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Biswanath district

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Biswanath district (IPA: ˌbɪswəˈnɑːθ ˈtʃɑːrɪˌælɪ) is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. It is one of the newly created districts in 2015, declared by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on 15 August 2015.[1][2]

Biswanath district
District of Assam
Vasudeva Doul
Vasudeva Doul
Map
Interactive map of Biswanath district
Coordinates: 26°43′44″N 93°08′50″E / 26.729°N 93.1471°E / 26.729; 93.1471
Country India
StateAssam
DivisionNorth Assam
Incorporated (District)15 August 2015
HeadquarterBiswanath Chariali
Government
 • Lok Sabha constituenciesSonitpur
 • Vidhan Sabha constituenciesBiswanath, Behali, Gohpur
Area
 • Total
1,415 km2 (546 sq mi)
Elevation
48–849 m (157–2,785 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
612,491
 • Density432.9/km2 (1,121/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialAssamese
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Postal code
784 XXX
Vehicle registrationAS-32
Websitehttps://biswanath.assam.gov.in

The district is created amalgamating Gohpur and most part of Biswanath Sub division on earlier Sonitpur district. The district is bounded by Arunachal Pradesh on north, Golaghat, Brahmaputra River on the south, Lakhimpur district on the east and Sonitpur district on the west. The administrative headquarter is located at Biswanath Chariali.

On 31 December 2022, the district remerged with existing Sonitpur district ahead of delimitation process by ECI in the state.[3]

However, on August 25, 2023, the Assam cabinet announced the restoration of Biswanath's district status.[4]

History

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The major part of Biswanath district formed a part of the Chutia kingdom until it was annexed in the 16th century by the Ahoms.[5] Some local traditions associate the western part of the district with independent Bhuyan chieftains, although the Ahom Buranjis do not record the presence of the Baro-Bhuyans in this region. It is speculated that the border between the Chutia kingdom and Bhuyan principalities was marked by the Dikarai [6] and the Ghiladhari rivers.[7] The Chutia kings built many forts in the region, which included the Naksaparvat, Ramghat-Buroi fort (near Nyishi hills)[8] and the Pratapgarh fort built by king Pratap Narayan.[9][10] The Ita Fort, another Chutia era fort, lies to the north of Biswanath Chariali.

A brick plith of a house found at Upper Balijan of Biswanath district, similar to the ones found at Chutia era sites like Rukmininagar, Gomsi and Naksaparvat.

The Buranjis mention that after the conquest of the Chutia kingdom in 1524 CE, the Ahom forces of Suhungmung crossed the Bharali River in 1527 and 1529 CE, suppressed the Bhuyans of Rauta-Temoni (modern-day Darrang-Nagaon region) and resettled them in the Uttarkula or North bank of Upper Assam (Lakhimpur-Biswanath region). [11] In 1526 CE, Suhungmung first appointed Konsheng Dhanudharia Gohain as Bhatialia Gohain or Namoniyal Sandikoi to rule the region and later gave him the title of Barpatra Gohain (Chao-Sheng-lung) in imitation of the earlier Chutia Barpatra title. Similarly, Shengpem Dhanudharia Gohain was made Thaomung Katak and stationed at Phulbari, Lakhimpur[12], after which the Ahom forces crossed the Bharali and subjugated the Bhuyans in the years 1527 and 1529 CE.[13][14] Thus, it can be seen that the Chutia kingdom extended as far as the Bharali River.

During the later Ahom period, Biswanath developed into an important religious centre. Ahom kings built a number of temples like the Biswanath temple, Sivanath Moth and Bordol temple.[15] The region also appears indirectly in accounts of the Ahom conflicts with Muslim and Mughal forces. During Suhungmung's reign, the Ahoms are said to have driven an invading Muslim force back to the Burai river, after which a fort was constructed at the mouth of the river and a detachment was posted at Phulbari.[16] In the Mughal period proper, the nearby Bharali river formed an important frontier zone: the Ahoms defeated Mughal forces under Abu Bakr on the Bharali in 1615, an event also associated with the Samdhara inscription of 1616.[17] After Mir Jumla's invasion, the Treaty of Ghilajharighat in 1663 ceded the country west of the Bhareli river on the north bank of the Brahmaputra to the Mughal emperor.[18]

In the early British period, Biswanath served for a few years as the headquarters of the Naduar or Biswanath district before being included in Darrang district in 1835. During British rule, Biswanath Ghat became an important steamer ghat and trading centre in north Assam.[19] Allen's gazetteer also lists Bishnath among the steamer ports of Darrang district.[20]

Administration

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Headquarter
Biswanath Chariali
Name of Sub-Divisions
Biswanath Chariali, Gohpur
Name of Revenue Circles/ Tehsils
Biswanath Chariali, Gohpur, Helem
Name of Development(C.D.) Blocks
  • Pub-Chaiduar Development Block
  • Chaiduar Development Block
  • Behali Development Block
  • Baghmora Development Block
  • Biswanath Development Block
  • Sakomotha development Block
  • Sotea Development Block
Name of Police Stations
  • Gohpur Police Station
  • Helem Police Station
  • Behali Police Station
  • Ginjia Police Station
  • Biswanath Chariali Police Station
  • Sootea Police Station
  • Hawajan Police Outpost
  • Borgang Police Outpost
Number of Villages
832
Names of Towns
Biswanath Chariali, Gohpur
Name of Town Committees
Biswanath Chariali, Gohpur

Demographics

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According to the 2011 census, Biswanath district has a population of 612,491, of which 31,368 (5.12%) live in urban areas. Biswanath had a sex ratio of 968 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 43,763 (7.15%) and 93,174 (15.21%) of the population respectively.[21]

Religions in Biswanath district (2011)[22]
Religion Percent
Hinduism
 
 83.96%
Islam
 
 8.52%
Christianity
 
 6.92%
Other or not stated
 
 0.60%

As of the 2011 census, Hindus made up 514,259 (83.96%), while Muslims made up 52,155 (8.52%) and Christians (6.92%) of the population respectively.[22]

Languages of Biswanath district (2011)[23]
  1. Assamese (34.1%)
  2. Sadri (13.6%)
  3. Bengali (8.58%)
  4. Nepali (7.93%)
  5. Boro (7.23%)
  6. Mising (7.09%)
  7. Odia (6.76%)
  8. Mundari (3.41%)
  9. Karbi (2.56%)
  10. Hindi (1.84%)
  11. Others (6.98%)

At the time of the 2011 census, 34.06% of the population speaks Assamese, 13.56% Sadri, 8.58% Bengali, 7.93% Nepali, 7.23% Boro, 7.09% Mising, 6.76% Odia, 3.41% Mundari, 2.56% Karbi and 1.84% Hindi as their first language.[23]

Railway Station

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  1. Dubia
  2. Gohpur
  3. Brahmajan
  4. Helem
  5. Niz Borgang
  6. Monabari
  7. Viswanath Chariali
  8. Niz Sotea

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ "CM Tarun Gogoi announces 5 new districts in Assam on Independence Day". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
  2. ↑ "Assam gets five more districts". 15 August 2015. Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  3. ↑ Tribune, The Assam (2022-12-31). "Assam: Four districts to re-merge with existing districts". assamtribune.com. Archived from the original on 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  4. ↑ "Assam Cabinet decides to 'create' 4 districts". The Hindu. 25 August 2023. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "..the Chutiya kingdom was bound by the Himalayas on the north, river Burhi Dihing on the south, Patkai ranges on the east and Bharali river in the west. Robinson and following him, N.N.Acharya, are of the opinion that the Chutia kingdom extended up to Viswanath in the present Darrang district of Assam."(Dutta 1985:28)
  6. ↑ (Baruah 1986:193)
  7. ↑ (Neog 1980:66)
  8. ↑ Barua, Kanaklal. The Early History of Kamrupa,1933, p. 271.
  9. ↑ Journal Of The Asiatic Society Of Bengal,19, p. 258.
  10. ↑ The stone inscription found in Umatamani, Biswanath states that a king named Lakshminah was crowned as the Lord of Pratapapura (Pratapapura-adhikari Dalapati Shri Lakshminah). This was none other than the Chutia king Lakshminarayan
  11. ↑ According to Purani Assam Buranji, p.27. the twelve Bara Bhuyans of Rowta-Temani (mid-Assam, on either banks of the Brahmaputra) namely Utai, Tamai, Rai, Sakai, Kausika, Uzir, Laskar, Comdar, Sanatana, Keho, Rambhat and Bhakat with four sub-Bhuyans each, were transported and settled in various places of Uttara-kula (Biswanath, Lakhimpur districts). The Lacam Kalita Bhuyan family was placed at Bahbari(Lakhimpur), while one of them was settled on the river Sonari(Dhakuakhana), and another on the hills. As per Satsari Buranji, p.16, Suhungmung suppressed the Baro-Bhuyans in Rowta. The people of the region were placed under the leadership of the Baro-Bhuyans and re-settled at different places of the kingdom.
  12. ↑ Barua, G.C.,"Ahom Buranji, p. 61,"The king, then, named Thaomung Kungren as Thaomung Katak and ordered him to remain in the Phulbari at Katak."
  13. ↑ Barua, G.C.,"Ahom Buranji, p. 62, "The heavenly king proceeded to Shaola(Biswanath). He ordered Shenglung, Thaomung Shenba, and some others to go and remain at Teomani-Rowta. They did accordingly proceeded to the place and stopped there...The king passed the year Lakni Taomit (1528 AD) in peace. In Lakni Kaken (in 1529 AD), the king, with his son, the Dangarias and followers proceeded to Shaola(Sala). The heavenly king sent a messenger to Shenglung and other directing them to return from Teomani-Rowta. The king then ordered Thaomung Katak and Thaomung Mungklang to cross the Bharali river and plunder the wide country on the other side. Both of them acted as desired and returned with some captives who were produced before the king. Thaomung Katak was placed at Narayanpur."
  14. ↑ Bhuyan, S.K, Deodhai Asam Buranji,p.21,"ৰজাদেৱে বিশ্বনাথ লৈ গৈ ত্যাওচুংলুং-কংচেং, থাওমুং-চেনব‌ এই দুইক ৰেটাই-টেমনিত থাকিব দিলেগৈ। পাচে থাওমুং-কটকক উজিৰক ধৰিবলৈ পঠালে। উজিৰে এই কথা জানি ভাগি পৰাৰ...লাক্নি কাকেও শকত ৰজাদেৱৰ‌ বাপেক-পুতেক ৰাজ্যে-সমন্বিতে বিশ্বনাথলৈ গৈ কলঙ্গেদি মানুহ পঠাই ৰেটাই-টেমনিৰ পৰা ত্যাওচুংলুং-কংচেঙক লোকজন সহিতে আহিব দিলে। পাচে ৰজাদেৱে থাওমুং-কটক, থাওমুং-মুংক্লাং, এই দুইক ভৰলীয়ে উজাই পঠালে, বোলে-"তহঁতে দুয়ে ভৰলু পাৰ হৈ‌ গৈ যি মানুহ পাৱ ধৰি আনগৈ।" পাচে ইবোলাক দুয়ো গৈ‌ যি মানুহ পালে আনি ৰজাদেৱৰ ঠাইত দিলেহি। পাচে থাওমুং-কটকক নাৰায়ণপুৰত ৰাজ দি তাতে থাকিব দিলে।"
  15. ↑ Allen, B. C. (1905). Assam District Gazetteers, Volume V: Darrang. Allahabad: Pioneer Press. pp. 66–67.
  16. ↑ Gait, Edward A. (1906). A History of Assam (PDF). Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co. p. 91.
  17. ↑ "The Ahom-Mughal Conflict: A Brief Introduction" (PDF). Vivekananda International Foundation. p. 40.
  18. ↑ "Important Treaties of Medieval Assam". CSAP IAS Academy. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Final Master Plan for Biswanath Chariali" (PDF). The Assam Gazette Extraordinary. Government of Assam. 15 February 2002. p. 1043. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  20. ↑ Allen, B. C. (1905). Assam District Gazetteers, Volume V: Darrang. Allahabad: Pioneer Press. p. 177.
  21. ↑ "District Census Handbook: Sonitpur" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-08-20. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  22. 1 2 "Table C-01 Population By Religion: Assam". census.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011. Archived from the original on 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  23. 1 2 "Table C-16 Population By Mother Tongue: Assam". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011. Archived from the original on 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2023-03-27.

References

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