Bulsar Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Bulsar Town
(JValsdd, Valsdd). — Port and head-quarters of the taluka of the same name in Surat District, Bombay, situated in 20° 37' N. and 72° 56' E., about 40 miles south of Surat and 115 north of Bombay, on the estuary of the navigable though small river Auranga, and on the railway between Surat and Bombay. Population (1901), 12,857. Of the Musalmans, the greater number are Tais, or converted Hindus, who are engaged chiefly in cloth-weaving, and are, as a rule, well-to-do. The municipality dates from 1855. The income during the decade ending 1901 averaged Rs. 29,000 ; in 1903-4 it was Rs. 25,000. Bulsar is well placed for trade, both by sea and by land. The total value of its coast trade, exclusive of Government stores, in 1903-4, was 12 lakhs, of which 7-! lakhs represented the value of exports and 4^ lakhs that of imports.
The chief imports are piece- goods, tobacco, wheat, fish, and sugar ; the chief exports are timber, grain, molasses, oil, firewood, and tiles. The export of timber is the staple of Bulsar trade. The wood brought from the Dang forests is exported by sea to Dholera, Bhaunagar, and the other ports of Kathi- awar. There are manufactures of cloth for wearing apparel, silk for women's robes, and of bricks, tiles, and pottery. The town contains a Sub-Judge's court, a dispensary, and two English schools, of which one is a high school, attended by loi and 159 pupils. It has also 9 vernacular schools, 6 for boys and 3 for girls, attended respectively by 412 and 219 pupils.
