Navsari Knowledge Guide
History
Navsari was originally known as "Navasarika", and was the capital of a vishya (an administrative unit) in the Lata region. It is identified with "Nusaripa", a city mentioned in Ptolemy's 2nd century Greek-language work Geography.The Chalukyas of Navasarika, who governed the area around Navsari as subordinates of the Chalukyas of Vatapi, repulsed an Umayyad invasion of the area in 738-739 CE.Two families of Parsi Zoroastrian priests settled in Navsari in the early 13th century, and the town soon emerged as the major centre of the Parsi priesthood and religious authority. As Parsi community grow at other places in India, the priests from Navsari were sought by the new Parsi settlements. Surat replaced Navsari as the principal settlement of the Parsi community in the 18th century, following its rise as a major trade centre for the European factories, and the Maratha incursions into Navsari; Surat itself lost this position to Bombay in the later years.
Transportation
The nearest domestic airport is at Vadodara Airport, 170 km north of Navsari, with the nearest international airports being Surat Airport at Magdalla, Surat, 48 km. Navsari also lies on the Mumbai-Delhi railway link, one of the busiest railway routes in India. Navsari is well connected by NH 228 also known as Sabarmati-Dandi Highway. NH 48 also passes through the city. Navsari is only 30 km south of Surat.