Kelve-Mahim
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.
Kelve-Mahim
Head-quarters of the Mahim of Thana Dis- trict, Bombay, situated in 19°36' N. and 72°44’E., about 5 ½ miles west of the Palghar station on the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway, and 56 miles north of Bombay. Population (1901), 5,699. The village ' of Kelve, whose name is thus joined with Mahim, lies on the opposite side of a creek about 2 ½ miles to the south. The coast is very rocky near the harbour, and a reef stretches for 2 miles from the shore. A small island fort lies opposite the village of Kelve. Near the two creeks which form the harbours of Mahlm and Kelve are two small forts, forming links in the chain built by the Portuguese along the coast of the . The town is to a large extent occupied by gardens, and has a fair trade in plantains, sugar-cane, ginger, and betel-leaf. Delhi Musalmans had possession of Mahim in 1350; Gujarat governors suc- ceeded; in 1532 the Portuguese occupied it; and in 1612 it was bravely held against the Mughals. The tomb of a Portuguese noble- man has been unearthed and its slab placed in the Collector's garden at Thana. Kelve-Mahim has been a municipal town since 1861. During the decade ending 1901 the income averaged Rs. 8,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 7,700. Kelve village was included in the Mahim municipality in 1890. The town contains a dispensary, and 6 schools for boys with 356 pupils and one for girls with 51 pupils.
