Valsad (Pronunciation: [ʋalsɑɖ]), anglicised as Bulsar, is a town and municipality in the Valsad district of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the district headquarters of Valsad district. Valsad is located north of Vapi and shares borders with Maharashtra and the union territories of Daman in the south. Valsad is known for its historical Parsi community.
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Etymology
The name "Valsad" derives from vad-saal, a Gujarati language compound meaning "covered (sal) by banyan trees (vad)" or "where vad (banyan trees) and sal (sal tree) are" (the area was naturally rich in banyan trees). During the British Era, it was historically known as "Bulsar".
Geography
Valsad is located at 20.63°N 72.93°E / 20.63; 72.93. It has an average elevation of 13 metres (42 feet). The old city is about 4 km inland from the Arabian Sea.
Climate
Valsad has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with little to no rainfall from October to May and very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall from June to September when it is under the direct influence of the Arabian Sea branch of the South-west monsoon.
Demographics
As of the 2011 India census, Valsad (metropolitan area) has a population of 170,060. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Valsad has an average literacy rate of 91.66%, higher than the national average of 74.04%. Male literacy is 94.62%, and female literacy is 88.58%.
The major language spoken is Gujarati. Other languages spoken are Hindi, Marathi and English.
The major religion followed in Valsad is Hinduism. Other religions followed are Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. The town was once a hub for Parsis.
Transport
Road transport
Valsad lies on NH 48 and is connected to many cities in Gujarat and neighbouring states by the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation bus service.
Railways
Valsad railway station is managed by the Mumbai WR railway division of the Western Railway and it is a Sub-Division under Western Railway. It lies on the New Delhi–Mumbai main line. The present railway station building was established in 1925. Adjacent to the railway station is the Valsad Electric Loco Shed which houses over 100 electric locomotives.
Airport
Valsad is close to NaMo Airport, Daman which is 27 km south of the city and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai which is 188.3 km south of the city.
Economy
Valsad is an industrial base for sectors such as chemicals, textiles, and paper & pulp industries. Since the 1980s, textile and chemicals have been the major sectors of investments and employment in the district. Valsad is emerging as a horticulture hub of the state, witnessing significant production in food grains and crops.
Valsad has 7 industrial estates located in Dungra, Pardi, Dharampur, Bhilad, Valsad, Umbergaon, Sarigam, Vapi (the chemical hub of Gujarat) and 1 Industrial park in Kalgam. With over 300 medium and large scale industries, Vapi is a major industrial center in Valsad. One of Asia's largest Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) is present in Vapi, owned by Vapi Waste & Effluent Management Company and promoted by Vapi Industrial Association.
Education
Colleges
GMERS Medical College, est 2014
Government Engineering College (affiliated to Gujarat Technological University), est 2004
Government Polytechnic (affiliated to Gujarat Technological University), est 1965
Smt. J.P. Shroff Arts College
Shah N.H. Commerce College
Dhiru-Sarla Institute of Management and Commerce
B.K.M. Science College
Dolat-Usha Institute of Applied Sciences
Shree N. K. M. Nursing Instuite
Shah K.M. Law College
Schools
Affiliated with ICSE
Atul Vidyalaya School
Affiliated with the CBSE
Saraswati International School
Shree Vallabh Ashram's MGM Amin & V N Savani International School
Shree Vallabh Sanskar Dham's Smt. Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel Day Boarding School
Shree Vallabh Ashram's MCM Kothari Girl's Residential School
Vedaant Multipurpose School
Western Railway English Medium Secondary School
Affiliated with the GSHSEB
D.M.D.G. Municipal High School
Jamnabai Sarvajanik Kanya Vidyalaya
Maniba Sarvajanik Vidyalaya
Shah Khimchand Mulji Sarvajanik High School
St. Joseph's English Teaching High School
Mother Mary Public High school.
Bai Ava Bai High School
BAPS Swaminarayan Vidhyamandir
G.V.D. Sarvajanik High School
Sett Rustomjee Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy or Sett R.J.J High School
R.M. & V.M. Desai Vidyalaya
Places to visit
Udvada, Valsad is the Primary, and Oldest Parsi Agiyari in India.
Tithal Beach is located near Tithal town. The sand of the beach is black. Tithal Beach Festival and the International Kite Festival are also organised on the shore of the beach.
Shree Shirdi Saibaba Sansthapan is located on the shore of the beach in Tithal town of Valsad district. The temple was established in 1982.
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is located on the shore of the beach in Tithal town of Valsad district. This is a temple of Lord Swami Narayan.
Shantidham Aradhana Kendra in Tithal is a meditation centre.
Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple is the only Sleeping Shiv-ling in the World, located in Abrama and is believed to be more than 800 years old. It also has an open roof-top, which is intact since inauguration of the Mandir.
Morarji Desai Museum dedicated to the 5th Prime Minister of India, Morarji Desai is in Valsad. The museum was inaugurated by the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel.
Callian(Kalyan) Baug is an urban park in Valsad. In 1929, Mr. Motilal Callianji presented a donation for park to Valsad Municipality in memory of his father. In 1931, Callian Baug was opened by J.H.Garrett.
Parnera Hill, also called Parnera Dungar, is one of the pilgrimages within the city that offers great view of the city. It's located 6.5 kilometers away from the city center. This is a Temple of 3 Goddesses and a "Bhairav Temple" 900 steps from base level. Chhatrapati Shivaji jumped from this hilltop on his Horse when he was in Valsad.
Valsad Ganpati Mandir's Murti (idol) was given by Peshwa Bajirao himself.
Notable people
Morarji Desai - former Prime Minister of India. Time Active Around 1930–1980
Bhulabhai Desai - Indian freedom fighter and acclaimed lawyer. Time Active Around 1910–1946
Sam Manekshaw - First Field Marshal of India and former chief of army staff, India. His family hailed from Valsad, later moved to Bombay and then Amritsar. Time Active Around 1932–1973
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) - singer and songwriter for the British rock band Queen, whose family originated from Valsad. Time Active Around 1964–1991
Nirupa Roy - Hindi film actress. Time Active Around 1946–1990s
Pratap Save - a social activist.
Burjor Cawasji Pardiwala: Lawyer and Politician. Father of Justice J. B. Pardiwala.
J. B. Pardiwala: Senior Judge at Supreme Court of India.
Ranchhoddas Thakkar: Notable Lawyer, M.A.(Sanskrit), M.A.(English) from Wilson College, Mumbai, 1911.
Shripad Damodar Satavlekar - Sanskrit Scholar and Author.
Naresh Bhatt - Sanskrit Scholar, and author.
Dr. Moghabhai Desai: Established College Campus in Valsad.
Shri Siddharthbhai Lalbhai: Established College Campus in Valsad, and First Chemical Factory of Gujarat(Atul).
Kanubhai Desai, MLA - Pardi Constituency and Cabinet Minister at Government of Gujarat.