Dooars means 'doors' in Assamese, Kamtapuri, Bengali, Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Magahi 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).
The Dooars belonged to the Kamata Kingdom under the Koch dynasty;[1] They acted as a trade route between Assam and Bhutan. Assam exports Muga, silk cloth, endi cloth, dried fish and rice and imports consisted of woollen cloth, gold-dust, rock salt, yaktails musk, ponies and blankets from Bhutan.[3]
In the early 17th-century, the combined forces of Ahoms and Koches temporarily checked the Bhutia's transgression. During this period two important Duars on the Darrang frontier, Buriguma and Killing were under Ahoms control. During the Ahom–Mughal conflicts in the mid 17th century, the Bhutias attempted to extend their authority as far as Gohain Kamal Ali.
In the reign of Ahom king Jayadhwaj Singha, the Druk Desi of Bhutan requested the transfer of these Duars to Bhutan. Therefore, an agreement was drawn, and the Darrang Duars went to the hands of Bhutias on the condition of annual tribute to Ahom side. The Darrang Duars were also surrendered to Ahoms annually for four months from June to October. These Duars were properties of Ahom government, but the Druk Desi of Bhutan took possession of them in last phase of 18th-century when the Ahoms were engaged in internal revolutions of the state.[4]
This region was controlled by the kingdom of Bhutan when British India annexed it in 1865 after the Duar War under the command of Captain Hedayat Ali. Bhutan lost almost one-fifth of its area in this war.[5]
The area was divided into two parts: Western Dooars and Eastern Dooars. The Western Dooars were under the Kingdom of Cooch Behar State from 1586 to 1949, and the Eastern Dooars under the Kingdom of Koch Hajo. Under the Koch government, the officer-in-charge of the Duars were called Subahdar.[6] Similar office existed under the Bhutan government, the Subah was selected by the provincial governors called Ponlops. The Ahom government managed the Duars through Duarieas.[7] The other two Dooars were the Kamrup Duars and Darrang Duars. The Eastern Dooars was merged with Goalpara district in Assam, the Kamrup Dooars was merged with Kamrup district, the Darrang Dooars was merged with Darrang District and the western part was turned into a new district named Western Dooars. Again in the year 1869, the name was changed to Jalpaiguri district.[8]
The Kamrup Dooars are part of the Dooars of Lower Assam. Dooars between Manas River and Bornadi River are called Kamrup Dooars.[9] The five Dooars under Kamrup Dooars include Bijni, Chapakhamar, Chapaguri, Banska and Gurkola.[9] Under the Bhutan government, the Kamrup Duars was under a Penlop or Provincial
Governor under whom was the Jongpen or Subah.[10]
Kamrup Dooars were annexed by the British East India Company in 1841.[6] Today, the area falls under the Nalbari district, Kamrup district and Baksa district of Bodoland Territorial Region.[citation needed]
Darrang Dooars
The Darrang Dooars are part of the Dooars of Lower Assam. Dooars between Bornadi River and Dhansiri River are called Darrang Dooars.[9] The three Dooars under Darrang Dooars include Killing, Buriguma and Koriapar.[9] The Koriapar Dooar was held by the chiefs of the Monpa people who were subordinate to the ruler of Tawang, who in turn were a tributary to the Tibetan government at Lhasa.[9] The Killing, Buriguma were annexed by the East India Company in 1841 and Koriapar Dooars in 1844.[9] The region today falls under the Udalguri and Sonitpur districts of Assam.[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]
