Ahom warrior lachit borphukan and the battles of alaboi and saraighat

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated26/02/2022

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lachit Borphukan passed away from natural causes in 1672, a year after the battle of Saraighat.