The Dooars or Duars (/duˈɑːrz/) are the alluvial floodplains in eastern-northeastern India and southern Bhutan that lie south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas and north of the Brahmaputra River basin. This region is about 30 km (19 mi) wide and stretches over about 350 km (220 mi) from the Teesta River in West Bengal to the Dhansiri River in Udalguri district of Assam. The region forms the gateway to Bhutan.[1] It is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion.[2]
| Dooars | |
|---|---|
 A tea garden in the Dooars with the Himalayas in the background | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Indomalayan realm |
| Geography | |
| Country |
|
| Elevation | 90–1,750 m (300–5,740 ft) |
| Rivers | Brahmaputra River, Murti river |
| Conservation | |
| Global 200 | Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands |
Dooars means 'doors' in Assamese, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Kamtapuri, Magahi and Maithili languages. There are 18 passages or gateways between the hills in Bhutan and the plains in India.[1] This region is divided by the Sankosh River into Eastern and Western Dooars, consisting of an area of 880 km2 (340 sq mi).
History
edit
The Dooars served as important trade routes between the Brahmaputra valley and Bhutan. Exports from Assam included muga and eri silk cloth, dried fish and rice, while imports included woollen cloth, gold dust, rock salt, yak tails, musk, ponies and blankets.[3]
The Duar territories did not remain under a single polity throughout their history. During the sixteenth century, Biswa Singha subdued the local chiefs between the Sankosh River and the Barnadi and brought the adjoining Duar tracts under the authority of the Koch kingdom. Following the division of the kingdom in 1581, the territory between the Sankosh and the Bharali, together with its passes, came under Koch Hajo, while the country and passes west of the Sankosh remained with the western Koch branch. Bhutan took advantage of the rivalry between the two Koch kingdoms to extend its authority southward from the hills into the adjoining plains.[4]
Following the division of the Koch kingdom in 1581 and the Mughal annexation of the eastern Koch kingdom in 1612, Bhutan gradually extended its authority into the Duars. By the middle of the seventeenth century, it had obtained possession of the Duar plains as far south as the Gohain Kamal Ali, although its authority in the Kamrup and Darrang Duars remained subject to tributary and seasonal arrangements with the Ahom government.[5] By the 18th century, Bhutan exercised direct or tributary authority throughout the Manas–Sankosh tract (Eastern Duars), although hereditary local chiefs continued to administer parts of Bijni, Sidli, Ripu and Guma.[6] Bhutanese authority over the Western or Bengal Duars developed separately through its growing involvement in Cooch Behar during the late 17th and 18th centuries.
The five Eastern Duars between the Manas and Sankosh—Bijni, Sidli, Chirang, Ripu and Guma—and the Western or Bengal Duars west of the Sankosh were administered under Bhutanese authority through provincial governors or Penlops and subordinate officials such as Subahs, Lashkars and Katmas.[7] Local chiefs sometimes continued as intermediaries under Bhutanese suzerainty: the rulers of Bijni and Sidli, for example, exercised hereditary authority but received recognition or sanads from the Bhutanese government and paid tribute through its officials.[8] Following the Anglo-Bhutanese conflict of 1772–1774, the East India Company recognised Bhutanese possession of several tracts in the Western Duars. Bhutan consolidated its administration over much of the region during the late-18th century, although control of some frontier tracts remained disputed. Most of the Western Duars remained under Bhutanese administration until their annexation by British India following the Duar War of 1864–1865.
British annexation occurred in several stages. The East India Company annexed the Kamrup and the Killing and Buriguma Duars in 1841, followed by the Koriapar Duar in 1844. The Eastern Duars between the Sankosh and Manas rivers and the Western or Bengal Duars were taken from Bhutan in 1865 following the Duar War.[9] Under the Treaty of Sinchula, Bhutan formally ceded the territories occupied by British India. Bhutan lost approximately one-fifth of its territory as a result of the war and treaty.[10]
Western Dooars
editThe Western or Bengal Dooars comprised the foothill and adjoining plains tracts between the Teesta River and the Sankosh River. They were administered by Bhutan before being annexed by British India in 1865. The British initially organized the territory as the Western Dooars district, which was merged with the Titallya subdivision to form Jalpaiguri district in 1869.[11]
The former Western Dooars are now principally included within the Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts of West Bengal.
Eastern Dooars
editThe Eastern Dooars lay between the Sankosh River and the Manas River. They comprised Guma, Ripu, Chirang, Sidli and Bijni.[12] The area was administered by Bhutan before being annexed by British India in 1865 and subsequently incorporated into Goalpara district.[13]
The territory is now principally divided among the Kokrajhar, Chirang and Bongaigaon districts of Assam.
Kamrup Dooars
editThe Kamrup Dooars lay between the Manas River and the Bornadi River. They comprised Bijni, Chapakhamar, Chapaguri, Banska and Gurkola.[12] These Duars were under Bhutanese administration throughout the year. Under the Bhutanese administration, the Kamrup Duars were supervised by officials subordinate to a provincial governor or Penlop. The East India Company annexed them in 1841.
The former Kamrup Dooars are now principally included within the Nalbari, Kamrup and Baksa districts of Assam.
Darrang Dooars
editThe Darrang Dooars lay between the Bornadi River and the Dhansiri River and comprised Killing, Buriguma and Koriapar.[12] Buriguma and Killing were held under an arrangement by which Bhutan paid tribute and periodically surrendered their administration to the Ahom government, for four months each year, generally from June to October. By the late 18th century, Bhutan had taken fuller possession of the Duars as the Ahom kingdom was weakened by internal rebellions.[14] They were annexed by the East India Company in 1841.[15] Koriapar differed politically from the other Darrang Duars. It was held by Monpa chiefs subordinate to the ruler of Tawang, who in turn was tributary to the Tibetan government at Lhasa. British India annexed Koriapar in 1844.[16]
The former Darrang Dooars are now principally included within the Udalguri and Sonitpur districts of Assam.
Geography and climate
editThe Dooars region politically constitutes the northern bank of the Brahmaputra Valley in state of Assam and the plains of Kalimpong district, the whole of Jalpaiguri district and Alipurduar district and the upper region of Cooch Behar district in West Bengal.[citation needed]
The Dooars is dotted with many towns and cities.[citation needed] The largest cities in the region stretching from the Darjeeling foothills to the Arunachal Pradesh foothills are Siliguri and Jalpaiguri, which both partly lie in the Terai region rather the Dooars, geographically.[citation needed] This northern Bengal cities are well connected with the rest of country by road, air and railway and is the business hub of the region.[citation needed]
The other cities are Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Barpeta and Dhubri in Assam. Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Dhupguri, Malbazar, Mainaguri, Falakata and Birpara are the major cities of the Dooars in West Bengal, and Kishanganj in Bihar.[citation needed]
A number of endangered animals live in the forests of the Dooars like Bengal tiger, Indian rhinoceros, Indian elephant,[17]
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.5 (90.5) |
33.2 (91.8) |
38.1 (100.6) |
41.7 (107.1) |
40.8 (105.4) |
41.9 (107.4) |
40.4 (104.7) |
40.0 (104.0) |
40.1 (104.2) |
36.6 (97.9) |
33.8 (92.8) |
32.6 (90.7) |
41.9 (107.4) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 25.6 (78.1) |
27.9 (82.2) |
32.8 (91.0) |
34.9 (94.8) |
35.3 (95.5) |
36.3 (97.3) |
36.0 (96.8) |
36.7 (98.1) |
35.8 (96.4) |
33.5 (92.3) |
30.4 (86.7) |
27.2 (81.0) |
37.0 (98.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) |
24.5 (76.1) |
29.3 (84.7) |
30.8 (87.4) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.1 (84.4) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.2 (84.6) |
28.5 (83.3) |
26.3 (79.3) |
23.4 (74.1) |
27.7 (81.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
12.8 (55.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
19.5 (67.1) |
22.1 (71.8) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.6 (76.3) |
23.5 (74.3) |
19.7 (67.5) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.8 (53.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 6.9 (44.4) |
7.2 (45.0) |
12.5 (54.5) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
22.0 (71.6) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.6 (74.5) |
21.9 (71.4) |
16.8 (62.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
7.7 (45.9) |
6.5 (43.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.9 (35.4) |
3.5 (38.3) |
6.2 (43.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
15.0 (59.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
21.0 (69.8) |
18.4 (65.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
12.3 (54.1) |
6.4 (43.5) |
2.4 (36.3) |
1.9 (35.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 23 (0.9) |
24 (0.9) |
34 (1.3) |
76 (3.0) |
249 (9.8) |
628 (24.7) |
843 (33.2) |
589 (23.2) |
403 (15.9) |
121 (4.8) |
10 (0.4) |
11 (0.4) |
3,011 (118.5) |
| Average rainy days | 4 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 132 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 69 | 65 | 54 | 63 | 79 | 88 | 90 | 88 | 87 | 80 | 70 | 68 | 75 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| Source 1: normal temperatures[18][19]Ultraviolet Index[20] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Extremes(India Meteorological Department[21]), Mean maximum and Mean minimum temperatures[22] | |||||||||||||
Media
editThe film "The Dooars World",[23] narrated by Dia Mirza, shows the wildlife and human-animal relationship in the Dooars.
Notes
edit- 1 2 Debnath, S. (2010). The Dooars in Historical Transition (PDF). Shiv Mandir: N. L. Publishers. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ↑ Dinerstein, E., Loucks, C. (2001). "Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- ↑ Das 1998, p. 28.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 29–30.
- ↑ Phukan 2014, pp. 64–65.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 33–36, 47–57.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 34–35.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 47–54.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 31, 34–37.
- ↑ Phuntsho 2013, p. 453.
- ↑ "District Census Handbook – Jalpaiguri" (PDF). Census of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- 1 2 3 Das 1998, p. 26.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 34–36.
- ↑ Gogoi 2016, p. 298.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 30–31.
- ↑ Das 1998, pp. 36–37.
- ↑ Wildlife Times: Elephants of North Bengal Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Climate data for Siliguri". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ↑ "Regional Meteorological Department, Kolkata". Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ↑ "Average UV Index for Siliguri". Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ↑ "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M229. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ↑ "Climate for Siliguri city". Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ↑ "The Dooars World (2025) - Cast & Crew on MUBI". mubi.com. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
References
edit- Phuntsho, Karma (2013). The History of Bhutan. Penguin Books. ISBN 9781908323583.
- Das, Smriti (1998). Assam Bhutan relations with special reference to duars from 1681 to 1949 (PhD). Guwahati University. hdl:10603/67909. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- Gogoi, Nityananda (2016). Historical Geography of Medieval Assam. EBH Publishers (India). ISBN 9383252707.
External links
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