Everything about West India totally explained
West India (Western India) or the Western region of
India consists of the
states of
Goa,
Gujarat and
Maharashtra, along with the Union Territories of
Daman and Diu and
Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It is relatively highly industrialized, with a large urban population. Most of Western India was part of the
Maratha Empire and
Mughal Empire before colonization by the British. The regions became part of India on independence, and took their current form after the States Reorganization Act of 1956. The states are roughly bounded by the
Thar Desert in the North West, the
Vindhya Range in the North and the
Arabian Sea in the East. A major portion of Western India shares the
Deccan Plateau with
South India.
History
(For detailed history please read the respective articles of the three western states:
Maharashtra,
Goa,
Gujarat)
Parts of
Gujarat were the site of
Indus Valley Civilization. Sites have been uncovered in Gujarat at
Lothal, Surkotada, and around
Ghaggar river in
Rajasthan. The Western Indian region was ruled by the
Maurya Kingdom,
Gurjar,
Rajputs,
Satavahanas,
Western Satraps,
Indo Greeks etc in the ancients times. During the medieval age, the region came under
Persian influence and also under the
Mughal rule. Later, the
Maratha Empire which arose in western
Maharashtra came to dominate a major portion of the Indian sub-continent. However its defeat by the British in the
Anglo-Maratha wars left most of India under colonial rule. The region then experienced great upheavals during the struggle for Indian Independence.
Gandhi's
Dandi March took place in
Gujarat. The region became part of independent India in 1947, and the present state boundaries were drawn based on linguistic considerations in 1956.
Geography
The region consists of the predominantly arid to semi-arid region of
Saurashtra,
Kutch and
Cambay in the North. The
Western Ghats and
Konkan lie along the coast of Maharashtra and Goa. The
Deccan plains of the
Vidarbha,
Marathwada in central and eastern Maharashtra define the rest of the region. The vegetation varies from tropical rainforests along the Konkan coast to thorny bushes and shrubs in northern Gujarat. The major rivers in this region are
Narmada,
Tapti,
Godavari,
Zuari,
Mandovi,
Krishna,
Ghaggar,
Chambal and many other smaller tributaries of other rivers. The Narmada and Tapti rivers generally form the boundary between Northern and Southern India.
Climate
The climate varies between tropical wet, tropical wet and dry and semi arid. The coastal regions experience little seasonal variations and the temperatures range between 20°C to 38°C. However,
Mumbai and northern
Konkan regions experience cooler winters with minimum temperatures hovering around 12 °C. Interior Maharashtra experiences hot summers with maximum temperatures averaging 40°C and mild winters with minimum temperatures averaging about 10°C. Gujarat has a warm climate with hot summers and cool winters. Shown below are climate charts for some cities in the region,
Demographics
While
Hinduism is practiced by the majority of the population in
Gujarat,
Maharashtra is religiously very diverse. The majority being
Hindus,
Islam is the second largest religion follwed by
Christianity. Indigenous Jews called the
Bene Israel who speak
Marathi constitute a significant number. The
Parsees who settled in
Gujarat made
Mumbai and
Surat their home. Significant percentages of
Jains and
Buddhists can be found too. Christianity is dominant in the state of
Goa.
Ganesh Chaturthi,
Diwali,
Navratri,
Eid and
Christmas are the most important festivals in Western India.
Overall, 83.66 % of the population is
Hindu, 10.12 %
Muslim, 4 %
Buddhist with Christians in Goa and Maharashtra making up the majority of the remainder.
Marathi, with about 73 million speakers is the most widely spoken language, followed by
Gujarati with about 46 million speakers and
Konkani 2.5 million speakers, all of which are
Indo-Aryan languages. . As in other parts of India, a high level of
multilingualism is seen with English and Hindi being spoken as additional languages in urban areas.
The average literacy rate of West India is around 76%, higher than the national average of 70.5%. The population density is around 290 per square km. The average fertility rate is about 2.2, while the average household size is about 4.7.
Culture
The states of
Maharashtra,
Goa and
Gujarat are varied and distinct.
Goa has a
Latin aura due to centuries of Portuguese rule. The architecture and cuisine of
Goa is a unique blend
Indian and
Portuguese cultures. Goa is also well known for its
beaches and
churches.
Maharashtrian culture derives from the ancient
Indo-Aryan Vedic culture influenced deeply by the
Maratha Empire and
British colonial rule.
Maharashtrians take great pride in the
Maratha Empire, and many places in
Maharashtra are named after the founder of the Empire,
Shivaji.
Marathi literature and
cinema are popular in the state as well as across
India.
Gujarati culture is a blend of Hindu and Jain traditions. It has also been influenced by the
Parsis, who migrated to
Gujarat from
Iran about a 1000 years ago. In recent years,
Gujarat has been rocked by
communal violence, damaging centuries old traditions of tolerance.
Mumbai and
Goa are renowned for their nightlifes.
Bollywood has had a huge impact on the lifestyle and culture of this part of
India as
Bollywood is situated in
Mumbai.
Cuisine
The cuisine of Western India is diverse.
Goan cuisine is dominated by the use of cashewnuts, coconuts and seafood. Pork
Vindaloo and
Xacuti are famous goan curries.
Bebinca is a sweet prepared with eggs and coconuts.
Maharashtrian cuisine is diverse and ranges from bland to fiery hot.
Pohay,
Shrikhand,
Pav Bhaji,
Vada Pav are good examples of Maharashtrian cuisine.
Gujarati cuisine is almost exclusively vegetarian. Gujarat is one of three states in India, with prohibition on alcohol, along with
Mizoram and
Manipur. In contrast,
Maharashtra has some of the best vineyards in India, with
Nashik and
Sangli districts being the country's biggest grape-producing districts.
Economy
Overall, Western India has relatively high standards of living, although the city of
Mumbai suffers from extreme overcrowding due to immigration from across the country. The region generates 20.34% of the national GDP of the country, with an annual growth rate of 14.5% as of 2006. The states generate about 23 % of the
tax revenues of the country. More than 85% of the households have access to electricity with about 55% owning a television.
Agriculture employs most people in the region, while
services have largest share in the total GDP.
Further Information
Get more info on 'West India'.
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