Barpathar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Barpathar v • d • e Assam • India
Barpathar
District(s)	Golaghat
Coordinates	26.3° N 93.87° E
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 99 m (325 ft)
Population	7,078 (2001)

Coordinates: 26.3° N 93.87° E

Barpathar is a town and a town area committee in Golaghat district in the state of Assam, India.

[edit] Geography

Barpathar is located at 26.3° N 93.87° E^[1]. It has an average elevation of 99 metres (324 feet).

The river Dhansiri flows on the south-west border of the town dividing it from the town of Barpathar located in the Karbi Anglong District of Assam. To the east to north flows the Doiyang river, skirting the Merapani Reserve Forest.

An arterial road connects Barpathar at the north-west with the District town of Golaghat located at a distance of 44 kilo metres to the north-west. The same road connects the town with the Natioal High Way No 36 to the west linking it by road to Guwahati. The Railway line of North East Railway connecting Guwahati and Dibrugarh divides the town into two to the east and west, with Barpathar Railway Station in the centre. The Uriamghat Road running parallel to the rail line on the east to south connects the town with the crude oil producing area of Uriamghat. Another goes from the east to the east-north to Rengmai on the bank of Doiyang river skirting Merapani Reserve Forest.Yet another goes from the east to the north west connecting it with Jamuguri, Furkating and then to Golaghat. The road coming to the west part of the town from Golagaht runs farther parallel to the rail line to connect it with Sarupathar in the south and then farther south to Naojan and Bokajan.

Its population is predominantly agriculturist and comprises of various sub-groups of Assamese speaking people, viz., Ahoms, Sutias, Bodos, Kacharis, and the so-called high castes, such as, Kalitas, Mahantas, and Brahmins. The town has a large percentage of Bengali speaking people and a small fraction of muslims as also christians and Buddhists. The Adivasis originally coming form Orissa, Chotanagpur, Jharkhand,and Chhitsgarh to work in the tea estates have assimilated with the Assamese community. In the recent past, Binod Gowala, belonging to this community, has been repeatedly elected by the people as their representative (MLA)in the State Legislative Assembly. It has also a small presence of the Marwari business community and the Buddhists Shyam community. All communities have been living in amity and peace.

Endowed with monsoon fed fertile lands Barpathar is known as the "Granary of Sivasagar". It produces rice,sugar cane, mustards, sesame, fruits and vegetables and tea. Its pine apples are famous and much sought after. The town has a number of tea estates, viz., Pabhajan Tea Estate, Bhuyan Bagan, Dighali Tea Estate, Rengmai Tea Estate, Singimari Tea Estate, etc. During the last decade or so the Assamese peasantry has taken to growing tea in their lands thereby pushing tea production. This has induced setting up of new factories for production of tea in the town.

The area surrounding Uriamghat produces a large quantity crude oil, which, partly feeds the Numaligarh Oil Refinery.

Barpathar Higher Secondary School, founded in 1948 by Mr. Mineswar Gogoi, an Assamese gentleman educated in Calcutta, is the oldest educational institution in the entire revenue sub-division of Dhansiri. It has produced a large number of school graduates some of whom have made their marks in various walks of life in the State. Dr. Abanti Gogoi, younger daughter of Mr. Mineswar Gogoi, is the principal of the Girls college at Golaghat.

In addition, various educational insitutions have been set up, namely, Hindi School, Bengali School, Girls High School, Industrial Technical Institute (ITI) and the Barpathar College. A number of English Medium Schools have been set up in the Town during the last 15 years.

Renowned Sanskrit scholar, Narayan Barthakur Shastri, set up the Barpathar Sanskrit Vidyalaya (Tol) in 1971.It has been doing a commendable work in Sanskrit education.His eldest son, Dr. Arun Kumar Barthakur, MA, PGDFM, LLB, PHD, is a practicing lawyer in the Bombay High Court and his younger son, Dr. Aboni Kumar Barthakur, MBBS, MS (Ophthalmology), is a well known doctor based at Golaghat.

Every village in the Town has a Namghar where the Vaishnava followers meet to perform nam prasangs offering prayers to Lord Krishna. Various religious Bhawanas (dramas) are also performed in these namghars. Besides, there is also a Sarvajanin Mandap where Durga Puja is performed every year.'Bihu Sanmilan held in April each year, in the Hindu Month of Vaishakha (Assamese Bohag)draws a large number of Bihu dancing troupes to the town.

The climate ranges from semi-cool September-October to winter months of November to February, temperate months of March-April and sultry summer and rainy season of May to September.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^GRIndia, Barpathar had a population of 7078. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Barpathar has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.