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Wikipedia / Valsad

Valsad (Pronunciation: [ʋalsɑɖ]), anglicised as Bulsar, is a town and municipality in the Valsad district of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the district headquarters of Valsad district. Valsad is located north of Vapi and shares borders with Maharashtra and the union territories of Daman in the south.

Etymology

The name "Valsad" derives from vad-saal, a Gujarati language compound meaning "covered (sal) by banyan trees (vad)" or "where vad (banyan trees) and sal (sal tree) are" (the area was naturally rich in banyan trees). During the British Era, it was historically known as "Bulsar".

Geography

Valsad is located at . It has an average elevation of 13metres (42feet). The old city is about 4km inland from the Arabian Sea.

Climate

Valsad has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with little to no rainfall from October to May and very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall from June to September when it is under the direct influence of the Arabian Sea branch of the South-west monsoon.

Demographics

As of the 2011 India census, Valsad (metropolitan area) has a population of 170,060. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Valsad has an average literacy rate of 91.66%, higher than the national average of 74.04%. Male literacy is 94.62%, and female literacy is 88.58%.

The major language spoken is Gujarati. Other languages spoken are Hindi, Marathi and English.

The major religion followed in Valsad is Hinduism. Other religions followed are Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. The town was once a hub for Parsis.

Transport

Road transport

Valsad lies on NH 48 and is connected to many cities in Gujarat and neighbouring states by the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation bus service.

Railways

Valsad railway station is managed by the Mumbai WR railway division of the Western Railway and it is a Sub-Division under Western Railway. It lies on the New Delhi–Mumbai main line. The present railway station building was established in 1925. Adjacent to the railway station is the Valsad Electric Loco Shed which houses over 100 electric locomotives.

Airport

Valsad is close to Surat International Airport, which is 99km north of the city and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai which is 188.3km south of the city.

Economy

Valsad is an industrial base for sectors such as chemicals, textiles, and paper & pulp industries. Since the 1980s, textile and chemicals have been the major sectors of investments and employment in the district. Valsad is emerging as a horticulture hub of the state, witnessing significant production in food grains and crops.

Valsad has 7 industrial estates located in Dungra, Pardi, Dharampur, Bhilad, Valsad, Umbergaon, Sarigam, Vapi (the chemical hub of Gujarat) and 1 Industrial park in Kalgam. With over 300 medium and large scale industries, Vapi is a major industrial center in Valsad. One of Asia's largest Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) is present in Vapi, owned by Vapi Waste & Effluent Management Company and promoted by Vapi Industrial Association.

Education

Colleges

  • GMERS Medical College, est 2014

  • Government Engineering College (affiliated to Gujarat Technological University), est 2004

  • Government Polytechnic (affiliated to Gujarat Technological University), est 1965

  • Smt. J.P. Shroff Arts College

  • Shah N.H. Commerce College

  • Dhiru-Sarla Institute of Management and Commerce

  • B.K.M. Science College

  • Dolat-Usha Institute of Applied Sciences

  • Shree N. K. M. Nursing Instuite

  • Shah K.M. Law College

Schools

  1. Affiliated with ICSE

  2. Atul Vidyalaya School

  3. Affiliated with the CBSE

  4. Saraswati International School

  5. Shree Vallabh Ashram's MGM Amin & V N Savani International School

  6. Shree Vallabh Sanskar Dham's Smt. Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel Day Boarding School

  7. Shree Vallabh Ashram's MCM Kothari Girl's Residential School

  8. Vedaant Multipurpose School

  9. Western Railway English Medium Secondary School

  10. Affiliated with the GSHSEB

  11. D.M.D.G. Municipal High School

  12. Jamnabai Sarvajanik Kanya Vidyalaya

  13. Maniba Sarvajanik Vidyalaya

  14. Shah Khimchand Mulji Sarvajanik High School

  15. St. Joseph's English Teaching High School

  16. Mother Mary Public High school.

  17. Bai Ava Bai High School

  18. BAPS Swaminarayan Vidhyamandir

  19. G.V.D. Sarvajanik High School

  20. Sett Rustomjee Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy or Sett R.J.J High School

  21. R.M. & V.M. Desai Vidyalaya

  22. Swaminarayan High School

  23. Gayatri High School

  24. Kusum Vidyalaya

  25. C.B High school

  26. Shree Saraswati Vidyamandir School

Places to visit

  • Udvada, Valsad is the Primary, and Oldest Parsi Agiyari in India.

    Tithal Beach is located near Tithal town. The sand of the beach is black. Tithal Beach Festival and the International Kite Festival are also organised on the shore of the beach.

  • Shree Shirdi Saibaba Sansthapan is located on the shore of the beach in Tithal town of Valsad district. The temple was established in 1982.

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is located on the shore of the beach in Tithal town of Valsad district. This is a temple of Lord Swami Narayan.

  • Shantidham Aradhana Kendra in Tithal is a meditation centre.

    Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple is the only Sleeping Shiv-ling in the World, located in Abrama and is believed to be more than 800 years old. It also has an open roof-top, which is intact since inauguration of the Mandir.

    Morarji Desai Museum dedicated to the 5th Prime Minister of India, Morarji Desai is in Valsad. The museum was inaugurated by the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel.

  • Callian(Kalyan) Baug is an urban park in Valsad. In 1929, Mr. Motilal Callianji presented a donation for park to Valsad Municipality in memory of his father. In 1931, Callian Baug was opened by J.H.Garrett.

  • Parnera Hill, also called Parnera Dungar, is one of the pilgrimages within the city that offers great view of the city. It's located 6.5 kilometers away from the city center. This is a Temple of 3 Goddesses and a "Bhairav Temple" 900 steps from base level. Chhatrapati Shivaji jumped from this hilltop on his Horse when he was in Valsad.

  • Valsad Ganpati Mandir's Murti (idol) was given by Peshwa Bajirao himself.

  • Dharampur Science Planetaurium, and Science City.

  • Dharampur Palace.

  • Srimad Rajchandra Mission, Mohangadh, Dharampur, Valsad.

Notable people

See also

References