Shahada, Maharashtra

:"Distinguish from Shahad town in Thāne district in Maharashtra state."Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Shahada | type = city | latd =21.549856 | longd =74.471855
state_name = Maharashtra
district = Nandurbar
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude =
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 49,697| population_density =267
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
literacy =71%
literacy_male =77%
literacy_female =65%
area_telephone = 91-2565
postal_code =425409
vehicle_code_range =
sex_ratio =975
unlocode =
website =
footnotes =

Shāhāda is a town and taluka in the northwest corner (Khandesh Region) of Maharashtra state in India, now in Nandurbār District (formerly in Dhule District).

The population of Shāhāda is around 50,000.

Shāhāda is the most developed city and the most literate city in Nandurbar district, and is well cleaned and maintained.

Shahada is one of the 7 Tehsils in the Nandurbar district. Its majority population is these communities:-
* Gurjars
* Mahars
* Pawras
* Marathas
* Muslims
* Other Adivasis

In 2000 there were protests in Shāhāda and Nandurbar about land in the area being submerged by water stored by the Sardar Sarovar dam in the Narmada River valley.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, [GR|India] Shahada had a population of 49,697., being 52% male and 48% female. Shahada has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 65%. In Shahada, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Languages/Dialects:
Gujar,Ahirani, Marathi,Hindi

People

*Several of [http://www.nmu.ac.in North Maharashtra University] 's professors live in Shahada.
* [http://vidyashramshahada.com/annasaheb.htm Poojya Sane Guruji] was born in 1923 in a village near Shāhāda. He worked much to provide education in the area.

Education

There are many colleges and schools in Shāhāda:
*Engineering College of Shahada, an A+ grade college, being part of North Maharashtra College.
*Belonging to Poojya Sane Guruji Vidya Prasarak Mandal:
**D.N. Patel College of Engineering: [http://www.coeshahada.com/]
**G.M. Chaudhari Polytechnic [http://www.coeshahada.com/polytech.htm]
**College of Pharmacy [http://www.pharmacyshahada.org]
**College of Management
**College of Education (B.ED and D.ED) [http://www.educationshahada.org/]
**College of Science,Arts and Commerce [http://www.psgvpasc.org/]
*2 other Junior Colleges:
**Vikas Jr.College
**Municipal Corporation Jr.College
*Shri. Saibaba Bhakta Mandal's
**Jr. College of Education, Mhasawad Tal: Shahada [http://www.saibabaeducation.com/]
*T S K V S Commerce College
*ST Co-op Educational Society's, Shahada [http://www.stcedu.org/]
**College of Science and Arts [http://www.stcedu.org/]
**Junior College of Education [http://www.stcedu.org/ded/index.htm]
*Vasant Dada College
*Satpuda Shikshan prasarak Mandal's, [http://mahaprincipalforum.org/asp/collegelistJAL.asp] .
**College of Arts Mahila,Shahada
**Vasantrao Naik Arts & Science College, Shahada
**Vasantrao Naik Junior College, Shahada
*Mahatma Gandhi Shikshan Prasarak Mandal's [http://www.mgspm.com/]
**Adhyapak Vidyalaya [http://www.mgspm.com/]
*Kalpataru Shaikshanik Seva Mandal's
**Junior College of Education [http://kssmedu.org]
*Gram Vikas Sanstha [http://www.gvsacbedu.org/index.htm]
**College of Arts
*There are also three or four English medium schools in Shahada.

Religion

*Prakasha, one of the famous religious places, also known as Dakshin Kashi, is also in this Tehsil. The temple of Prakasha is very old.
*One of the famous temples of the god Shree Ganesha (Heramb) is at Jaynagar, 24 km away from Shāhāda. Hundreds of thousands of people visit on the occasion of Mangli Chathurthi.
*Datta temple is at Sarangkheda. Every year a big fair is organised.
*Hingani is a small village between Shāhāda and Shirpur. People there conduct the "Mahavakya" & "Mahakavya" of the Mahanubhav panth. See [http://hingani.tripod.com Hinagani Panchayat] .
*There are Pandava leni in the Gomai River at Shahada.
*Damerkheda - situated on the bank of the Gomai river, 10 km from Shahada on the Nandurbar road with very fabulous structure of Ashtavinayak temple

Industry

Shāhāda has:
*A sugar mill, oil mill
*A paper mill, Croft Paper Mill, particle board plant
*A wine distillery, ice and carbon dioxide factory
*A cotton mill
*An ethyl alcohol factory
*Chemical factories
*A maker of enzyme additive ingredient for animal feed [http://www.tradekey.com/profile_view/uid/527736/S-I-CHEMICAL-INDUSTRIES.htm]
* There also some proposed cooperative industrial estates coming into Shahada taluka at Mohide and Amode villages.
** [http://mdmu.maharashtra.gov.in/pages/dmp/dhuleShow.php Information about industry in Dhule district and in Shāhāda]

Transport

*Road: One can reach Shahada through Dhule (84 km away), which is well connected with the Dhule–Nandurbar road. From Dhule, one can reach Shahada by going straight on Mumbai-Agra highway NH-3 (National Highway) to Songir (Dhule) and at Songir turn left and you will be on MSH-1 (Maharashtra State Highway). The distance from Mumbai is approximately 424 km.
*Railways: The nearest railway stations are Dondaicha (c. 30 km away) and Nandurbar (c. 35 km away).

Economy

*Agriculure is the main occupation of the people. Sugarcane, bananas, cotton, maize, jowar, wheat, etc. are the main crops harvested all year round.

Other notable places in or near Shāhāda

*Toranmal is the 2nd coolest hill station in Maharashtra state and is near Shāhāda (approx. 40 km). It is the second highest place in Maharashtra, and its coolest place; there is the Yashwant Lake which is natural and full of flowering lotus; many people think that it is one of the best place for holidays.
*Unapdev (25 km from Shāhāda) is a pleasant picnic point in Shāhāda tahsil. It is famous for a permanent natural hot water source, which always flows even in hot summer. It always had water coming from a structure in the shape like a cow's mouth, until the structure was destroyed by a flood caused by a heavy rainfall in the region in June 2007.

References