Short stories

A small industrial stretch—this is what most of India knows Dadra& Nagar Haveli （DNH） as. But outside that， this is also a lush green Union Territory （UT） with forests， agricultural fields and picturesque tribal hamlets. And winter is a great time to visit this UT when the weather is pleasant and mild and a range of fresh local produce can be enjoyed.

Start from Silvassa， the headquarters of the DNH， which has many hotels， resorts and restaurants. Silvassa’s tourist complex has a museum which offers an insight into the tribal culture of the region and even has a little shop outside selling Warli tribal paintings， local bamboo crafts and other handwork. Nearby is a Catholic church that stands as testimony to the UT’s history as a Portuguese enclave.

Silvassa lies near the Gujarat and Maharashtra borders， and is a short drive from the former Portuguese enclave of Daman， so a good variety of food can be enjoyed here. Begin your day with khaman： A favourite breakfast snack of Surat， Navsari and Vapi near Silvassa， khaman is a steamed cake made from Bengal gram， served dry with chutney or in a spicy ‘ras’ of garam masala， dal， chana and tomatoes. Have it when it is freshly made in the morning at Jalaram Khaman and Sweet Centre in the market， washed down with Gujarati-style ‘cutting chai’ or chhaas（buttermilk）， together with other winter snacks and sweets of South Gujarat. While in the market， check out the availability of the Gujarati undhiyu（locals in Silvassa also call it udhbeta）— this is a mix of seasonal green vegetables， potatoes， beans and yam cooked in a sealed earthen pot， a good mix of tastes and textures， usually made only in winter. Try to get matla undhiyu， made by burying the earthen pot upside down to be fired from below. If you are looking for a mid-meal snack， you can get excellent vada pav in the markets， if you are looking for Damanese-style seafood， you will get it at some of the hotels and resorts—Pioneer Hotel usually has good pomfret and lobster on offer.

A short drive from Silvassa will bring you to the Satmaliya Dapada Sanctuary on the Silvassa-Khanvel Road. You can see the gentle sambar and beautiful spotted deer while driving through the forests or waiting at viewing towers facing water bodies in the sanctuary. You could also see colourful birds like peacocks， flycatchers， woodpeckers， oriels， in the sanctuary. If you are travelling with children， they may also enjoy the lion safari a few kilometres away.

Driving past Khanvel， the road to Dudhani winds its way through the Sahyadhri Hills offering views of picturesque tribal villages and green countryside. Dudhani is a large waterbody that has been developed for water based activities— jet-skiing， paddle boating， rowing and so on. The Aquaserene Resort facing the lake is a good place to stay at.

For an unusual experience， book your room at the Himaivan Resort at Khauncha， the other side of the Dudhani， reachable only by ferry. The resort comprises charming cottages with terracotta tile roofs， with lawns stretching out towards the lake and green hills in the background. Here， the tribal cooks dish out regional food like nagli or raagi rotis， akki roti（rice rotis） and other breads with seasonal vegetables and mushrooms， freshwater fish and foul curry. There cannot be a more authentic and delicious taste of the land！