Overview

Kamrup is an administrative district in the Indian state of Assam. The present Kamrup district with its headquarter at Amingaon has proved to be an exemplary and model civil district. It came into being on 31^st day of March 2003 with great promises with alacritous drive to go ahead. The area the district covers is about 2740 sq. km. The population of the district, as per the census report of 2011 is also stated to be 1,517,542 with the literacy rate of 75.55%. Kamrup district has 1027 villages, administered under twelve revenue circles.

Why visit Kamrup

Kamrup district is important for many historic places like Hajo, Sualkuchi, Chhaygaon, Chamaria, Rangia, Palashbari, Boko and North Guwahati. Hajo is known for many religious shrines like Hayagriba Madhaba Temple, Poa-Macca, Kedar temple, Kameswar temple, Ganesh temple and Kamaleswar temple. Hajo is also known for Dhoparguri Satra, a great vaishnavite shrine established by Madhabdeva. Sualkuchi is known as the Machester of Assam. Mahatma Gandhi appreciated the women of Sualkuchi as the spinner of dreams. It is the center of eri-muga-pat fabrics, most demanding across the world. Chhaygaon is known for legendary Beula-Lakhindar shrine, Chamaria is also one of the great centers of neo-Vaishnavism. Rangia is an important railway junction from the colonial time on to places like Tezpur and other places. North Guwahati is place having many glorious legacies.

Best Time to Visit

Winter : November – February

Summer : March – April

How to reach:

There is very good availability of buses plying from Guwahati, Rangia, Mangaldoi and Barpeta Road side. Plenty of government and private buses travel between Guwahati and Barpeta Road in NH31 and Guwahati to Mangaldoi/Tezpur in NH15 via Kamrup district HQ Amingaon. Average travel time from Guwahati is about 12km. Taxies are also available for hire from all major destinations to Kamrup.

By Train: Major Railway Stations which are at reach from Amingaon are Guwahati Railway Station (16 Km from HQ Amingaon) and Rangia Railway Station (40 Km from HQ Amingaon).

By Air: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport is about 15 Km only from HQ Amingaon.

Weather: The weather/climate of the area has been classified as sub-tropical humid with heavy rainfall, hot summer and high humidity. Average temperature ranges from 12 to 38oC during the year. In winter, temperature ranges from 15 to 25oC during day and 8 to 15oC during night. The summer temperature ranges from 25 to 38oC during day and 15 to 25oC during night. Average annual rainfall of the district is 1752 mm and co-efficient of variation is 15.3%. The annual normal rainfall of the district as compiled from IMD data is 2125.4 mm with 96.5 rainy days.

Natural Tourism

Kamrup district is important for many historic places like Hajo, Sualkuchi, Cahygaon, Chamoria, Rangia, Palasbari, Boko and North Guwahati. Many religious tourism places like Aswakranta Devalaya, Siddheswar Devalaya, Gopeswar Devalaya, Poa Mecca, Hayagriva Madhava Temple, Kedar temple, Kameswar temple etc. Tourists should also visit Saraighat War Memorial Park, which commemorates the battle of Saraighat, fought between the Ahoms and the Mughals in 1671. Hajo is also known for Dhoparguri Satra, a great vaishnavite shrine established by Madhabdeva. Sualkuchi is known as the Machester of Assam. It is the center of eri-muga-pat fabrics, most demanding across the world. Chaygaon is known for legendary Beula-Lakhindar shrine, Chamoria is also one of the great centers of neo-Vaishnavism.

History:

The history of kamrup started from time immemorial. Previously Kamrup was described as Kamrupa. Kamrupa is an ancient name of a large country, often confused with the name of Pragjyotishpur. A section of historians believe that the name of Pragjyotishpur is older than Kamrupa, while another section of historians  believe that Pragjyotish or Pragjyotishpur was the capital city of Kamarupa. Pragjyotishpur was referred to in the scriptures like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and other ancient texts. Sanskrit poet Kalidas referred to Pragjyotishpura in his book Rajatarangini while Chanakya in his immortal book "Arthasastra" made references to kamrupa.. Subsequently, we can find references to Kamarupa in the "Kalika Purana" and also in the "Jogini Tantra".

Some people believe that the name of Kamrupa has some linkage with God Kamadeva (Indian Cupid) and Goddess Kamakhya. These questions of etymology should be left to the Linguists and researchers of ancient Assam history.

The kingdom of Kamrupa was a vast one, from the Kartowa river in the west and up to the border of Nepal and Bhutan in the east,covered under four sub-regions – Kampeeth, Ratnapeeth, Saumarpeeth and Suvarnapeeth. Every sub-region has its own boundaries. This vast kingdom with four sub-regions was under different dynastic rules from the ancient past. The earliest king of kamrupa was Mahirang Danab. After him Hatakasur, Sambarasur and Ratnasur ruled the country in dynastic succession. “ Asur” here meant the king of the non-Aryan race.

Ghatak was yet another most powerful king of Kamrupa. He was killed in a war by Narakasur, one of the most powerful and legendary kings of Kamrupa. He had great attraction for Goddess Kamakshya. He built the road to the top of the temple site with stones, the story goes. King Naraka was killed by Lord Krishna. Bhagadatta, son of Naraka, was made the king. Bhagadatta helped the Kauravas in the battle of Kurukhetra. These are all mythological angles of the history of Ancient Kamrupa.

A clearcut history of kamrupa can be traced from the 7^th century AD, from the reign of Kumar Bhaskar Barma. During his time, Kanauj- Thaneswar was ruled by King Harsabardhana. Kumar Bhaskar Barma maintained cordial relationship with King Harsabardhana. During the time, The Chinese visitor, Huen-Tsang came to kamrupa and wrote a long note about Kamrupa.

Kamrupa during the colonial British government.:

The colonial British government took possession of Assam from 1826, and declared kamrupa as a district under Assam. The name Assam came only during the Ahom rule. Even after he   end of the colonial rule the district continued for some time. Today, the big district of Kamrup has been divided to six parts, and all the six parts are made independent districts. They are Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Nalbari, Baska, Bajali and Barpeta.

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Did you know?

Anundoram Borooaph, from North Guwahati of Kamrup district, was the first Assamese ICS officer during the British time.

The first Chief Minister (Prime Minister during the time) Gopinath Bordoloi, was from Kamrup District (North Guwahati).

The second Chief Minister of Assam, Bishnu Ram Medhi was from Hajo, Kamrup district. Under his active initiative the first national register of citizens (NRC) was prepared.

The first two Assamese Governors were also from Hajo – Bishnu Ram Medhi and Mahendra Mohan Choudhury. Bishnu Ram Medhi was appointed the Governor of Madras state, while Mahendra Mohan Choudhury was the second Assamese Governor, who was appointed Governor of Punjab state.

The old Amingaon Railway Station was established by the colonial British government in the year 1906 with the objective of linking Calcutta via Lalmonirhat of East Bengal, now Bangladesh. People travelling in railway had to get down at Amingaon, and embark on the ship to get across the river on way to Guwahati, Shillong, Kohima and other places of the southern side of the Brahmaputra.