Tezpur

Tezpur is an old river town on the north bank of the Brahmaputra and today is the headquarters of Sonitpur district in Assam. Its identity blends history with mythology: Assamese tradition links the place to Sonitpur, the legendary city of King Banasura, and to the love story of Usha and Aniruddha, which led to a famed battle in local lore. The name Tezpur is popularly associated with the idea of “blood” (often explained through the Sonitpur story), which is why it is also remembered in folklore as a dramatic, ancient battlefield-town.

In the colonial era, Tezpur’s importance rose steadily as administration and trade expanded in North Assam. The Government of Assam notes that in 1835 Tezpur became the headquarters of Darrang district, and over time it developed into a significant trade and commerce centre, used as a river port for tea gardens and other colonial ventures in the surrounding region. Civic administration also took shape early: the Tezpur Municipal Board was constituted in 1894.

After administrative reorganisation, Sonitpur district was created in 1983, and Tezpur became its district headquarters—cementing its modern role as a key cultural and administrative hub of North Assam.