Tinsukia is one of the twenty three administrative districts in the state of Assam, India. The district headquarters are located at Tinsukia. The district occupies an area of 3790 km² and has a population of 1,150,062 (as of 2001). Hindus 1,029,142, Christians 62,403, Muslims 40,000 (3.47%).
Geographical area: 3790 sq.kms.
Distance from Guwahati:392 KM
2) HISTORY
The ancient name of Tinsukia was Bangmara. It was the capital of the Muttack Kingdom. Sarbananada Singha established his capital at Rangagarah situated in the bank of river Guijan. In 1791 AD, he transferred his capital to the city of Bangmara. Bangmara was built by King Sarbananda Singha with the help of his Minister, Gopinath Barbaruah (alias Godha). The city was built in the middle of the present city of Tinsukia. It was declared as the 23rd district of Assam on 1 October 1989 with three sub divisions - Tinsukia, Magherita (Sadar), and Sadiya.
Several tanks were dug in the days of Sarbananda Singha viz. Chauldhuwa Pukhuri, Kadamoni pukhuri, Da Dharua Pukhuri, Mahdhuwa Pukhuri, Bator Pukhuri, Logoni Pukhuri, Na-Pukhuri, Devi Pukhuri, Kumbhi Pukhuri, Rupahi Pukhuri etc.
Apart from the these ponds there are many ancient roads constructed in different parts of the Muttack territory. Godha-Borbaruah road, Rangagarah road, Rajgor road and Hatiali road were main roads within the territory.
In 1823, the British first discovered tea plants in Sadiya and the first tea plantation was started in Chabua near Tinsukia. (The name Chabua comes from "Chah-Buwa"/tea plantation).
In 1876, coal was found near Ledo and Margherita. The oil city of Digboi is in the Tinsukia district. In 1882 crude oil was found in Digboi and the first oil well in India was drilled. In 1901, an oil refinery was setup in Digboi. It was the first refinery in Asia and the third in world.
In 1882, the Dibru-Sadiya Railway was opened to traffic by the Assam Railway & Trading Company, centred on Tinsukia, and a turning point in the economic development of north-east India.
3) MAJOR TRIBES:
1
Singpho
2
Tea-Tribes
3
Tai Phake
4
Missing
5
Deori
6
Sonowal-kachari
7
Naga
4) MAJOR LANGUAGES SPOKEN:
1
Assamese
2
Bengali
3
Hindi
5) NATIONAL PARKS:
Name
Distance from District HQ (in Km)
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
15 Km
6) PLACES OF TOURISTS INTERESTS:
Name
Distance from District HQ (in Km)
Digboi Oil Refinery
Digboi Oil Field
Bordubi Tilinga Mandir
Digboi Golf Course
Margherita Coal Field
Tea Gardens
Borjan Wild-Life Sanctuary
Digboi War Cemetery
IOC Musuem
Oil Centenary Park
7) ECONOMY
Tinsukia is one of the premier commercial centres in Assam. It is an industrial district, yet it produces a sizeable amount of tea, oranges, ginger, other citrus fruits and paddy (rice).
8) TRANSPORTATION
Tinsukia is well connected by air, national highway and railway. It is only 532 km by road from Dispur, the State Capital of Assam. The nearest airport is at Mohanbari, Dibrugarh which is about 40 km from Tinsukia with daily connection from Delhi/Guwahati and Calcutta.
9) TOURISM
Dibru Saikhowa National Park is famous for birds and is one of the bio-diversity-hot-spots with over 350 species of avifauna providing unique habitat for globally threatened species. A safe for extremely rare white winged wood duck and many migratory birds. Its Wild-Horses, called Feral Horses, are precisely sufficient to make the visitor wild.
Digboi boasts of two modern wonders of the world – a hundred-year-old oil field still producing and the world’s oldest operating oil refinery. Tucked amid blue hills and undulating plains carpeted with emerald green tea plantations, Digboi still retains its colonial ambience. It’s simply breathtaking to have a bird’s eye view of Digboi from the famous Ridge Hill point. On clear days, one can also see the snow- covered mountains of the eastern Himalayas.
National Oil Park: Digboi also has an oil museum and a wildlife sanctuary of unsurpassed beauty. Going down the hill, visitors will come across oil derricks of various types and other devices still declaring the glory and marvel of the now outdated innovations of the last forties. If one comes down from the hill on the other side, one will have the greatest sight of his lifetime. One may also bump across a herd of elephants or a Royal Bengal Tiger, besides some rare species of birds.
War Cemetery: the most dramatic event in Digboi’s history took place during the World War II, when the belligerent Japanese came close to within three days marching distance of Digboi. These images come back as one kneels at the headstones at the Digboi War Cemetery.
Margherita: the centre of tea gardens, plywood factories and coal mines, with many picnic spots dotting the sandy banks of the River Dihing. Cool, misty and away from the mainland, breathing in the aroma of fresh tea leaves is an experience, both rare and heartwarming. The tea gardens here are perhaps the best in the world.
Sports: the 18-hole golf course developed by the Scottish pioneers in their immutable style. In fact, Digboi can almost be called a Golfing Resort with as many as eight golf courses within close proximity, each with its own individual character and challenges.
10) MAJOR INDUSTRIES
Name
Distance from District HQ (in Km)
P. P. Factory, Hindusthan Lever Ltd, Doomdooma
30
Digboi Oil Refinery
35
Digboi Carbon Factory
1
Vision Ispat Industries Ltd, Tinsukia
1
Bharat Ferrus, Tinsukia
5
Coal India Ltd, Margherita
55
Oil Field, Digboi
40
Tea Factories at Doomdooma, Digboi, Margherita, Tinsukia
