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Golaghat district | |
|---|---|
     From top, left-to-right: Rhinoceros inKaziranga National Park,Negheriting Shiva Doul,Deopahar, Golaghat city view,Athkheliya Namghar. | |
.svg) Location in Assam | |
| Coordinates:26°00′N93°00′E / 26.0°N 93.0°E /26.0; 93.0 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Assam |
| Division | Upper Assam |
| Headquarters | Golaghat |
| Government | |
| • Lok Sabha constituencies | Kaliabor |
| • Vidhan Sabha constituencies | Bokakhat,Sarupathar,Golaghat,Khumtai,Dergaon, |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,502 km2 (1,352 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 1,066,888 |
| • Density | 304.7/km2 (789.0/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| Website | golaghat |
Golaghat district (Pron:ˌgəʊləˈgɑ:t) is an administrativedistrict in the state ofAssam in India. It attained district status in 1987. The district headquarters are located atGolaghat. The district occupies an area of3,502 km2 (1,352 sq mi) and lies 100 metres (330 ft) above sea level.
The name 'Golaghat' originated from the markets established by a business class of people calledMarwari during the mid-19th century at the bank of the riverDhansiri in the vicinity of the district headquarters. "Gola" means market and "Ghat" means a river port .
TheNagajari-Khanikargaon rock inscription of Nagajari Khanikar village ofSarupathar, remnants of fortifications, brick structures, monuments, temples,tanks, etc. are evidence of a 9th-century kingdom in theDoyang-Dhansiri valley.
Earlier, this part was ruled by theDimasa Kingdom. TheMing dynasty had contact with the Dimasas and canonised the Dimasa kingdom as atusi in 1406.[1]The Ming court sent Zhou Rang, a Supervising Secretary to bestow Imperial orders, patent, seals, paper money, silks etc. to the kingdom[2]and in return, the chieftain of Dimasa sent horses and local products as a sign of tribute.[3]In 1425, paper money, ramie-silks, silk gauzes and thin silk were conferred to Mazhiasa who was sent to the Ming court by Diedaomangpa, the acting head of Di-ma-sa Pacification Superintendency.[4]
It is speculated that Dimasa kingdom is referred to asTimmasala in theYan-anng-myin pagoda inscription ofBurma in 1400 A.D.[6][7] In this inscription byMinkhaung I, the kingdom ofAva is said to extend on the east to Shan Pyi, northwest to Timmasala, west to Kula Pyi, and south to Talaing Pyi.[8]
In a 1442 inscription fromPagan ofBurma mentions Timmasala (Hill Kacharis) to be one of the 21 principalities underMong Mao rulerThonganbwa (1413–1445/6),[9] who was later captured by the Governor ofTaungdwin and presented to KingNarapati I of Ava.[10]
The Ahoms became the rulers of the Doyang-Dhansiri valley in the 16th century. TheKacharis were pushed back towards west of theKarbi hills. The Ahom KingSuhungmung (1497–1539), appointed a ruler entitledMarangi-Khowa Gohain, an administrative post with the Rank of a Governor/Minister of theAhom administration. UnderMarangi-khowa Gohain, large number of people from different parts of Ahom kingdom were settled in erstwhile Kachari Kingdom. An interesting aspect of such settlement was that a large number of people from different castes/communities were mixed up together so that there was remote chance of rebellion in such newly acquired territory. Most of the Morongi-Khowa Gohains were appointed from theBurhagohain families although there were few exceptions.
Later, when the British took control of Assam, the Doyang-Dhansiri valley was incorporated under the newly formed Golaghat subdivision of theSibsagar district in 1846. Golaghat district played an active part in the freedom struggle of India.Kushal Konwar, Kamala Miri, Dwariki Das, Biju Vaishnav, Sankar Chandra Barua, Shri Tara Prasad Barooah, Rajendra Nath Barua, Gaurilal Jain, Ganga Ram Bormedhi and Dwarikanath Goswami are eminent freedom fighters of the region.
Golaghat was raised to the position of a district of Assam on 15 August 1987, when it was split fromSibsagar district.[11]
Golaghat district occupies an area of 3,502 square kilometres (1,352 sq mi),[12] comparatively equivalent to theBahamas'North Andros Island.[13]
Golaghat district is surrounded by the riverBrahmaputra to the north, the state ofNagaland to the south,Jorhat district to the east andKarbi Anglong andNagaon district to the west.Dhansiri is the principal river, which originates from Laisang peak of Nagaland. It streams through a distance of 352 km from south to north before joining the Brahmaputra. Its catchment area is 1,220 km2 (470 sq mi). Doyang, Nambor, Doigrung and Kalioni are the four rivulets of the Dhansiri. The river Kakodonga marks the border between Golaghat and Jorhat districts.
The climate is tropical with a hot and humid weather prevailing most of the summer and monsoon months. Total average annual rainfall is 1300 mm. Maximum precipitation occurs in June and July. Maximum temperature is 38.0 °C in June and minimum temperature is 8.0 °C in December.[citation needed]
There are fourAssam Legislative Assembly constituencies in this district: Bokakhat, Sarupathar, Golaghat, and Khumtai.[14] All four are in theKaliabor Lok Sabha constituency.[15]
Within the merged establishment of the Deputy Commissioner, Golaghat are the Offices of the Sub-Divisional Officers, Dhansiri and Bokakhat. There are multiple functions and issues looked after by the Deputy Commissioner's office from its headquarters. The branches of the Office of the Deputy Commissioner are rationalized as Administration, Civil Defence, Confidential, Development, Election, Excise, Home Guards, Magisterial, Nazarat, Personnel, Registration, Revenue, Supply, Treasury and Zila Sainik Board. The Courts of District and Session Judge are also located in its headquarters at Golaghat.
According to the2011 census Golaghat district has apopulation of 1,066,888,[17] roughly equal to the nation ofCyprus[18] or the US state ofRhode Island.[19] This gives it a ranking of 430th in India (out of a total of640).[17] The district has a population density of 302 inhabitants per square kilometre (780/sq mi) .[17] Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11.88%.[17] Golaghat has asex ratio of 961females for every 1000 males,[17] and aliteracy rate of 78.31%. 9.16% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 5.84% and 10.48% of the population respectively.[17]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 158,474 | — |
| 1911 | 184,701 | +1.54% |
| 1921 | 221,328 | +1.83% |
| 1931 | 261,816 | +1.69% |
| 1941 | 265,148 | +0.13% |
| 1951 | 317,550 | +1.82% |
| 1961 | 400,238 | +2.34% |
| 1971 | 523,707 | +2.73% |
| 1991 | 828,096 | +2.32% |
| 2001 | 946,279 | +1.34% |
| 2011 | 1,066,888 | +1.21% |
| source:[20] | ||
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 85.99% | |||
| Islam | 8.46% | |||
| Christianity | 4.74% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.81% | |||
Hinduism is followed by majority of the people in Golaghat district: 85.99%. Muslims form 8.46% of population. while Christians are 4.74% of the population.[21]
According to the 2011 census, 78.40% of the population speakAssamese, 4.59%Bengali, 2.71%Mising, 2.50%Nepali, 1.86%Boro, 1.79%Hindi, 1.52%Sadri and 1.36%Odia as their first language.[22]
Around 420 km2 (160 sq mi) of Golaghat district is under occupation by the state of Nagaland (Merapani region). There were major conflicts between the two sides in 1979 and 1985, with 54 and 41 deaths respectively. Almost all the deaths were from the Assamese side and the attackers includedNSCN militants andNagaland Police.[23]
Golaghat district crowns many literary intellects who have made outstanding contributions to Assamese literature. The most prominent writer of the 19th century who hailed from Golaghat wasHem Chandra Barua, the writer of first Assamese dictionaryHemkosh. Raghunath Mahanta, Satradhikar of Doyang Alengi Satra of Golaghat, was another writer of 19th century who composed three masterpieces, namelyShatrunjoy Kavya,Adbhoot Ramayan andKatha Ramayan. One significant poet of the Ahom age was Durgeswar Dwiji. He composed a book titledSangkhosur Badh. Hem Chandra Goswami is regarded as one of the most exceptional writers of the late 19th century and early twentieth century. He is the first sonnet writer of Assamese language. The credit of first Assamese poetess plus first Assamese short story writer amongst women went to Yamuneswari Khatoniar of Golaghat. Her collection of verses calledArun was the first book written by a woman poet.
Raibahadur Ghanashyam Barua of Golaghat, who was also famous in the field of politics as the first Central Minister of Assam, translatedWilliam Shakespeare'sThe Comedy of Errors into theAssamese language along with three of his partners. Kamal Chandra Sarma of Golaghat enjoyed the influential position of secretary of 'Asomiya Bhasa Unnoti Sadhini Sabha'. Syed Abdul Malik, the invincible writer of Assamese literature, belongs to the village of Nahoroni in Golaghat. He was the president of Assam Sahitya Sabha. Malik received many exalted prizes, including Sahitya Akademy, Sankar Dev Award, Xahityacharyya, etc.
Other people from Golaghat who marked their names as great writers of Assamese literature include Surendranath Saikia, Hari Parsad Barua, Kirtinath Hazarika, Dr Nagen Saikia, Dr Debo Prasad Barooah, Nilamoni Phukan, Samir Tanti, Lakhikanta Mahanta, Purna Chandra Goswami, Dr Upen Kakoty, Lolit Barua, Golap Khound and Premadhar Dutta. The Golaghat Sahitya Sabha is one of the oldest congresses of Assam Sahitya Sabha, started in 1918.
In 1974 Golaghat district became home toKaziranga National Park, which has an area of 472 km2 (182.2 sq mi).[24] It shares the park withNagaon district. It also home toNambor - Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary.
{{cite book}}:|last1= has generic name (help)North Andros Island 3,439
Cyprus 1,120,489 July 2011 est.
Rhode Island 1,052,567
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Places adjacent to Golaghat district | |
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