THE AHOM DYNASTY-ASSAM
1228–1826 (598 years)
SARASAIJ MAJUMDER
The Ahom dynasty (1228–1826) established Ahom Kingdom, which
was ruled by the Ahom Kings in present-day Assam, India for 598 years. The dynasty was established by CHAOLUNG
SUKAPHAA. According to Phukan (1992) who has tried to develop a consistent
account, Sukaphaa was born to Chao Chang-Nyeu (alias Phu-Chang-Khang) and
Nang-Mong Blak-Kham-Sen in the Tai state of Mong Mao (also called Mao-Lung,
with the capital at Kieng Sen), close to present-day Ruili in Yunnan, China. He
came to Assam in the 13th Century after crossing the Patkai mountains, liked the place, and settled there.
The Tai prince used farming and not war, to establish the kingdom that ran 600 years..!! Ahom kingdom!
Which was one of the longest running kingdoms in India!
The rule of this dynasty ended with the Burmese invasion of
Assam and the subsequent annexation by the British East India Company following
the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826 .
Ahoms ruled longer than the legendary Mauryans and Mughals.
Our history textbooks at school have hardly educated us about one of the
largest kingdoms of North East India, the Ahom Kingdom. Established in 1228 in
the Brahmaputra valley of Assam, the Ahom kingdom retained its sovereignty for
600 years. Renowned for their bravery, the Ahoms didn’t even fall to the might
of the powerful Mughal Empire.
Most of us are unaware that in the 17th century, in 1671, General Lachit Borphukan led Ahoms fought the Battle of Saraighat, which is considered a
great battle among the greatest naval battles on a river. The result was a
victory for the Ahoms and a rare, but complete defeat for the Mughals. After
that, Mughal didn’t try to disturb ‘AHOMS’.
The valour of General Lachit Borphukan demands to be covered
in a separate BLOG. I will do that.
Ahoms rule longer than Mauryans and Mughals. The Mughal
dynasty lasted for around 331 years, the Gupta dynasty existed for around 290
years and the Mauryan empire ruled for around 142 years, but the Ahom dynasty
ruled the North-Eastern parts of India for 598 years. Not just this, but the
mighty Ahoms are said to defeat the
Mughals 17 times in a span of 60 years.
Such was the reputation of ‘Ahom’ rulers, that no kings/Sultans
in the neighbourhood did dare to challenge them in war.
In ancient time, this place was called ‘Pragjyotishpur’ and
has reference in Mahabharata.
RELIGION:--
Jayadhwaj Singha was the first Ahom king who formally
accepted Hinduism. Rudra Singha was the first who announced publicly of his
inclination towards Hinduism and consequently he became a disciple of a Hindu
priest.
During the reign of Suhungmung (1497–1539) which saw the
composition of the first Assamese Buranji and increased Hindu influence, the
subsequent Ahom kings were traced to the union of Indra (identified with
Lengdon) and Syama (a lower-caste woman), and were declared Indravamsa
kshatriyas, a lineage created exclusively for the Ahoms.
People of AHOM (Assam) started embracing HINDUISM since then. It became their State
Religion.
Famous Kamakhya Temple, known as ‘Yoni Peeth’—is one of the
52 ‘Sati Peeths’ and located in Guahati—the most important city of
Assam, adjacent to it’s capital-- DISPUR.
GREAT ARCHITECTURE:
The main architectural landmark of Ahom Kingdom is Tolatol
Ghor and Kareng Ghor in Assam’s SIBSAGAR district, which was the capital of the
Ahoms . It would be interesting to know that the amazing structure was built of
baked bricks and organic cement, which were made using sticky rice and duck
eggs.
I stayed in SIBSAGAR many times, while working as PMC head
of EIL, for some ONGC projects, in ASSAM—and visited all the
historical places. Sibsagar has a rich history.
In Tezpur—one can see many architectural remains of Ancient
India. It was called ‘Shoniitpur’ before, in ancient times..
The entire state is bisected by mighty river ‘BRAHMAPUTRA’.
And the state has rich wild life in ‘Kaziranga’ forest, known for Rhinos.
ECONOMIC SYSTEM:-
The PAIK system was a corvee labour system that the
Ahom kingdom of medieval Assam used to extract revenue from its subjects.
Every male in the Ahom kingdom between the ages of fifteen
and fifty who was not a Noble, A Priest, A High Caste Or A Slave, Was A Paik. The Paiks were organized into
four-member groups called Gots. Each Got had to send one member by rotation for
public works.
And it was an agrarian economy.
SCRUMPTIOUS CUISINE:
Ahoms are very well known for their delicious non-vegetarian cuisine.
The food has certain similarities with the South East Asian delicacies. If you
are visiting the region, then should not
miss smoked pork and pork rice. Gulp it all down with the flavourful the rice
beer made by the locals.
Curry made of Bamboo shoots is another delicacy.
Many items are cooked inside hollow BAMBOO, cylindrically
cut in small lengths of one meter,
raw marinated food material stuffed inside, and cooked in low fire. It
is a delicacy.
‘BORIALY’ is a small, tasty, and seasonal fish available
here, you will enjoy very much.
FESTIVALS:-
Bihu is a harvest festival celebrated three times a year in
Assam and some other Northeastern states. There are three main BIHU FESTIVAL,
as described below:
Bohag Bihu: Celebrated in mid-April, this festival marks the
Assamese New Year and the onset of spring. The first day of Bohag Bihu is
called Goru Bihu, when cows and bulls are bathed, fed, and given new ropes. The
second day is Manuh Bihu, when people put on new clothes and feast on special
dishes.
Magh Bihu: Celebrated in mid-January, this festival is a
harvest festival marked by feasting on a variety of delicacies.
Kati Bihu: Celebrated in mid-October, this festival is more
subdued and involves prayers for a good harvest.
The people of Assam also celebrate Holi, Durga Puja, Diwali,
Saraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, the birth and death anniversaries of
Vaishnava Saints Srimanta Sankardev and Madhabdev.
EXTERNAL IMMIGRATION:-
What
Mughals couldn’t do, was achieved during British occupation, and Post
independence ‘Dynasty’ raj. Huge Muslim immigration changed the demography. And
‘NEHRU-GANDHI’ grossly neglected this
region.
Mr.
Heman Biswa— present CM under BJP government, is trying to control and rectify
everything, with the support of present
Central Government.
It
was a big fault of Mr. Nehru—who never organized any useful defence for ‘ASSAM’
during Chinese aggression in 1962. All Assamese of that generation have a bad feeling
for that in their ‘HEART’—as I was told many times by them during my each visit
of the state.
I wish
a great future for the People of Assam, and the state. And I request them to
forgive our first P.M. for his blindness.
Note:-I
request every reader to share this BLOG with school children known to them.
Source:--
Compiled from information scattered, and available in public domain.
Image:-
Google.
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