Devgad taluka
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Devgad is a taluka in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state in western India consisting of 98 villages.[2] Devgad is known globally for its exports of locally grown Alphonso mangoes.[3] 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.[4] Mangos grown here are characterised 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 Ltd, with 700 members and 25-year-old in 2013.
Devgad is located on the Arabian Sea in the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, south of Mumbai.
It is noted for its harbour, its beach, and a lighthouse built in 1915 at the Devgad fort. Shilahara dynasty Raja Bhoja II constructed Fort Vijaydurg (Gheria), ruled later by Adil Shah and eventually by King Shivaji and lastly Kanhoji Angre is a national monument situated 45 minutes by road from the main city of Devgad. Fort Vijaydurg, named as the "Eastern Gibraltar" because of its virtual impregnability, was impressive as seen by British, Dutch, Portuguese armies and travellers 400 years ago and even today as seen by visitors. The nearest railway station is Kankavli on Konkan Railway on Mumbai-Goa road. From Kankavli, one can get an auto-rickshaw or a state transport bus to reach Devgad-Vijaydurg. 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.
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. 3 km from these windmills there is a 16th-century temple called as Shri Dev Rameshwar Temple, dedicated to lord shiva located at Rameshwar. There is a temple dedicated to the goddess Devi Bhagwati at the village of Munge. There are temples to God Vishweswarayya and Swami Kartikaswamy at Hindale village.. 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. 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.
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.
References
- ^ Allen J. Mango mania in Portland, Oregon, New York Times, May 10, 2006
- ^ India Village Directory
- ^ http://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/RATNAGIRI/places_Devgad.html
- ^ "Vagaries of nature, rising input costs to kill the famed Alphonso mango crop". The Times Of India. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.