KOKRAJHAR (1991) C-2002
St. John Bosco Patron
Bongaigaon Diocese
Don Bosco
Kokrajhar – 783 370, BTC, Assam
(03661) 271265 House
270879 School
Fr. Anthony Thekkel.
94353-28428 Fr. Sebastian I.
94352-40761 Fr. Barnabas Mardi
94357-20160 Fr. P.J. Joseph
donboscok@rediffmail.com House
dbkjr@rediffmail.com School
Members
Fr. Ishorary Sebastian Bible Translation, Asst.PP
Fr. Mardi Barnabas VR, Asst. PP
Fr. Puthanpurackal Joseph PP & Adm.
Fr. Anthony Rector & HM
Bishop’s House
Chappaguri,Post Box No.10
Bongaigaon, – 783 380, Assam
(03664) 241650
94353 – 28428 Fr. Sebastian Ishorary
sebishorary@rediffmail.com Fr. Sebastian Ishorary
Convents :
FMA – Auxilium Convent
(03661) 270442
Sisters of St. Anne (Balagaon)
(03661) 277229
History
The town of Kokrajhar is at a distance of about 235 kms away from Guwahati and the parish has a Catholic population of 2,700 in about 560 families.
The centre at Kokrajhar, a hostel for the Catholic boys attending college was the brainchild of Fr. Joseph Zubizaretta, the then parish priest of Bengtol, as Kokrajhar was a part of that parish then. The hostel was officially opened on 14-09-1991 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Don Bosco’s meeting with Bartholomeo Garelli. Seeing the possibility of contacting the people of the area for evangelization, the Don Bosco School was opened on April 1993. In 1996, the new parish, carved out from the parish of Dotma, was finally established. A youth center is gradually being developed. The major communities in the area are Bodos, Rajbongshis, Bengalis, Santals, Garos, and Rabhas. Christianity is very new in the area. The town has a small Catholic population of Bodos, whereas the majority of the Catholics of the parish is Santali. Educationally and economically the area is very much in need of development.
The apostolate include the college hostel, a high school and the boarding for girls run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. The Sisters also render good medical care to the people in addition to other social welfare undertakings.
The ethnic riots of 1996 and 1998 adversely affected the area. Most of our Santali and Adivasi and some Bodo Catholics were living in relief camps till very recently. Now they are struggling to resettle in their own lands.
In 2000, a school was started in a village with the idea of educating a number of poor Santali children who would otherwise be deprived of education. Shanti Bhavan, as it is called now, is growing into a center for helping the people in the rural areas especially the marginalized section in a big way.
Scope
The school provides high quality education for the children of the area which has gone through very turbulent times. The educative, disciplined atmosphere in the school can provide a boost for the overall development of the area. A Higher Secondary school attached to the school will attract a large number of students.
Being a new area to Christianity, the Parish has a good scope for the evangelization work as people are open to Christianity and the new generation is looking ahead to better prospects.
The hostel provides opportunities for the poor Catholic children from the villages to have access to good education.
The youth Centre has tremendous potential as the youth of this area needs a great need of help in the educational field, as well as in career guidance, skill training, coaching, help for drop outs etc.
Social work for the rural people is of utmost importance in this predominantly agricultural society. With no means of sustenance except the small land holdings, poverty alleviation becomes a very great need.
Don Bosco School, ( CBSE ) with classes till Class X.
Hostel for Catholic boys from the villages.
Youth center with tuition classes, computer classes, career guidance programmes etc.
Village reach out programmes with Self-Help Groups, Income generating schemes, coaching classes for school going children in the villages, etc.
Shanti Bhavan, a village school and residential home for the rural marginalized children.