Baghmara, the seat of administration of
South Garo Hills District, is a charming town situated on the banks of
Simsang River, in
Meghalaya. It is located near the state’s international border with Bangladesh and is 122 km south-east of
Tura and 445 km away from the state capital,
Shillong.
Baghmara derives its name after an incident in which its founder Pa Balman A Sangma killed a tiger with his bare hands; in local slang Bagh means ‘tiger’ and mara stands for ‘killed’ – hence the name.
Baghmara was an important trade center till 1947; its importance dwindled after the partition of India.
Baghmara is famous for the tasty Simsang River fish and the rare carnivorous pitcher-plant, locally known as Memang Koksi.
Nearest airport and railway station are at Guwahati.
