Banda is a town in
Sindhudurg district
Sindhudurg district (Marathi pronunciation: in̪d̪ʱud̪uɾɡ is an administrative district of the Konkan division in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri district. The district headquarters are located at Oros and the di ...
in
Maharashtra,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, near the
Goa
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
-
Maharashtra border. Banda is the last town in Maharashtra state on Mumbai-Goa national highway (NH-17), on the bank of the Terekhol river.
Languages spoken
The main languages are
Marathi,
Malvani and
Konkani. Many people have a knowledge of English and Portuguese.
Places of attraction
God Shree Bandeshwar and Goddess Shree Bhumika are the main temples in the village, as well as temples of
Lord Vitthal,
Hanuman
Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...
. Banda is named after the god Bandeshwar, a Jagrit Swayambhu Shivalinga. In ancient times, Banda was known as Adilabad in the reign of Adilshahi. Evidences of his reign can still be seen in the form of
Redeghumat, Bailghumat and other ancient constructions in and around the town. Adil was defeated by the Portuguese. During the time of
Shivaji
Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adil ...
, the name Adilabad changed to Banda after the deity Lord Bandeshwar.
The more than 300 years old Temple of Lord Bandeshwar is being renovated. There are 12 Shivalingas inside the Garbhgriha of the temple.
There are temples for other deities such as Bhumika, Ravalnath, Vetal, Ganapati and Maharingan around the main Bandeshwar temple. Jatra is celebrated in December every year.
Economy
Trade and agriculture are two main occupations of this town. Production and processing of cashew nuts, gambog and betel nuts are emerging as major occupations. Because of huge production of cashews in the surrounding villages, Banda has become a major market for the whole Sindhudurga district.
Transportation
The Terekhol river bridge was constructed in 1961 by the government of Maharashtra for transportation between Goa and Maharashtra state. The bridge was the only connecting bridge or link between Goa and Maharashtra until 1999. Mumbai-Goa national highway (NH-17) passes through Banda.
See also
*
Malvan
Malvan (also written as Malwan) is a town and ''taluka'' in Sindhudurg District, the southernmost district of Maharashtra State, India, well known for the historically important Sindhudurg Fort. Malvan ''taluka'' consists of villages such as ...
*
Vengurla
Vengurla is a town in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, India just north of Goa. It is surrounded by a semicircular range of hills with lush green foliage mainly of cashew, mango, coconut, and different kinds of berry trees. The hills of Dab ...
*
Savantwadi
Sawantwadi is a taluka (a unit of administration) in the Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The taluka headquarters is Sawantwadi which has a municipal council, which is a local civic body. Sawantwadi was formerly the capita ...
*
Kudal
Kudal is a census town in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, India. It is situated on River Karli in southwest Maharashtara. Kudal is the fourth largest town in Sindhudurg after Sawantwadi, Malvan and Kankavli. As of 2011, the population is 16 ...
*
Kankavli
Kankavli is a city in Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is an important city due to its central location in the Sindhudurg district. All talukas are at an equal distance from Kankavli city. There is a temple of Shri ...
*
Amboli
Cities and towns in Sindhudurg district
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