History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c76.s1.1

v5.c76.s1.1

The Sahyadri range or Western Ghat, running parallel to the western coast of India, cuts off a long narrow strip of country from the Deccan plateau. Moving southwards from Surat along this tract, we have first the Surat Agency States of the present day, covering a wild broken and jungly country, the original home of the predatory Bhil and Koli tribes, —whence its Marathi name of *Kolvan* or the Koli country,—the two chief States here being Ramnagar (modern Dharampur) and Jawhar, the last of which is in the same latitude as Nasik across the Ghats. This Kolvan occupies only the inland or eastern portion of the long narrow strip, while the sea-coast was, in the late 17th century, covered by Portuguese possessions stretching from Daman (almost the same latitude as Chandor) downwards to Bassein (26 miles north of Bombay), and including many places which have now come to the British through the intervening Maratha conquerors.