The Ahoms established the Ahom kingdom (1228-1826) in parts of present-day Assam and ruled it for nearly 600 years. Historical documents didn't call the kingdom "Ahom". They called it "Asam", and the subjects of this kingdom "Assamese" or "Axomiya". After the advent of the British, the meanings of these categories changed. "Ahom" as a term appears in the Buranjis to denote the collection of civil and military officers under the Ahom king, all of which were non-hereditary offices.
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History of Ahom kingdom
See: Ahom kingdom
Beginnings
In early 13th century, Sukaphaa, a Shan (Mong Mao) prince began his journey with about 9000 (Edward Gait) followers, mostly men. He crossed the Patkai hills, fought and defeated the Nagas and reached the Brahmaputra valley in 1228. He moved from place to place, searching for a seat. He decided not to attack the Morans and Borahis but befriend them instead. His followers, much depleted from the original 9000, married into the Borahi and the Moran ethnic groups. The Borahis, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group, were subsumed into the Ahom fold, though the Moran maintained their independent ethnicity. Sukaphaa finally established his capital at Charaideo near present-day Sivasagar in 1253 and began the task of state formation.
The Ahoms brought the dispersed tribal groups and regions to under one roof. They are considered as the architect of the modern Assam.
Expansion
The Ahom kingdom then consolidated its powers for the next 300 years or so. The first major expansion was at the cost of the Chutiya kingdom, which was annexed in 1522 under Suhungmung. The expansion was not just a success of Ahom military prowess, but also a result of changes in the Ahom social and political outlook. For example, Suhungmung was the first Ahom king to adopt a Hindu name: Swarga Narayan. The Chutiya region was placed under the Sadiyakhowa Gohain a new position that was created. In 1536 the Kacharis were uprooted from their capital at Dimapur. Thus by the middle of the 16th century, the Ahoms were in control over eastern Assam. In 17th century, after the Battle of Itakhuli in 1682 that marked the end of the Ahom-Mughal conflicts, much of the control of Koch Hajo fell into the hands of the Ahoms.
THE AHOM DYNASTY 1.Sukapha 1228–1268 2.Suteupha1268–1281
3.Subinpha1281–1293
4.Sukhangphaa1293–1332
5.Sukhrangpha1332–1364
6. Sutupha1364–1376
Interregnum1376–1380
7.Tyao Khamti1380–1389
Interregnum1389–1397
8.Sudangpha1397–1407
9.Sujangpha1407–1422
10.Suphakpha1422–1439
11.Susenpha1439–1488
12.Suhenpha1488–1493
13.Supimpha1493–1497
14.Suhungmung1497–1539
15.Suklenmung1539–1552
16.Sukhamphaa1552–1603
17.Susenghpha1603–1641
18.Surampha1641–1644
19.Sutyinpha1644–1648
20.Sutamla1648–1663
21.Supungmung1663–1669
22.Sunyatpha1669–1673
23.Suklampha1673–1675
24.Suhung1675
25.Gobar1675
26.Sujinpha1675–1677
27.Sudaipha1677–1679
28.Sulikpha1679–1681
29.Supatpha1681–1696
30.Sukhrungpha1696–1714
31.Sutanphaa1714–1744
32.Sunenpha1744–1751
33.Surampha1751–1769
34.Sunyeopha1769–1780
35.Suhitpangpha1780–1795
36.Suklingpha1795–1810
37.Sudinpha1810–1818
38.Purandar Singha1818–1819
Burmese Rule1819-1824
End of Ahom rule
Their power declined in latter half of the 18th century. The capital city was taken for a short period during the Moamoria rebellion. In the first part of the 19th century, the Burmese army invaded their kingdom who set up a puppet Ahom king. The Burmese were defeated by the British in the First Anglo-Burmese War resulting in the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, which paved the way for the British to convert the Ahom kingdom into a principality and which marked the end of the Ahom rule.
The Ahom people
The Tai Ahoms who came into Assam followed their traditional religion and spoke the Tai language. They were a very small group numerically and after the first generation, the group was a mixture of the Tai and the local population. Over time the Ahom state adopted the Assamese language and kings and other high officials converted to Hinduism. Except for some special offices (the king and the raj mantris), other positions are open to members of all tribes and religion. They kept good records, and are known for their chronicles, called Buranjis.
One of its greatest achievements was the stemming of Mughal expansionism. In the celebrated battle of Saraighat, the Ahom general Lachit Borphukan defeated the Mughal forces on the outskirts of present day Guwahati in 1671.
Ahom people today
The Tai-Ahom were historically seen as "Assamese" people. However, the term "ethnic Assamese" is now associated by the Indian government at Delhi with the Assamese-speaking Indo-Aryans of the Brahmaputra valley (see Assamese people).[1] .[1][2][3]
Further reading
- "Fragment Histories:Struggling to be Tai-Ahom". Duke University Press.2004
- Gogoi, N. K. (2006). Continuity and change among the Ahom. New Delhi: Concept Pub. Co. ISBN 8180692817
- Phukon, G. (1998). State of Tai culture among the Ahoms. [Assam, India?]: G. Phukon.
See also
External links
- The Tai-Ahom connection by Yasmin Saikia in Gateway to the East, June 2005.
- Polities mentioned in the Chinese Ming Shi-lu, several references are made to a Tai Ahom kingdom in this translation of an important Ming dynasty historical source
References
- ^ a b Yasmin Saikia. Fragmented Memories. http://books.google.com/books?id=p9PkFF3uq_8C&pg=PA5&d.
- ^ "ST status to Assam groups only from a national perspective". http://indiaedunews.net/Assam/ST_status_to_Assam_groups_only_from_a_national_perspective_2813/. Retrieved 11/03/2009.
- ^ "Separatist strains". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl2410/stories/20070601001709200.htm. Retrieved 11/03/2009.
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