Bajali District

Ancient and Pre-Colonial Period

• • The region historically known as Bajali has been referenced as Bajali Chakla, Bajali Pargana, Bajali Tehsil, and Bajali Circle at various times.

  • During the Mughal (Patshahi) rule, Bajali was part of Sarkar Kamrup and administered by local chieftains such as the Pani-Abhaypuria Rajkhowa.

  • The area’s name is believed to be linked to Bajaliya Konwar, a local ruler, though details about his lineage remain unclear.

  • In the later Ahom period, parts of Bajali were administered by Bajalia Choudhury, whose origins trace back to Dhawalguru (Purusottam Dwija).

Colonial Era

• • Under British rule, Bajali underwent significant administrative changes, including the introduction of new land revenue systems and the abolition of the traditional Paik system, which caused hardship for local elites.

  • Bajali was the site of notable agrarian resistance. In 1869, an agrarian revolt broke out in response to a doubling of land taxes, leading to the organization of Raijmels (people’s assemblies) at places like Gobindapur and Patacharkuchi.

  • These assemblies protested tax policies and organized collective action, including no-tax campaigns and the appointment of their own messengers and guards to resist British enforcement.

  • The British authorities responded with arrests and suppression, but the resistance demonstrated the region’s early sense of collective identity and nationalism.

Modern Administrative Changes

• • Bajali became a civil sub-division of Barpeta district in 1989.

  • The Assam Cabinet, led by then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, approved the creation of Bajali as a full-fledged district on 10 August 2020.

  • Bajali was formally declared Assam’s 34th district on 12 January 2021, carved out from Barpeta.

  • On 31 December 2022, Bajali was temporarily merged back with Barpeta district as part of a state-wide administrative reorganization linked to the delimitation process.

  • The Assam government restored Bajali’s district status on 12 October 2023, making it the 35th district of Assam, with its headquarters at Madan Rauta Nagar, Pathsala