Goalpara region

The Goalpara region is a special area that matches the old undivided Goalpara district. It is home to unique people and culture. This region is surrounded by many places: Bhutan lies to the north, the Kamrup region to the east, and Meghalaya to the south. To the west, it borders Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, as well as Rangpur in Bangladesh.

Natural features shape the landscape of Goalpara. The Sankosh and Brahmaputra rivers run along its western side. The Manas River flows on the eastern side of the northern part. To the south lies the Garo Hills, and the Bhutan Hills rise in the north, making the region very beautiful and full of nature.

History

Further information: Kamarupa, Koch Hajo, and Undivided Goalpara district

Long ago, this area was part of the Kamarupa kingdom. A king named Sandhya moved his capital to a place near Cooch Behar in the 1200s, starting the Kamata kingdom. Later, it became part of Koch Hajo. In the 1600s, it was first organized as a special area called Sarkar Dhekuri under the rule of the Mughals. After the British took control, the region was named after the town of Goalpara in 1833. Some areas were added after a conflict with Bhutan in 1865.

People

Most people in the Goalpara region are from the Koch Rajbanshi group and speak the Goalpariya dialect. They come from older Mech and Rabha communities. The Goalpariya dialect is part of the larger Assamese language. There are also smaller groups like the Assamese Brahmin and Kayastha communities. The Kalitas are not as common here as they are in the nearby Kamrup region.

The Bodos have a strong presence in this area. They are traditionally called Kacharis in the south and in Assam, but are called Mech north of the Brahmaputra River and in all of North Bengal. They are most numerous in today’s Kokrajhar district. The Rabhas live mainly south of the river along with the Bodos. The Garos and the Hajongs are also found in the south. The native Keot (Kaibarta) people live near wetlands and rivers on both sides of the river.

The Muslim community here includes both local groups, who are descendants of native converts, and more recent arrivals from East Bengal in Bangladesh.