Sonari Town, Assam: Location, Connectivity and Nearby Areas

Sonari Town, Assam, is home to one of the first two tea estates set up by an Indian. Maniram Dewan, remembered as the first Indian commercial tea planter, established the Senglung Tea Estate near Suffry, close to Sonari, around 1845, alongside Cinnamara in Jorhat. The Sonari site was rediscovered by Dr Pradip Baruah of the Tocklai tea research station.

Today Sonari is the headquarters of Charaideo district, a tea and timber town on the Taokak River, and the main gateway from Assam into Nagaland’s Mon district. Here’s where it sits, how to get there, and what’s nearby.

Sonari Overview

What’s in a Name?

• Goldsmith: One source says “Sonari” comes from the Assamese word for goldsmith.
• Sonapur: The municipal board says the town’s original name was Sonapur.
• Ahom history: According to local tradition, the Ahom king Jayadhwaj Singha rested at Sonari for several days in 1663 before moving on to Namrup, during the invasion by Aurangzeb’s general Mir Jumla.

A Population Figure to Ignore

Wikipedia lists Sonari’s 2011 population as 1,54,296, but the exact same number appears for Moranhat and for Dibrugarh city, so it’s almost certainly a copying error. Charaideo district’s total population is given as 4,71,418 by Wikipedia and 4,58,615 by another source, with only about 6% living in urban areas, which suggests Sonari itself is much smaller.

Places to See in Sonari

• Bor Pukhuri: A historic Ahom-era tank in the heart of town, surrounded by a park.
• Chilarai statue: At the entrance to town, near the Taokak River bridge, honouring the famous Koch general.
• Daily market: A busy supermarket and bazaar serving the surrounding tea gardens.
• Literary heritage: Sonari is the home town of the poets Parbati Prasad Barua and Ambeswar Chetia Phukan.

Getting to Sonari Town, Assam

By Rail

• Bhojo station: The nearest, on the banks of the historic Disang River. Distances vary by source: the municipal board says about 3 km, while other sources say 6 km or 6.3 km.
• Getting there: Autos run from a stand near Bhojo Chariali in Sonari town.
• Trains: Bhojo is served by intercity and passenger trains. For long-distance travel, Sivasagar, Simaluguri and Dibrugarh have more options.

By Road

• From Sivasagar: About 45 km via the Dhodar Ali road, which passes the Charaideo royal burial mounds.
• From Guwahati: Direct buses run to Sonari.
• Onward: Roads connect Sonari with Namrup, Dibrugarh and Mon district in Nagaland.

By Air

Dibrugarh (Mohanbari) Airport is about 77 km away, with flights to Guwahati, Kolkata, Delhi and other cities.

Nearby Areas

Charaideo Moidams

The royal burial mounds of the Ahom kings, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are near Sonari along the Dhodar Ali road from Sivasagar.

Bhojo Ahom Warfare Site

Near the railway station, this site was used by the Ahoms as a training centre for guerrilla warfare in medieval times.

Mon District, Nagaland

Sonari is the main gateway to Mon, the land of the Konyak Nagas. Shared jeeps to Mon leave early in the morning. Indian visitors who aren’t Nagaland residents need an Inner Line Permit.

Namrup and Borhat

Namrup is an industrial town to the east, and Borhat, across the Disang River, is a small tea-garden town with its own station.

Sivasagar

The former Ahom capital, about 45 km away, with the Sivadol, Rang Ghar and Talatal Ghar.

FAQs

Q1. What is Sonari known for?

It’s the headquarters of Charaideo district, a centre for tea and timber, and the gateway to Mon district in Nagaland. It’s also linked to Maniram Dewan’s early Senglung Tea Estate, set up around 1845.

Q2. Which railway station is nearest to Sonari?

Bhojo, on the Disang River. Sources give distances of 3 km to 6.3 km, and autos run from Bhojo Chariali in town.

Q3. How far is Sonari from Sivasagar?

About 45 km via the Dhodar Ali road, which passes near the Charaideo royal burial mounds.