Barpeta District
| Total Population: 1,647,201 |
| Total literate : 752,682 |
| Rural : 1,520,333 |
Urban : 126,868 |
| Male : 848,578 |
Female : 798,623 |
MP : Loksabha
A.F.
Golam Osmani
CONSTITUENCY : Barpeta (Assam )
PARTY : Indian National Congress (INC)
Present
Address
28-30 South Avenue,
New Delhi - 110 011
Tels. (011) 23792164, 23793545
Permanent
Address
Wazid Manzil,
Water Works Road,
Silchar-1 (Assam)
Tel.(03842) 235440
Brief
about District
History
: Barpeta
has been a place of great religious importance. Known
by various names like Tatikuchi, Porabhita, Mathura,
Vrindavan, Choukhutisthan, Nabaratna-Sabha, Icchakuchi,Pushpak
Vimana, Kampur and Barpeta. It was Koch King Naranarayan
who founded Barnagar (Sorbhog) The present District
forDmed an integral part of the Koch-Hajo and the
Ahom Kingdom till British Administration took over.
From the ancient period Barpeta witnessed the rule
of the Varmans (380-654) the Salasthamas (655-985)
the Palas (985-1260) the Kamatas (1260-1509)&
the Koches from 1509. During the Kamata & Koch
rule major historical development took place. During
this period large number of local feudatory-chiefs
who are primarily land lords called 'Bhuyans' ruled
the region. Number of villages constituted a 'Chakla'
placed under a Bhuyan was patronised by the Kamatas.
These Bhuyans arrived from eastern part of India like
Kanauj, Gauda and Bengal who in passage of time became
general Assamese caste and accepted the Vaishnava
faith under influence of Shrimanta Sankardeva.
Koch
King Naranarayan established his temporary capital
at Barnagar. Here he met Shrimanta Sankardeva and
his renowed disciple and sub-sequently accepted Vaishnavism
when Sankardeva was invited by the monarch to Koch-
Bihar. It was during king Naranarayan's regime at
Barnagar the great saint established Satra at
Patbaushi to spread his Socio-religious faith. The
Koch rule ended with annexation by the Mughals. The
valiant Ahom fought a number of battles against the
invading Mughals. Some of the well-known battles were
fought at Jakhlikhana, Bhabanipur and Bhatekuchi.
Ahoms were defeated and Mughals took over the Administration
and systematised the entire revenue adminstration.
Kamrupa became a Sarkar,which was divided into Parganas.
Barpeta,Khetri, Bajali, Barnagar, Bahbari and Bijni
became Parganas. A Gomasta was appointed to run the
'Tapa' and a number of Tapas bacame a Pargana. For
administrative convenience the Parganas were divided
into Taluks, lats and villages. Parganas were placed
under Barbaruas and Choudhuries. Taluks remained under
Talukdar. They were assisted by Thakurias, Patwaries,Kakati,Gaon
barika etc. who kept the revenue accounts. Judges
in Parganas were called Shikdar,whereas Amin and Kanango
were responsible for land-survey, assessment
and collection of revenue.
With
the advent of Shrimanta Sankardeva, this region turned
into a religious place dotted with numerous satras
and in fact Barpeta town came to be called 'Boikumthapuri
Dham'. As a part of providing pantronage to various
religious-places irrespective of religions, the Ahom
rulers provided a large number of land-grants to the
Satras. Dr. Maheswar Neog in his edited work" Prasya
Sasanawali" has mentioned a large number of land-grants
during the region of Shiva Singha,Rajeswar Singha,Lakshmi
Singha,Gaurinath Singha and Chandra Kanta Singha.
Grants were made to Muslim-Darghas of Shah Madar at
Baushi, Shah Fakir at Barnagar,Panch Peer at Khetri,
Syed Shahnur Dewan Fakir at Bhella,where Chandra Kanta
Singha granted 100 bighas la khiraj land. Grants were
made to Devalaya also. These grants were made in copper-plate
inscriptions which are invaluable source of history.
Wide-spread
destruction of life and property took place when the
Maans invaded from Myanmar. Even the Barpeta Satra
was razed to the ground during this invasion. To restore
peace British army entered Barpeta to drove-off all
the invaders. With the advent of British rule Mouzadari
system came into effect.In 1841 Barpeta became a Civil
Sub Division and John Batlor became the first administrator.
As a part of policy of exploitation,land-revenue rates
were suddenly enhanced which resulted in a number
of peasant unrest in between 1893-94 particularly
in Bajali and Sarukhetri area. Large number of arrests
were carried out to foil attempts of unrest. The Lachima
up rising is one such shining example of peasant revolt
against British rule. Raijor Sabha constituted during
this period raised the banner of revolt.
During
the struggle for independence large number of people
participated and were jailed. Madan Chandra Barman
and Rauta Koch were first martyrs to sacrifice their
lives during Quit India Movement of 1942. Some of
the important Congress leaders who lead the Freedom-struggle
are Umesh Chandra Brahmachari, Dhaniram Talukdar,
Ganesh Lal Choudhury, Debendra Nath Uzir, Akshay Kumar
Das, Bongshidhar Choudhury, Nanamohan Mazumdar, Golak
Pathak, Sonaram Choudhury, Dr. Jinaram Das, Biswanath
Das, Praneswar Das, Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, Mahendra
Mohan Choudhury, Madhusudan Das, Upendra Chandra Das,
Debendra Sharma,Naranarayan Goswami, Kabiraj Ghanashyam
Das, and Chandraprava Saikiani. Mahatma Gandhi visited
Barpeta in 1934. So did Jawaharlal Nehru in 1937.
At
a Glance :
| Name
|
Distance
from Head quarter (in K.M.) |
| Barpeta
Municipal Board |
0 |
| Barpeta
Road Municipal Board |
21 |
| Howly
Town Committee |
12 |
| Sarthebari
Town Committee |
27 |
| Bahori
Census Town |
23 |
| Sorbhog
Town Committee |
34 |
| Pathsala
Town Committee |
38 |
| Sarupeta
Revenue town |
30 |
|
