Golaghat district

This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Golaghat.

Golaghat district
District of Assam
From top, left-to-right: Rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park, Negheriting Shiva Doul, Deopahar, Golaghat city view, Athkheliya Namghar.
Location in Assam
Coordinates: 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 km^2 (1,352 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,066,888
• Density	300/km^2 (790/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Website	golaghat.assam.gov.in

Golaghat district (Pron:ˌgəʊləˈgɑ:t) is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. It attained district status in 1987. The district headquarters are located at Golaghat. The district occupies an area of3,502 km² (1,352 sq mi) and lies 100 metres (330 ft) above sea level.

Etymology

The name 'Golaghat' originated from the markets established by a business class of people called Marwari during the middle of 19th century at the bank of the river Dhansiri in the vicinity of the district headquarters. "Gola" means market and "Ghat" means the port of river transport.

History

9th century

The Nagajari-Khanikargaon rock inscription of Nagajari Khanikar village of Sarupathar, remnants of fortifications, brick structures, monuments, temples, tanks, etc. are evidence of a 9th-century kingdom in the Doyang-Dhansiri valley.^{[citation needed]}

Kingdom of Mongmao

Main article: Möng Mao

Golaghat district was under the Möng Mao ruler Si Kefa (yellow) in 1360 CE

According to the Brief History of Mengguo Zhanbi, in 1318, Si Kefa after conquering southeast states till Lancang river from the Yuan dynasty, appointed his brother Sanlongfa as the general and led an army of 90,000 to attack the king of Mengwei Sari (Upper Assam) in the northwest. In the end, he designed a plan to make Mengwei Sari surrender and agreed to pay tribute every three years.^[1] In Hsweni state chronicle, the two generals Tao Sen Yen and Tao Sen Hai Khai sent with Samlongpha sent a story to Hso Khan Hpa (Si Kefa) at Mongyang that Samlongpha was conspiring with the king of Mong Wehsali Long to dethrone Hso Khan Hpa, Hso Khan Hpa believed the story and sent poison food to Samlongpha and he died at Mongkawng.^[2]

With Ming dynasty and Kingdom of Ava

Earlier, this part was ruled by the Dimasa Kingdom. The Ming dynasty had contact with the Dimasas and canonised the Dimasa kingdom as a tusi in 1406.^[3]

The Ming court sent Zhou Rang, a Supervising Secretary to bestow Imperial orders, patent, seals, paper money, silks etc. to the kingdom^[4]and in return, the chieftain of Dimasa sent horses and local products as a sign of tribute.^[5] 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.^[6]

Chinese plate for Dimasa of the era of Emperor Yong-le (1407 AD.)^[7]

It is speculated that Dimasa kingdom is referred to as Timmasala in the Yan-anng-myin pagoda inscription of Burma in 1400 A.D.^[8][9] In this inscription by Minkhaung I, the kingdom of Ava is said to extend on the east to Shan Pyi, northwest to Timmasala, west to Kula Pyi, and south to Talaing Pyi.^[10]

Ava in 1400s

In a 1442 inscription from Pagan of Burma mentions Timmasala (Hill Kacharis) to be one of the 21 principalities under Mong Mao ruler Thonganbwa (1413–1445/6),^[11] who was later captured by the Governor of Taungdwin and presented to King Narapati I of Ava.^[12]

Under Ahoms

The Ahoms became the rulers of the Doyang-Dhansiri valley in the 16th century. The Kacharis were pushed back towards west of the Karbi hills. The Ahom King Suhungmung (1497–1539), appointed a ruler entitled Marangi-Khowa Gohain, an administrative post with the Rank of a Governor/Minister of the Ahom administration. Under Marangi-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 the Burhagohain 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 the Sibsagar 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 from Sibsagar district.^[13]

Geography

Golaghat district occupies an area of 3,502 square kilometres (1,352 sq mi),^[14] comparatively equivalent to the Bahamas' North Andros Island.^[15]

Location

Golaghat district is surrounded by the river Brahmaputra to the north, the state of Nagaland to the south, Jorhat district to the east and Karbi Anglong and Nagaon 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.

National protected area

• Kaziranga National Park (Part)
• Nambor - Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary

Climate

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]}

Divisions

There are four Assam Legislative Assembly constituencies in this district: Bokakhat, Sarupathar, Golaghat, and Khumtai.^[16] All four are in the Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency.^[17]

Administration

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.

Villages

• Sapjuri^[18]

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Golaghat district has a population of 1,066,888,^[19] roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus^[20] or the US state of Rhode Island.^[21] This gives it a ranking of 430th in India (out of a total of 640).^[19] The district has a population density of 302 inhabitants per square kilometre (780/sq mi) .^[19] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11.88%.^[19] Golaghat has a sex ratio of 961 females for every 1000 males,^[19] and a literacy 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.^[19]

Historical population

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:[22]

Religion

Religions in Golaghat district (2011)[23]
Religion			Percent
Hinduism			85.99%
Islam			8.46%
Christianity			4.74%
Other or not stated			0.81%

Negheriting Shiva Doul temple is a major temple in Golaghat district

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.^[23]

Languages

Languages of Golaghat district (2011)^[24]

  Assamese (78.40%)

  Bengali (4.59%)

  Mising (2.71%)

  Nepali (2.50%)

  Boro (1.86%)

  Hindi (1.79%)

  Sadri (1.52%)

  Odia (1.36%)

  Others (5.27%)

According to the 2011 census, 78.40% of the population speak Assamese, 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.^[24]

Territorial dispute

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 included NSCN militants and Nagaland Police.^[25]

Culture

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 was Hem Chandra Barua, the writer of first Assamese dictionary Hemkosh. Raghunath Mahanta, Satradhikar of Doyang Alengi Satra of Golaghat, was another writer of 19th century who composed three masterpieces, namely Shatrunjoy Kavya, Adbhoot Ramayan and Katha Ramayan. One significant poet of the Ahom age was Durgeswar Dwiji. He composed a book titled Sangkhosur 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 called Arun 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, translated William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors into the Assamese 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.

Flora and fauna

In 1974 Golaghat district became home to Kaziranga National Park, which has an area of 472 km² (182.2 sq mi).^[26] It shares the park with Nagaon district. It also home to Nambor - Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary.

Notable people

• Manoj Gogoi, animal rescuer at Kaziranga National Park
• Lovlina Borgohain, Indian Boxer (Olympic medalist).

References

1. 佚名 著; 龚肃政 译; 杨永生 注. 银云瑞雾的勐果占璧简史. 勐果占璧及勐卯古代诸王史. 昆明: 云南民族出版社. 1988: 1–51. ISBN 7-5367-0352-X.
2. (Scott 1967:17)
3. (Laichen 2000:79)
4. "Patents, seals, Imperial tallies and red warrants engraved with gold characters were conferred upon all of them. The Supervising Secretary Zhou Rang was sent to take the Imperial orders and go and confer them upon these people. Further, paper money and silks as appropriate, were conferred upon them all."(Wade 1994:302)
5. The chieftains sent separately by Po-di-na-lang, the pacification superintendent of Da Gu-la; La-wang-pa, the pacification superintendent of Di-ma-sa; Bai-zhang, the chief of Xiao Gu-la; and Zao-zhang, the chief of Cha-shan, offered tribute of horses and local products in gratitude for the Imperial grace manifested in the conferring of posts upon them."(Wade 1994:432)
6. "Paper money, ramie- silks, silk gauzes and thin silks as appropriate, were conferred upon ...the monk Hui Yuan from Yun-nan Prefecture; the chieftain Ma-zhi-a-sa, who had been sent by Die-dao Mang-pa, the husband of the younger sister of the deceased pacification superintendent of the Di-ma-sa Pacification Superintendency and acting head of the superintendency;"(Wade 1994:862)
7. Plate was discovered in Jorhat Assam from Ahom royal family. ① 永樂五年: Yong-le emperor 5 years: 1407 AD. ② 信符: Plate. ③ 底馬撒宣慰司: Di-ma-sa Xuanwei Si ④ 皇帝聖旨: Imperial edict ⑤ 合當差發: "合當" means must or should, "差發" is a commercial form in the early Ming dynasty that frontier ethnic groups or tribes exchange horses for tea with Ming officials. "合當差發" could be understood as if you have this plate then you can exchange horses for tea with a Ming official. The Ming dynasty prohibits the folk tea trade with frontier ethnics and tribes. "合當差發" is the only way they can get tea from Ming. ⑥ 不信者斬: If somebody does not comply, he should be killed.
8. "The Yan-anng-myin pagoda inscription at Themaungan, south of Pinya, claims that in 1400 A.D. the rule of the king extended beyond the Kandu (Kadu, an ethnic group in northern Burma) and the "Palaung who grow tails," to the "heretic kingdoms of the naked Nagas on the borders of Khamti Khun kyuiw, as far as the heretic kingdom called Timmasala where they kill people and turn into spirits." This Timmasala should be identified with the Dimasa Kacharis of Upper Assam."(Laichen 2000:21–22)
9. "The Khaṁtī mentioned after Muiwkon (Mogaung) and Muin Can (Maing Zin) in the Kyankse Hill inscription (List 1084a 5, 955 s.), is doubtless Singkaling Khamti. The recently discovered Yan-aung-myin pagoda inscription at Thèmaunggan, south of Pinya (Obverse, line 8, 762 s.), claims that in 1400 A.D. the rule of the king extended beyond the Kandu (Kadu) and the Ponlon amri yols ("Palaungs who grow tails"), to the "heretic kingdoms of the Naked Nagas on the borders of Khamti Khun lcyviw (?), as far as the heretic kingdom called Timmasàla where they kill people and turn into spirits," i.e., the Dimasa Kacharis of Upper Assam."(Luce 1958:174)
10. "At, or shortly after, his formal ascension, Mingaung the First claimed in the same inscription noted above that "Myanma Pyi" extended on the east to "Shan Pyi," on the northwest to "Timmasala" (Assam?), on the west to "Kula Pyi," and on the south to "Talaing Pyi." What these entities might have been depends on the word pyi. Since Pagan times, the Old Burmese word pran (pyi) has been used in both a concrete, geopolitical and cultural sense (as it is here), as well as in a abstract way, such as in the phrase nibban pyi (the state of nirvana)."(Aung-Thwin 2017:71)
11. "On Tuesday the [5th] waxing of Tagu he captured the capital of Suiw Khut called Kale. On Thursday the 7th waxing of the month, he captured the Mo[Mong Mao] king Suiw Nam Phwa, own grandson of the lord of Nine Hundred Thousand, Suiw Khan Phwa (Thonganbwa), ruler of the 21 Umbrellas:- Muin Mo, Muin Nan; the ocean-ordered anklet wearing Kula (Indians) and Timmasala (Hill Kacharis); Muin Kale; Kasan (Manipur); Kakran (Kachin); Muin Tin; Muin Pran; Muin Ti; Muin Na; Muin Myan; Kyra Uiw; Muin Nuiw; Muin Luiw; Muin Saou; Muin Ya; Muin Khruin; Muin Khun; Muin Yuiw;........Many of these 'Umbrellas', i.e independent states can be identified :- Maw (Lu-ch'uan); Mohnyin (Mengyang); Kula and Dimasa; Kalemyo; Manipur; Kachin - these are unmistakeable"(Luce & Htway 1976:214)
12. "Thonganbwa and the chief of Kale were soon afterwards taken by the governor (of Taungdwin) to the presence of King Narapadi, who was then sojourning in a temporary palace on Minwun hill, and on Sunday, the 12th waxing of Kason, several elephants and ponies and a quantity of jewellery obtained from Kale were presented to the king."(Nyein Maung 1998:38)
13. Law, Gwillim (2011-09-25). "Districts of India". Statoids. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
14. Srivastava, Dayawanti et al. (ed.) (2010). "States and Union Territories: Assam: Government". India 2010: A Reference Annual (54th ed.). New Delhi, India: Additional Director General, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Government of India. p. 1116. ISBN 978-81-230-1617-7. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
15. "Island Directory Tables: Islands by Land Area". United Nations Environment Program. 1998-02-18. Retrieved 2011-10-11. North Andros Island 3,439
16. "List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Revenue & Election District wise break - up" (PDF). Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
17. "List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Parliamentary Constituencies wise break - up" (PDF). Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
18. "Schools in Sapjuri Cluster | List of Schools in Sapjuri Cluster, Golaghat District (Assam)". schools.org.in. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
19. "District Census Handbook: Golaghat" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
20. US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2011-10-01. Cyprus 1,120,489 July 2011 est.
21. "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Rhode Island 1,052,567
22. Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
23. "Table C-01 Population By Religion: Assam". census.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
24. "Table C-16 Population By Mother Tongue: Assam". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
25. "Explained: Assam vs Nagaland, a border dispute of five decades". 22 August 2014.
26. Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment. "Protected areas: Assam". Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2011.

Bibliography

• Wade, Geoffrey (1994), The Ming Shi-lu (Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty) as a Source for Southeast Asian History -- 14th to 17th Centuries, Hong Kong
• Scott, James George (1967), Hsenwi State Chronicle
• Nyein Maung, ed. (1998), Shay-haung Myanma Kyauksa-mya [Ancient Burmese Stone Inscriptions] (in Burmese), vol. V, Yangon: Archaeological Department
• Luce, Gordon H. (1958). "The Early Syam in Burma's history" (PDF). Journal of the Siam Society. 46.2: 123–214.
• Luce, G.H; Htway, Tin (1976), "A 15th Century Inscription and Library at Pagán, Burma", Malalasekera Commemoration Volume. Colombo: The Malalasekera Commemoration Volume Editorial Committee, Dept of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Ceylon, pp. 203–256
• Aung-Thwin, Michael A. (2017). Myanmar in the Fifteenth Century. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-6783-6.
• Bathari, Uttam (2014). Memory History and polity a study of dimasa identity in colonial past and post colonial present (Ph.D.). Gauhati University. hdl:10603/115353.
• Laichen, Sun (2000), Ming -Southeast Asian overland interactions, 1368–1644.
• Ramirez, Philippe (2007), "Politico-ritual variations on the Assamese fringes: Do social systems exist?", in Sadan, Mandy; Robinne., François (eds.), Social Dynamics in the Highlands of Southeast Asia Reconsidering Political Systems of Highland Burma, Boston: Brill, pp. 91–107

External links

• Golaghat District Official Website
• A Website on Kaziranga Wildlife Park