Daman History

Daman, a small beach town and an ex-Portuguese enclave, still retains a taste of old Portugal with well preserved forts and churches.  While the town has a 2000 year old history, it is the Portuguese rule and legacy that draws visitors to this town.

Daman boasts of a rich historical heritage spanning over more than 2000 years. The name Daman is probably derived from the Daman Ganga River. From Mauryan times, both were subject to various local and regional powers ruling in western India. In the 13th century Daman formed part of the Ramnagar state, which then became a tributary of the Gujarat sultans.
Daman was occupied by the Portuguese in 1531, and was formally ceded to Portugal in 1539 by the Sultan of Gujarat. It remained a Portuguese colonial possession until it was annexed by Indian forces on 19 December 1961. From 1961-87, it was a part of the union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. In 1987, it became a part of the newly formed union territory of Daman and Diu. Daman district is one of the two districts of the union territory of Daman and Diu on the western coast of India, surrounded by Valsad District of Gujarat state on the north, east and south and the Arabian Sea to the west. The district has an area of 72 km², and a population of 113,949 (2001 census), which increased 83% between 1991 and 2001.

Daman lies at the mouth of the Daman Ganga River. Major industries have units here. The closest railway station is Vapi (7 km). It is also famous for its beach, Portuguese colonial architecture, churches, and for the scenic beauty in the twin cities of Nani-Daman and Moti-Daman, which lie opposite each other across the Daman Ganga. The district is infamous for having the least balanced sex ratio in the country. The chief occupation has been fishing. The city of Surat lies to the north, and Mumbai lies approximately 160 km (100 mi) south of Daman on the Arabian Sea coast in Maharashtra state.