Daman: Street walk

It all started at Kanheri Caves when I popped up the suggestion that I would be going for Daman exploration, Dr Ajay who like me is an avid traveler lapped up my offer and our program to visit was set.

I asked few of my friends to join but I got the standard reply " Arre pagal itna garmi me mar jayega Sunday hai ghar per rest kar" . Well the truth is my friends must be feeling restful chilling in front of TV on a lazy sunday but for me this scene would only make me restless. 

Our Journey:
Earlier we had planned to go by car to Daman but cost per head was coming close to Rs 1000 per head and that too only for travelling ! Perhaps that is the reason I blurted " Arre yaar itne me toh mai char bar Daman jakar aa jaonga" So sanity prevailed and we decided to go by train to Daman.

Let me inform you that there is no train which go to Daman, the nearest Railway station is Vapi and from there Daman is 12 kms away and can be reached by road.

There are many express trains going to Delhi or Ahmedabad which halts at Vapi station which one can catch and reach Vapi. However I prefer to go by Passenger train because though they are slow atleast I am assured of a seat. 

We decided to catch 7:40 am Virar-Surat Shuttle from Virar station. The train took around 3 hours to reach Vapi and from there we rushed to the Taxi Stand. 

Vapi Here we are

Taxi stand is just outside the Station on west side.
There are regular sharing taxis which go to Daman from Vapi. We paid Rs 30 per person and mind you 6 people sit in these Taxis.

A drive of 15 minutes and we were at Nani Daman Taxi Stand.

At Taxi stand :All set to go

After getting down from the Taxi we were all set for our street walk. Just opposite the Taxi stand is shopping center which local people call Dubai Market ! I personally felt it should be called Duplicate Market !(after all it contained only cheap imitation of foreign goods). However what got me interested was the construction date of the market.
1879 !

Duplicate Market ..oops Dubai Market

Constructed Year : 1879

Our first destination of interest was to explore Nani Daman Fort. Hence we started walking along this market and little ahead on the opposite side of the road was another blast from the past. Yes an old police station building with typical Arc structures. 

Nani Daman Police station

Walking through the streets of Nani Daman the old colourful buildings cannot be missed. Someday I will come again and do heritage walk here.

Colourful Houses

Colourful Old Gold

Daman is a typical coastal town where one can see major Portuguese influences in construction of houses, churches and forts.

After absorbing this Portuguese culture I was all the more excited to explore Daman Town.

1933 construction

I wanted to know more about its history and was all set for next stop.... Nani Daman Fort. 


Wait for my next blog on Nani Daman Fort soon

till then happy reading.