Kamrup district is an administrative district in the western part of the Indian state of Assam. It surrounds, but does not include, the Guwahati metropolitan area, which forms the separate Kamrup Metropolitan district. The district takes its name from the ancient kingdom of Kamarupa, a polity referenced in early Indian epigraphy and Sanskrit literature.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| State | Assam |
| Country | India |
| Region | Lower Assam |
| Headquarters | Amingaon |
| Parent division | Lower Assam Division |
| Adjacent district | Kamrup Metropolitan |
| Major river | Brahmaputra |
Kamrup district lies on both banks of the Brahmaputra river in lower Assam. It is bordered by Baksa and Nalbari districts to the north, Goalpara and Barpeta districts to the west, Kamrup Metropolitan district to the east, and Meghalaya to the south. The administrative headquarters is at Amingaon, on the north bank of the Brahmaputra opposite Guwahati.
The historical region of Kamarupa, from which the modern district derives its name, was a major kingdom in early medieval eastern India and is mentioned in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta. The colonial-era Kamrup district was a much larger territorial unit. Its later subdivisions formed several of the present-day districts of lower Assam.
In 2003, the erstwhile Kamrup district was bifurcated into two separate districts:
This reorganisation was undertaken to separate the rapidly urbanising Guwahati region from the rural hinterland for administrative and developmental purposes.
The district's terrain consists largely of alluvial plains formed by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, interspersed with low hills and wetlands (beels). Agriculture, fisheries, and small-scale industry are important to the local economy. Paddy is the principal crop, supplemented by jute, mustard, and seasonal vegetables.
Kamrup district is divided into civil subdivisions and revenue circles, and includes a number of community development blocks and gram panchayats. Towns within the district include Rangia, Hajo, Palasbari, Boko, and Chaygaon. The district falls within the Lower Assam Division of the state government's revenue administration.
The district is notable for several sites of religious and cultural importance:
The district is served by National Highway 27 and other major roads connecting Guwahati to western Assam and Bhutan. The Saraighat Bridge and the Naranarayan Setu link the north and south banks of the Brahmaputra in the district. Rangia is an important railway junction on the Northeast Frontier Railway network.
As the rural counterpart of the Guwahati metropolitan region, Kamrup district plays a key role in supplying agricultural produce, silk textiles, and labour to the state capital. It also retains important cultural landmarks associated with the historical Kamarupa civilisation.