Table Of ContentTHE
HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL ASSAM
( From the Thirteenth to the Seventeenth century )
A critical and comprehensive history of Assam during the first
four centuries of Ahom Rule, based on original Assamese
sources, available both in India and England.
DR. N.N. ACHARYYA, M.A., PH. D. (LOND.)
Reader in History
UNIVERSITY OF GAUHATI
OMSONS PUBLICATIONS
T-7, Rajouri Garden, NEW DELHI-110027
'~istributedb y
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Assam
Reprint : 1992
@ AUTHOR
ISBN : 81 -71 17-004-8 (HB)
Published by :
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OMSONS I'UBLICATIONS,
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TO
THE SACRED MEMORY
OF MY FATHER
FOREWORD
The state of Assam has certain special features of its own
which distinguish it to some extent from the rest of India. One
of these features is a tradition of historical writing, such as is
not to be found in most parts of the Indian sub-continent. This
tradition has left important literary documents in the form of
the Buranjis or chronicles, written in simple straightforward
prose and recording the historical traditions of the various states
and dynasties which ruled Assam before it was incorporated into
the domains of the East India Company. These works form
an imperishable record of the political history of the region and
throw much light also upon the social life of the times.
It is probable, though not proven with certainty, that this
historical tradition owes its inception to the invasion of the
Ahoms, who entered the valley of the Brahmaputra from what
is now Burma in 1228, for it is from this momentous year that
the Buranji tradition dates. Though some of the chronicles
incorporate older legends borrowed from the Hindu epic
tradition., the rich historical record commences with the invasion
of Sukapha and his brothers. For our knowledge of the earlier
period we have to rely upon inscriptions and passing references
in non-historical sources.
With the aid of the Buranji material, taken in conjunction
with all other available sources of knowledge, Dr. N. N. Acharyya
has produced an excellent reconstruction of the hiaory of Assam
during the first four centuries of Ahom rule. I believe that this
work forms as complete a picture as it is possible to produce of
the process of Ahom expansion. Its &r has made every
possible effort to check his sources with the aid of whatever
other material was available to him. On the whole they emerge
triumphantly from the test of historical criticism. Allowing
for minor inaccuracies, the Buranjis give reliable accounts of
the history of the kingdoms and dynasties to which they refer,
and the main task of the modern historian in dealing with these
sources is not so much their criticism as their elucidation. Dr.
Acharyya has given to the world a very important study of the
history of medieval Assam, and I wholeheartedly rec~mmend
it to readers everywhere.
A. L. BASHAM
Canberra, 1966
In recant years there has been a growing recognition of tm
importance. of Assam's strategic and economic factors. In
view of this demand for information the progress of historical
research has received new incentive and brought to light new
material widely scattered in the Buranjis or chronicles of Assam.
The material of the Buranjis is the outconle of the highest his-
torical and spiritual devotion and processed through the religious
fervour of the Assamese. The land of Assam may well be proud
of its Bur anjis which threw so much light on the past history
of Assam. Most of the Buranjis have now been putjlished, and
many have been translated, thanks, largely to the efforts of late-
lamented Professor S. K. Bhuyan. But the comparison a?d
assessment of their data are necessary before a definite history
of the period can be written. The material of the Buranjis like
all the medieval historical writing require also thorough sifting
in the light of all available evidence before they can be made to
produce sober history. The present work aims not only to
provide a most valuable analysis of the contents of the Buranjis
which are on the whole found to be accurate and sober accounts
of events but also coordination of this material and to indicate
its importaqce as the sources of history of Assam.
Tho period from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century is
a significant epoch in the history of Assam. Assam history takes
on a different complexion from that which it had in the earlier
period, for, from this time onward, written chronicles make
their appearance, and it is no longer necessary to reconstruct
the history of the region from the incomplete evidence of ins-
criptions. It is a most important period the book has dealt
with in the history of Assam-a period, marked by the gradual
spread of Ahom power and the slow assimilation of the invaders
in the great body of Hindu culture, without their in any way
losing their individuality as a separate people. Indeed in some
ways it is perhaps the most important of all the volumes of
this-kind, since it provides a detailed account of a darkest period
of Assam's history.
The object of the present volume is to provide in the light of
original sources available both in India and England, a narrative
not merely of the successivc stages in the establishment of Ahom
supremacy in Assam, but also the fdct of racial and linguistic
harinony that Assam attained at this time by creating a sense
of mutual cooperation and' brotherhood among her people of
heteroganaous origin. The foundation of a new religion based
on the enlightened doctrine of Bhakti which stood against ex-
scssive-~itualisma nd caste prejudices and stressed the equality
of men is also exhaustively analysed and critically examined
in this volume. The influx of sources in the form of Buranjis,
Puthis, Vangsavalis, traditions and legends has made the task
of their arrangement and collation a difficult one. Adequatt
attention, therefore, has to be paid to check the historical value
of these voluminous material through their comparison and
cotrobotat ion with Persian sources of more historical value.
The scientific confirmation of the earthquakes and eclipse of
the sun recorded in the Duranjis has been made by referring
them to the records in the register of H. M. Nautical Almnnac
Office, Royal Greenwich Observatory, Herstmonceux, Sussex.
In addition, the work throws sidelights on the activities of the
Bhuyan aristocracy whose patriotic enterprises were always
source of prosperity for the entire land.
This work has, in fact, grown out of my thesis, The History
of Medieval Assam, 12211-1603, which was submitted to and
approved by the University of London for the degree of Ph. D.,
in July, 1957. The work of revision of the Thesis was done by
me in the midst of heavy pre-occupation of the work of teaching
and other literary works within h d outside Assam. Some of
them are like the secretary of the History Section of the 22nd.
Session of All India Oriental Conference, Secretary of the Assam
Historical Societj, Secretary of the Compilation Committee of
Assam History in Assamese under the #supervision of Asom
Sahitya Sabha, charge of the Seminar Library of the History
Department of Gauhati University, Delegate of Gauhati
University to the Allahabad Session of Indian History Congress,
Professor-in-chnrgeo f historicnl Excursion of Gauhati University
as .well as the Academic cum Cultural Exchange Programme of
tht Gauh.lti University to cther prominent Indian Universities.
In come of ~zvisiono f the Thesis, I have added new informa-
( iii )
tion and omittsd old ones in the-light of up-to-date researches
which resulted in entirely rewriting the Chapters 111, VI and
VII. 1 have also since engaged myself in the work of investigating
the various problems of medieval Assam's history, and I hope
ultimately to complete a detailed survey of the history and
culture of the people of Assam during the wholc medieval
period.
The narrative of the work is based mainly on the Buranjis,
the details of which are appended in th bibliography. In this
book I have attempted first, to discuss geography, people, land
and the sources, laying special emphasis on the Buranjis-their
character, originality and importance as sources of Indian history
and that of Assam in particular ; secondly to deal with political
condition of Assam and its neighbouring countries-Burma,
China, Tibet and the rest of India early in [he thirteenth century ;
thirdly, to trace the origin of the Ahoms, their original home-
land, route of migration, settlement, expansion and integration
in the Brahmaputra valley, their gradual Hinduisation and their
system of administration along with the name of the land,
"Assam" ; fourthly, to bring into light little known history of
the later Kamrup kings, the Koches, the Kacharis, the
Jayantias, the Chutias and the Nagas ; finally, to show a cultural
renaissance in Assam inaugurated by Sankardev, which fully
influenced the mind and culture of the people to commence a
new era in their history.
Many months have been spent in compiling the letters, lists,
tables and supplementary information which appear in as many
as nine appendices, followed by a long bibliography, a full glossary
and a descriptive index. There are altogether ten illustrations
and a map showing physical features, boundaries of various
states and distribution of tribes of medieval Assam. 1 have
made extensive use of them in the text, and have included them
in the volume in the hope that they will be of use to students of
political and cultural history of medieval Assam.
It is a pleasant duty for me to acknowledge the kindness of
my teachers and friends from whose help and adivce I have bene-
fited.* I wish to acknowledge very sincet-ely the help and advice
of Dr. A. L. Basham, now Professor in the Dcparttnetlt of Asian
Civilization in the School of General Studies, The Australian
National University, Canberra, who has been chiefly responsible
for the supervision of my work in the University of London.
I am extren~elyg rateful to tiin1 for the great latitude he allowed
me in respect of my views. but insisted upon precise expression
and careful docu~nentiltion. He has laid me under special obliga-
tion for kindlj writing a short "foreword" to the book. I like
illso to acknowledge n ~ yde bts to my examiners Professor D. G.
E. Hall of the University of iondon and Dr. C. Collin Davies of
the IJllivcrsitj of' Oxford fur their valued criticisms ; and also
to sevcri~lo thers ~~11gaov e me very valuable assistance in connec-
tion \sith specii~la spects of this book ; chief iimong these arc
Pl.ore,sor C. V. F. Huinicndorf: Dr. P. Hardy and Dr. Hla Pe.
I aln also indebted to the Royal Greenwich Observatol.y, Herst-
Inonceaux. Suszex, for information regarding the eclipse of 1486.
I nlust also acknowledge the advice of Dr. 8. C. Browne, Trinity
College, Cambridge, and Brigadier, G. Bomford at Brasenose
College, Oxford, and Earnest Tillotson, Honorary Secretary,
Seismological 'ommittee, British Association for the Advance-
(
ment of Science, London, who kindly gave me information
regarding earthquakes, which unfortunately was of little help
to me in \\riling this book. I am also grateful to Dr. R. C.
V;tlulndar ilnd Dr. D. C. Sarkar, whom 1 met at London
during the Asian History Confere~lceo f 1956, for their valuable
suggestions in connection with my queries on some special aspects
of my \rort. For help in preparing the index, I am indebted
to my student friends. Messrs Asong Singsit and A. Rahman
of Gauhati University. 1 have also t11c; pleasant duty to acknow-
ledge my gratitude to Professor .Philips, the staff and the post-
graduate students of the Department of History and other depart-
ments of the School of Oriental and African Studies, for their
disr.ussioll and help at the Seminars and in the Reading Room.
I rnust also e\ipl.css my sincere gratitude to the Librarians and
staffs ol'the Library of thc School of Oriental and African Studies,
the India Oftice Librai-y, thc British Museum Libraly, the Lib-
rary of the Univcrsity of London, and that of the Royal Asiatic
Socicty, for their kindness and invaluable help.
Finally, I greatly indebted to my friend Sri M. N. Dutta
ilm
U;~runh. M. A. (Ca1.j for his Very kindly undertaking the
131.1b lic:4tioll of thc book from the Dutta Bal-uah and Co., Gauhati.
I once more wish to exprebs my sincere appreciation to him,
a ~ympathdcf riend and well-wisher of writers and authors 01
Aaam in particular with his bountiful help my book bas smn
tho light of the day. The friendly coqaration, careful
printing and smooth management of the whole work by the
staff members of the Sreeguru Press, Maligaon are appreCi-d
greatly. My thanks must also go to all those who have htlpbd
me in many ways but who must go unnamed. The shortcoming
of the book, of course, will be mine. I sincerely believe that
the book will meet the needs of all those for whom it is
intended.
University of Gauhati
Septmber 1966.
