Ahom warrior lachit borphukan and the battles of alaboi and saraighat
- President inaugurated the year-long celebration of the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan, commander of the Ahom forces and an icon of Assamese nationalism.
- He also laid the foundation stone for the Alaboi war memorial, a tribute to soldiers who had fought and suffered a setback against the Mughals at Alaboi, two years before Lachit’s decisive victory at the battle of Saraighat in 1671.
- Along with the Alaboi war memorial at Dadara, a Lachit Samadhi would be built this year.
Historical Background
- Ahom Kings ruled Assam, and parts of what are neighbouring states today, for nearly 600 years between the 13th and 19th centuries.
- Between 1615 and 1682, the Mughal Empire made a series of attempts, under Jahangir and then Aurangzeb, to annex the Ahom kingdom.
- In January 1662, Mughal Governor of Bengal Mir Jumla’s forces engaged with the Ahom army and went on to occupy part of the territory under Ahom rule.
- Between 1667 and 1682, the Ahoms under a series of rulers, starting with Chakradhwaj Singha, launched a counter-offensive to reclaim lost territories.
- This included the famous battles fought under the leadership of commander Lachit Borphukan.
Lachit Borphukan
- Born on 24th November, 1622.
- He was the son of the commander-in-chief of the Ahom army.
- Educated in humanities, military skills, and scriptures, Lachit was first given the position of Soladhara Barua, the scarf-bearer of the Ahom swargadeo.
- He held various positions like Ghora Barua (in charge of royal stables), commander of Simulgarh Fort and Dolakaxaria Barua (superintendent of royal household guards) to Chakradwaj Singha.
- He first came into prominence, when he recovered Guwahati from the Mughals in 1667, and was presented with the Hengdang, a gold-plated sword.
Battle of Alaboi
- In 1669, the Mughals launched an attack on the Ahom Kingdom.
- They stationed their army near Alaboi Hill (near present-day Dadara, North Guwahati).
- Lachit Borphukan accepted the challenge and prepared a force of 40,000 men under four commanders.
- Although the Mughals were victorious in the Battle of Alaboi, this conflict was no more than a tactical victory and a morale-booster for them as it had no bearing on their overall campaign against the Ahoms.
- The battle only strengthened the Ahom forces’ resolve to drive out the Mughals from Guwahati which led to the Battle of Saraighat.
Battle of Saraighat
- A naval engagement fought on the Brahmaputra River near Saraighat between the Mughal Empire and the Ahom Kingdom in 1671.
- More than 4,000 soldiers of the Mughal army were dead, their navy destroyed, and they were pushed to the westernmost part of the Ahom kingdom, the Manas river.
- Lachit Borphukan single-handedly led the Ahom force to victory over a much larger Mughal army.
Death
- Lachit Borphukan passed away from natural causes in 1672, a year after the battle of Saraighat.