Goalpara
{{About|the municipality in India|its namesake district|Goalpara district}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Goalpara
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline = Homestead in Goalpara.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = A Goalpara Assam homestead
| pushpin_map = India Assam#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Assam, India
| coordinates = {{coord|26.17|N|90.62|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Assam
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Goalpara
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body = Goalpara Municipality Board
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 35
| population_total = 53,430
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = Assamese
| timezone1 = IST
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = PIN
| postal_code = 783123-[http://www.citypincode.in/ASSAM/GOALPARA/Goalpara_PINCODE 783101]{{cite web|url=http://www.citypincode.in/ASSAM/GOALPARA/Goalpara_PINCODE |title=Pin Code of Goalpara |publisher=citypincode.in |access-date=18 May 2014}}
| registration_plate = AS-18
| website = {{URL|https://goalpara.assam.gov.in}}
| iso_code = IN-AS
| footnotes =
| official_name =
}}
Goalpara {{IPAc-en|g|oʊ|ɑ:|l|'|p|ɑ:|r|ə}}) is a city and the district headquarters of Goalpara district, Assam, India. It is situated {{convert|134|km|mi|0}} to the west of Guwahati.
Etymology
The name Goalpara is said to have originated from the word "Gwaltippika" meaning Guwali village, or "the village of the milk men" (Yadav).[http://www.assamspider.com/resources/3417-Goalpara-District-brief-History.aspx Brief history of Goalpara] In local dialect, "para" means village.
Geography
Goalpara is located on the bank of the river Brahmaputra.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/03/Goalpara.html|title=redirect to /world/IN/03/Goalpara.html|website=www.fallingrain.com}} It has an average elevation of 35 metres (114 feet).
Hulukanda Hill, located at the heart of Goalpara on the bank of the Brahmaputra River, is one of the natural scenic views in the town, with various kinds of waterfowl and monkeys. There are some other bodies of water, such as Hashila Beel, Kumri Beel, and Urpad Beel. The Urpad Beel becomes the centre of migratory birds during Oct-March. The evergreen forests on low hills create an undulating landscape.
Goalpara district consists of 8 blocks:
- Balijana
- Jaleswar
- Kharmuza
- Krishnai
- Kuchdhowa
- Lakhipur
- Matia
- Rangjuli
Demographics
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
|caption = Religions in Goalpara town (2011){{cite web |title=C-16 Population By Religion - Assam |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW18C-01%20MDDS.XLS |website=census.gov.in |access-date=16 August 2020}}
|label1 = Islam
|value1 = 53.65
|color1 = Green
|label2 = Hinduism
|value2 = 44.99
|color2 = Orange
|label3 = others
|value3 = 1.36
|color3 = Grey}}
{{Pie chart| thumb = right
|label1=Assamese|value1=47.9|color1= Yellow
|label2=Bengali|value2=46.8|color2=Cyan
|label3=Hindi|value3=3.6|color3=Magenta
|label4=Bodo, Rabha and Others|value4=1.7|color4=grey
|caption=Languages of Goalpara town (2011){{cite web |title=C-16 Population By Mother Tongue - Goalpara |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16T/DDW-C16-TOWN-STMT-MDDS-1800.XLSX |website=censusindia.gov.in |access-date=8 September 2020}}
}}
As of 2011 Indian Census, Goalpara had a total population of 53,430, of which 26,970 were males and 26,460 were females. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 6,125. The total number of literates in Goalpara was 39,627 which constituted 74.2% of the population with male literacy of 77.1% and female literacy of 71.2%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Goalpara was 83.8%, of which male literacy rate was 87.3% and female literacy rate was 80.2%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 6,158 and 1,702 respectively. Goalpara had 11,617 households in 2011.{{cite web|date=16 April 2014|title=District Census Handbook; Goalpara|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/1803_PART_B_DCHB_GOALPARA.pdf|access-date=8 September 2020|website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=Census Commission of India}}
=Religion=
=Languages=
Assamese is the official language of the district and is spoken by 47.9% of the population, while Bengali is spoken by 46.8% and Hindi spoken by 3.6%, and 1.7% Bodo and other languages as per 2011 census. The Goalpariya is the most commonly spoken dialect of Assamese in the town.
Education
File:Sainik School Goalpara 002.jpg]]
Some of the major educational institutions are:
=Schools=
=Colleges=
- Goalpara College, Goalpara
- Dudhnoi College, Dudhnoi, Goalpara
- Bikali College, Dhupdhara, Goalpara
- [https://www.goalparalawcollage.co.in Goalpara Law College], Bhalukdubi, Goalpara
Politics
Goalpara district consists of four assembly constituencies which are Goalpara East, Goalpara West, Jaleshwar and Dudhnoi. Goalpara town is under Goalpara East constituency, the current MLA is AK Rasheed Alam (INC)
Notable people
- Abbas Uddin Ahmed, singer
- Ashraful Haque, Bollywood actor
- Adil Hussain, actor and theatre personality{{cite news |title=Goalpara boy hits the big time |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Goalpara-boy-hits-the-big-time/articleshow/12374764.cms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103100519/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-23/guwahati/31229682_1_adil-hussain-ang-lee-bollywood |url-status=live |archive-date=3 January 2013 |work=The Times of India |date=23 March 2012 }}
- Baharul Islam, actor and theatre personality
- Birubala Rabha, Indian activist who campaigns against witchcraft and witch hunting
- Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha, spiritual master{{citation |title=Speaking Tree Spiritual Masters |url=http://www.sreecgmath.org }}
- Jugal Kishore Choudhury, modernist architect
- Leela Roy, Indian independence activist, Member of the Constituent Assembly