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- Soumyadeep Datta
Before discussing Dooars, it is essential to consider a bit about two countries: Bhutan, which still exists, and the ancient kingdom of Kamrupa, which no longer exists as a sovereign entity. The kingdom of ancient Kamrupa is now fragmented, with its territory divided among several modern countries and states. Historically, the kingdom of Kamrupa encompassed a vast region, including
present-day North Bengal, parts of Bhutan, all of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, portions of Nepal, and a significant part of Bangladesh. The Karatoya River marked Kamrupa’s permanent western border, although this border occasionally shifted westward and northwestward beyond the Karatoya River.
In ancient times, the country now known as Bhutan had different names, such as Drukyul, Monyul,
and so on. Bhutan is recent name of the country. The Sanskrit-speaking inhabitants of Kamrupa referred to this region as Bhutan, derived from “Bhotonto” (Bhot + Onto). People of ancient Kamrupa used to call Tibet “Bhotdesh,” and the region beyond or at the end of Bhotdesh or Tibet became known as “Bhot onto,” eventually evolving into the name Bhutan.
The merchants of ancient Kamrupa maintained trade relations with Bhotdesh through the territory of Bhutan. Similarly, the Bhutias and Tibetan merchants traveled down to Kamrupa via Bhutan for commercial purposes. Consequently, there were many trade passes between Kamrupa and Tibet through Bhutan. These trade routes were crucial, as they facilitated not only trade with Tibet but also with China. It is important to remember that Tibet was an independent and sovereign country, distinct from China, which forcefully occupied the entire land of Tibet in 1959. Now, Tibet is under Chinese rule.
In ancient times, numerous trade routes connected Kamrupa to Tibet through Bhutan. There were as many as 18 routes into Bhutan, enabling thriving trade relations with Bhutan, Tibet, and China. These routes served as sources for collecting trade taxes. The income from these routes was the bone of contention between the Bhutan and Koch kingdoms from 1770 to 1773. The British administration, taking advantage of the conflict, began diplomatically supporting the Koch kings. The British had an ulterior motive: to gain control of these routes to Bhutan and subsequently enter Tibet through Bhutan.
On the other hand, as the glory of the Koch Empire faded, the Bhutias began to move down to the plains of Assam in groups and occupy many areas. Similarly, the Bhutias took advantage of the diminishing power of the Ahom kingdom to occupy more land in the plains of Assam. Out of compulsion, the kings of Assam ceded land to the Bhutias in exchange for taxes. In 1772, when the Bhutanese army entered the capital of the Koch kingdom, the Koch king made an accord with the British to repel the Bhutias. In 1826, as a result of the Treaty of Yandabo following the First Burmese War, Assam came under British rule. Consequently, the taxes owed to the king of Assam by the Bhutias were now to be paid to the British rulers. The Bhutias’ irregularity in paying taxes led to conflicts between the British and the Bhutias.
There were 18 entrance routes to Bhutan, stretching from the River Tista in the west side of Bhutan Himalayas to the River Dhansiri in the east along the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas. These trade routes were popularly called ‘Duar’ or ‘Dour’ in the local language, meaning “entrance way.” In British pronunciation, ‘Duar’ became ‘Dooars,’ and later on, the region became widely known by the
name Dooars. The Bhutias were always keen on asserting their presence on the plains, especially in the Dooars. Beyond their own territory, they would attack or plunder areas under the Koch kingdom, the plains of Assam, and regions under British rule. During that time, although Mr. Scott, the first agent of the Government of India, wanted to take stringent measures against the Bhutias, the authorities did not grant him permission. Mr. Scott was in Rongpur at that time. In 1837, Captain Pemberton was sent to Bhutan for talks to find solutions to the problems, but these talks failed. The atrocities committed by the Bhutias increased day by day around that time. They started mayhems in the kingdom of Koch.
In 1932, the Bhutias took many people from Kochbehar captive. The British administration was compelled to deploy the army against Bhutan when they refused to release the hostages, despite requests from Mr. Robinson, the Viceroy’s representative for the northeast region at Rongpur. Following this, the Bhutias adopted a lenient stance and signed a peace accord. However, in 1844, defying the peace accord, the Bhutias resumed their atrocities on the plains, leading to renewed conflicts. Colonel Jenkins, the company representative for the northeast region, suggested to the Indian administration that they occupy the entire Dooars region from the Bhutias in 1859. However, the British administration in India did not allow him to occupy any area from Bhutan at that time.
The atrocities committed by the Bhutanese worsened over the years. In 1863, Mr. Eden was sent to Bhutan as an envoy of the British government. He was not received well and was humiliated in Bhutan. Under duress, he was made to sign two peace accords stating that “The British Rule has handed over the entire Dooars area of Assam and Bengal to Bhutan.” After this incident, the British administration could no longer maintain patience. On November 12, 1864, the British government declared war against Bhutan with the aim of capturing the entire Dooars area. Numerous fierce battles took place between the two armies in various locations. When the British army entered the mainland of Bhutan, despite facing hardships in several places, Bhutan agreed to surrender and sign an accord. According to the terms of this accord, the entire Dooars region came under British India. This is known as the Sinchula Agreement of 1865.
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Among the 18 entrance gates (dooar meaning “door” in English) at the foothills of the Himalayas, eleven dooars are in North Bengal and West Bengal in India, and the remaining seven dooars are within Assam. The names of the dooars in West Bengal are: (1) Dalimkot Dooar, (2) Damursi Dooar, (3) Jumorkot Dooar, (4) Lukki Dooar, (5) Boxa Dooar, (6) Bhulka Dooar, (7) Gumor Dooar, (8) Ripo Dooar, (9) Bora Dooar, (10) Bagh Dooar, and (11) Sidli Dooar. The names of the Dooars in Assam are: (1) Bariguma Dooar, (2) Kaling/Khaling Dooar, (3) Churkola Dooar, (4) Chapaguri Dooar, (5) Baska Dooar, (6) Chapakahama Dooar, and (7) Bijini Dooar. The gates in Bengal are now called Paschim Dooar (West Doors), and those in Assam are called Purba Dooar (East Doors).
In general, the West Bengal Dooars are more frequently discussed. When people mention the Dooars, many think only of the West Bengal Dooars. However, there is limited discussion about the Assam Dooars. Here, we will focus on the East Dooars, or Assam Dooars. Assam Dooars is a natural bounty, rich with hills, turbulent rivers, springs, lakes, forests, and diverse wildlife species. For Assam Dooars, we consider the India-Bhutan border area that links Bhutan and Assam, from the Sonkosh River in the west to the middle of the Dhansiri River in the east. When the Hingla and Pingla rivers flowing from Bhutan merge in Assam, they are known as the Sonkosh. The headwaters of the Sonkosh marks the western border of Assam Dooars. Similarly, the Jampani River from Bhutan merges with the Bhairabi River in Assam to form the Dhansiri River, marking the eastern front of Assam Dooars. Many natural forests have sprung up along the basins of rivers flowing from Bhutan towards the Brahmaputra through the Dooars and the northern bank of the Brahmaputra. Human settlements and rural communities in Assam Dooars have emerged around these rivers in various places. A total of 26 rivers enrich the region of Assam Dooars. These rivers, from west to east, include the Sonkosh, Longa, Saral Bhanga, Tarang, Dhir, Champawati Ai, Manah, Palla, Pohumara, Kaldiya, Tihu, Mora Pagladiya, Pagladiya, Boroliya, Puthimari, Sesa, Barnodi, Nanoi, Kulshi, Nowanodi, Mangaldoi or Mangla Nodi, Galondi, Mora Dhansiri, Doifam, and Dhansiri. Due to their changing courses from time to time, these rivers have created numerous beels (lakes), swamps, and wetlands in Assam Dooars. These beels and wetlands are home to various fish species, aquatic flora, and fauna.
Assam Dooars is unique in its wildlife richness. The forests of Assam Dooars are habitats for some of the world’s rarest species. Some wildlife found in Assam Dooars is not found elsewhere in the world, including the West Bengal Dooars. One such species is the Golden Langur, scientifically known as Trachypithecus geei. This rare monkey species is found only in the area from the east of the Sonkosh River to the west side of the Manas River and on the north bank of the Brahmaputra. Other rare wild animals in this area include the Hispid Hare and the Pygmy Hog. The Hispid Hare, found in the tall grasslands of Assam Dooars, has a body length of 17 to 19 inches and weighs up to 2.5 kg. It appears dark brown due to black hairs among the brown. The hair of Hispid Hare is spiky and it has a very short tail. This hare species is rare and eats soft grass, roots of grass and trees, and small wildflowers. Like the Hispid Hare, Pygmy Hog is another rare species here that looks like a small wild boar. Standing only 10 inches tall, its body is covered with dark brown and black short hair. The males of these small pigs like animals are slightly larger, but hard to distinguish in the wild. These nocturnal creatures are very rare. They live in tall grassland forests and eat grass, roots of grass and trees, and earthworms etc. The forests of Assam Dooars also host Tigers, Leopards, Clouded Leopards, Golden Cats, Jungle Cats, Leopard Cats, Fishing Cats, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Hog Deer, Swamp Deer, Sloth Bears, Binturongs, Himalayan Black Bears, Common Otters, Elephants, Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceroses, Wild Buffalo, Gaur, Dholes, Hog Badgers, Crab-Eating Mongooses, Common Palm Civets, and many other wild mammals, some of which are on the verge of extinction. Assam Dooars is also rich in birdlife, with over 900 species found in the region. Notable birds include the Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Rufous-Necked Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Indian Peafowl, Kalij Pheasant, Black Francolin, Pale-Capped Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Large-Tailed Nightjar, Black Baza, Crested Serpent Eagle, and Eurasian Eagle Owl.
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Assam Dooars is also a rich habitat for many reptiles and amphibians. Several sanctuaries and national parks have been created around the forests of Assam Dooars. The Manas National Park, covering 850 square kilometers, is part of Project Tiger in India and has been recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Manas National Park is one of the most beautiful and wildlife-rich national parks in India, with provisions for travel and accommodation for tourists. Among the Assam Dooars, Manas is a key place to visit. About 40 species of mammals live in Manas National Park, including Elephants, Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceroses, Tigers, Wild Buffalo, Gaur, Sambar, Swamp Deer, and Himalayan Black Bears. These eight large mammals are not found together in any other national park in India.
Barnodi is another sanctuary in Assam Dooars. Situated at the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas on the border of Assam and Bhutan, Barnodi Sanctuary now spreads over the Baksa and Udalguri districts. The river flowing through this sanctuary is called Barnodi, after which the sanctuary is named. This beautiful and bountiful wildlife sanctuary hosts Elephants, Gaur, Himalayan Black Bears, Leopards, Barking Deer (Muntjac), Sambar, Pygmy Hogs, and numerous Indian peafowls. There are various species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, insects, birds, and orchids here. Travelers have the opportunity to visit this sanctuary.
In 2021, Raimona National Park was established, covering an extensive forest area of 422 square kilometers within Assam Dooars. This forest area is immensely rich in wildlife. The Sonkosh River flows along the west border of Raimona National Park, with West Bengal’s Boxa Project Tiger Forest situated on the west bank of the Sonkosh River. Golden langurs are found in the forests of Raimona National Park. Spotted deer are found only here among the states of northeast India. Elephants, Tigers, Sloth Bears, Sambar, Gaur, Asian Golden Cats, Clouded Leopards, and many other animal species are abundant here. These forests are also rich in wild bird species. The entire Assam Dooars is filled with nature’s abundant beauty. Along with the hills, rivers, rivulets, springs, brooks, lakes, marshlands, and jungles, the beauty of human habitats like villages, their folk and indigenous traditions, cultures, paddy fields, and tea gardens make Assam Dooars an unparalleled beautiful land.
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For the last 30 years, on behalf of our organization, Nature’s Beckon, I have been working in Assam Dooars for the conservation of wildlife. Nature’s Beckon has strengthened the foundation for the Nature Conservation Movement in this region by collaborating with the Bodo, Rabha, Santhal, Rajbongshi, Nepali, and other communities living here through wildlife conservation and tourism promotion activities. We have reinforced the Nature Conservation Movement by organizing trainings, camps, and reaching out to the communities through talks, books and materials translated into local languages.
Other notable places within Assam Dooars include Ultapani, Mass Bhandar, Koila-Moila, and Bhairabkunda. This entire region is endowed with enormous natural beauty and resources. The present Assam Dooars area is under the administration of the Bodoland Territorial Council lead by Sri Pramod Bodo. If the required infrastructure is created and Sri Pramod Bodo’s administration succeeds in attracting the rest of India and the world to see the natural wealth of this region, Assam Dooars could become the best eco-tourism destination in India. This could open up new vistas of economic development for the region.