The Dooars or Duars (Bengali: ডুয়ার্স) are flood plains and the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East India around Bhutan. Duar means door in both Assamese and Bengali languages and form the gateway to Bhutan. There were 18 passages or gateways through which the Bhutanese people can communicate with the people living in the plains. This region is divided by the Sankosh river into the eastern and the western Duars consisting of an area of 8,800 square kilometre (3,400 square-mile). This region was controlled by the Kingdom of Bhutan when the British annexed it in 1865 after Bhutan War and also by the Koch dynasty. They are now part of the Indian states of Assam and West Bengal. Bengali or Bangla (বাংলা, IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from Prakrit, Pāli and Sanskrit. ... == Headline text == Plains is the name of several places in the [[United usyduisaydashdsdsjdn Plains, North Lanarkshire, Scotland There are also The Plains, Ohio; Plainsboro, New Jersey; and Plainville, Kansas You might also be looking for the geographical feature plain; or the Plains Indians. ... Perspective view of the Himalayas and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... The Himalayas in Sikkim North-East India is the easternmost region of India consisting of the contiguous Seven Sister States and the state of Sikkim. ... Assamese ( ) (IPA: ) is a language spoken in the state of Assam in northeast India. ... Bengali or Bangla (বাংলা, IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from Prakrit, Pāli and Sanskrit. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... The Koch dynasty of Assam and Bengal, named after the Koch tribe of Tibeto-Burmese affiliation, took control of the Kamata kingdom in 1515 after the fall of the Khen dynasty in 1498. ... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur - now a part of Guwahati. ... West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ...

Many wars have been fought over them. These plains are very fertile. There are innumerable streams and rivers flowing through these fertile plains from the mountains of Bhutan. In Assam the major rivers are Brahmaputra and Manas, and in northern West Bengal the major river is the Teesta besides many others like the Jaldhaka, Torsha, Sankosh, Dyna, Karatowa, Raidak, Kaljani among others. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Manas is the name of: A Kyrgyz epic poem (see Manas (epic); A commune in Drôme département, in France (see Manas, Drôme) Level of consciousness in Yogacara Buddhism, the manas-vijnana A river in the state of Assam in India. ... The Teesta River is one of the most scenic rivers in Eastern India. ... Jaldhaka (Bengali: ) is a river originating in the eastern Himalayas. ... The Torsa or Torsha river is the second largest river in the North Bengal region after the Teesta River. ... Sankosh is a river in India that rises in Bhutan (where it is called Mo Chu) and empties into the Brahmaputra. ... Raidak is a major river in Bhutan. ...

History

This region was controlled by the Kingdom of Bhutan when the British annexed it in 1865 after Bhutan War under the command of Captain Hedayat Ali. The area was divided into two parts; the eastern part was merged with Goalpara district in Assam whereas the western part as turned into a new distrct namely; Western Dooars. Again in the year 1869 the name was changed to Jalpaiguri District. Some part of the region was the western part of the Kamarupa kingdom that later gave rise to the Kamata kingdom in the 13th century. The most important dynasty that ruled this kingdom was that of Koch dynasty. Maharaja Biswa Singha’s ancestor was Haria Mandal, an indigenous chieftain of the Koch tribe. The western portion of this kingdom, Koch Bihar, remained unaffected by the great changes that overtook its surrounding provinces in the decade following the battle of Plassey in 1757. However, it was invaded by Bhutan in the latter half of the 18th century, which prompted a formal treaty of alliance with the British in 1775. Upon the extinguishing of British rule in India in 1947, the state acceded unto the dominion of India and it merged with the Union of India shortly afterwards in 1949. 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Goalpara is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur - now a part of Guwahati. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... // General Information Jalpaiguri is the largest district of North Bengal convering 6245 sq. ... Kamarupa is the ancient name of the kingdom/region that consisted of the Brahmaputra valley and adjoining region. ... The Kamata kingdom appeared in the western part of the older Kamarupa kingdom in the 13th century, after the fall of the Pala dynasty. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... The Koch dynasty of Assam and Bengal, named after the Koch tribe of Tibeto-Burmese affiliation, took control of the Kamata kingdom in 1515 after the fall of the Khen dynasty in 1498. ... Bishu or more popularly known as Maharaja Biswa Singha ( Bengali: মহারাজ বিশ্বসিংহ Ruled: 1522-1554) was throned after the death of Maharaja Chandan and the second king of Kamata-Koch kingdom. ... Koch Bihar is the western portion of the Koch kingdom in India that remained after the eastern portion Koch Hajo separated from it following the death of Nara Narayana in 1586. ... The Battle of Plassey was a battle that took place on June 23, 1757, near Plassey (Palashee (পলাশী) in Bengali), a small village on the Bhagirathi River (a distributary of Ganges River) located just north of Kolkata and south of Murshidabad in India. ... 1757 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... ...

Geography and Climate

Political Geography: The Dooars region politically constitutes the plains of Darjeeling District, whole of Jalpaiguri District and upper region of Cooch Behar District in West Bengal and the districts of Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Goalpara and Bongaigaon in the Indian state of Assam. Darjeeling is a district of West Bengal whose headquarters are at the hill station of Darjeeling. ... // General Information Jalpaiguri is the largest district of North Bengal convering 6245 sq. ... Cooch Behar (Bengali : কোচবিহার) is a district of the state of West Bengal, India, as well as the name of the town which gives its name to the district. ... West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... Dhubri is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Kokrajhar is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Barpeta is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Goalpara is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Bongaigaon is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur - now a part of Guwahati. ...

Physical Geography: The altitude of Dooars area ranges from 90 m to 1750 m. There are innumerable streams and rivers flowing through these fertile plains from the mountains of Bhutan. In Assam the major rivers are Brahmaputra and Manas, and in northern West Bengal the major river is the Teesta besides many others like the Jaldhaka, Torsha, Sankosh, Dyna, Karatowa, Raidak, Kaljani among others. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Manas is the name of: A Kyrgyz epic poem (see Manas (epic); A commune in Drôme département, in France (see Manas, Drôme) Level of consciousness in Yogacara Buddhism, the manas-vijnana A river in the state of Assam in India. ... West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... The Teesta River is one of the most scenic rivers in Eastern India. ... Jaldhaka (Bengali: ) is a river originating in the eastern Himalayas. ... The Torsa or Torsha river is the second largest river in the North Bengal region after the Teesta River. ... Sankosh is a river in India that rises in Bhutan (where it is called Mo Chu) and empties into the Brahmaputra. ... Raidak is a major river in Bhutan. ...

Climate: Average rain fall of the area is about 350 cms. Monsoon generally starts from the middle of May and continues till the end of September. Winters are cold with foggy mornings and nights. Summer is mild and constitutes a very short period of the year.

People

The native people of this region generally have East Asian features. They are composed of numerous tribes, including the Bodo people in Assam, the Rabha, the Toto, the Koch, Limbus, Lepcha and the Rajbongshis in Bengal. East Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... A Bodo girl in the traditional Bodo dokhna. ... // General Information The Totos are a primitive Mongoloid tribe residing in a small enclave called Totopara in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India. ... Koch is German for cook. Koch can refer to the following: Bill Koch - cross-country skier Billy Koch - Major league baseball relief pitcher Carl Ludwig Koch and his son Ludwig Carl Christian Koch - German entomologists specializing in arachnology Carl Wilhelm Otto Koch, (1810 - 1876), mayor of Leipzig Charles G. Koch... Limbus may refer to: Limbus (ethnic group), an ethnic group in Asia Limbus, the border of the cornea and the sclera Limbus (band), a Swedish punk rock band Limbo, the temporary status of the souls of good persons who died but did not go to Heaven Category: ... The Lepcha (population: 50,000) are the aboriginal inhabitants of present day Sikkim. ...

Apart from the tribal population, a large Bengali population (mostly displaced from then East Pakistan by the Partition of Bengal) also populate the Dooars. The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between India and Bangladesh) in Indian subcontinent with a history going back more than two millennia. ... East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly included the modern state of Bangladesh. ...

The Dooars are famous for the tea gardens, which were planted by the British. For working in the gardens, they imported labour from Nepal and the Chotanapur and Santhal Parganas, the Oraons and the Mundas. Kharia, Mahali, Lohara, Chik Baraik are also populated, Before settlement of other communities, these people developed the jungle into tea villages and busties (agriculture village). These people have been granted scheduled tribe status in the state of West Bengal. The remnants of these people also form a very large part of the population surrounding the tea gardens. Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park A tea garden was a place to drink tea and stroll around lawns, ponds and view statues. ... The Oraon, or Uraon, people inhabit various states across central India. ... For the Hindu monster, see Munda (Hinduism), for Caesars battle see battle of Munda, and for the language family see Munda languages. ... Kharia, one of the tribal (adivasi) group of people, living in Jharkhand , and Orissa states, India. ... . ... West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ...

Cities and towns

The Dooars region is a large region, and is dotted with many towns and cities. The largest city in the whole region stretching from the Darjeeling foothills to the Arunachal Pradesh foothills is Siliguri. This northern Bengal city is well connected with the rest of country by air and railway, and is the business hub of the region. Darjeeling (Nepali: , Bangla: দার্জিলিং) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. ... Arunachal Pradesh   (Hindi: Aruṇācal PradeÅ›, Chinese: 藏南 Zangnan) is a state of India. ... Siliguri   (Bengali: শিলিগুড়ি) is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. ... North Bengal is a term, for the part of West Bengal, which often denotes Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda districts together. ...

The other major cities are Tezpur, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Barpeta and Dhubri in Assam. Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Birpara are the major cities of the Duars on West Bengal. Also, the commercial capital of Bhutan, Phuentsholing, can be considered a part of this region. Tezpur in the state of Assam, India, is an ancient town on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. ... Bongaigaon is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Goalpara is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Barpeta is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Dhubri is the headquarter of Dhubri District, Assam, India. ... For other uses see Cooch Behar (disambiguation) Cooch Behar (Bengali: কোচবিহার Pronunciation: kOOch bĭhär`) is the district headquarters and the largest town of Cooch Behar District of Indian state of West Bengal. ... General Information Alipurduar is a sub-divisional town of Jalpaiguri district, and is located at the eastern end of the district. ... Jalpaiguri is a town in the state of West Bengal, India. ... Birpara is a small commercial town in the centre of the Dooars region of Jalpaiguri district. ... Phuentsholing is a bordertown in southern Bhutan, opposite the Indian town of Jaigon, situated in Chukha Dzongkang. ...

Politics

Historically, the region has suffered from ethnic strife. The Bodoland agitation in Assam for a separate homeland for the Bodo people and the Kamtapur or Greater Cooch Behar movement in northern Bengal for the Rajbongshis are the two most vociferous ones. National colours of Bodoland Bodoland is the name adopted by Bodo nationalists in Assam, India to denote their homeland, over which they want to exercise greater control. ... A Bodo girl in the traditional Bodo dokhna. ... Kamtapur is a state demanded by the Rajvanshi people of Jalpaiguri district in northern West Bengal, India. ...

The ethnic people originating from the historic Kingdom of Kamatapur (the "Koch-Rajbongshi" community), are demanding a separate state within the boundary of India ostensibly to save their culture and customs from disappearing. The Kamata kingdom appeared in the western part of the older Kamarupa kingdom in the 13th century, after the fall of the Pala dynasty. ...

Economy

The economy of Dooars region is based on three T-s –Tea, Tourism and Timber. The main industry of the Dooars region is tea industry. Thousands of people are engaged in the tea estates and factories as labours and other posts. Several people are also engaged in cultivation of Bettlenuts which also contribute to the economy. Cultivation of other crops is done mainly for local consumption.

The area is dotted by several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries which attract a lot of tourist from all over India and abroad making an important contributor to the economy and also employs a lot of people in this sector. Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, UK A national park is a reserve of land, usually declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ... An animal sanctuary is a place where animals can come to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. ...

Timber industry both legally and illegally flourish in this region. Number of saw mills, plywood industries and other allied business also acts as an important contributor to the economy.

Dooars area acts as doorways to Bhutan thus export-import industry also flourish in the area. The town of Jaigaon, Siliguri and Phuentsholing are important hubs of export-import industry. Jaigaon is a small town in Jalpaiguri district bordering the Bhutan border. ... Siliguri   (Bengali: শিলিগুড়ি) is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. ... Phuentsholing is a bordertown in southern Bhutan, opposite the Indian town of Jaigon, situated in Chukha Dzongkang. ...

As the region is near the international borders of Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, the Border Security Force (B.S.F.), military and Indian Air Force maintains a large presence in the area. This leads to a large population of semi-permanent residents who bring money into the local economy. The Border Security Force (BSF), established on December 1, 1965, is responsible for guarding Indias land borders during peacetime and preventing trans-border crimes. ... The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting air-based warfare and securing Indian airspace. ...

Forests and Animals

The beauty of the region lies not only in its tea gardens but also in the dense jungles that make up the countryside. Famous wildlife sanctuaries and national park like Manas National Park in Assam; the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary; Buxa National Park; Gorumara National Park; Chapramari Wildlife Reserve; and the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal are located in this region. An animal sanctuary is a place where animals can come to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. ... Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, UK A national park is a reserve of land, usually declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ... Manas National Park, a Project Tiger reserve, lies among the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas, in the far eastern state of Assam, India. ... Jaldapara Wildlife Reserve is the home of about 50 one-horned rhinos, an animal threatened with extinction. ... A national park located in Bengal,India. ... Gorumara National Park is a National Park in Northern West Bengal, India. ... Chapramari Wildlife Reserve is close to the Gorumara National Park. ... Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the foothills of Himalayas, between the Teesta and Mahananda rivers. ... West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ...

Number of rare, endangered species of animals like tiger, rhinocerous, elephant, make their habitats in the forests of the Dooars. Other animals includes different types of deer, bison, birds and reptiles. Binomial name Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of tigers in 1900 (red) and 1990 (green) Synonyms Felis tigris Linnaeus, 1758 Tigris striatus Severtzov, 1858 Tigris regalis Gray, 1867 Tigers (Panthera tigris) are mammals of the Felidae family and one of four big cats in the Panthera genus. ... Genera Ceratotherium Dicerorhinus Diceros Rhinoceros Coelodonta (extinct) A rhinoceros (commonly called a rhino for short) is any of five surviving species of odd-toed ungulate in the family Rhinocerotidae. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas antiquus † Elephas beyeri † Elephas celebensis † Elephas cypriotes † Elephas ekorensis † Elephas falconeri † Elephas iolensis † Elephas planifrons † Elephas platycephalus † Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea... Subfamilies Odocoilinae Cervinae Hydropotinae Muntiacinae A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. ... Species B. antiquus B. bison B. bonasus B. priscus Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. ...

Transport

The main mode of transport in the area is roadways. Most of the places are well connected by roads and to rest of India. N.H. 31 is the main highway of the area. Regular bus services provided by North Bengal State Transport Corporation and Assam State Transport Corporation and other private parties run between all important places of the area. Share jeeps and maxi-taxies are quite popular in the area. North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) is a West Bengal state government undertaken transport corporation. ...

Railway is not much popular as a mode of transport in the area. Though there are some important stations like New Jalpaiguri, New Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, New Bongaigaon, etc. An important rail route between Alipurduar Junction and New Jalpaiguri via Malbazar covers almost entire Dooars region. This line is under much controvery as five elephants have been killed in 2006 as hit by speeding train. New Jalpaiguri is a sister city of the city of Siliguri in Indias state of West Bengal. ... New Cooch Behar is the extension of Cooch Behar town. ... General Information Alipurduar is a sub-divisional town of Jalpaiguri district, and is located at the eastern end of the district. ... Bongaigaon is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. ... Malbazar is a sub-divisional town in Jalpaiguri district. ...

Two important airport of the area are Bagdogra airport at Siliguri and Guwahati airport. Another airport is going to start in Cooch Behar shortly (March 2007). Bagdogra airport is a civilian airport at a distance of about eighteen kilometres from the city of Siliguri in northern West Bengal, India. ... Siliguri   (Bengali: শিলিগুড়ি) is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. ... For other uses see Cooch Behar (disambiguation) Cooch Behar (Bengali: কোচবিহার Pronunciation: kOOch bÄ­här`) is the district headquarters and the largest town of Cooch Behar District of Indian state of West Bengal. ...

Notes

Dooars is a geographical region and not a political entity.

Reference

• Encyclopedia Britanica – Duars
• Cooch Behar District Website-Dooars
• Jalpaiguri District Website-Culture and heritage
• Jalpaiguri District Website-Forests
• My Dooars.com