Nazira's Historic Cemetery Restoration Begins Amid Heritage Concerns

A Correspondent  

Nazira: After years of discussion and long anticipation, work for the conservation and beautification of the British-era cemetery located inside the ONGC Limited premises in Nazira town has finally begun. The historic cemetery, dating back to the colonial period, is considered an important heritage site of the region.

Towards the end of 2024, there were plans to renovate the cemetery with the help of MLA development funds. Officials from the Nazira co-district administration and the Archaeology Department had visited the site and conducted a detailed assessment. It was observed that several large trees had grown within the campus, with roots damaging and breaking multiple graves. In addition, a number of graves located outside the existing boundary wall need to be brought within the cemetery premises for proper protection.

Concerns have been raised that during tree cutting and cleaning work, several historical artefacts and plaques may be lost or damaged if adequate care is not taken.

The cemetery is closely linked to the global history of tea. It is noteworthy that the Assam Tea Company Ltd was formed in Kolkata in 1839. Subsequently, under the initiative of J.W. Masters and others, Assam’s first commercial tea establishment was set up in Nazira. The estate remained operational until around 1966-67, after which the land was taken over by ONGC.

The cemetery houses more than 70 graves, including that of William Robinson, a noted historian, educationist and former school principal. Robinson played a key role in the Normal School movement in Assam and was instrumental in establishing a Normal School at the Guwahati , which was later shifted to Jorhat in 1906 as a teachers’ training institution'. The cemetery also contains graves of prominent tea planters such as Kaznu Weaver, individuals who lost their lives in incidents at Makipur tea garden , members of the British royal family, and persons involved in historic incidents related to the tea industry and colonial administration.

It is noteworthy that ONGC doesn't have specific data on the number of graves in the cemetery. According to our personal investigation, the agreement between Assam Company Limited and ONGC dated May 9, 1967, doesn't specify the number of graves either, when the property was transferred in subsequent phases.

Given its rich historical significance, the heritage cemetery holds strong potential to emerge as an important tourist attraction, contributing to the cultural and tourism development of the entire Nazira region.

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