Dabhol

History

The Russian traveller Afanasy Nikitin, who visited India from 1468 to 1474, found Dabhol as a large town and extensive seaport. The horses from Mysore, Arabia, Khorasan and Nighostan were brought here for trade. Dabhol had links with all major ports from India to Ethiopia. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Dabul was an opulent Muslim trade centre, first under the Bahmani, later under the Badar sultans of Bijapur. As the port with most convenient access to the Bahmani sultanate's capital at Bidar, Dabul's fortunes ascended quickly with that dynasty. At its height, it was arguably the most important port between Chaul and Goa. It was exactly the prominence of Dabul as a Muslim trade centre and port that led it to be bombarded, sacked and razed by a Portuguese expeditionary force (Battle of Dabul) under Francisco de Almeida in December, 1508, in a prelude to the famous Battle of Diu. Although the city's fort was not taken, it was only the first of several times, in the course of the next few decades, that the Portuguese tried to destroy Dabul. By the time of the last recorded attack, in 1571, the Governor of Dabhul was Khwaja Ali Shirazi. The battle led to killing 150 men at Dabhol. Dabhol was of great importance in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. It used to be the principal port of southern Konkani region, carrying on trade with ports in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. During the 13th to 15th centuries, this port was ruled by the Bahmani dynasty and was known as Mustafabad. Later on it was Hamjabad, and then it was Dabhol. Dabul was conquered by Shivaji around 1660 CE and annexed to the new Maratha kingdom. After being captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, it was passed on to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj who gave it to Khando Ballal…

Most-observed species

• Red-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,488
• Red-whiskered Bulbul

  Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,468
• Oriental Magpie-Robin

  Copsychus saularis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,325
• Spotted Dove

  Spilopelia chinensis (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  2,273
• Common Tailorbird

  Orthotomus sutorius (Pennant, 1769) · Aves
  2,171
• Purple-rumped Sunbird

  Leptocoma zeylonica (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,163
• Common Iora

  Aegithina tiphia (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,153
• White-throated Kingfisher

  Halcyon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,139

Most recent

• M 4.3 — 2019-06-20
  26 km S of Koynanagar, India
• M 4.4 — 2012-04-14
  11 km ESE of M?khjan, India
• M 4.2 — 2010-01-12
  22 km S of Koynanagar, India
• M 4.3 — 2009-12-12
  17 km SSW of M?khjan, India
• M 4.4 — 2009-12-12
  26 km SE of M?khjan, India
• M 4.8 — 2009-12-12
  29 km NW of Malk?pur, India