Dang district Dandakaranya | |
|---|---|
 Lakes nearSaputara | |
 Interactive Map Outlining Dang District | |
.svg) Location of Dang district in Gujarat | |
| Coordinates:20°45′31.7″N73°41′19.0″E / 20.758806°N 73.688611°E /20.758806; 73.688611 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Gujarat |
| Headquarters | Ahwa |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,764 km2 (681 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 228,291 |
| • Density | 129.4/km2 (335.2/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Gujarati,Hindi,English |
| • Spoken | Khandeshi,Gujarati,Bhili,Marathi,Hindi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Vehicle registration | GJ-30 |
| Website | dangs |
Dang district is a district in the southeastern part of the state ofGujarat. The administrative headquarters of the district are located inAhwa. Dang has anarea of 1,764 km2 and apopulation of 228,291 (as of 2011).[1] As of 2011, it is the least populous of Gujarat's33 districts.[2] As per the Planning Commission, Dang is one of the most economically distressed districts out of 640 districts in India.[3][4] 94% of the population belongs to one of the scheduled tribes.[5][6] The five Kings of Dangs are the only hereditary royals in India whose titles are currently recognized by the government owing to an agreement between theEast India Company and the Dang kings in 1842.[7][8]
The origin of the name of the Dang is uncertain. In common parlance the word 'dang' means a hilly village. There is another connotation of the word 'dang' which meansbamboo (a place of bamboo). The name is also associated withHindu mythology. It is related to theDandakaranya of theRamayana. It is said that during the exile,Rama passed through this area on his way to Nashik.[9]
The five RoyalBhil Kings of Dangs are currently the only hereditary rulers in India.[10]
Before Independence several wars were fought between the five tribal kings of Dang and theCompany. According to the history of Dang, the biggest war to took place at 'Lashkaria Amba', in when the kings of all the five states joined to protect Dang from the British.[7] The British were beaten and agreed to a compromise.[7]
As per the treaty signed in1842 the Company allowed to use the forests and their natural products against which they had to pay around 3,000 silver coins to the five kings. Currently the kings receive a yearly political pension by the Government of India, which is the main source of their income. This payment is continued even though all privy purses for the Princely states of India were stopped in 1970 since the agreement was between then monarchy of Dangs and theGovernment of India, notthe Crown.[7][11]
At the end of each fiscal year duringHoli, the kings gather in Ahwa for a traditional royal ceremony, in their richly decorated buggies and bands with tribal dancers, to receive the payment as per the agreement of 1842.[12] In ancient Indian Scriptures Dang is known asDanda Aranyaka, meaning 'Bamboo forest'.[11] Recently the Dangs Kings have urged the government to protect their depleting forest cover due toillegal logging.[13]
The five kingdoms areDaher-Amala, Linga, Gadhvi, Vasurna and Pimpri.[7][14]
Historically there were 14 Dang states in the region:[15]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 18,333 | — |
| 1911 | 28,926 | +4.67% |
| 1921 | 24,142 | −1.79% |
| 1931 | 33,495 | +3.33% |
| 1941 | 40,236 | +1.85% |
| 1951 | 47,282 | +1.63% |
| 1961 | 71,567 | +4.23% |
| 1971 | 94,185 | +2.78% |
| 1981 | 113,664 | +1.90% |
| 1991 | 144,091 | +2.40% |
| 2001 | 186,729 | +2.63% |
| 2011 | 228,291 | +2.03% |
| source:[16] | ||
| Hinduism | 89.16% | |||
| Christianity | 8.77% | |||
| Islam | 1.57% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.50% | |||
| Distribution of religions | ||||
According to the2011 census, Dang district has apopulation of 228,291,[2] roughly equal to the nation ofVanuatu.[18] This gives it a ranking of 587th in India (out of a total of640).[2] The district has a population density of 129 inhabitants per square kilometre (330/sq mi).[2] Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 21.44%.[2] Dang has asex ratio of 1007females for every 1000 males,[2] andliteracy rate of 76.8%. 10.81% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 0.43% and 94.65% of the population respectively.[2]
At the time of the2011 Census of India, 59.55% of the population in the district spokeDangi, 32.53%Gujarati, 3.18%Gamit, 1.99%Marathi and 1.21%Hindi as their first language.[19]
| District | No. | Constituency | Name | Party | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dang | 173 | Dangs (ST) | Vijaybhai Patel | |||
In 2006 theMinistry of Panchayati Raj named Dang District as aneconomically distressed district, one of 250 out of a total of 640districts.[20] It is one of the six districts in Gujarat currently receiving funds from theBackward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[20]
Dang District has part of a forest that includesPurna Wildlife Sanctuary,[21] which is shared between the districts of Dang andTapi in Gujarat andNandurbar District inMaharashtra,[22][23] andVansda National Park inNavsari District, which shares a continuous tract of forest withValsad district.[21][24][better source needed]
Arusty-spotted cat was sighted for the time in 1991 inShoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.[25]
InPurna andRatanmahal Wildlife Sanctuaries, eight bird species are consideredlocally extinct, includingIndian grey hornbill,jungle bush quail,red spurfowl andlarge woodshrike.[21] Also,Bengal tiger,Indian giant squirrel andgaur are reportedly extinct in Gujarat.[26]
Vanuatu 224,564 July 2011 est.
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Data from WikidataPlaces adjacent to Dang district, India | |
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| Regions of Gujarat | ||
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| Major cities | ||
| Ecoregions | ||
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