Silchar, Assam

The district headquarters of Cachar district, Scilchar is the second largest state of Assam, which is situated at a distance of 343 km from Guwahati. Situated on the banks of the Barak River, Silchar is a major city in the Barak Valley region the city has an average elevation of about 72 ft and is famous for its charming beauty and natural magnificence. It has been named as the Island of Peace and acts as a gateway to other North-Eastern states, namely Mizoram and Manipur. The city has a majority of Bengali population speaking Sylheti dialect; however, one can as well find a small population of Dimasa Kachari (Barman), Marwaris, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Manipuri (Meitei), Assamese and some tribes of Naga people. The city houses one of the premier educational institutes of India, The National Institute of Technology and is home to the main campus of Assam University.
 

The name Silchar has been derived from the word “Shiler Chor”. Since ships were harbored on the banks of the Barak River during the British reign and a market grew on the banks and these banks were covered with stones and thus the locale of the region started addressing the place as "Shiler Chor", which means bank of stones. With time, the name changed to Silchar and finally became the official name of the place. The city houses the first polo club in the world, which was established by the British after they re-discovered Polo, a sport in Manipur and it was this city where the first ever competitive modern form of polo was played.
 

Covering an area of approximately 15.75 sq km, Silchar features a tropical climate when summer is hot, humid and mixed with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. As per the 2011 census, the city had a population of 178,865 with 89,961 males and 88,904 females.  The sex ratio of the city is 88,904 and the major religions followed in the city are Hinduism, Christianity, Muslim, Jainism and Sikhism.  The city has recently developed into a major commercial hub of the state and has witnessed a major influx of people from the bordering states and countries. The city is well-connected with roadways, airways and railways, which makes it easier for people to visit the place.
 

The city also houses a number of tourist attractions and the beauty of the city lures the tourist to the place. Shiva Mandir, Martyrs’ Tomb, Kanchakanti Kali Mandir, Maniharan Tunnel, Paper Mill and Palace of Kachari Kings are some of the prominent attraction of the town.