West Garo Hills
West Garo Hills is a district in the State of Meghalaya in India. It is situated approximately between the latitudes 90° 30' and 89° 40' E, and the longitudes of 26° and 25° 20' N. The district is bounded by the East Garo Hills district on the east, the South Garo Hills on the south-east, the Goalpara district of Assam on the north and north-west and Bangladesh on the south.The district headquarters of West Garo Hills is Tura, which is the second largest town in the State after Shillong.
Total Geographical area of this district is 3714 Sq Km. There are three sub-divisions and 8 development blocks in this district.
Population of this district as per census 2001 is 5,18,390.
History
The Garo Hills district was divided into two districts, viz. the West Garo Hills district and the East Garo Hills district in October 1976. The erstwhile West Garo Hills district was further divided into two administrative districts of West and South Garo Hills on June 1992.The early history of the Garos is shrouded in mystery. The forefathers of the Garos allied to Koches, Chutiyas, Kacharis and Meches came from the north-west. Another tradition ascribing some support to this theory, maintains that the Garos are descended from their forefathers in Asong Tibetgori. The Garos in the Kamrup plain, recount a tradition that their forefathers came eastward from the Himalayas and reached Gondulghat where they made a brief halt, and on leaving that place, traversed to Sadiya, from where they trekked on into the north bank of Brahmaputra. After a long westward trail, they reached Amingaon. There in the north bank their life was not secure, they crossed the Bahmaputra river and came to occupy Kamakhya. They occupied it for some generations until the Koches came to invade the Garo Kingdom. From Gauhati, wave after wave of westward migration poured to the Garo outer hills, and later on penetrated the interior hills of their present abode. Probably who those crossed the hills and advanced further south to Mymensing in Bangladesh were the earliest immigrants whereas those who came later on, now confined into their present settlement at Goalpara and Kamrup, belonged to the later immigrants.
If critically examined, the ancient history of Garos would seem to have been a period marked by persistent and tenacious internal warfare and many blood-feuds seem to seem to have occurred between families or villages and between neighbouring Chiefs or Nokmas.
With the passage of time in the medieval period, while the Garos in the hills were still divided into a number of petty Nokmaships, the plain tracts along the fringes at the foot of the hills came to be included in the many Zamindari Estates, which eventually developed into fewer but larger complexes. During the mediaeval era and the Mughal period, the more important estates bordering the Garo Hills were Karaibari, Kalimalupara, Mechpara and Habraghat in Rongpur district, Susang and Sherput in Mymensing district of Bengal and Bijini in the Eastern Duars.Early records describe the Garos as being in a state of intermittent conflict with Zamindars of these large estates.
The contact between the British and the Garos started towards the close of the 18th Century after the British East India Company had secured the Diwani of Bengal from the Mughal Emperor. Consequently, all the estates bordering upon Garo Hills, which for all practical purposes had been semi-independent were brought under the control of the British.
Though political control had passed from the Mughals to the British, the latter, like Mughals, had no desire to control the Estates or their tributaries directly. The Zamindars were not disturbed in the internal management of their estates. In fact, they were entrusted, as they had been by the Mughals, with the responsibility of keeping the hill Garos in check with help of their retainers. Thus in the beginning, the intermittent conflict between the Zamindars and the Garos went on unabated until the situation deteriorated to the extent that the British were forced to take notice. This development led ultimately to the annexation of the Garo Hills in 1873.
Politics
Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 200844 Raksamgre Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 4. Photamati, 5. Bondukmali, 6. Naguapara, 7. Hatogaon, 8. Rengsingpara, 9. Pedaldoba, 10. Dobokjakolgre, 11. Lower Kongrapara, 12. Bollonggitok, 13. Lower Watregre, 14. Raksamgre and 15. Jangrapara G. S. Circles of Tikrikila C.D. Block.
45 Tikrikila Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 1.Odalguri, 2. Tikrikilla and 3. Nogorgaon G. S. Circles of Tikrikila C.D. Block, 2. 15. Paham G.S. Circle of Selsella C.D. Block and 3. 10. Cheran Songma, 11. Matramchigre, 13. Debragre and 15. Rongbok Kosakgre G.S. Circles of Dadenggre C.D. Block.
46 Phulbari Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1. 14. Phulbari G.S. Circle of Selsella C.D. Block and 2. 6. Nalsa Mronggre, 7. Rondupara, 8. Janjallagre, 9. Bikkonggre and 12. Rongkongre G.S. circles of Dadenggre C.D. Block.
47 Rajabala Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 1. 6. Wadagokgre, 7. Darenggre, 9. Balachanda and 13. Bhaitbari .G. S. Circles of Selsella C.D. Block.
48 Selsella Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 3. Damjonggre, 4. Selsella Block Headquarter, 5. Wajadagre, 8. Sasatgre, 10. Marok, 11. Rochonpara and 12. Hallidayganj G. S. Circles of Selsella C.D. Block.
49 Dadenggre Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 1. Dadenggre, 2. Sadolpara, 3. Romgre, 4. Damal Asim, 5. Magalpara and 14. Aigre Apal . G. S. Circles of Dadenggre C.D. Block and 2. 2. Rongbakgre, 4. Rombagre, 5. Anogre, 6. Rongdenggre, 7. Baljek -Akal, 8. Aguragre, 13. Waram - Asim and 15. Marakapara G.S. Circles of Rongram C.D. Block.
50 North Tura Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 1. Headquarter G.S. Circle, 3. Chandigre, 9. Babadam, 10. Galwanggre, 11. Gongrongggre and 12. Edenbari G.S. Circles of Rongram C.D. Block and 2. Ward No.4 and 5 and 9 to 11 of Tura (M).
51 South Tura Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. Ward Nos.1 to 3 and 6 to 8 of Tura (M) of Rongram C.D. Block.
52 Rangsakona Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 1. Mukdangra and 2. Garobadha G. S. Circles of Selsella C.D. Block, 2. 8. Watregre, 9. Rangsakona, 11. Tangabari, 12. Dengnakpara, 14. Damalgre and 15. Chisregre G. S. Circles of Betasing C.D. Block and 3. 14. Rongkhongre G. S. Circle of Rongram C.D. Block.
53 Ampathi Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 1. Betasing Headquarter, 2. Kumli, 3. Ampati, 4. Demdema, 5. Dalbotpara, 6. Rongsanggre, 7. Mahisbatanpara, 10. Borkona and 13. Monabari G. S. Circles of Betasing C.D. Block .
54 Mahendraganj Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 3. Mahendraganj, 4.Majjerchor, 6. Kalaichar, 7. Nogorpara, 8. Kodaldowa, 13. Katuli, 14. Tewaligre and 15. Boldamgre G. S. Circles of Zikzak C.D. Block.
55 Salmanpara Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. Block Headquarter, 2. Gopinathkilla, 5. Tarapara, 9. Rongkaigre, 10. Salmanpara, 11. Santogre and 12. Anangpara G. S. Circles of Zikzak C.D. Block and 2. 13. Halchati, 14. Chongnapara and 15. Jarangkona G. S. Circles of Dalu C.D. Block.
56 Gambegre Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. Gambegre C. D. Block and 2. 2. Gonchudaregre, 3. Posenggagre, 5. Sananggre, 6. Kherapara and 11. Rimrangpara G. S. Circles of Dalu C.D. Block.
57 Dalu Vidhan Sabha Constituency (ST) - 1. 1. Dalu Headquarter, 4. Rengrampara, 7. Thallanggre, 8. Josipara, 9. Chandapara, 10. Sesengpara and 12. Rengsipara G. S. Circles of Dalu C.D. Block .