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{{short description|Alluvial floodplains in eastern-northeastern India}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2013}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox ecoregion
|name = Dooars
|image = Tea garden in dooars.jpg
|caption =A tea garden in the Dooars with the Himalayas in the background
|biogeographic_realm = [[Indomalayan realm]]
|global200 = [[Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands]]
|country = {{flagicon|India}} [[India]]
|elevation = {{convert|90-1750|m|abbr=on}}
|soil =
|rivers = Brahmaputra River, Murti river
|climate =
}}

The '''Dooars''' or '''Duars''' ({{IPAc-en|d|u|ˈ|ɑː|r|z}}) are the alluvial [[floodplains]] in eastern-northeastern [[India]] that lie south of the outer foothills of the [[Himalayas]] and north of the [[Brahmaputra River]] basin. This region is about {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and stretches over about {{convert|350|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the [[Teesta River]] in [[West Bengal]] to the [[Dhansiri River]] in [[Assam]]. The region forms the gateway to [[Bhutan]].<ref name=Debnath2010>{{cite book |author=Debnath, S. |year=2010 |title=The Dooars in Historical Transition |publisher=Shiv Mandir: N. L. Publishers |url=http://14.139.206.50:8080/jspui/bitstream/1/885/1/THE%20DOOARS%20IN%20HISTORICAL%20TRANSITION.pdf}}</ref> It is part of the [[Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands]] [[ecoregion]].<ref name=im0701>Dinerstein, E., Loucks, C. (2001). {{WWF ecoregion|name=Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands|id=im0701}}</ref>

''Dooars'' means 'doors' in [[Assamese language|Assamese]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Maithili language|Maithili]], [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]], and [[Magahi language|Magahi]] languages.<ref>[http://www.westbengaltourism.gov.in/web/guest/dooars-main West Bengal Tourism] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806220511/http://www.westbengaltourism.gov.in/web/guest/dooars-main |date=2013}}</ref> There are 18 passages or gateways between the hills in Bhutan and the plains in India.<ref name=Debnath2010/> This region is divided by the [[Sankosh River]] into Eastern and Western Dooars, consisting of an area of {{convert|880|sqkm|sqmi|abbr=on}}. The Western Dooars are also known as the Bengal Dooars, and the Eastern Dooars also as the Assam Dooars. Dooars is analogous with the [[Terai]] in northern India and southern [[Nepal]].

==History==
[[File:Nalraja fort chilapata.JPG|thumb|Remains of Nalrajar Garh in Chilapata Forest]]
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2020}}
The Dooars belonged to the [[Kamata Kingdom]] under the [[Koch dynasty]]; and taking advantage of the weakness of the Koch kingdom in subsequent times, Bhutan took possession of the Dooars. This region was controlled by the kingdom of Bhutan when the [[British India|British]] annexed it in 1865 after the [[Bhutan War]] under the command of Captain Hedayat Ali. The area was divided into two parts: the eastern part was merged with [[Goalpara district]] in [[Assam]] and the western part was turned into a new district named [[Western Dooars]]. Again in the year 1869, the name was changed to [[Jalpaiguri District]]. After the end of the British rule in India in 1947, the Dooars acceded into the dominion of India and it merged with the Union of India shortly afterwards in 1949.

==Geography and climate==
===Political geography===
[[File:River Murti.jpg|thumb|Murti river]]
The Dooars region politically constitutes the plains of [[Kalimpong district]], the whole of [[Jalpaiguri district]] and [[Alipurduar district]] and the upper region of [[Cooch Behar district]] in [[West Bengal]] and the districts of [[Kokrajhar district|Kokrajhar]] and [[Bongaigaon district|Bongaigaon]] in the state of [[Assam]].

===Physical geography===
[[File:Tea Garden nearby the park.jpg|thumb|Tea garden at Dooars]]
The elevation of Dooars area ranges from 90 to 1,750 m. Innumerable streams and rivers flow through these fertile plains from the mountains of Bhutan. In Assam, the major rivers are the [[Brahmaputra river|Brahmaputra]] and [[Manas River|Manas]]. In northern West Bengal, the major river is the [[Teesta River|Teesta]] besides many others like the [[Jaldhaka River|Jaldhaka]], Murti, [[Torsha River|Torsha]], [[Sankosh River|Sankosh]], Dyna, [[Karatoya River|Karatoya]], [[Raidāk River|Raidak]], and Kalchini rivers, among others.

===Climate===
The average rainfall of the area is about 3,400 mm. Monsoon generally starts from the middle of June and continues till the end of September. Winters are cold with foggy mornings and nights. Summer is mild and constitutes a very short period of the year.

{{Siliguri weatherbox}}

==Cities and towns==
The Dooars is a large region and is dotted with many towns and cities. The largest cities in the region stretching from the [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] foothills to the [[Arunachal Pradesh]] foothills are [[Siliguri]] and [[Jalpaiguri]], which both partly lie in the [[Terai]] region rather the Dooars, geographically. This [[North Bengal|northern Bengal]] cities are well connected with the rest of country by road, air and railway and is the business hub of the region.
[[File:National Highway penetrating the park.jpg|thumb|National Highway inside [[Gorumara National Park]]]]

The other major cities are [[Kokrajhar]], [[Bongaigaon]], [[Goalpara]], [[Barpeta]] and [[Dhubri]] in Assam. [[Cooch Behar]], [[Alipurduar]], [[Dhupguri]], [[Malbazar]], [[Mainaguri]], [[Falakata]] and [[Birpara]] are the major cities of the Dooars in West Bengal, and Kishanganj in Bihar. Also, the commercial capital of Bhutan, [[Phuentsholing]], near [[Jaigaon]], can be considered a part of this region.

==Politics==
Historically, the region has suffered from ethnic strife. The [[Bodoland]] agitation in Assam for a separate state for the [[Bodo people]] and the [[Kamtapur]] or Greater Cooch Behar movement for a Kamtapur state in northern Bengal for the Rajbongshis are the two most vociferous ones.

==Economy of Dooars==
[[File:Gorumara Gateway Arnab Dutta.JPG|thumb|Entrance gate of Gorumara National Park]]
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2021}}
The economy of Dooars is based on three "T"s – Tea, Tourism and Timber. The main industry of the Dooars region is the [[tea]] industry. Thousands of people are engaged in the tea estates and factories. Several people are also engaged in the cultivation of [[betel nut]]s which also contributes to the economy. Cultivation of other crops is done mainly for local consumption.

The area is dotted by several [[national park]]s and [[wildlife sanctuary|wildlife sanctuaries]] which attract a lot of tourists from all over India and abroad, making it an important contributor to the economy and also employer of a number of people.

The timber industry, both legally and illegally, flourishes in this region. A number of saw mills, plywood industries and other allied business also act as an important contributor to the economy.

The Dooars act as doorways to Bhutan; thus, the export-import industry also flourishes in the area. The towns of Jaigaon, Siliguri and Phuentsholing are important hubs of the export-import industry.

As the region is near the international borders of Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, the [[Border Security Force]] (BSF), the [[Central Reserve Police Force]] (CRPF), [[Indian army]] and [[Indian Air Force]] maintain a large presence in the area. This leads to a large population of semi-permanent residents who bring money into the local economy.

==Flora and fauna==
[[File: Wild Elephants at Jaldapara.JPG|thumb|A herd of elephant in Jaldapara National Park]]
[[File:Rhinoceros at Garumara.jpg|thumb|Rhinoceros at Gorumara National Park]]
A railway line runs through the tea gardens and the various protected areas and a number of elephants have been killed in collisions with trains.<ref>{{cite news |author=Bhattacharya, P. P. |title=Goods train mows downs 7 elephants {{!}} India News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Goods-train-mows-downs-7-elephants/articleshow/6616632.cms?referral=PM |date=2010 |access-date=4 October 2019 |work=The Times of India}}</ref>
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2020}}
The beauty of the region lies not only in its tea gardens but also in the dense jungles that make up the countryside. Many wildlife sanctuaries and national park like [[Manas National Park]] in Assam, [[Jaldapara National Park]], [[Buxa Tiger Reserve]], [[Gorumara National Park]], [[Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary]], [[Chilapata Forests]], [[Singalila National Park]], [[Neora Valley National Park]] and [[Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary]] in West Bengal are located in this region.

A number of endangered animals live in the forests of the Dooars like [[Bengal tiger]], [[Indian rhinoceros]], [[Indian elephant]], [[chital]], [[sambar (deer)|sambar]], [[clouded leopard]], [[Indian leopard]], [[gaur]], [[Indian peacock]] and [[great Indian hornbill]], [[monitor lizard]], [[Indian Python]], [[Indian cobra]], [[reticulated python]]. Bear species like [[sloth bear]] and [[Himalayan black bear]] live up north. [[Red panda]], [[rhesus macaque]], [[gray langur]], [[binturong]], [[pygmy hog]] and [[Indian boar]] can be found. [[Indian fox]], [[Indian wolf]], [[spotted linsang]] are some of the predators. The [[hispid hare]] is a very rare species which is found here. [[Leopard cat]] and [[Asian golden cat]] have been recorded. [[Himalayan tahr]], [[Bhutan takin]], [[Himalayan goral]] and [[Himalayan serow]] are found. In rivers, [[mugger crocodiles]] and [[gharial]] have been seen. In lakes, [[Eurasian spoonbill]], [[brahminy duck]], [[storks]], such as [[painted stork]], [[Indian cormorant]], [[red-naped ibis]], [[kingfisher]], and predatory birds like [[vultures]] and [[eagle]] species have been discovered here. Buxa Tiger Reserve is famous for butterflies, while Jorepokhri is the last refuge for [[tylototriton verrucosus]]. Pokhari Lake supports species of [[catfish]].

==Transport==
[[File:Railway penetrating the Park.jpg|thumb|Diesel locomotive of [[Indian Railways]] going through the forest of Dooars]]
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2021}}
The main mode of transport in the area is roadways. Most of the places are well connected by roads. [[National Highway 31 (India)|NH31]] is the main highway of the area. Asian Highway [[AH48]] is being constructed through the Dooars region.
Regular bus services provided by [[North Bengal State Transport Corporation]] and [[Assam State Transport Corporation]] and other private parties run between all the important places of the area. Shared jeeps and maxi-taxies are quite popular in the area.
There are some important railway stations in the area such as [[New Jalpaiguri]], [[New Mal Junction]], [[New Cooch Behar]], [[Alipurduar]], New [[Bongaigaon]], [[hasimara]], [[Falakata]]. An important rail route between Alipurduar Junction and New Jalpaiguri via [[Malbazar]] covers almost the entire Dooars.
Two important airports of the area are [[Bagdogra Airport]] near Siliguri and [[Guwahati Airport]].

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Jayanti (village)|Jayanti]]
* [[Bhutanghat]]
* [[Buxa Fort]]
* [[Malbazar]]
* [[Teesta River]]
* [[Hasimara]]
* [[Coronation Bridge]]
* [[Phuntsholing]]
* [[Chalsa, India]]
* [[Rajabhatkhawa]]
* [[Jaldapara]]
* [[Jaldhaka River]]
* [[Sitai]]
* [[Falakata]]
*[[Terai]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9031316/Duars Encyclopædia Britannica - Duars]
*[http://coochbehar.nic.in/htmfiles/dooars.html Cooch Behar District Website – Dooars]
*[http://jalpaiguri.nic.in/index.htm Jalpaiguri District Website]
*[https://www.wbtourismgov.in/destination/place/dooars Govt.of West Bengal]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130806220511/http://westbengaltourism.gov.in/web/guest/dooars-main Dooars]
*[https://northbengaltourism.com/dooars-tour/ About Dooars]

{{Dooars}}
{{Jalpaiguri topics}}
{{Alipurduar topics}}

{{coord missing|West Bengal}}

{{West Bengal}}

[[Category:Dooars| ]]
[[Category:Regions of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Regions of India]]
[[Category:Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands]]

Dooars - Revision history

62.201.232.59: adjusted page per standard format

>BhagyaMani: Restored revision 1027886924 by ClueBot NG (talk): Unsourced changes