The history of Diu is pretty ancient in view of the fact that it can be traced to the period when the Maurya rule was at its pinnacle. The great Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya extended his control over Saurashtra and Pushagupta was assigned with the responsibility of administering Saurashtra. When Ashoka ascended the throne, he sent a gospeler to the western sea board including Diu.
The Jain traditions that are so inextricably linked to the history of Diu, have their origin in the initiative that was taken up by the grandson of Ashoka. It was at the behest of Samprati that a number of Jain temples were constructed in Diu. While flipping through the pages of the history of Diu, one comes to learn the fact that Diu was ruled by the Indo-Greek kings for a period spanning from the 1st century B.C to A.D 50. Dynamic kings like Eukratides, Meanandar and Appollodotes II succeeded each other as the rulers of Diu. For the next thousand years Diu came under the reign of dynasties that exercised power over the western India, including Gujarat. From Somnath Patan, the last ruler of the Vaja dynasty, the power shifted to the Muslim rulers of Gujarat.
The landing of the Parsee community in Diu is also a momentous event in the historical background of Diu. The Parsees who were made the victims of religious persecution in Iran came to Diu in the seventh century, considering it as the safe haven. Diu was controlled by the Sultans of Oman during the 14th and 16th centuries. It was under them that Diu emerged as a trading post and a naval base from where the shipping routes of the Arabian Sea could easily be regulated and monitored. The Portuguese were quick to realize the benefits that they could reap from the strategic location of Diu and thus begun their relentless pursuit to gain control over Diu. They finally succeeded in 1539. By the middle of the 16th century the Portuguese extended their dominance over Salcete and Bardez Talukas along with the coastal areas to the north of Bombay and the pockets of Daman and Diu. Diu remained under the Portuguese control till 1961.
Diu Tour Packages
Cities of Daman and Diu
Things To Do in Diu
- Daman and Diu Tour Packages
- Best time to Visit
- How to Reach
- Cities in Daman and Diu
- Art and Craft
- Climate in Daman & Diu
- Currency in Daman and Diu
- History of Daman & Diu
- Shopping
- Nariyal Poornima Festival
- Accommodation in Daman
- Climate in Daman
- Cuisines of Daman
- Currency of Daman
- Excursions from Daman
- Tours to Vapi
- History of Daman
- Shopping in Daman
- Bazaars in Daman
- What to Buy in Daman
- Accommodation in Diu
- Climate in Diu
- Cuisines of Diu
- Currency of Diu
- Excursions from Diu
- Tours to Delwada
- Shopping in Diu
- Bazaars in Diu
- What to Buy in Diu
- Tourist Attractions in Daman & Diu
- Beaches in daman & diu
- Forts and Monuments in Daman and Diu
- Religious Places in Daman and Diu
- Museums in Daman and Diu
- Jampore Beach Daman
- Daman Ganga Tourist Complex Daman
- Jetty Garden Daman
- Kadaiya Lake Garden Daman
- Church of our Lady of the Rosary Daman
- Church of our Lady of the Sea Daman
- Dominican Monastery Daman
- Jain Temple Daman
- Se Cathedral Daman
- Fort of St.Jerome Daman
- Lighthouse Daman
- Moti Daman Fort Daman
- Nani Daman Fort
- Chakratirth Beach Diu
- Gomtimata Beach Diu
- Jallandhar Beach Diu
- Nagoa Beach Diu
- Fortim-do-Mar Diu
- Naida Caves Diu
- Portuguese Fort Diu
- Zampa Gateway Diu
- Church of St Francis of Assisi Diu
- St Paul’s Church Diu
- St Thomas Church Diu
- Diu Museum