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#REDIRECT [[Nallasopara]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Merge to |Nala Sopara|date=December 2015}}
<!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Indian cities]] for details -->{{Infobox settlement
| name = Sopara
| native_name = सोपारा
| native_name_lang = Marathi
| other_name =
| settlement_type = city
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| nickname =
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Maharashtra
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|19.47|N|72.8|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Maharashtra]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Palghar district|Palghar]]
| established_title = <!-- Established -->
| established_date =
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| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
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| elevation_m = 11
| population_total =
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| population_density_km2 = auto
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| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = <!-- [[Postal Index Number|PIN]] -->
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}}


{{R from merge}}
'''Sopara''' (सोपारा) or '''[[Shurparaka]]''' ({{lang-sa|शूर्पारक}}, {{IAST|Śūrpāraka}}) (by some identified with the [[Ophir]] mentioned in the [[Hebrew]] texts<ref>1 Kings 9:28; 10:11; 22:49; 1 Chronicles 29:4; 2 Chronicles 8:18; Job 22:24; 28:16; Psalms 45:9; Isaiah 13:12</ref>) was an ancient port town and the capital of the ancient [[Aparanta]]. The site of this ancient town is located near the present day [[Nala Sopara]] town in the [[Thane district]], now in the newly created [[Palghar district]], of the state [[Maharashtra]], [[India]].
{{R to section}}


{{Authority control}}
[[Nala Sopara]] is one of the busiest western suburbs of Mumbai city. In ancient times, it was the largest township on India's west coast, trading with [[Mesopotamia]], [[Egypt]], [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]], [[Arabia]] and [[Eastern Africa]].

==History==

The [[Mahabharata]] and the [[Purana]]s state that the {{IAST|Śūrpāraka}} was reclaimed from the sea for the dwelling place of [[Parashurama]] and it became a [[Tirtha (Hinduism)|tirtha]] for this reason.<ref>Pargiter F.E. (1922, reprint 1972) ''Ancient Indian Historical Tradition'', Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi, p.201</ref> The finding of the relics in a stupa and the rock edicts (the fragments of the 8th and 9th major rock edicts) of [[Ashoka]] in 1882<ref>[http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2001-11-18/mumbai/27243463_1_edict-shah-rukh-nalla-sopara Times of India article on Sopara, 18 November 2001]</ref> prove the importance of this port town from the 3rd century BCE<ref>Thaper, R. (1997). ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', Oxford University Press, New Delhi, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, pp.5,236</ref> to the 9th century CE. The Buddhist text [[Mahavamsa]] (VI, 46,47) states that the first king of [[Sri Lanka]], [[Vijaya of Sri Lanka|Vijaya]] sailed from Supparaka (Sopara) to Sri Lanka.<ref>Thaper, R. (1997). ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', Oxford University Press, New Delhi, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, pp.82,135</ref> [[Ptolemy]] mentioned this town as Soupara, and it was a major commercial centre during his time<ref>Thaper, R. (1997). ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', Oxford University Press, New Delhi, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, p.236</ref> According to the Jaina writers, Shripala, a mythical king married Tilakasundari, daughter of king Mahasena of Soparaka. Jinaprabhasuri (14th century) in his ''Vividhatirthakalpa'' mentioned Soparaka as one of 84 [[Jainism|Jaina]] [[Tirtha (Jainism)|tirtha]]s (sacred places). He also mentioned about an image of [[Rishabhadeva]] located in this city till his time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/Thane/places_s.html|title=Chapter 19 Places|work=Thane district Gazetteer|publisher=Government of Maharashtra|year=2006 |origyear=1982}}</ref>

It has also been suggested that King Hiram of Tyre brought gold, precious stones and almug trees for Solomon from this city that was called land of Ophir.<ref>A L Bashman, The Wonder That was India, Picador Press India</ref>

==Excavations at Sopara==

In April 1882, [[Bhagvanlal Indraji]], a noted [[archaeologist]], [[numismatist]] and [[epigraphist]] excavated at the ''Burud Rajache Kot'' mound in Merdes village, near Sopara. The ruins of a Buddhist Stupa was found. From the center of the stupa (inside a brick built chamber) a large stone coffer was excavated which contained eight bronze images of Maitreya Buddha which belong to the c. 8th-9th century CE. This coffer also enclosed relic caskets of [[copper]], [[silver]], [[Rock (geology)|stone]], [[crystal]] and [[gold]], along with numerous gold flowers and fragments of a begging bowl. A silver coin of [[Gautamiputra Satakarni]] ([[Satavahana|Satvahans]]) was also found from the mound. The Bombay Provincial Government presented the Sopara relics to the Asiatic Society of Bombay. The coins and the artifacts found during the excavations at the site of this ancient town can still be viewed in the [[Asiatic Society of Bombay|The Asiatic Society, Mumbai]] museum. In an old Muslim graveyard near Ramkund, the fragments of 7th and 9th major rock edicts were found. These rock edicts can be viewed in the [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya]], Mumbai. In 1956, a fragment of 11th major rock edict was found from a coastal village, Bhuigaon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asi.nic.in/nmma_reviews/Indian%20Archaeology%201955-56%20%20A%20Review.pdf|title=Indian Archaeology 1955-56 - A Review |last=Ghosh|first=A. (ed.)|origyear=1956|year=1993|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|pages=29|accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref> During an excavation in 1993, a ring well, fragments of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] amphorae red polished ware and glass (all belong to the early centuries of the Common Era) were found.

==Education==

There are number of small and big schools in Sopara. Some of the major schools are St.Augustine's High school, St.Mary's English high school,Sacred heart high school,St.Francis,KMPD,St.aloysius,Z.B. Zakeria High School.a.k.I Urdu high school.

==See also==
{{Portal|India}}
*[[Indian maritime history]]
*[[Surparaka Kingdom]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/unitedit/places/Sopara/sopara.htm&date=2009-10-25+23:35:15 Sopara]
*[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/unitedit/places/SoparaPort/SoparaArticle.htm&date=2009-10-25+23:35:18 A Case Study of Sopara]
*[http://www.bhramanti.com/kanheri.html Kanheri Caves]
*[http://www.thane.nic.in/htmldocs/history.htm Ancient History of Thane]
*[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/DS416.A3/ Archaeological Survey of Western India]
*[http://www.nio.org/annual_reports/1993-94.pdf Onshore explorations at Sopara and Kalyan]


[[Category:Former cities]]
[[Category:Former cities]]

Latest revision as of 07:53, 16 June 2023

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