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The Konkan (Marathi: कोकण), also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali, is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore. The sapta-Konkan is a slightly larger region described in the Skanda-purana.
Konkan Division is also one of six administrative sub-divisions of the state of Maharashtra, comprising of its costal districts.
Residents of Konkan and their descendants are called Konkanis. The name may also refer specifically to the Konkani people, an ethnic group of the region; most of whom speak the Konkani language.
The Sanskrit term Konkanastha (कोंकणस्थ), means "Resident of Konkan".
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Boundaries
The precise definition of Konkan varies, but most include Maharashtra's districts of Raigad, Mumbai, Thane, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, the state of Goa, and the Uttar Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka.
The sapta-Konkan as depicted in Skanda-purana stretches from Maharashtra to Karnataka . This is actually logical since there are a lot of similarities in the food-habits (rice and fish), crops cultivated (rice, mangoes, cashews and jackfruit) and the physique (tall and well-built) of people dwelling in this area.
The Konkan division
The Konkan division is an administrative sub-division of Maharashtra comprises all the coastal districts of the state.
- Area: 30,746 km²
- Population (2001 census): 24,807,357
- Districts: Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Thane
- Literacy: 81.36%
- Area under irrigation: 4,384.54 km²
History of administrative districts in Konkan Division
There have been changes in the names of Districts and has seen also the addition of newer districts after India gained Independence in 1947 and also after the state of Maharashtra was formed.
- In 1961 the Konkan region became a part of the newly formed state of Maharashtra. Prior to this it was a part of Bombay province which was split to form Gujarat and Maharashtra.
- Creation of the Sindhudurg from the southern areas of the Ratnagiri district.
- The erstwhile Kolaba district was renamed as Raigad.
- A proposal to carve Jhawar district out of Thane District is being considered on account of its high tribal population.
Geography
The Sahyadri Mountain range ("Western Ghats") forms the eastern boundary of the Konkan, and the Arabian Sea marks the western boundary. The southern boundary is the Gangavali River. The Mayura River forms the northern boundary.
The Gangavali flows in the district of North Canara ("Uttara Kannada") in present-day "Karnataka State"; the cis-Gangavali portion (seen from Bombay) of this district is the southern-most part of the Konkan. The towns of Gokarn, Guhagar, Honavar, and Karwar fall within the Konkan.
The exact identity of the Mayura River, the northern limits of the historic Konkan, is indeterminate.
Ethnology
The Gramit or Gamit tribals of the Maharashtra Konkan (districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad or Alibag or Colaba, Mumbai Urban, Mumbai Suburban and Thane in "Maharashtra State") are among the original settlers in the regioncitation needed.
The Kunkna tribals native to the territories of Maharashtra Konkan, Dadra & Nagar-Haveli, Daman and Cis-Narmada Gujarat,are another tribal community.
References
See also
- People of the Konkan Division
- Konkani people
- Konkani language
- Konkani (dialect of Marathi language)
- Konkan Railway
- National Highway 17 (India)
External links
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