Nalbari district General information
Nalbari is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located at Nalbari. The district occupies an area of 2257 km² and has a population of 1,138,184 (as of 2001).ghorathal is a beautiful village located 24 km away from district headquater.
Geographical Location:
The Nalbari District is situated in between 26oN and 27o N latitude and 91o E and 97o E longitude . The northern side of the district is bounded by the Indo-Bhutan International boundary and the southern side by the mighty Brahmaputra. The Darrang and the Kamrup District falls in the east and the Barpeta District in the west.
Area and Administrative Division:
The Nalbari District stands covering an area of 2257 sq.km. consisting of 1(one) Civil Sub-Division,11 Revenue Circle,12 Community Development Blocks, 9 Police Outposts,12 Anchalik Panchayats and 110 Gaon Panchayats covering 827 villages
Physical features
The entire area of the District is situated at the plans of the Brahmaputra Valley. The tributaries of the Brahmaputra, Nona, Buradia, Pagaldia, Borolia and Tihu which are originated from the foothills of the Himalayan Range are wild in nature and have enormous contribution towards the agrarian economy of the district.
Soil
The Soil condition of District is a heterogeneous one. The Soil of the northern part of the district is clayey and loamy where as middle part is loamy and sandy. The Soil of the southern part of the district is composed of sandy soil.
Climate & Rainfall
The District has a sub-tropical climate with semi – dry hot summer and cold winter. During summer, generally during the months from May to August, heavy rainfall occurs for which the district experiences flood. The District experiences annual (average) rainfall and humidity @ 1500 mm and @ 80 % respectively.
Population
Accordingly to 2001 census, the populations of the District is 1138184 Again, according to size of population, the rank of the District stands at 10th (2001 census) as against 9th in 1991.
Child population:
As per 2001 Census, out of the total population of the district ( 1138184),161616 are children belongs to the age group 0-6 years and accounts for 14.20% of the total population of the district. According to the size of children population, the rank of the district degraded to the 12th position among the 23 civil district of the State as against the 8th position in 1991 with 189113 children. Thus, the percentage trend in 2001 ( -14.54 ) over the child population figure of 1991.
Density :
The District with 2.88% area of the State shelters about 4.27 % of the States total population as per 2001 census. The density per sq. km. In the District is 504 persons an against 340 persons per sq. km. For the whole State. The density per sq. km. In the district , as per 1991 census was 450 as against 286 persons for the State as a whole.
The density per sq. km. For urban area is calculated as 1977 an for rural area as 495 as per 2001 census as against 1689 and 443 persons in respect of rural areas and 1689 persons in urban areas.
4.Rural and Urban composition:
The district has a total of 1110706 rural and 27478 urban population as per 2001 census. Thus, nearly 97.59% of the total populations of the district live in villages. As per 1991 census, the figure of rural and ur5ban populations of the district were 992915 and 23475 respectively. Thus, the percentage of decadal growth (1991-2001) of rural and urban population of the district are calculated as (+) 36.24 of the State as a whole.
In respect of child population (0-6) years age group), 98.19 % live in rural area and 1.81 in urban area as per 2001 census.
5.Population of SCs & STs :
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population details has not been published by the Census Authority till preparation of this report . However, as per 1991 census, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe population of the Nalbari District was 89194 and 179641 respectively constitution of 8.78% and 17.67% of the total population of the District. The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population together account for 26.45 % of the District’s total population which was much higher than that of state figure of 20.23 %.
6.Literacy :
As per 2001 census, out of the total population (1138184).664886 persons are declared literate. In 1991, the figure of literate was 463162 and as such percentage of literates increased by 43.55 in 2001 over 1991.
The rate of total literacy of Nalbari District, according to 2001 census, is 68.08 as against 33.99 in 1991. Thus, the decadal (1991-2001) progress of literacy rate is calculated as (+) 12.09. The total literacy rate of the State as a whole (64.28 : 2001 census ).
As per 2001 census, the rate of literacy in rural area of the district in rural area is 67.55 and in urban area is 88.61 as against 55.38 and 80.62 respectively in 1991.
7 No. of Occupied Residential Houses:
As per 1991 census, the rural areas of the District have a total of 160803 occupied residential houses with 160804 households. In respect of the urban area of the District, there are 4138 residential houses and 4138 households.
How to reach
Road links to Nalbari is through National Highway 31 and Broadgauge Line. Nalbari town is 2 Km away from the National Highway 31. Nearest Railway Junction is Rangia. Nalbari Town is 60 Km away from Guwahati Bus Stand.
By Bus
1. From Guwahati : Avail any delux bus or auto to Adabari Public Bus Stand and from there take any Nalbari Bounded Bus and get down in Nalbari Town.
2. From L.G.B. Airport, Borjhar Guwahati: Avail a taxi to Adabari Bus Stand from there take any Nalbari Bounded Bus.
By Train
From Paltan Bazar Railway Station avail any Train and get down in Nalbari Railway Station. Major Trains are Kamrup Express ( Starts at 7 am ), Brahmaputra Mail( Starts at 12-30 am), Inter-city Bangaigaon Express (Starts at 5-15 pm ) Chifung Mail (Starts at 3-15 pm ) . Train takes maximum 2 hours to reach Nalbari.
Tourist Place
Ganga Pukhuri, Sonkuriha: This pond is situated in Vill Barkuriha of Upper Barbhag about 7(seven) kms south of Nalbari. It is said to had been dug by Gangadhar, a Brahmin. Each year, at Ashok Astami a mela is held here and devotees throng here from different parts of the country to pay homages to departed souls. The name of King Fengua, is associated with this tanks whose capital Subarna Koriwa or SonKuriha was nearby.
Mahmara Pukhuri, Chandkuchi: Another pond dug by the Ahoms. It was said to have been constructed with the sacrifice of a buffalo to remove the problem of water scarcity in the area and hence the name Mahmara Pukhuri.
Fenguwa Rampart(Fenguwar Ghar): In 1350-1365 there was a king named Fenguwa. The village Garbhita under Madhya Baska Mouza was his capital to preserve the unity of his kingdom as well as for his own safety he built a rampart which was 3.2 km long and 3-2 broad.
Angradhowa Pukhuri: This tank was built by Fengua Raja. It was said that Queens ornaments were washed with charcoal, so the Pond is known as Angradhowa Pukhuri. It is 62 M x 62M.
Gohain Kamal Ali : The Gohain Kamal Ali, Which runs from Koch Bihar to North Lakhimpur was built during the reign of the Koch King, Naranarayan by his brother Gohai Kamal or Kamal Narayan in 1568 A.D.A marvel in engineering, parts of the road is still seen on border of Paschim Banbhag and Baska Mouza.
Sonkuriha: A place famous for migratory bird. It is a perfect picnic spot during winter season.
Hari Mandir: Built in 1965 on land donated by Rambahadur Pratap Narayan Choudhury, The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. In 1968 the Puaj Mandab was built with financial help from Lt. Damahuram Mahajan. The new Math was constructed from 1976 to 1985. The temple is unique throughout Assam because of the annual Ras festivel celebrated here in the month of November since 1946 with much pomp and grandeur; the festival, of course, being held much earlier from 1933 elsewhere.
Jain Temple: situated at Nalbari Town.
Billeswar Temple: Believed to have been built 500 years ago, is dedicated mostly to Lord Krishna are also worshipped. As the legend goes, a priest once had a cow who refused to be milked. Upon following the cow, the priest found that the cow gave milk on a bush of “virina” (type of grass). When the king came to know about it he got the place dug and found a Shiva Kinga on that spot. A temple was built which was first called Birreswar or God or Virina, then Billeswar and now Belsor. Nowadays Belsor is a developed village with easy accessibility to Nalbari, the district headquarter.Throughout ages this temple has attracted many devotees and received royal patronage, including the Ahom King, Lakshmi Singha, who rebuilt the temple after devastating natural calamity.
Buddhist Temple: Situated at around 30 Kms from Nalbari, the Buddhist Temple was established almost 60 years ago by Nepali people. Every year, a great mela is held on Buddha Jayanti
SHRIPUR DEWALAY MANDIR: This temple is said to have been built by Ahom King, Sib Singha (1718-1744) and as legend foes, part of body of sati or Parvati fell here. The annual Durga Puja and Kali Puja is celebrated with pompt grandeur by the Assamese and the Tribals.
DAULASHAL TEMPLE: This temple is situated at Daulashal, a village at the extreme south-west of the district. In ancient times a huge doul or temple and near it a canal (khal) and so the place was called is “Daulakhal” and later “Daulashal”. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and his brother Balaram and has been witness to many glorious chapters of Assam history in particular the Mughal invasions to Assam.
SHRI SHRI DURGA & KALI MANDIR, PURAN SRIPUR: This temple at Purna Sripur, Medaghat was built more than two hundred years. Each year Durga Puja and Kali Mandir are celebrated. There is also a Gopal Mandir in temple complex
BAGHESWARI DEWBAHAR GURI DEVALAY: Situated at Adabari, Mukalmua P/S. Though it is not known as to who built the temple, yet because of its super power, the Ahom King, Kamleswar Singha patronized this temple. Even today, the temple draws many devotees to pray to Goddess Durga, its main deity
BALLILECHA SHREE SHREE KALI DEVALA: Believed to have been built by the Ahom King, Sib Singha (1718-1744) this Kali Mandir situated at Ballilesha village is a living Sakta Mandir. There is an 18th inch high statute of Kali made of Arsha Satu inside the temple. Though there were also Bishnu Doul and Shiva Daul, the carthquake of 1897 almost destroyed them. A Kali Pukhuri covering 8 Pura which was dug, however exists
JAYPAL THAN (Kshudra Dingdingi): Said to have been discovered by a cow named “Kapali” during the reign of Ahom King Sib Singha (1718-1744), most of the temple is now below ground because of earthquake. It is located 13 KM away from District Head Quarter .(South)
THETHA GOHAIN: Built in the last decade of 19th century on land donated by late Janmi Majumdar, an inhabitant of Kamarkuchi, this temple is situated away from human habitation
BASUDEB DEVALAY : This temple built by Ahom King Sib Singha (1718-1744). The local folklore says that once a fisherman was fishing in Jaymangal Beel and for seven days he could not remove the fishing net. On the seventh day, a local fourth Gada Kahar had a dream in which Lord Basudeb appeared and asked him to be released from the fishing net. Upon reaching the beel, Gada found two large stones in the fishing net. When Sib Singha heard this story he came to Balikoria and tried to take away the stones but failed and so he built a temple there. In 1759 his brother, Rajeshwar Singha donated 64 Bighas of land to the temple. And since past festivals like Douljatra, Janmasthami, Sivaratri are being celebrated here.