HT DIGITAL
GUWAHATI, AUGUST 26: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has drawn upon the state’s rich heritage of resistance, terming it as an “eternal saga of heroism.” In a message on his official ‘X’ account, he reminisced about centuries of struggles in which Assam’s rulers and warriors stood up to repeated invasions.
Referring to a recent discussion on Maharaja Prithu of Kamrup, Sarma recalled how, in 1206 CE, the king defeated Bakhtiyar Khilji’s forces, causing the latter’s Tibet expedition to end in disaster. “Assam’s story of resistance does not end with Maharaja Prithu. It is a saga that continues for five centuries, culminating in the decisive Battle of Itakhuli in 1682,” he wrote.
Related Posts:
The Chief Minister also pointed out some defining battles that had shaped the history of Assam:
• 1257 CE: King Sandhya, with the help of the Chutia ruler, ambushed and annihilated Tughril Khan’s army during the monsoon.
• 1337 CE: King Durlabh Narayan defeated Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s extensive cavalry army.
• 1532 CE: Ahom kings Suhungmung and Suklenmung defeated Turbak and Hussain Khan; Turbak was slain and Hussain beheaded.
• 1637–1639: Mughal commanders Mir Zainuddin and Allah Yar Khan were defeated at Gauhati.
• 1661–1663: Mughal leader Mir Jumla temporarily occupied Gargaon but withdrew due to floods, famine, and opposition from local populations.
• 1668–1671: Famous general Lachit Barphukan defended Guwahati successfully against the Mughal fleet.
• 1682: The Battle of Itakhuli, commanded by Chetia Barphukan and Dihingia Alun Barbaruah, ended Mughal raids as their armies were repelled beyond the Manas River.
Sarma reported that Assam suffered 18 significant invasions in the period from 1205 to 1682 CE but “remained like a wall against one invader after the next,” as opposed to many other places that fell prey to successive dynasties. He termed such a past as being one of “resistance, sacrifice, and unyielding spirit,” asking people to pay tribute to the efforts of the rulers, commanders, and troops who protected Assam’s sovereignty.
