Diu Administration Portal
DADRA & NAGAR HAVE DAMAN & DIU
Beneficiary Oriented Solution - State
Public distribution
Published By: N
Diu is island situated slightly off the coast of Kathiawad near the Port of Veraval in Gujarat with a coastal length of 21 kms. and is at a distance of about 768 kms. from Daman, the Capital of the newly formed Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. Diu is bounded by Gir-Somnath and Amreli District of Gujarat in the North and by the Arabian Sea from three sides. It is connected to the mainland via two bridges. Its length from the extremes north and south, measures 4.6 kms and width from east to west measures 13.8 kms. The altitude is 6 meters above sea level.
Project Details
Brief Background
The documented history of the District of Diu begins with the Maurya rule (c. 322-220 B.C.). Emperor Chandragupta Maurya had extended his supremacy over Saurashtra and had appointed Pushagupta as Governor of the province of Saurashtra with the Head-quarters in village Girnar near Junagadh.
Objective
Yavanraj Tushappa ruled over Saurashtra as Governer of Emperor Ashoka (c.273-237 B.C.). Emperor Ashoka had sent Yavana Thero named Dhammarakhito as evangelist to the western sea board including Diu. His grandson Samprati (c. 229-220 B.C.) seems to have ruled over Saurashtra from Ujjain. He propagated Jainism and erected many Jain Temples. The Jain traditions from Diu seems to belong to this period.
Benefits
Early in 1535, the Portuguese Governor De Cunha had led his expedition for the capture of the town in Diu, but was defeated by the Sultan. However, around that period, the Gujarat Sultan Bahadur Shah’s kingdom was overwhelmed by Mughal invasion. Pressed by Mughal king Humayun on one side and the Portuguese at the gates of Diu, Bahadur Shah entered into a treaty with Nuno De Cunha on October 25, 1535 who agreed to assist Bahadur Shah against his enemy by land and sea.
