Who was Lachit Borphukan who licked the dust of the Mughals?
The three-day celebration of the 400th birth anniversary of famous Assamese general and folk hero Lachit Borphukan began in New Delhi on 23 November.Lachit Borphukan’s birth anniversary is celebrated on 24 November.
The event was attended by many celebrities including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Last week, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also released a theme song composed by singer Zubin Garg during the celebration of the 400th birth anniversary of the Ahom general.
Sarma said that the song was a tribute to the sacrifice of ‘Mahabir’ Lachit,and expressed hope that it would fuel “nationalist fervour” among the people.
Earlier this year, the then President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated a war memorial in Guwahati and laid the foundation stone for a 150-foot bronze statue of Lachit Borphukan.
Who was Lachit Borphukon, and why is he important in the story of Assamese nationalism?
The Ahom kings ruled a large part for about 600 years from the early 13th century to the early 19th century.
This part is now known as Assam.
It was a prosperous, multi-ethnic empire spread over the upper and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra valley.
The people here lived on the cultivation of rice in their fertile land.
From 1615 to 1682, from the reign of Jahangir to the reign of Aurangzeb, there were many conflicts between the Ahoms and the Mughals.
One of the major early military conflicts took place in January 1662,
where the Mughals achieved a partial victory,
conquering parts of Assam and capturing the Ahom capital Garhgaon.
Under the patronage of the Ahom king Swargadeo Chakradhwaj Singh,
the battle again started with the Mughals to recover the lost Ahom territories.
The initial victory in this battle was of the Ahoms.
Aurangzeb then sent Raja Ram Singh I of Jaipur to recover the lost portion in 1669 and then the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.
Story of Lachit Borphukan
Lachit was a brilliant military commander who knew the terrain of the Brahmaputra valley and the surrounding hills very well.
He was chosen by Raja Charadhwaj Singha as one of the five Borphukans of the Ahom kingdom and given administrative, judicial and military responsibilities.Unlike the Mughals, who preferred to fight in the open with their vast armies, the Borphukans preferred guerrilla tactics.
This gave an edge to his small, but fast-moving and capable army.Like Shivaji’s encounters with the Mughals in Marathwada, Lachit damaged large Mughal camps and fixed posts.
Unperturbed by their attacks, Mughal soldiers were killed.When the monsoon arrived, the plans of the Mughals became complicated.
The Mughals were able to camp successfully around the foothills of Alaboi,but the Ahom king ordered Borphukan to attack from the front,this resulted in the death of around 10,000 Ahom warriors and a Mughal victory in 1669.
At first the Mughals attempted to advance through the valley but realized that traveling by river would be faster.
Lachit who was a great naval warrior and strategist, he weaved a net.
According to the historian HK Barpujari (‘Comprehensive History of Assam’), the Ahom forces attacked from the front as well as from the rear as a surprise.
He lured the Mughal fleet forward by pretending to attack with a few ships from the front.
The Mughals evacuated the waters behind them from where the main Ahom fleet attacked and won a decisive victory.
Lachit Borphukan died of prolonged illness a year after the Battle of Saraighat.
According to a legend, he was actually very ill during the Battle of Saraighat but he heroically led his troops to victory.
Lachit Borphukan in Assamese culture
Every culture and community has its heroes.Over time, the exploits of Lachit Borphukan have come to symbolize resistance against all odds and against outsiders.He has become one of the Assamese heroes who epitomizes the valor, courage and intelligence that defines the Assamese self-identity.
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