Silapathar

Silapathar
City
Silapathar Town
Nickname: 
SLP
Silapathar
Location in Assam, India
Silapathar
Silapathar (India)
Coordinates: 27°35′43″N 94°43′12″E / 27.59528°N 94.72000°E / 27.59528; 94.72000
Country India
StateAssam
DistrictDhemaji
Silapathar Town Committee1991
Government
  BodySilapathar Municipal Board
Population
 (2011)
  Total
35,200
Languages
  OfficialAssamese
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
787059
Telephone code+91, 03753
Vehicle registrationAS-22

Silapathar is a small city and municipal board in Dhemaji district in the Indian state of Assam. The name itself derived from Mising word "Sila" means Kite and "Pothar" means rice fields as the place used be a kiting ground for native Mising people during the winters. The city is on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River and is 470 kilometres (290 mi) from the city of Guwahati and just six km (3.7 mi) from border of Arunachal Pradesh. The longest rail cum road bridge in India (Bogibeel bridge) connects Silapathar to Dibrugarh. Historical Malinithan Mandir is located around ten km (6.2 mi) from Silapathar.

It is the commercial hub of Dhemaji district and Arunachal Pradesh. The place has a heady mix of indigenous communities like Mising, Chutia, Ahom, Gorkhas and Deoris.