Navsari is the ninth biggest city in the state of

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. It is the administrative headquarters of

Navsari District Navsari is an administrative District (India), district in the state of Gujarat in India, with its headquarters at the city of Navsari. The district covers an area of 2,211 square kilometres and was formed in 1997 after Valsad district was split in ...

. Navsari is between

Surat Surat (Gujarati Language, Gujarati: ) is a city in the western Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. The word Surat directly translates to ''face'' in Urdu, Gujarati language, Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of t ...

and

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

. It is a twin city of

, 37 km to the north. At the 2011 Census of India, Navsari was the 16th biggest city of

state. It ranked 10th most populous city of Gujarat in the

1991 Census of India The 1991 census of India was the 13th in a series of censuses held in India every decade since 1871. The population of India was counted as 838,583,988. Developed under the Auspices of the UNESCO, EOLSS Publishers, Paris, France Retrieved 17 De ...

and

2001 Census of India The 2001 census of India was the 14th in a series of censuses held in India every decade since 1871. The population of India was counted as 1,028,737,436 consisting of 532,223,090 males and 496,514,346 females. The total population increased b ...

. Dandi village near Navsari was the focal point of the great

Salt March The Salt march, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March, and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of Non violence, non violent civil disobedience in British Raj, colonial India, led by Mahatma Gandhi. The 24-day march lasted from 12 March 19 ...

led by

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

during civil disobedience movement of India.

History

Navsari was originally known as "Navasarika", and was the capital of a ''vishya'' (an administrative unit) in the Lata region. It is identified with "Nusaripa", a city mentioned in

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

's 2nd century

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

-language work ''

Geography Geography (from Ancient Greek ; combining 'Earth' and 'write', literally 'Earth writing') is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding o ...

''. The

Chalukyas of Navasarika The Chalukyas (IAST: Cālukya) of Navasarika (modern Navsari) were an Indian dynasty that ruled parts of present-day Gujarat and Maharashtra during 7th and 8th centuries, as vassals of the Chalukyas of Vatapi. They are also known as the "Ear ...

, who governed the area around Navsari as subordinates of the

Chalukyas of Vatapi The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of south India, southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The ear ...

, repulsed an Umayyad invasion of the area in 738-739 CE. According to the Parsi tradition, in 1142 CE, when they first came to Navsari, the city was named Nag Mandal. The Parsis found the city's atmosphere similar to that of the Sari region of Iran. In the Persian language, "now" means new, and "Sari" refers to the region in Iran, hence the name Naoo Sari. Two families of

Parsi The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...

priests settled in Navsari in the early 13th century, and the town soon emerged as the main center of the Parsi priesthood and religious authority. As the Parsi community grew at other places in India, the priests from Navsari were sought by the new Parsi settlements throughout the country. It is the home of the Bhagarsath

Atash Behram An Atash Behram (Fire of Victory) is the highest grade of fire that can be placed in a Zoroastrian fire temple as an eternal flame. The other two lower graded fires are Atash Adaran and below Adaran is the Atash Dadgah; these three grades signif ...

established in 1765 CE

replaced Navsari as the principal settlement of the Parsi community in the 18th century, following its rise as a major trade center for the European

factories A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...

, and the

Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...

incursions into Surat; Surat itself lost this position to

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

in the later years.

Geography

Navsari is located at . It has an average elevation of above sea level. The city is located in southern Gujarat and is situated near the Purna River, within a few kilometres of the river's delta, which is west of the city and empties into the

Gulf of Khambhat The Gulf of Khambhat, also known as the Gulf of Cambay, is a bay on the Arabian Sea coast of India, bordering the state of Gujarat just north of Mumbai and Diu Island. The Gulf of Khambhat is about long, about wide in the north and up to wi ...

. The weather in Navsari is sunny from October to May, and rainy from June to September. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are 42 °C (107.6 °F) and 17 °C (62.6 °F) respectively. The average annual rainfall is 122 cm (48 in).

Demographics

The city's first settlers were the

Chalukyas The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...

, followed by the

Rashtrakutas The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal Indian polity ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta Indian inscriptions, inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing th ...

, and subsequent settlements by the

Parsis The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...

. According to the 2011 census, Navsari had a population of 171,109. Males constituted 52% of the population and females 48%. Navsari had an average literacy rate of 88%, higher than the national average of 74%: male literacy was 92%, and female literacy was 84%. 10% of the population was under 6 years of age. Gujarati is the main language spoken in Navsari. The other languages spoken are Hindi & English.

Landmarks

The Sayaji Vaibhav Public Library Navsari is an important public building in Navsari. The Meherjirana library. This is one of the oldest libraries in the South Gujarat Region. It was established by the first Dastur (Parsi/Zoroastrian priest) Meherji Rana, who was also born in Navsari. He was invited by Akbar in a religious program organised by the Great Akbar. Leaders of all religious groups participated in it. Akbar asked to start a conversation and eventually asked to give information about their religion. All the religious leaders gave information about their religions and gradually tried to show their religions as great except Dastur Meherjirana. Afterward, the leaders asked Akbar his opinion as to whose religion is great. Akbar was really impressed by Dastur Meherjirana, so he asked him. Meherjirana Dastur calmly replied, "All religions are equal in terms of strength and ideology and principle". Akbar was extremely impressed by his personality. He donated a piece of land to Dastur Meherjirana in Navsari, where today The Meherjirana Library stands. Akbar wrote on a scroll about the donation of land which is still preserved by the management of the library. Dandi The Dandi seashore is an important location from the point of view of India's Independence Movement. In 1930 Mahatma Gandhi started the " Dandi March" from Sabarmati Ashram up to the Dandi seashore to protest against a tax on salt by the colonial government. Ajmalgadh Though it is surrounded by high hills, this is a historical place. Zoroastrians/Parsis roamed in the forest and cave of Ajmalgadh to save and protect their sacred fire-cauldron for nearly 250–350 years. Recently, the local administration constructed a pillar on the hill of Ajmalgadh describing the story. They also closed the cave which was used to protect the holy fire. The National Salt Satyagraha Memorial, Dandi The National Salt Satyagraha Memorial in Dandi, Navsari commemorates the historic

of 1930, led by

. It features a statue of Gandhi, 24 narrative murals depicting the march, and solar evaporation ponds where visitors can learn about

salt production In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as ro ...

Transportation

The nearest domestic and international airport is

Surat International Airport Surat Airport is an international airport serving Surat, Gujarat, India. It is located in Magdalla, situated 12 km (6.4 mi) from the city centre. It has a total area of 770 acres (312 ha) and is the second busiest airport in Gujarat ...

at Magdalla,

, 27 km. There are other two airports nearby, Vadodara Airport, 178 km north from the Navsari city &

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is the international airport serving Mumbai, the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the second-busiest airport in India in terms of total and international passenger traffic a ...

, 239 km south-west from Navsari city. also lies on the Mumbai-

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

railway link, one of the busiest railway routes in India. Navsari is well connected by NH 64 also known as Sabarmati-Dandi Highway. NH 48 also passes through the city. Navsari is only 30 km south of Surat.

Education

Universities and colleges

Agriculture Universities and colleges

Navsari Agricultural University Navsari is the ninth biggest city in the state of Gujarat in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Navsari District. Navsari is between Surat and Mumbai. It is a twin city of Surat, 37 km to the north. At the 2011 Census of In ...

* Horticulture Polytechnic, Navsari * N. M. College of Agriculture, Navsari * ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari * College Of Agricultural Engineering, Navsari * Agribusiness Management Institute (AABMI)

Engineering Universities and colleges

* Mahatma Gandhi Inst. of Technical Education and Research * GIDC Degree Engineering College

Arts & Commerce Universities and colleges

* Naranlala College Of Commerce And Management * Vallabhbudhi Polytechnic, Navsari * Sorabji Burjorji Garda Arts College * B.P. Baria Science College *

* P.K. Patel Commerce College * S.S. Agrawal College of Arts and Commerce, Navsari * S.S. Agrawal College of Nursing Training College and Research Centre, Navsari * S.S. Agrawal Institute of Management and Technology, Navsari * S.S. Agrawal Homeyopathic Collage, Navsari * B.D. Gohil, Navsari. * Dinshaw Daboo Law College * District Institute of Education and Training, Navsari - B. Ed. College

Schools

* Savitaben Girdharlal Mayachand Shiroiya Senior Secondary School * St. Francis of Assisi Convent High School * A B Higher Secondary School - Partapore * A B School - Chikhli * A B SCHOOL - Partapore * Akhil Hind Mahila Parishad High School * Bai Navajbai Tata Girls' High School * Bai Navajbai Tata Zoroastrian Girls School * Bhakta Ashram * Dadabhau Kawasji Tata High School * Dinbai Daboo Girls High School * Divine Public School * Hamara school * Hemali English Primary & Modern English Secondary & Higher Secondary School * Late G.C Patel Vidhyalaya * Mamta Mandir * Naranlala Higher Secondary School * Podar International School, Navsari * R.D Patel Sarvajanik High School * Real English School * Sanskar bharti, Navsari * Seth Banatwala High School * Seth P.H. Vidyalaya (Sanskarbharti) * Seth R.J.J. High School * Seventh-Day Adventist English School * Seventh Day English School, Shyam Nagar, Navsari * Sheth H.C. Parekh, Navsari High School * Shree Sardar Patel Vidhya Bhavan, Jalalpore * Shree Sardar Sharda Mandir, Vijalpore * Sir C.J. Navsari Zarthosti Madresa High School * Sir Jamshetji Jeejeebhoy English medium high school * Sri Sathya Sai Vidyaniketan, Ganeshvad Sisodra * Tapovan SanskarDham Vidhyalaya * The Navsari High School * The Simlak Muslim Education Institute, Simlak, Jalapore * The Vidyakunj High School

Hospitals

* Anand Hospital * Civil Hospital, Navsari * Daboo Hospital * Dhruvini Nursing Home & Iccu * Dorabji Nanabhoy Mehta Sarvajanik Hospital * K.D.N. Gohil Hospital * Kejal Lifein Multispeciality Hospital * Lions Hospital * MAA cancer Hospital * Maroliya hospital for women * Mulla Hospital * Nirali cancer research hospital * Nirali Hospital * Orange Hospital * Parmar Hospital * Ramaben Hospital * Rotary Eye Institute * Shraddha Hospital * Shushrusha Hospital * Surbhi Hospital * Unity Hospital, Navsari * Yashfin Hospital

Notable people

Kurush Deboo Kurush Deboo (born 12 September 1963) is an Indian actor who has acted in many supporting roles in Hindi films and television series. He was first noticed as Shah Rukh Khan's character's loyal friend in '' Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa''. He is known fo ...

, Indian film actor, famous for Munnabhai M.B.B.S. was born in Navsari * K. B. Desai, Indian independence activist, medical doctor, Navsari Congress leader and President of Navsari Municipal Council * Prakash K. Desai, Air Marshal of Indian Air Force * Ram Ganesh Gadkari (1885–1919), Marathi poet, playwright, and humourist *

Hiralal Jairam Hiralal Jairam (12 November 1933 – 25 June 2018) was a South African cricketer. He played in eight first-class matches for Transvaal from 1971/72 to 1973/74. Originally from India, Jairam moved to Johannesburg in 1942. However, due to the ...

, cricketer * Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, merchant and philanthropist *

Ketan Mehta Ketan Mehta (born 21 July 1952) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter who has also directed documentaries and television serials since 1975. Early life and education Born on 21 July 1952 in Navsari in Gujarat, Mehta did his sch ...

, Indian film director who has also directed documentaries and television serials * A. M. Naik, Chairman of Larsen & Toubro Limited *

Dadabhai Naoroji Dadabhai Naoroji (4 September 1825 – 30 June 1917), also known as the ''"Grand Old Man of India"'' and "Unofficial Ambassador of India", was an Indian independence activist, political leader, merchant, scholar and writer. He was one of the f ...

, known as the "Grand Old Man of India", Member of Parliament (MP) in the

House of Commons of the United Kingdom The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 memb ...

between 1892 and 1895 * Jeetan Patel (1980), New - Zealand international Cricketer of Indian Origin. * C. R. Patil (born 1955),

Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha A Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha ( abbreviated: MP) is the representative of a legislative constituency in the Lok Sabha; the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of parliament of Lok Sabha are chosen by direct elections ...

, for the

Navsari Navsari is the ninth biggest city in the state of Gujarat in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Navsari District. Navsari is between Surat and Mumbai. It is a twin city of Surat, 37 km to the north. At the 2011 Census of Ind ...

Constituency and President of BJP Gujarat State * Meherji Rana, spiritual leader of the Parsi community in India *

Jamsetji Tata Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata (3 March 1839 – 19 May 1904) was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Tata Group, India's largest conglomerate. He established the city of Jamshedpur. Born into a Zoroastrian Parsi family in ...

, founder of what would later become the Tata Group of companies, regarded as the "father of Indian industry" * Homai Vyarawalla (1913–2012), first woman photojournalist of India, Padma Vibushan

References

External links

Official website
of the Navsari Nagarpalika.
Official website
of the Navsari Collectorate (in Gujarati). {{Authority control Cities and towns in Navsari district Zoroastrianism in India Parsi culture Parsi people