# Alipurduar district

Alipurduar district is the 20th district in the state of West Bengal, India. The district has its headquarters at Alipurduar. It was made a district by bifurcating Jalpaiguri district in 2014. The district consists of Alipurduar municipality, Falakata municipality and six community development blocks: Madarihat–Birpara, Alipurduar–I, Alipurduar–II, Falakata, Kalchini and Kumargram. The six blocks contain 66 gram panchayats and nine census towns.

## History
### Under the Kingdom of Bhutan

The Dooars in Alipurduar district were under the control of Kingdom of Bhutan from early 17th-century till 1865 when British East India company captured the area in the Duar War under the Treaty of Sinchula and were added to the district of Jalpaiguri in 1869 and later finally to the Indian Union in 1949.
Like all the Duars under Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan, it was under the jurisdiction of Tongso Penlop, below the Tongso Penlop were Subah who in turn appointed Mondal, Laskar or Uzir to look after the Duars.

## Administration

Apart from the Alipurduar municipality and Falakata municipality, the district contains eight census towns and rural areas of 66 gram panchayats under six community development blocks: Madarihat-Birpara, Alipurduar-I, Alipurduar–II, Kalchini, Falakata and Kumargram. Geographically the district lies between 26.4°N to 26.83°N and 89°E to 89.9°E.
The nine census towns are Paschim Jitpur, Chechakhata, Alipurduar Railway Junction, Bholar Dabri, Sobhaganj, Jaygaon and Uttar Latabari and Uttar Kamakhyaguri.

## Railway network

Alipurduar railway division has at least 710 km of railway track. It is the largest division of the Northeast Frontier Railway zone. In Alipurduar district, there are two major stations, Alipurduar Junction (APDJ) and New Alipurduar (NOQ). There are other stations in the district viz. Falakata Railway Station, Kamakhyaguri Railway Station, Dalgaon Railway Station, Hasimara Railway Station, Rajabhatkhawa, Hamiltongunj etc.

## Legislative segments

There are 5 assembly constituency in Alipurduar district :
| S No. | Name | Lok Sabha constituency | MLA | Party |
| 10 | Kumargram (ST) | Alipurduars | Manoj Kumar Oraon | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 11 | Kalchini (ST) | Alipurduars | Bishal Lama | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 12 | Alipurduars | Alipurduars | Suman Kanjilal | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 13 | Falakata (SC) | Alipurduars | Dipak Barman | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 14 | Madarihat (ST) | Alipurduars | Manoj Tigga | Bharatiya Janata Party |
As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the area under Kumargram block and seven gram panchayats under Alipurduar–II block, viz. Bhatibari, Kohinoor, Parokata, Mahakalguri, Shamuktala, Turturi and Tatpara–I constitutes the Kumargram assembly constituency of West Bengal. The Majherdabri gram panchayat under Alipurduar–II block and the area under Kalchini block constitutes the Kalchini assembly constituency. The Alipurduar municipality, the Alipurduar Railway Junction census town, and the gram panchayats of Chaporer Par–I, Chaporer Par–II and Tatpara–II under Alipurduar–II block and ten gram panchayats of Alipurduar–I block, viz. Banchukamari, Parorpar, Shalkumar–I, Vivekananda–I, Chakowakheti, Patlakhawa, Shalkumar–II, Vivekananda–II, Mathura and Tapsikhata form the Alipurduars assembly constituency. The other gram panchayat of Alipurduar–I block, viz. Purba Kanthalbari forms the Falakata assembly constituency along with the area under Falakata block. Madarihat block is part of Madarihat assembly constituency. Kumargram, Kalchini and Madarihat constituencies is reserved for Scheduled tribes (ST) candidates. Falakata constituency is reserved for Scheduled castes (SC) candidates. All these five assembly constituencies are part of Alipurduars (Lok Sabha constituency), which is reserved for ST candidates.

## Demographics

As of the 2011 census, Alipurduar district had a population of 1,491,250, of which 1,183,704 were rural and 307,456 were urban. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 456,706 (30.62%) and 382,112 (25.62%) of the population respectively.

### Religion

Religion in Alipurduar district (2011) :
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 80.07% | 80.07% |
| Islam | Islam | 8.74% | 8.74% |
| Christianity | Christianity | 7.52% | 7.52% |
| Buddhism | Buddhism | 2.37% | 2.37% |
| Tribal religion | Tribal religion | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.31% | 0.31% |
Religion in present-day Alipurduar district :
| Religion | Population (1941)$^{:90–91}$ | Percentage (1941) | Population (2011) | Percentage (2011) |
| Hinduism | 144,898 | 45.17% | 1,194,102 | 80.07% |
| Tribal religion | 141,716 | 44.17% | 14,866 | 1.00% |
| Islam | 29,856 | 9.31% | 130,339 | 8.74% |
| Christianity | 1,385 | 0.43% | 112,091 | 7.52% |
| Buddhism | --- | --- | 35,318 | 2.37% |
| Others | 2,963 | 0.93 | 4,534 | 0.31% |
| Total Population | 320,818 | 100% | 1,491,250 | 100% |
Hindus are the majority in all blocks. Muslims are spread evenly throughout the district, but Christians, traditional religions and Buddhists are concentrated in the tea garden areas.

### Language

* Bengali (53.93%)
* Sadri (16.8%)
* Nepali (9.7%)
* Hindi (3.67%)
* Rajbongshi (3.17%)
* Kurukh (3.13%)
* Boro (2.38%)
* Bhojpuri (1.39%)
* Santali (1.32%)
* Others (4.51%)
At the time of the 2011 census, 53.93% spoke Bengali, 16.80% Sadri, 9.70% Nepali, 3.67% Hindi, 3.17% Rajbongshi, 3.13% Kurukh, 2.38% Boro, 1.39% Bhojpuri and 1.32% Santali as their first language.

## Visitor attractions

* Buxa Tiger Reserve, IUCN category II national park
* Jayanti Hills
* Buxa Fort, built by British Raj
* Jaldapara National Park
* Chilapata Forests
* Jaigaon, a small town of Alipurduar district and near the Bhutan border
* Rajabhatkhawa Museum at Rajabhatkhawa
* Rajabhatkhawa Forest
* Raimatang
* Jayanti
* Santalabari
* Rovers point
* Roopang valley
* Lepchakha
* Chunabhati
* Chipra Forest
* Chilapata Forest
* Buxa Tiger Reserve
* Dima Bridge
* Vistadome Ride
* Tons of Tea Estates
* Kodalbasti
* Shilbarihat
* Nilpara
* Nimati

## Geographical indication

Kalonunia rice was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry under the Union Government of India on 02/01/2024 (valid until 11/03/2034). It is a common and widely cultivated crop in districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar along with some parts of Darjeeling & Kalimpong districts of West Bengal.
State Agricultural Management & Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) from Narendrapur, proposed the GI registration of Kalonunia rice. After filing the application in March 2021, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2024 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Kalonunia rice" exclusive to the rice grown in the region. It thus became the third rice variety from West Bengal after Tulaipanji rice and the 26th type of goods from West Bengal to earn the GI tag.
The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.