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| Dahanu - A Town By The Sea |
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Historical Significance :
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Dahanu’s historical significance can be traced back to 16th century AD. When the Portuguese had firmly established their dominion on the west coast of India between Daman in North and Karanja in the South, they divided their Thana territories into two divisions viz. Daman and Vasai (also known as Basai by Muslims, Bacaim by Portuguese, Bajipur by Marathas and Bassein by the British), then an important ship building center whereupon Dahanu (then called ‘Danu’) was included in the Daman division along with three other districts -- Sanjan, Tarapur and Mahim.1
Dahanu has also found itself being mentioned in the historical records during the 1634 AD era as celebrated for its images of Nossa Senhorades Augustus, who it is believed to have wrought miracles. Dahanu also finds place in the trade map of the east during the begining of the 18th century.
In January 1739, the Marathas captured the fort of Dahanu, under the leadership of Chimaji Rao Appa and with their successive capture of Mahim, the Portuguese began to lose their control on the western coast of India.
Then around 1817 AD, Dahanu was passed into the hands of the British under the ‘Treaty of Bassein’ with the Peshwas of Pune.
The Dahanu fort has been once described as “The fort, on the north bank of the river at a little distance from its mouth, is of cut-stones and well built. In 1818 the walls, which averaged 38 feet high and 10 feet thick, were in excellent condition, defended by four casemated towers with ruined terraces.”
Dahanu was shown as a port in the list of ports shown in the map in Milburn's Oriental Commerce (1800-1812).2
Dahanu has also been described in 1882 under the title of “Places of Interest in Thane”, as a fort and a seaport. “Dahanuka” also occurs in one of the Nashik cave inscriptions as the name of a town and a river on which Vishwadutta, the son-in-law of Nahapan (100 AD) made a ferry.
Today, the fort houses the Tehsildar's office, a police chowky, a watch tower outpost in one of the bastions, a local jail, a custom's office and a few residential quarters for the police. There is a well within the fort premises, which has been covered up. This area once ruled by its first Maharaja (King) nearly 700 years ago, the heirs of its last Maharaja, H.H. Maharaja Shrimant Yeshwantrao Martandrao Mukne have abandoned their hilltop palace to live in cities.
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Legal Status :
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(Since, Dahanu Taluka’s environment-legal history is unique and extensive of the fact that this area is protected by several legal laws, the two Notifications (CRZ Notification and Dahanu Notification) and several judgements of the highest legal authority of the land, some of them being the firsts of its kind in the country that have had their impact on its ecology and economy and the fact that it has, for centuries, been home to the masses of all major religions, it is important to take a detailed note of its diversified philosophy which is deeply rooted in instilling a sense of pride about its history, culture and heritage.)
Thane district is also known as the ‘home of adivasis’, of which, a significant number belong to the Warli tribe, the original settlers of this region. Dahanu Taluka has the highest proportion of them at 66%.
In this context, Dahanu Taluka has been declared a Tribal Area under the Tribal Sub-Plan of the Government Of Maharashtra and subsequently enacting of two special laws: the first one being the Maharahtra Land Revenue Code and Tenancy Laws (Amendment) Act (XXXV of 1974) also known as the Invalid Transfer Act and the second one being the Maharashtra Restoration of Land to Scheduled Tribes Act (No. XIV of 1975), known as the Valid Transfer Act covering the period post April 1, 1957.
In 1991, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India, formally recognised the Tribal Culture and Marine & Horticultural Wealth of the region and passed the DAHANU NOTIFICATION declaring Dahanu Taluka as an ecologically fragile zone. The Notification still stands today.
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1:Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency (Facsimile Reproduction) Thana. Originally printed in 1882. Volume XIII, Part II, pp. 455.
2:Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency (Facsimile Reproduction) Thana. Originally printed in 1882. Volume XIII, Part II, pp. 514.
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The signing of the ‘Treaty of Bassein’
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The entrance of the Dahanu Fort
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Save Bahrot Campaign
