Dibrugarh

State

Dibrugarh, situated on the banks of the Brahmaputra River in Upper Assam, is the gateway to the three tea producing districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, and Sibsagar. It is the largest tea exporting town in India and also an important commercial centre of the Assam state. The town got its name from Dibarumukh, 'Dibaru' is the name of a river and 'mukh' means mouth.

Dibrugarh very often referred to as the 'Tea City of India', as it accounts for a major share of the total tea production of the country. The place has much to offer in terms of attractions or tourists spots for travelers and nature lovers.

History

Dibrugarh which is the headquarter of the district derived its name from Dibarumukh. The name derived from the mouth(mukh) of the river Dibaru or Dibru (Bodo word dibru, a blister) during the reign of Suhungmung[when?], Pharsengmung Borgohain, Chao Siulung, Kilong fought against the Chutiya king who was defeated in the battle and surrendered before the Ahom King. Dibarumukh was a renowned encampment of Ahoms during Ahom Chutiya War. Earlier Dibrugarh was the District HQ of undivided Lakhimpur District. But now Dibrugarh is a separate district having its own identity with the District HQ still in Dibrugarh town itself.

Accessibility

Air

Mohanbari Airport connects Dibrugarh to all the major airports in India, like Guwahati, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The airport is situated at a distance of 13 km from the center of the city and is one of the busiest airports therein. Some of the major airlines, like Air India, Indian Airlines, Jetlite and Kingfisher, conduct flights to and from the city, on a regular basis. Besides this, the Airforce field at Chabua (25 km from Dibrugarh) is also used to connect the city to other places in the north-east and also to Kolkata.

Rail

The railway station in Dibrugarh has trains for the purpose of both interstate and intercity transport. There are three major interstate transport expresses - two of which originate from New Delhi (Rajdhani and Brahmaputra Mail) and the third one is from Kolkata. Besides this, daily express trains are available for traveling to Guwahati and the other regions within Assam.

Road

The city of Dibrugarh is at a distance of 440 km from Guwahati and 240 km from the famous wildlife sanctuary, Kaziranga. The NH-37 connects all the major towns and cities of Assam and has greatly facilitated transport by road within the state. The ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) provides regular bus service at periodic intervals to all the major places within and outside the state. Apart from the normal day and night service buses; the corporation also has a number of special mini buses to travel to the hilly areas. In addition to the transport services, ASTC also provides other services, like computerized ticketing system, courier services and also cargo services.

Shopping

Dibrugarh city is one of the popular tourist destinations in Assam, India. The people who come to visit the city definitely like to take back something, as souvenirs, for themselves as well as their near and dear ones. And it is a surety that the city of Dibrugarh will never disappoint them in this respect. Apart from the indigenous native shops, a number of malls and complexes are present here and some others are still in the process of being constructed. Some of these are the Vishal Megamart, the Leela Mall, Khusi Megamart etc.

Dibrugarh city is famous for its tea. It is, in fact, called the nerve centre of the tea industry in India and even within the city; you will find a number of tea gardens, like the Jalan South Tea Estate. Hence, a visit to the city without getting a sample of the local tea is simply not done. Besides tea, Dibrugarh is also famous for its traditional silk garments, like mekhela chaddar (made of muga or paat).

The locally-made Gamochas, one of the most recognizable cultural symbols of the Assamese people, is a popular item amongst tourists. Such items can be purchased from the innumerous indigenous shops present within the city, like Kalpatoru, Mamta. A unique shopping location present in the city is the ‘Bhutiya’ market place, offering a wide range of trendy items like clothes, bags and shoes. This is one of the most favorite places for young boys and girls to shop, as the products are reasonably priced.

District
Dibrugarh district
Location
On the banks of the River Brahmaputra, Upper Assam
STD Code
0373
Best time to visit
October to March
Famous For
Largest tea exporting town in India