Assam: Margherita’s 150-year-old cemetery, graveyard and mosque reflect rich colonial-era heritage

The centuries-old Christian Cemetery, Central Kabarstan (graveyard), and historic mosque at Margherita in Assam's Tinsukia district continue to stand as symbols of the town's multicultural heritage and its pivotal role in the development of the tea, coal, railway and petroleum industries during the British era.

 

Historical accounts suggest that the establishment of the Assam Railways and Trading Company Limited in 1881 played a significant role in transforming Margherita into an important industrial hub. The company spearheaded the development of railways, coal mining and petroleum exploration, attracting workers, engineers and technicians from different parts of India and abroad.

 

According to local historians and residents, a Christian cemetery was established around 1880 at present-day Masjid Patty, then known as Faltu Gaon, for British soldiers, engineers and workers who died due to illness and other causes while serving in the region.

 

Two years later, in 1882, the Central Kabarstan was reportedly established for Muslim workers who had migrated from regions such as Bihar, Odisha, Bengal, Punjab, Kashmir and Baluchistan to work in the coal mines, tea gardens, timber industry and petroleum sector.

 

On November 18, 1885, the historic Central Noori-e-Jamma Masjid was constructed a short distance away, further strengthening the area's cultural and religious significance.

 

Speaking on the historical importance of the site, senior Margherita resident Mohammed Toufik Khan said the town remains a unique example of communal harmony where people from different castes, communities and religions have lived together peacefully for generations.

 

He claimed that the presence of Muslim communities in Margherita dates back more than two centuries and that historical evidence exists to support their long-standing connection with the region.

 

Khan also noted that the boundary wall of the Central Kabarstan was constructed under the initiative of Captain Ayub Khan during the Second World War period. He appealed to both the state and central governments to recognise the cemetery, graveyard and mosque complex as a heritage site in view of its historical and cultural significance.