| Voice of Bongaigaon
: Parimal Kumar Das
There are many oil industries around Bongaigaon that emits gases
leading to environmental degradation.
Tunia River, a heritage river is completely polluted. We face shortage
of clean drinking water.
Large scale tree felling.
Deforestation and poaching of wild animals are some issues that
needs urgent attention from the government.
Bongaigaon
District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 2510.0 Km2
Population in Bongaigaon (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 732,639
Male : 373,590
Female : 359,049
Under 6 population
Total : 113,751
Male : 57,874
Female : 55,877
Disabled population
Total disabled population : 20243
In seeing : 11425
In speech : 1947
In hearing : 1982
In movement : 3054
Mental : 1835
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : 105
Sex Ratio Rank : 319
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C (HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 424 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 390 (Census 2001)
Minority : Yes
Brief About Bongaigaon District
Creation:
The decision of the Government of Assam in 1989, to create a new
District of Bongaigaon curving out some areas of the Goalpara and
Kokrajhar District with its headquarter located at Bongaigaon was
quite challenging. It was the political and administrative
exigencies which had necessitated to create this new district suddenly
although the people of Bongaigaon and the adjoining areas were demanding
a new Sub-Division with its headquarter to be located at Bongaigaon
from the very beginning.
This
decision to create a new District, Bongaigaon was quite challenging
because the very idea to create such a district was neither a long
standing one nor a tested one. Moreover, the decision to set
up a district headquarter at Bongaigaon was more challenging as
there was no Sub-divisional infrastructure in this town, whereas
the other newly created district head quarters of Assam had Sub-divisional
infrastructures of their own. In
the absence of such basic infrustructural facilities, the initiation
of the activity of the district headquarter was almost started on
the street, which was not only challenging task but also novel one.
On
29th September, 1989, the creation of Bongaigaon District
was declared by the Government of Assam with its headquarter at
Bongaigaon. The major portion of the areas of erstwhile Bijni
and Sidli estates along with tracts of Eastern Duars was curved
out of Goalpara and Kokrajhar District in October, 1989 in order
to create a newest district of Assam, i.e. Bongaigaon. Although
the logistic behind the creation of this new district was
no doubt an administrative one but the political as well as economic
exigencies were also responsible behind its creation.
Background(a):
The original Goalpara district was first created in 1822 A.D. by
David Scott- an employee of East India Company, who was the first
Commissioner of newly created North East Rangpur district Hd. Qr.
at Rangpur town(now in Bangla Desh) and newly created Goalpara district
was also tagged with North-East Rangpur district for administration.
The erstwhile Bijni Kingdom's area which included the undivided
Garo Hills district area also constituted the original Goalpara
district area in 1822. In 1866 Garo Hills was separated from
Goalpara district area and in the same year a new district named
"Greater Koch Behar" was created and the residual portion of Goalpara
district was withdrawn from Rangpur and tagged with Koch Behar.
In 1874 a new province named Assam Valley Province was created by
British Govt.(Successor of East India Company) and Goalpara district
area was withdrawn from Koch Behar and tagged with Assam Province
which continues till today unless petty political gambling disturbs.
Now the original Goalpara district has given birth of four districts
namely (i) Goalpara (ii) Dhubri (iii) Kokrajhar and (iv) Bongaigaon.
(b) Hitherto referred, Bijni Kingdom was first
establishment by Bijit Narayan alias Chandra Narayan in 1671 comprising
the area of undivided Goalpara district.Chandra Narayan was the
son of Parikshit Narayan who was the grandson of Yuvaraj Sukladhwaj
alias Chilarai, the world hero(1510-1571 AD). He was the younger
brother of Moharaj Naranarayan, the great emperor of Kamrup Rajya
alias Kamata Empire alias Koch Empire of 16th century.The first
capital of Bijni Kingdom was at modern Bijni town from 1671 to 1864
and thereafter shifted to Dumuria(now known as Dalan Bhanga) due
to attack by Jhawlia Mech - a local chief under Bhutan Kingdom.
The big and dreaded earthquake occured at 5 PM, on 12th June/1897
badly damaged the royal palaces of Dumuriya caused the shifting
of the Capital temporarily to Jogighopa and thereafter permanently
shifted to Deohati forest area now known as Abhayapuri named after
Rani Abhayeswari in 1901, which continued upto 1956 when Govt. of
India took over this Kingdom. At present Bongaigaon district is
having three Civil Sub-Divisions, namely (1) Bongaigaon with
Hd. Qr. at Bongaigaon (2) North Salmara with Hd. Qr. at Abhayapuri
town and (3) Bijni with Hd. Qr. at Bijni town.90 % area of Bongaigaon
district belonged to erstwhile Bijni Kingdom and 10% area from Sidli
Kingdom, Raja Bhairabendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur and Raja Ajit Narayan
Dev were the last kings of Bijni and Sidli Kingdoms respectively.
Joy Narayan, Shiv Narayan, Bijoy Narayan, Mukunda Narayan, Haridev
Narayan, Indra Narayan, Amrit Narayan,. Kumud Narayan and Rani Abhayeswari
were the Kings and queen in between the founder king Chandra Narayan
and the last king Bhairabendra Narayan of Bijni Kingdom.
On naming the district:
The name of Bongaigaon town and district is the elongation
of a fig and old village named Bongaigaon alias Bong-ai-gaon situated
on the southern border of the town. According to hearsay (1) in
the long past there were plenty of wild(Bon) Cows (Gai) in the surrounding
hilly and forest areas. So, the villagers assembled time to time
to drive away the wild cows for protecting their crops. Thus this
area was popularly known as Bon-Gai-Gaon. (2) In that big village
areas there dwelt one nature-poet named 'Bong' (Bong Roy) who could
induce laughters to all his bye-standers with his cryptic but harmless
oral composition describing the situation on the spot and in return
he could collect grains or coins voluntarily offered by the audiance.
This was his only source of income and profession. Thus his areas
was roughly identified as the village of Bong(Ray) i.e. Bong-er-Gaon=Bongaigaon
that is in course of time. This Bongaigaon village area was famous
for orange fruits which were sold inter-alia other agricultural
products in the nearest market named Birjhora Bazar located at the
heart of present Bongaigaon town.The word Birjhora was derived from
Bir+Jirowa(Jirowa means resting place) of Bir(hero). It is held
that the noble hero Chilarai took here rest for about two months
during rainy season at the time of his invading the neighbouring
Kingdoms of entire north-east India.
The People:
From the chequered historical background of this district, it can
easily be surmised that the entire area was ruled by Kings/Zaminders/Feudal
Lords hailing from the Koch-Rajbonshies belonging to Indo-Mongoloid
ethnic group of peoples right from 15th centuary to the end
of princely states in 1956 A.D. The kings of this area had their
hoary past and can be traced back to the "Kiratees" of epic age(Mahabharata
fame) that is pre-vedic age. These Kiratees of dimpast are also
mentioned in Kalika Puran and Jogingi Tantra and also in histories
written both by native and foreign schoolers.
Naturally Koches alias Koch-Rajbongchies and Kocharies
are the original sons of the soil of this new district. Ravas, Garos,
Yogis,Kalitas, Kayasthas and older Muslims are also indegenous who
settled in this part of land prior to the advent of Britishers in
North East Region.After advent of British Govt. in this part of
land , a new term named Bodo/Boro was coined deliberately by European
historian.According to them the word Bodo/Boro is a generic term
and its species are (i) Kocharies (ii) Koches (iii) Rabhas (iv)
Garos (v) Lalungs (vi) Hajongs and (vii) Chutiyas
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