Lower Assam division

Lower Assam Division
Division
Guwahati is the important and most developed city in Lower Assam division
The five divisions of Assam
Country	India
State	Assam
Capital	Guwahati
Largest City	Guwahati
Government
•  DC	Shri Jayant Narlikar, IAS
Area
• Total	22,024 km2 (8,504 sq mi)
Population  (2011 census)
• Total	11,252,365
• Density	510/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Website	assam.gov.in

Lower Assam division is one of the 5 administrative divisions of Assam in India. It was formed in 1874, consisting of the undivided Kamrup district of Western Assam, undivided Darrang and Nagaon districts of Central Assam and Khasi & Jaintia hills of Meghalaya, created for revenue purposes. ^[1]

History

Some parts of Lower Assam and North Bengal were under the Kingdom of Bhutan before the 1865 Duar War

Around 1498-1502, Sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah of Gaur conquered parts of Lower Assam during the Bengal-Kamata War. ^{[2] [3]} The Sultan appointed his son, Shahzada Danyal, ^[4] as the governor of the newly conquered region; that reached up to Hajo and intended to expand to Central Assam. Danyal governed Kamata for several more years until the Assamese Bhuyans led by Harup Narayan led a campaign against him. In this campaign, the Bhuyans seized and killed Danyal and his officers, thus ending the Sultanate's short rule over the territory some time before 1509. ^{[5] [6] [7]} Musundar Ghazi succeeded Danyal as Bengal's representative in Kamrup. ^{[8] [ better source needed ]} Some parts of Lower assam districts were under rule of the Kingdom of Bhutan until the 19th century. ^[9]

Districts

Lower Assam division contains 12 districts, namely Dhubri, South Salamara, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Baksa, Kamrup and Kamrup metropolitan. ^[10] Among these, 3 districts namely Kokrajhar, Chirang and Baksa lie within Bodoland. ^[11]

Code [12]	District	Headquarter	Population (2011) [13]	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
BK	Baksa #	Mushalpur	950,075	2,457	387
-	Bajali	Pathsala	253,816	600	423
BP	Barpeta	Barpeta	1,439,806	2,645 [14]	544
BO	Bongaigaon	Bongaigaon	738,804	1,093	676
CH	Chirang #	Kajalgaon	482,162	1,170	412
DU	Dhubri	Dhubri	1,394,144	1,608	867
GP	Goalpara	Goalpara	1,008,183	1,824	553
KM	Kamrup Metropolitan	Guwahati	1,253,938	1,528	821
KU	Kamrup	Rangia	1,517,542	3,105	489
KJ	Kokrajhar #	Kokrajhar	887,142	3,169	280
NB	Nalbari	Nalbari	771,639	2,257	342
SSM	South Salmara-Mankachar	Hatsingimari [15]	555,114	568	977
Total	12	—	1,12,52,365	22,024	511

^# Districts within the Bodoland Territorial Region

Demographics

As per the 2011 census, Lower Assam division has a population of 11,252,365 people.

Languages

Languages spoken in Lower Assam Division (2011) ^[16]

1. Assamese (53.0%)
2. Bengali (30.9%)
3. Boro (7.73%)
4. Hindi (2.83%)
5. Others (5.56%)

According to the 2011 census, the total number of Assamese speakers in the division were 59,61,583, Bengali speakers were 34,76,953, Boro speakers were 8,70,198 and Hindi speakers were 3,17,958. Although the Bengali speaking population was 30.9% as per the 2011 census language report, Lower Assam Division is home to a large Muslim population of Bengali origin, most of whom now identify as Assamese speakers in the census. ^{[17] [18]}

Muslims are around 49.5% of the total lower Assam population at the time of the 2011 census.^{[ citation needed ]}

See also

• Upper Assam Division
• Central Assam division
• North Assam division
• Barak Valley

References

1. Bose, Manilal (1985). Development of Administration in Assam: With Special Reference to Land. Concept Publishing Company.
2. "Husayn Shah Ala al-Din". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. 22 July 2025.
3. "The annexation of the Khen Kingdom up to Hajo was, however, not completed before Ramzan 907/10 March 1502..." ( Sarkar 1992 :47) harvcol error: no target: CITEREFSarkar1992 (help)
4. Desai, Ziyaud-Din A. (2003). Purā-prakāśa: Recent Researches in Epigraphy, Numismatics, Manuscriptology, Persian Literature, Art, Architecture, Archaeology, History and Conservation : Dr. Z.A. Desai Commemoration Volume. Bharatiya Kala Prakashan. p. 244. ISBN   978-81-8090-007-5.
5. Nath (1989 , pp. 20–21) harvtxt error: no target: CITEREFNath1989 (help)
6. Sarkar (1992 , pp. 46–48) harvtxt error: no target: CITEREFSarkar1992 (help)
7. "But the rule of the Muslims was short. The Bhuyans made a united attack on Daniel's garrison and destroyed it to the last man."( Baruah 1986 :181) harvcol error: no target: CITEREFBaruah1986 (help)
8. Salim, Gulam Hussain; tr. from Persian; Abdus Salam (1902). Riyazu-s-Salatin: History of Bengal. Asiatic Society, Baptist Mission Press. p. 132.
9. ( Phuntsho 2013 :453) harvcol error: no target: CITEREFPhuntsho2013 (help)
10. "Divisions | General Administration | Government of Assam, India".
11. "Bodoland.in".
12. ISO 3166
13. "District Census 2011".
14. "District Profile | Barpeta District | Government of Assam, India".
15. "South Salmara-Mankachar dist inaugurated". Assam Tribune. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
16. "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Assam". censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
17. Saikia, Arunabh. "A new generation of 'Miya' Muslims in Assam may vote for Congress-AIUDF – but only out of compulsion". Scroll.in. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
18. X, Samrat. "National Register of Citizens: Identity issue haunts Assam, again". Newslaundry. Retrieved 16 July 2021.