs to kill the famed Alphonso mango crop". The Times Of India. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  6. ^ "About Devgad Taluka". Devgad Mango. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Station: Devgad (Devgarh) Climatological Table 1981–2010" (PDF). Climatological Normals 1981–2010. India Meteorological Department. January 2015. pp. 237–238. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M142. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  9. ^ a b "DEVGAD TOURISM GUIDE". www.indiatourmate.com. indiatourmate. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  10. ^ Directorate of Census Operations Maharashtra (2014). District Census Book Sindhudurg (PDF). Government of India. p. 95. Retrieved 27 December 2019.

16°22′25″N 73°22′40″E / 16.3735°N 73.3778°E / 16.3735; 73.3778