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The name Howly is not, contrary to casual assumption, a recent invention. Though one does not find frequent references to the name in ancient chronicles, scholars believe that the term Howly evolved from a more regal predecessor—Raajhowly—over the course of time. The etymological lineage is often traced back to the legendary Koch nobleman Chandi Baruah, whose estate was reputedly known as Raajhowly, a term denoting “royal residence.” As language and local dialects evolved, Raajhowly was gradually abbreviated and softened into Howly.

In the year 1563 CE, Koch Roja Naranarayan, having triumphed over parts of the Ahom kingdom, returned from Garhgaon and established four prominent towns—Baranagar, Navanagar, Bhawani Pur, and Kaljhar—in Kamrup, settling there with artisans, potters, goldsmiths, weavers, and other skilled communities. It is believed that Navanagar, one of these towns, may have been the location where Chandi Baruah first established his Raajhowly. Over time, this locale transformed both in function and in nomenclature, emerging as the modern town of Howly.

Interestingly, historical texts from the Sankari Era, including those chronicling the reign of Naranarayan, do not explicitly mention Howly by name. Rather, we find records of towns such as Ghilajari, Bijaynagar, Baranagar, Kaljhar, Bhawanipur, Navanagar, Yugirpam, and Sathijana—suggesting that Howly, or at least the word itself, may have been absent from official documentation during that era.

Nonetheless, literary evidence begins to surface by the late 19th century. In Rajanikanta Bordoloi’s novel Monomoti, written before the catastrophic earthquake of 1897, the name Howly appears alongside various nearby localities such as Halapakuri, Yugirpam, Nagorjhar, Baruwar Bari, Ghilajari, and Borborijhar—offering early confirmation of Howly’s presence in the regional imagination.

The Settlements Before the Great Earthquake

Despite the absence of extensive records, it is certain that Howly and its neighboring areas were home to thriving settlements well before 1897. Literary and historical clues—including the aforementioned Monomoti—paint a picture of a bustling, culturally rich region. Religious institutions like the Kaljhar Satra, Parabhanga Satra, and Ghilajari Satra—originally built before the earthquake—were later relocated due to the tremor’s devastation. These movements strongly imply pre-existing habitation that was both structured and sacred.

One of the most telling pieces of historical evidence is the founding of the Howly Gaon Sabha in 1881, clearly marking the existence of civic life in the town prior to the earthquake. Further, after the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, the British extended their administrative reach into Assam. It was during this period that the Northern Sadar Ali road was constructed, passing through Howly from Jaypur. By 1840, a dak bungalow had been erected in Halapakuri Gaon, further suggesting Howly’s emerging importance in colonial infrastructure.

These details support the notion that areas like Ghilajari, Nagorjhar, Halapakuri, and Borborijhar were not only populated but also part of a well-connected network of Assamese rural settlements during the early 19th century.

However, the town’s history is not without its scars. In 1822, during the Burmese invasion, much of the ancient Howly was ravaged and reduced to ruin. A long, opaque chapter—often referred to by historians as the “Dark Era” of Howly—followed. It wasn’t until decades later that the region began to reassert itself.

The 1897 earthquake, paradoxically, proved to be a turning point. Rather than being a full stop, it marked a rebirth. The region entered a new phase of sociocultural development. Numerous nearby hamlets—such as Moiramara, Dhalagaon, Madulijhar, Majorgaon, and Jaljali—began to flourish. At the same time, newer settlements like Dhakaliyapara, Bagaijanpara, Kumullipara, Baniyarapara, Dabaliyapara, Khandakarpara, Hajipara, Phulkipara, and Yasihatipara sprang up—forming the backbone of what would become modern Howly.

The name Howly did not arrive with fanfare, nor was it etched in the earliest chronicles of the land. It was not a title bestowed by decree, but rather a name that grew organically—murmured by generations, shaped by time, and softened by memory.

In its earliest form, the region was known as Raajhowly—literally, “the royal enclosure” or “the noble seat.” It was believed to have been established by Roja Chandi Baruah, a prominent noble of his era, within the bounds of the settlement once called Nabanagar. This Raajhowly was not merely a physical space—it was a centre of governance, of prestige, of cultural and administrative life.

But time, as it often does, wore down the grand syllables. With the passage of years, and the inevitable fading of formal titles in everyday speech, the ‘Raaj’ was quietly lost, and what remained was Howly—a name humbler, perhaps, but no less significant. A name that carried within it the echo of its regal origins, even as it settled into the soil of common usage.

Thus, Howly is not just a place—it is a palimpsest of history. Beneath its present-day simplicity lies a story of royal lineage, cultural migration, and historical resilience. It is a name born not in a single moment, but in the long, unhurried turning of centuries.