Silvassa

Silvassa has a vibrant and fascinating culture owing to its 75% tribal population. Warli, Dhodia and Kokna are the most prominent tribes while few other small tribes are Koli, Kathodi, Naika etc. The Warli tribe consider the Sun and Moon as the eyes of the Almighty. They worship stone carvings and images as deities. They dress in traditional outfits. Men wear loincloths, waistcoats and turbans whereas women dress in knee-length sarees called Lugden. The women also take to beautifying themselves with silver and white metal jewellery. They have an exclusive musical instrument called Ghangal made from gourd, bamboo and iron strings which they use to play music. Warli paintings are another famous feature of the tribe. They use chewed bamboo sticks to make abstract graphic-y designs. Some of these paintings date back to 3000 BC and are highly priced. Another major population tribe of Silvassa is Dhodia. They are the most populated tribe in the area and use cultivation and maintain a proper system of livelihood. Majority of the tribe follow Christianity whereas they are primarily believed to be Hindus. They celebrate Holi and Diwali. “Kanser Festival” is their most popular festival dedicated to goddess Kanseri (of food). They also celebrate “Divaso Festival” and “Vagh Baras” where they paint themselves as tigers and cattle and race to celebrate, ending the day with a village meal together. The official languages of Silvassa are Portuguese, English and Gujrati. Another prominent language is Warli which is a dialect of Konkani, given the fact that Silvassa ha 62% Warli population. Marathi is also a popular language in some parts.

The sylvan paradise Silvassa derives its name from the Portuguese word “Silva” meaning wood. The history of Silvassa dates back to before the 17th century. It was initially ruled by the Kohli tribes but was invaded by the Rajputs in the 17th century. Later it was conquered by the Marathas in the 18th century. During this time, the Marathas and Peshwas were in power, in most of western India and were fighting off the British who were rapidly gaining control of the Indian territory. In an attempt to ward off the British forces, the Marathas formed a friendly union with the Portuguese on 17th December 1779. In 1885, Silvassa was made the head town of the Portuguese in the name of Paço d'Arcos, and most of the administrative functions were carried on from here. However, the old name ‘Silvassa’ prevailed. Post-Indian independence in 1947, the local and tribal groups of Silvassa yearned for freedom. In 1961, the town came under the Republic of India and in 1974, a final treaty was signed between India and Portugal wherein Portugal gave away all control on Silvassa, and it came to be an Indian Union Territory.

Silvassa is the place to be if you want to taste a bit of everything and indulge in countless options and a colourful, vibrant and almost surprising variety. The food of the local tribes here is rich and has numerous elements. Ingredients include Rice, Jowar, Pulses, Wild mushrooms, Bamboo shoots and huge variety of vegetables. One also finds here preparations of crabs and river fishes as well as a teasing variety of Chutneys. One must try Ubadiyu which is prepared with herbs and vegetables as well as Khamman and Gamthi, which are chicken preparations. Other than this a number of places will serve Continental, Chinese, Punjabi, Parsi, Gujrati and Moglai cuisines.
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Day 1 - Reach Silvassa, preferably by noon and take some rest. In the evening, you can go to the main market in Kilvani Road for a stroll, where you can buy precious, handmade curios and souvenirs.. 
 Day 2 - You should begin ideally with Vanganga Lake, an astounding waterbody worth a visit in Silvassa. Then, you can proceed to the Church of Lady Piety.
Day 3 - This day you can visit the remaining sites in Silvassa, especially the Lion Safari Wildlife Park to begin with. Then, you can proceed to Hirwa Van Gardens for a refreshing retreat.

The top places near to Silvassa are Daman which is 24 km from Silvassa, Mumbai which is located 132 km from Silvassa, Suryamal which is located 67 km from Silvassa, Umbergaon which is located 26 km from Silvassa, Matheran which is located 144 km from Silvassa

The top things to do in Silvassa are Lion Safari Wildlife Park, Vanganga Lake, Island Garden, Khanvel, Hirwa Van Gardens, Dudhani. You can see all the places to visit in Silvassa here

With beautifully maintained roads dotted with trees along the edges, it is the best way to travel to Silvassa. Bus and cab services are also available from Mumbai. The nearest train station is at Vapi and the nearest airport at Mumbai.
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Silvassa is the place to be if you want to taste a bit of everything and indulge in countless options and a colourful, vibrant and almost surprising variety. The food of the local tribes here is rich and has numerous elements. Ingredients include Rice, Jowar, Pulses, Wild mushrooms, Bamboo shoots and huge variety of vegetables. One also finds here preparations of crabs and river fishes as well as a teasing variety of Chutneys. One must try Ubadiyu which is prepared with herbs and vegetables as well as Khamman and Gamthi, which are chicken preparations. Other than this a number of places will serve Continental, Chinese, Punjabi, Parsi, Gujrati and Moglai cuisines.
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Ideal for bold backpackers. Suitable for tourists touring nearby sites like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune etc.

Congested in peak seasons. Not easily accessible.

A beautiful confluence of nature and history.