Konkan
Konkan, also known as the Konkan Coast or Kokan, is a rugged section of the western coastline of India. It is a 720 kilometres (450 miles) long coastline. It consists of the coastal districts of the Western Indian states of Maharashtra, Goa, and the South Indian state of Karnataka. The ancient Saptakonkana is a slightly larger region. The region is known as Karavali in Karnataka.
Contents
1 Etymology
2 Geography
3 Ethnology
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Etymology
According to the Sahyadrikhanda of the Skanda Purana, Parashurama shot his arrow into the sea and commanded the Sea God to recede up to the point where his arrow landed. The new piece of land thus recovered came to be known as Sapta-Konkana, meaning "piece of earth", "corner of earth", or "piece of corner", derived from Sanskrit words: koṇa (कोण, corner) + kaṇa (कण, piece).[1][2]Xuanzang, the noted Chinese Buddhist monk, mentioned this region in his book as Konkana Desha; Varahamihira's Brihat-Samhita described Konkan as a region of India; and 15th century author Ratnakosh mentioned the word Konkandesha.[3]
Geography
Konkan extends throughout the western coasts of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.[3] It is bounded by the Western Ghats mountain range (also known as Sahyadri) in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, the Mayura River in the north and the Gangavalli River in the south.
The Gangavali flows in the district of Uttara Kannada in present-day Karnataka. Its northern bank constitutes the southernmost portion of Konkan. The towns of Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honavar and Bhatkal fall within the Konkan coast. The exact identity of the Mayura River, the northern limits of the historic Konkan, is indeterminate.
The largest city on the Konkan coast is Mumbai, the state capital of Maharashtra. It lies within the Konkan division, an administrative sub-division of Maharashtra which comprises all the coastal districts of the state. These are, from north to south[4]:
- Palghar district
- Thane district
- Mumbai Suburban district
- Mumbai City district
- Raigad district
- Ratnagiri district
- Sindhudurg district
- Goa
- Uttara Kannada
- Udupi
- Dakshina Kannada
Ethnology
Ethnic groups and communities found in the region which makes a larger Konkani community are the Vaishya Vani, Malvani, Aagri, Kunbi, Koli, Vadavali, Maratha, Bhandari, Goud Saraswath Brahmins, Kumbhar, Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins, Gabit, Padti, Chitpavan Brahmins, Brahmins, Kudaldeshkar Brahmins, Kuruba, Namdev Shimpi.
Tribal communities in Konkan include the Katkari, Konkana, Warli and Kolcha in southern Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Maharashtra's Palghar district. The Katkari are found in Raigad and Ratnagiri districts.
Minorities of Muslim community form Konkani Muslims, Bene Israel in Raigad district, Christians form East Indians in Mumbai, Goan Catholics in Goa, Karwari Catholics in Uttara Kannada, Mangalorean Catholics in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada
See also
- Kunakeshwar
- People of the Konkan Division
- Konkani people
- Konkani language
- Konkan Railway
- Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project
- Malabar Coast
References
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Shastri Gaytonde, Gajanan (ed.). Shree Scanda Puran (Sayadri Khandha) (in Marathi). Mumbai: Shree Katyani Publication..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
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Satoskar, B. D. Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti. Part 1 (in Marathi). Shubhada Publication. p. 206.
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Saradesāya, Manohararāya (2000). "The Land, the People and the Language". A History of Konkani Literature: From 1500 to 1992. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 1–14. ISBN 8172016646.
^ List of districts in Konkan division, http://www.swapp.co.in/site/indianstatedistrictlist.php?stateid=j1YKCtUvHkShwKBqk6iHow%3D%3D&divisionid=bRbHGKvCu7LMDJJGUsYuQA%3D%3D
External links
Konkan travel guide from Wikivoyage
Konkan Tourism - A Complete Guide on Tourism