ImportMaster at 01:54, 3 May 2022

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{{refimprove|date=November 2021}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Cachar district
| settlement_type = [[List of districts of Assam|District]] of [[Assam]]
| image_skyline = Ruins of Kachari kingdom.JPG
| image_alt = Ruins of Kachari fort near Khaspur
| image_caption = Ruins of Kachari fort near Nayagram
| image_flag =
| flag_alt =
| image_seal =
| seal_alt =
| image_shield =
| shield_alt =
| nickname =
| motto =
| mottoeng =
| image_map = {{maplink |frame=yes
|frame-width=225 |frame-height=225 |frame-align=center
|text= '''Cachar district'''
|type=shape |id=Q42209
|stroke-colour=#C60C30
|stroke-width=2
|title= Cachar district of Assam
|type2=line|id2=Q1164|stroke-width2=1|stroke-colour2=#0000ff|title2=Assam
}}
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location in Assam
| coordinates =
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = [[India]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[States of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Assam]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Divisions of Assam|Division]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Barak Valley]]
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| seat_type = Headquarters
| seat = [[Silchar]]
| government_footnotes =
| leader_party =
| leader_title = [[Lok Sabha|Lok Sabha constituencies]]
| leader_name = [[Silchar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Silchar]]
| leader_title1 = [[Vidhan Sabha|Vidhan Sabha constituencies]]
| leader_name1 = [[Silchar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Silchar]], [[Sonai (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Sonai]], [[Dholai (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Dholai]], [[Udharbond (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Udharbond]], [[Lakhipur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Lakhipur]], [[Barkhola (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Barkhola]], [[Katigorah (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Katigorah]]
| leader_title2 =
| leader_name2 =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 3786
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_footnotes = <ref name="districtcensus">{{cite web|year=2011|title=District census 2011 - Cachar|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/18/1817_PART_A_DCHB_CACHAR.pdf|url-status=live|publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611021426/http://www.censusindia.gov.in:80/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/18/1817_PART_A_DCHB_CACHAR.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2017 }}</ref>
| population_total = 1,736,617
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_note =
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| timezone1_DST =
| utc_offset1_DST =
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type =
| area_code =
| blank1_name_sec1 = Official language
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Bengali language|Bengali]]
| blank1_name_sec2 =
| blank1_info_sec2 =
| iso_code = IN-AS-CA
| website = http://cachar.gov.in/
| footnotes =
}}
'''Cachar''' '''district''' is an administrative [[districts of Assam|district]] in the state of [[Assam]] in [[India]]. After independence the undivided Cachar district was split into four districts in Assam: [[Dima Hasao district]] (formerly North Cachar Hills), Cachar district alongside [[Hailakandi district|Hailakandi]] and [[Karimganj district|Karimganj]].

==Etymology==
The Kacharis ([[Kachari kingdom]]) have given their name to the modern district Cachar. The Kacharis call themselves [[Barmans in Cachar|Barman]] in Barak valley and [[Dimasa Kingdom|Dimasa]] in the Dima Hasao district. They were known to the Ahoms as Timisa, a corruption of the word "Dimasa". The Kacharis are allied to the Boro, Koches, Chutias, Lalungs (aka Tiwa) and Morans of the Brahmaputra valley and to the Garos and Tripuras of the southern hills. The Kacharis were perhaps the earliest inhabitants of the Brahmaputra valley and Barak valley. They are identical with the people called ‘Mech’ in Goalpara and North Bengal.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dutta |first1=P.N. |title=Glimpses into the History of Assam |date=1962 |publisher=Bina Library |location=Guwahati}}</ref>

==History==

===Pre-independence period===
The region was originally a part of the [[Twipra Kingdom|Tripura Kingdom]] which was taken over by Koch King (presently known as Koch Rajbongshi, Rajbongshi) [[Chilarai]] in 1562. [[Chilarai]] gave the charge of the region to his brother Kamalnarayan. The descendants of Kamalnarayan ruled the region till 18th century. After the fall of Koch kingdom (due to no heir) the [[Dimasa Kingdom]] took over the charge of the region and ruled most of [[undivided Cachar district]]. The Last King of Cachar was Raja Govindrachandradwajanarayana Hasnu. During his period Khaspur was the Capital of Cachar (Kachar).
Cachar was another native kingdom that fell victim to the imperialist design of the British. The Kingdom of Cachar was being ruled by two rulers having clearly defined areas of control. In the plains (southern portion of Cachar) Govindrachandradwajanarayana Hasnu was the ruling prince. Immediately after his assassination by Gambhir Singh, then king of Manipur, British annexed it to their dominion in India (1832). Tularam Thaosen was the ruling chief of the hilly tract (northern portion of Cachar or Dima Hasao). His territories were annexed after he died in 1854, and all of Cachar thuscame under the British occupation. While south Cachar was annexed under Robertson, the hilly tract of Cachar came under British occupation when Jenkins was the Commissioner of Assam. In 1916, it was the Commissioner of Pakokku Hill Tracts until 1947.
<ref>Chaudhuri Kalyan.(1999):''New History of Assam & India''Guwahati: Oriental Book Company.</ref>{{pn|date=November 2021}}

==Geography==
Cachar district occupies an area of {{convert|3786|km2|sqmi}},<ref name="Reference Annual">{{cite book|title=India 2010: A Reference Annual|last1=Srivastava, Dayawanti et al. (ed.)|publisher=Additional Director General, Publications Division, [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)]], [[Government of India]]|year=2010|isbn=978-81-230-1617-7|edition=54th|location=New Delhi, India|pages=1116|chapter=States and Union Territories: Assam: Government}}</ref> comparatively equivalent to [[South Georgia (island)|South Georgia]].<ref name='Islands'>{{cite web | url = http://islands.unep.ch/Tiarea.htm | title = Island Directory Tables: Islands by Land Area | access-date = 2011-10-11 | date = 18 February 1998 | publisher = [[United Nations Environment Program]] | quote = South Georgia 3,718}}</ref> The [[Barak River|Barak]] is the main river of the district and apart from that there are numerous small rivers which flow through [[Dima Hasao district]], from [[Manipur]]. The district is mostly made up of plains, but there are a number of hills spread across the district. Cachar receives an average annual rainfall of more than 3,000 mm. The climate is Tropical wet with hot and wet summers and cool winters.

==Economy==
The district headquarters, [[Silchar]], is one of the most important business centres of Assam{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}.

In 2006, the Indian government named Cachar one of the country's 250 [[Poverty in India|most backward districts]] out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]].<ref name=brgf/> It is one of the eleven districts in Assam currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).<ref name=brgf>{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=8 September 2009 |title=A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme |publisher=National Institute of Rural Development |url=http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |access-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archive-date=5 April 2012}}</ref>

==Administration==

[[File:Silchar Nazirpatty.jpg|thumb|150x150px|Nazirpatty, Silchar City]]

===Divisions===
The district has three sub-divisions: Silchar, Lakhipur and Katigorah.Katigorah as a Sub-division declared by Tarun Gogoi cabinet in the year 2016. There are seven [[Assam Legislative Assembly|Assembly]] constituencies in this district, viz. Silchar, [[Sonai]], Dholai, Udharbond, Lakhipur, Barkhola and Katigorah.<ref name="ceo1"/> Dholai is designated for [[scheduled caste]]s.<ref name="ceo1">{{cite web|title=List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Revenue & Election District wise break - up |url=http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.1%20-%20DEOs%20wise%20ACs%20breakup.pdf |publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website |access-date=26 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322074811/http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.1%20-%20DEOs%20wise%20ACs%20breakup.pdf |archive-date=22 March 2012}}</ref> The seven constituencies make up the [[Silchar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Silchar Lok Sabha constituency]].<ref name="ceo2">{{cite web|title=List of Assembly Constituencies showing their Parliamentary Constituencies wise break - up |url=http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.2%20-%20PC-wise%20LAC%20breakup.pdf |publisher=Chief Electoral Officer, Assam website |access-date=26 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322074903/http://ceoassam.nic.in/Gen_Informations/2.2%20-%20PC-wise%20LAC%20breakup.pdf |archive-date=22 March 2012}}</ref>

==Transport==
[[File:Veku silchar.jpg|thumb|right|alt=View of passenger terminal.|[[Silchar Airport]]]]
Silchar is one of the seven cities of Assam to have an airport, which is located at Kumbhirgram. It is served by regular flights from [[IndiGo]], [[Air India]] and [[SpiceJet]]. The district is connected by broad-gauge railroads to Lumding in Assam and by road to the rest of the country. Regular bus and train services are also there with other cities in North-East India.

==Demographics==

===Population===
{{historical populations|11=1901|12=3,01,884|13=1911|14=3,39,107|15=1921|16=3,59,376|17=1931|18=3,86,695|19=1941|20=4,37,284|21=1951|22=5,41,891|23=1961|24=6,64,351|25=1971|26=8,23,515|27=1991|28=12,15,385|29=2001|30=14,44,921|31=2011|32=17,36,617|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]</ref>|align=right}}According to the [[2011 census of India|2011 census]], Cachar district has a [[Demographics of India|population]] of 1,736,617,<ref name=districtcensus/> roughly equal to the nation of [[The Gambia]]<ref name="cia">{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote = Gambia, The 1,797,860 July 2011 est.
}}</ref> or the US state of [[Nebraska]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php
|title=2010 Resident Population Data
|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=2011-09-30
|quote=Nebraska 1,826,341
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101090833/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php
|archive-date=1 January 2011
}}</ref> This gives it a ranking of 278th in India out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]].<ref name=districtcensus/> The district has a population density of {{convert| 459 |PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}} .<ref name=districtcensus/> Its [[Family planning in India|population growth rate]] over the decade 2001-2011 was 20.17%.<ref name=districtcensus/> Cachar has a [[sex ratio]] of 958 [[Women in India|females]] for every 1000 males,<ref name=districtcensus/> and a [[Literacy in India|literacy rate]] of 80.36%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 15.25% and 1.01% of the population respectively.<ref name=districtcensus/>

=== Religions ===
{{bar box
|title=Religions in Cachar district (2011)<ref name="Religion">{{cite web |title=C-16 Population By Religion - Assam |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW18C-01%20MDDS.XLS |website=census.gov.in |access-date=17 July 2020}}</ref>
|titlebar=#FCD116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=left
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism in Assam|Hinduism]]|darkorange|59.83}}
{{bar percent|[[Islam in Assam|Islam]]|#008000|37.71}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity in Assam|Christianity]]|dodgerblue|2.17}}
{{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.29}}
}}
Religious demographics are as follows:<ref name="Religion"/>
* Hindus ([[File:Om.svg|15px]]) - 1,038,985
* Muslims ([[File:Star and Crescent.svg|18px]]) - 654,816
* Christians ([[File:ChristianitySymbol.svg|17px]]) - 37,635.

There was a presence of [[Sikhism]] in Cachar after [[Guru Nanak]]'s visit to eastern India in 1508 to spread the religion. Most of these Sikhs, in the early 18th century, were found in the northern part of Cachar where they used to work for the [[Assam Bengal Railway]].<ref name=cachar>{{cite book|title=Assam District Gazetteers|volume=1: Cachar|year=1905|location=Calcutta|author=B C Allen|publisher=[[Government of Assam]]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.463827}}</ref>

=== Languages ===
{{Pie chart| thumb = right| caption = Languages in Cachar district (2011)<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16.html 2011 Census of India, Population By Mother Tongue]</ref>
|label1 = [[Bengali language|Bengali]] |value1 = 75.14 |color1 = #006a4e
|label2 = [[Hindi]] |value2 = 8.49 |color2 = orange
|label3 = [[Meitei language|Meitei]] |value3 = 6.06 |color3 = purple
|label4 = [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] |value4 = 3.32 |color4 = peachpuff
|label5 = [[Bishnupriya Manipuri language|Bishnupuriya Manipuri]] |value5 = 1.32 |color5 = lightgreen
|label6 = [[Dimasa language|Dimasa]] |value6 = 1.19 |color6 = powderblue
|label7 = Others |value7 = 4.48 |color7 = Grey
}}

[[Bengali language|Bengali]] is the official language of the district and is spoken by 75% of the overall population,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/assam/nrc-countdown-to-august-31-refugees-who-came-to-cachar-after-partition-seek-closure-5949516/|title = NRC Countdown: Refugees who came to Cachar after Partition seek closure|date = 31 August 2019}}</ref> while English also served as 2nd additional official language of the district. [[Bengali Hindus]] and [[Bengali Muslims]] forms the overwhelming demographic majority of the population with significant number of indigenous tribals like (Meitei) Manipuri, Bishnupuriya Manipuri, Dimasa (kachari) and Rongmei-Naga. The immigrants from other parts of India constitute the rest of the micro-scopic make up.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://cachar.gov.in/portlets/district-profile | title=District Profile | Cachar District | Government of Assam, India }}</ref> The main dialect of the region is [[Sylheti language|Sylheti]].

==Flora and fauna==
[[File:Hoolock hoolock 002.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Gibbon in a tree.|[[Hoolock gibbon]]]]
The vegetation is mostly [[Tropical evergreen]] and there are large tracts of [[Rainforests]] in the northern and southern parts of the district, which are home to [[Tiger]], Asian elephants, [[hoolock gibbon]], [[Gaur]], etc. The forests of Cachar were once rich in wildlife but now vanishing due to human onslaught. Rare species found are Hoolock gibbon, Phayre's leaf monkey, Pig-tailed macaque, Stump-tailed macaque, Masked Finfoot, White-winged Wood Duck, etc., have been recorded. The [[Asian elephant]] is already extinct.<ref>Choudhury, A.U. (1999). Status and Conservation of the Asian elephant ''Elephas maximus'' in north-eastern India. ''Mammal Review'' 29(3): 141–173.</ref><ref>Choudhury, A.U. (2004). Vanishing habitat threatens Phayre's leaf monkey. ''The Rhino Found. NE India Newsletter'' 6:32–33.</ref> The southern part was also recommended as 'Dhaleswari' wildlife sanctuary.<ref>Choudhury, A.U. (1983). Plea for a new wildlife refuge in eastern India. ''Tigerpaper'' 10(4):12-15.</ref><ref>Choudhury, A.U. (1983). Plea for a new wildlife sanctuary in Assam. ''WWF - India Newsletter'' 4(4):15.</ref> [[Borail Wildlife Sanctuary]] is the only wildlife sanctuary of the district as well as the Barak valley region. It was initiated by noted naturalist Dr. Anwaruddin Choudhury in early 1980s.<ref>Choudhury, A.U. (1989). Campaign for wildlife protection:national park in the Barails. ''WWF-Quarterly'' No. 69,10(2): 4–5.</ref> This sanctuary was ultimately notified in 2004.<ref>Choudhury, A.U. (2005). Amchang, Barail and Dihing-Patkai – Assam's new wildlife sanctuaries. ''Oryx'' 39(2): 124–125.</ref>

==Education==
The district of Cachar has a number of well-known educational institutes in North East India. Silchar, the district headquarter, is a major learning hub of Assam. The district has a central university, the [[Assam University]], which is situated at Dorgakuna, 18 km from Silchar.<ref>[http://www.aus.ac.in/ Assam University, Official website]</ref> It also has [[National Institute of Technology, Silchar|NIT Silchar]], one of the 30 [[National Institute of Technology|NITs]] in India.<ref>[http://www.nits.ac.in/ Official NIT, Silchar website]</ref> The [[Silchar Medical College and Hospital]] is the only medical college of southern Assam.<ref>[http://smcassam.gov.in/ Official website of Silchar Medical College]</ref>

===College===
The district also includes a number of degree colleges such as:

*[[Cachar College]]
*[[Gurucharan College]]
*[[Radhamadhab College]]
*[[Janata College]], Kabuganj
*[[Madhab Chandra Das College]], Sonai
*[[Women's College, Silchar]]
*[[Jagannath Singh College, Udharbond]]

===School===
Schools in the district include:
*[[Holy Cross HS School,Silchar]]

*[[Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Pailapool]]
*[[Silchar Collegiate School]],
*[[Sonai Nitya Gopal Higher Secondary School]]
*[[Moinul Hoque Choudhury]] Higher Secondary School

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{EB1911 poster|Cachar}}
{{Commons category}}
* [http://cachar.gov.in/ Cachar district official website]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Cachar district
|North = [[Dima Hasao district]]
|Northeast =
|East = [[Tamenglong district]], [[Manipur]]
|Southeast = [[Churachandpur district]], [[Manipur]]
|South = [[Kolasib district]], [[Mizoram]]
|Southwest = [[Hailakandi district]]
|West = ''[[Bangladesh]]''
|Northwest = [[East Jaintia Hills district]], [[Meghalaya]]
}}

{{Assam}}
{{Minority Concentrated Districts in India}}{{coord|25|05|N|92|55|E|region:IN_type:adm2nd|display=title}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cachar district| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Assam]]
[[Category:Minority Concentrated Districts in India]]

Cachar district - Revision history

ImportMaster at 01:54, 3 May 2022