Daman district, India

History

The edict of Emperor Ashoka (273 to 136 BC) was found in Saurashtra and Sopara near Bombay. The Satraps under the Kushana emperor seem to have ruled over Daman District during the 1st century AD. Coins of Bhumaka and Nahapan, the Kshaharata rulers, were discovered in the surrounding areas of Surat District. Ushavadatta, Nahapan's son-in-law, is said to have provided ferries on the Dhanuha, Dhamana, Parada, and Tapi rivers.

The river's names—Dahanu, Daman, and Pardi—have remained unchanged for the last 2,000 years. The district seems to have been subjected to the rule of Gautamiputra Satakarni around 125 AD, who drove away the Kshaharatas. However, the Satavahana's rule was short-lived.

Govinda III handed over the Lata kingdom to his brother Indra around 808 AD, giving him the title Lateswaramandalasya or the Protector of Latamandala. Indra was succeeded by his son Karka, who seems to have ruled Latamandala jointly with his brother Govinda until 826. Druva II, son of Karka, ascended the throne around 835 and was succeeded by Akalavarsha in 867. The district passed to Tailappa II of the Chalukyas of Kalyani in 973. Tailappa II placed the Lata country in the hands of his relative and general Barrpa alias Dvarappa Chalukya.

The Portuguese acquired Daman from the Shah of Gujarat. They first noticed the port of Daman in 1523. Daman was a Portuguese enclave for four and a half centuries until the end of colonial rule in 1961. Daman has been a coveted prize, for which princes, monarchs, and alien powers waged wars. Muted memories of history lie vaulted in the monuments of Daman. It had been a melting pot where races and cultures met and mixed to bring forth a multi-coloured identity.

On 3 November 2019, Daman Collector Rakesh Minhas issued a Section 144 order banning the peaceful assembly of four or more persons, slogan-shouting, and the use of loudspeakers across the entire district. Additionally, he ordered the conversion of two high schools into "temporary jails" in response to a land ownership dispute between the local indigenous fishing community and the local administration, who had confiscated their land and bulldozed their homes. The ensuing 2019 Daman Indigenous Land Clearing Protests resulted in the detention of 70 protesters in the 'temporary jails' and another 8 arrests. While a few of the adivasi fisherfolk were rehoused, most were left traumatized and homeless.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the Daman district had a population of 191,173, roughly equal to the nation of Samoa,{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison: Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 June 2007 | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote =Samoa 193,161

Transport

A bridge over the Daman Ganga River between Moti Daman and Nani Daman collapsed during the monsoon on 28 August 2003, killing 27 school children and one teacher when their vehicles plunged into the river. A new bridge was constructed at a cost of about 90 million rupees, but it partially collapsed in August 2004; no casualties occurred in this incident. The collapse was attributed to heavy flooding of the Daman Ganga River.

Sister cities

Daman is a twin town of Coimbra, Portugal.

References

References

1. (29 March 2016). "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India".
2. "Establishment Day of Dadra & Nagar Haveli – MoDe India".
3. (4 December 2019). "Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu UTs Merge for 'better Admin Efficiency, Service': MoS Home".
4. (2010). "India 2010: A Reference Annual". Additional Director General, Publications Division, [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)]], [[Government of India]].
5. "Department of Panchayati Raj-DAMAN AND DIU - National Panchayat Portal - Govt. of India".
6. "Daman and Diu Geography of Daman and Diu Culture of Daman and Diu Cuisine of Daman and Diu Places of interest in Daman and Diu Geographic coordinate of Daman and Diu".
7. http://rguir.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/16841/1/9781984668172.pdf {{Bare URL PDF. (August 2024)
8. "Official Website of U.T. Administration of Daman & Diu - India".
9. The Wire, Staff. (4 November 2019). "Daman: Section 144 Imposed, Two Government Schools Converted Into 'Temporary Jails'".
10. Express, News Service. (5 November 2019). "Demolition of houses: Section 144 in Daman after residents protest".
11. Uppal, Jas. (6 January 2020). "Daman – Land and Property Owned by the Fishing Communities Confiscated and Homes Demolished".
12. (2011). "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in.
13. (28 August 2003). "24 Killed in Daman Bridge Collapse". The Tribune.
14. "Part of Daman bridge collapses, no {{sic".
15. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050731/spectrum/main2.htm Ervell E. Menezes, "Lotus of the marshlands", ''The Tribune'' (31 July 2005)]
16. (2014). "Damão, Índia". Câmara Municipal de Coimbra.